New LL class: The Chemist

[Denim N Leather]

I'm thinking about making a new class or my LL campaign: the Chemist; uses the Cleric spell list in the form of potions, salves, tinctures, extracts, and elixirs. Nix Turn Undead for something else ... not sure what yet, but I'm leaning towards some kind of alchemical bomb.

[Dyson Logos]

Two options here:

1. Handwavium - they have a limited number of uses per day of alchemical stuff that they mix on the job.
2. Preparation - they have to pre-make their stuff and carry it with them.

The preparation version is dangerous game-wise, because in a game with lots of downtime, they will load the party up with sweet one-shot hardware, and in a game with no downtime, they are useless. Thus I recommend the handwavium format.

[Denim N Leather]

Thanks for your thoughts!

Yes, it's a balancing act. I don't want to punish the class if they have downtime, however. And the items will have to be balanced against a) preventing the 5 minute work-day, and b) their limited melee capability.

The alchemical stuff should be very unstable, with a small percent chance of failing/blowing up, which increases with the number of bombs you make beyond your daily allotment. This way, if the Chemist has the time, sure you can whip up a batch of bombs, but carrying them on your person is almost guaranteed to get you blow'd up.

[Denim N Leather]

Okay, the bomb mechanic is coming out nicely. The Chemist will have X amount of bombs available each day depending on level. The bomb does a flat 1d6 damage, with a modifier depending on enemy AC vs Chemist level. It will also have a radius that gets larger depending on level; nothing too crazy, but at 6th level I will probably get the radius to increase from 5' to 10' due to the potency of the Chemist's skill. This will scale nicely against the other classes getting magical weapons/items and enhancing their combat effectiveness that way.

[Denim N Leather]

NEW PLAYER CHARACTER CLASS – THE CHEMIST
Requirements: DEX 9, WIS 13
Prime Requisite: WIS
Hit Dice: 1d6
Maximum Level: 10

Not all healers are tied to a church; in every city and village there are surgeons, hospitalers, tribal shamans, and the list goes on. Perhaps the most refined healer not associated with a deity is the Chemist. Combining superior alchemical knowledge with medical research, the Chemist is able to create compounds, tinctures, salves and extracts of vast power.

POTIONS
A Chemist can prepare a certain number of potions per day. When the Chemist ingests these potions, he temporarily gains the power of the equivalent level Cleric spell. If unused, the power stays in effect for one day before wearing off and being lost. The Chemist has access to the full Cleric spell list (just like a cleric), but can only prepare potions for levels 1-5. It takes eight hours to prepare the necessary compounds into a potion and the Chemist must be able to concentrate fully for this period of time with no distractions. He must also have access to a Chemist’s Kit to prepare any potions.

MAGIC ITEMS
A Chemist can use any scroll, wand, etc available to a Cleric with a 50% + his Class level success rate. If the Chemist fails this roll, the item fails to work and its use/charge is lost forever.

ELIXIRS
In addition to potions, a Chemist is also able to manufacture a certain number of exploding elixirs each day. An elixir is thrown like a melee weapon with a range of 20’ and does 1d6 damage, which is then modified according to the Chemist’s level and his opponent’s AC. At level 1-3, the Chemist can prepare 1+ his WIS modifier in elixirs per day. At level 4-6, the Chemist can prepare 2+ his WIS modifier in elixirs per day. At level 7 and above, the Chemist can prepare 3+ his WIS modifier in elixirs per day.
The Chemist’s daily allotment of elixirs can be prepared in the same time that he prepares his daily potions and is under the same restrictions.

CHEMIST’S KIT
A Chemist’s Kit is a small, hardwood box that contains 50 empty potion and elixir vials and enough medical and alchemical components to make a total of 50 potions or elixirs. If the Chemist attempts to create more potions or elixirs than is in his daily allotment, this represents a rush job. The Chemist must make a save vs Spells at -3 per additional potion or elixir, or the entire kit will explode, causing 6d6 damage within a 20’ radius. A Chemist’s Kit costs 10gp.

WEAPON AND ARMOUR RESTRICTIONS
A Chemist can wear leather armour or lighter. A Chemist is not proficient with shield use or any weapon larger than a dagger.

REACHING 9TH LEVEL
Upon reaching 9th level, a Chemist can create new potions. The rules for potion creation are the same as creating magic items (LL Core rules, page 126).

[Denim N Leather]

[Charlatan]

Everything here is really cool, consider it on my watch.

It hardly matters, but I'm not fond of Chemist as a class name. Not very adventurist. I would consider just going for alchemist or even something made up like elixerist or potion-master. Okay not those two names, but think about changing it.

[Dyson Logos]

I wouldn't go with the cleric spell list as given. It has spells that seem out of place (lots of group effects like bless). I would mix and match together a new spell list.

[Denim N Leather]

I wouldn't go with the cleric spell list as given. It has spells that seem out of place (lots of group effects like bless). I would mix and match together a new spell list.

Good point. I admit, it was partially out of laziness that I chose the cleric list as-is. But you are correct, I will tune a list specifically for the class.
(That really opens the class up, actually)

Thanks for your input!

[Denim N Leather]

Everything here is really cool, consider it on my watch.

It hardly matters, but I'm not fond of Chemist as a class name. Not very adventurist. I would consider just going for alchemist or even something made up like elixerist or potion-master. Okay not those two names, but think about changing it.

HA!

Glad you like it! I agree with Dyson's comment about the spell list; that shall be the next step.