Alchemist, Variant (3.5e Class)

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This Alchemist wields the immense power of concept-combining magic (based heavily on) to achieve the world-transmuting powers you might know and love. 20 1 Moderate Other Other Other Alternate Magic Spontaneous Spellcasting Full

Lawful Good Lawful Neutral Lawful Evil Neutral Good Neutral Neutral Evil Chaotic Good Chaotic Neutral Chaotic Evil

Alchemist

Alchemists wield the power of tectonic plates shifting or dragons breathing to transmute the world into a state they prefer.

Making a Alchemist

Alchemists are fairly similar to wordmasters or word wizards, although they are a little bit more reliant on short-term planning. Their class features draw from the wordcasting and mana-based spellcasting rules, although they don't precisely follow either one.

Abilities: Alchemists use two mental ability scores for their casting, and can do useful things with their physical ability scores sometimes, but don't bother with them too much.

Races: Every sentient race that has been offered the power of Alchemy has had at least one member take it.

Alignment: Any.

Starting Gold: 4d4×10 gp (100 gp).

Starting Age: Moderate, although some people have been known to become high-level Alchemists before adulthood.

Table: The Alchemist

Hit Die: d8

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Saving Throws			Special	Maximum "DC"	Concepts Known
		Fort	Ref	Will
1st	+0	+0	+2	+0	Strain Casting	6	3
2nd	+1	+0	+3	+0		7	4
3rd	+2	+1	+3	+1		8	5
4th	+3	+1	+4	+1		10	6
5th	+3	+1	+4	+1		11	8
6th	+4	+2	+5	+2		12	9
7th	+5	+2	+5	+2		14	10
8th	+6/+1	+2	+6	+2		15	12
9th	+6/+1	+3	+6	+3		16	13
10th	+7/+2	+3	+7	+3		18	14
11th	+8/+3	+3	+7	+3		19	16
12th	+9/+4	+4	+8	+4		20	17
13th	+9/+4	+4	+8	+4		22	18
14th	+10/+5	+4	+9	+4		23	20
15th	+11/+6/+1	+5	+9	+5		24	21
16th	+12/+7/+2	+5	+10	+5		26	22
17th	+12/+7/+2	+5	+10	+5		27	24
18th	+13/+8/+3	+6	+11	+6		28	25
19th	+14/+9/+4	+6	+11	+6		30	26
20th	+15/+10/+5	+6	+12	+6		31	28
Class Skills (4 + Int modifier per level, ×4 at 1st level) Appraise (Int), Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Alchemy) (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Forgery (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (Any, chosen individually) (Int), Listen (Wis) Move Silently (Dex), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Tumble (Dex), Use Magic Device (Cha).

Class Skills, Tome of Prowess Variant (6 per level, ×4 at 1st level)
Arcana (Int), Bluff (Int), Ciphers (Int), Concentration (Wis), Cultures (Cha), Jump (Strength), Legerdemain (Dex), Perception (Wis), Stealth (Dex)

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the Alchemist.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Alchemists are proficient with simple and martial weapons, and with light, medium, and heavy armor. They do not suffer from arcane spell failure.

Alchemist Level: The Alchemist's Alchemist level is equal to his level in the Alchemist class plus half his other levels.

Overexertion: Fortitude save DC for attempting to transmute while fatigued is 20 + one-third the spell's "DC" + the amount of Strain he has over his Tolerance.

Strain Casting: The Alchemist's strain tolerance is equal to his Charisma score plus half his Alchemist level. Unlike a normal mana-based caster, the Alchemist recovers from 1 point of strain per minute.

The Alchemist's Save DCs are equal to 10 + half character level + his Intelligence modifier.

Maximum "DC": You cannot cast any spell through the use of Alchemy if its DC is greater than this value. "DC" is in quotes because you don't actually have to make any check in order to succeed. A spell you cast with a DC equal to that value has a strain cost of 9; for every two points the DC is lower than this value, the strain cost decreases by 1, to a minimum of 0.

Concepts Known: You know this many concepts, drawn from the list of modifer, shape, and effect concepts below.

Spells: Alchemists cast spells by creating transmutation circles composed of several concepts, and then activating them. With a few exceptions, there is a 1:1 correlation between Alchemist concepts and Wordcasting words, and the DC's of words in that system are used here as a limit on maximum power.

Unlike with Wordcasting, Alchemist transmutations always require a somatic component to activate the circle once it has been drawn, and never require verbal components. In addition, no Wordcasting check is necessary to successfully activate or draw a transmutation circle.

Activating a drawn transmutation circle is a move action. Strain costs are spent when the circle is activated, not when the circle is drawn.

Temporary Transmutation Circles: All Alchemists can draw temporary transmutation circles using the concepts they know. Drawing a temporary transmutation circle takes a variable amount of time dependent on how many concepts (including repeats) are used in it, and any temporary transmutation circle that is activated is immediately destroyed.

Time to Draw a Temporary Transmutation Circle
Casting Time	Total Number of Concepts
Swift Action	4
Standard Action	12
Full Round Action	30
1-Round Action	50
+1 1-Round Action	+50

Permanent Transmutation Circles: In addition, many Alchemists choose to create or use permanent transmutation circles that don't have to be redrawn repeatedly. A transmutation circle that is not destroyed when activated is worth 1 silver piece/concept (including repeat concepts), and has a Craft (Alchemy) DC of 15.

Accidental Circle Activation: Unfortunately, it is difficult to keep from accidentally activating any circles if you have a lot of circles on your person. Every hour, the Alchemist must make a Dexterity check with a DC equal to the number of circles he can currently activate as a move action. If he fails the check, he activates a random circle targeting a random legal target. A natural 1 does not automatically fail for this check.

Shape Concepts List
Word Equivalent	"DC"	Changes from Word	Concept Image
Ayl	+1		A triangle
Spyn	+3		Three triangles, intersecting vertically
Orb	+1		A circle with a dot in the middle
Bang	+3		A circle with a 6-pointed star inside it
Hand	-2	Touch attack is separate from activation	A circle with a pentagon inside it
Burs	+2		A circle with a 5-pointed star inside it
Con	+2		A lopsided pentagon
Chen	+2		Three touching circles
Wal	+1		A crescent
Sfir	+1		Two concentric circles
None	Variable	See effect below	A circle

Effect Concepts List
Word Equivalent	"DC"	Changes from Word	Concept Image
Pyr	+1		A simplistic design of a fire
Nayp	+1		A burning blob
Lek	+1		A lightning bolt
Forch	+1		A semicircle followed by two lines
Saun	+1		Three sets of three curves emanating outwards
Aci	+1		A sword with a dripping tip
Fros	+1		An ice cube
Kol	+1		A snowflake
Deth	+1	Costs 1d6 hit points	A skull
Vyl	+1	Deals 6 Vile damage to you instead of 3	Crossed bones
Min	+1		A crazy eye
Terr	+1		Van Gogh's the Scream, simplified
Path	+1		A calm eye
Avis	+2		An empty square
Lyf	+1	Requires that a living being of the same size category be sacrificed in order to raise people	A heart
Reg	+1	Requires that a living being of the same weight as the lost parts be sacrificed in order to regenerate body parts	An arm
Holis	+1		A halo
Horrib	+1		A trident
Honis	+1		A balanced scale
Hohwat	+1		A question mark
Arm	+1	1 pound of metal as material component	A shield
Inv	+1		A shield drawn with dots
Excel	+1		A plus sign
Sir	+1		A line stopping an arrow
Port	+15/+2		Two stick figures
Al	+1		An arrow pointing to one of the stick figures above
Thro	+1		A hand
Lith	+1		A rocky face
Disp	+10/+2		A sword going "poof"
Ant	+1		A stick figure sitting on a cloud
None	+1	Item Repair Effect Concept	A square with a crack down the middle
None	+1	Extrude Effect Concept	A square, with the bottom line curving inwards and extending beyond the corners
None	+1	Craft Effect Concept	A pickaxe

Modifier Concepts List
Word Equivalent	"DC"	Changes from Word	Concept Image
Long	+3/+4/+5		Straight lines intersecting with the shape concept symbol
Wyd	+5		Circles at points along the shape concept symbol
Gilt	-X	Use 1/10th as much experience instead of items	Place an actual coin at the center of the circle
Charg	+10	Cannot be applied to permanent transmutation circles, drawing the circle takes as long as if you had used four times as many Concepts	Additional elaboration and flourishes in the design of the circle

Surprise Trap Shape Concept: This shape makes the circle be the area of effect. Everything in the circle and up to 10' above it per 5' of radius when it is activated is affected. The "DC" of the circle is dependent on its radius: -2 for a 2 1/2' radius (1 square), +0 for a 5' radius, +1 for a 10' radius, +2 for a 20' radius, and +1 for every doubling in radius after that. This doubling is not subject to the odd D&D multiplication rule.

Item Repair Effect Concept: This effect heals objects and constructs for 1d8 hit points. This effect concept adds 1 to the "DC" of the transmutation circle.

Extrude Effect Concept: This effect can only be applied to area of effect circle. Mundane unattended objects in the area may be moved up to 1 foot, in the direction(s) of your choice. This effect concept adds 1 to the "DC" of the transmutation circle.

Craft Effect Concept: Unattended objects targeted by this circle can be shaped and made more detailed. Instantly perform one week's worth of crafting, with an appropriate Craft check. This effect concept adds 1 to the "DC" of the transmutation circle.

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