The Alchemist NPC class

The Alchemist. Hit die/combat as thief. Weapons. One handed, staff, sling. Armour. Leather and shield. XP: As mage.

The beginning adventuring alchemist is no mere apprentice, but a journeyman who has just mastered the making of their personal philosophers stone. The stone allows them to create a certain number of essences in a day. These essences can be transferred to potions, oils, powders, biscuits and pills with the right ingredients and time. If an alchemist loses their stone, they must create another.

Powers and skills.

Alchemists can salvage essential potion components from slain foes; depending on how gory you wish your game to be, alchemists can be literal or symbolic magic workers. If literal, they need the actual organs/parts discussed. If symbolic, they salvage the 'raised vibrations' or essences of certain parts of creatures, capturing them through symbolic means (a drop of blood, a single tear, an eye, a tooth) if the creature is slain and the conditions met.

An alchemists stone carries a lingering residue of the potions it is used to create. Alchemists can capture these effects in essences of the stone and use them personally or on another (if they are touched with the stone).

Books of recipes. Alchemists can concoct different recipes for potions, rather than the standard ones.

An alchemists stone would allow a similar amount of essences per day as mages have spells. Their selection of essences would be similar to a spell list. Alchemists can add new essences to their stone through studying (and destroying) a new potion. This takes the same time as mages do to learn new spells. Alchemists can only produce a potion if they have a recipe. Alchemists keep books of recipes (standard and self-created). Alchemists need to study a potion to divine its composition. This can be done while adding a new essence. Alchemists are comfortable and adroit with burning oils, acids, poisons and antidotes. They treat a 1 as a simple failure when throwing/using these chemicals.

Alchemists can preserve magical or special powers as they rise in level. Slain foes with special abilities sometimes have an essence the alchemist can draw on and trap for a single use. Examples are ghoul talon oil for a paralyzing touch, a tuft of fur from a lycanthrope for immunity to normal weapons or troll heart for regeneration. Max effect of 1rd/hd of monster or one use if attack oriented. In general, an alchemist can only draw a power from a creature who's hd are equal to or lower than their level.

Making potions. Alchemists can always make any potion they know with a lab and the correct ingredients, for the listed gp/time amounts. This does not mean they can use the essence of the potion if they are not high enough level.

Potion ranks. similar to spell level, essences are ranked according to relative power.

Powers. Use essences (similar to spells).

Skills Lesser alchemy. (choose one at 1st, 7th and 11th).As thiefs climb.

• Poisons and antidotes. Chance of identifying, creating on the fly from monster bits.
• Healing herbs.Chance of identifying and finding cure for diseases, treating wounds, creating minor cures (1-4hp).
• Others.

Salvage: As thiefs pick pockets. Success allows possible multiple potion ingredients. Failure means only 1 potion eq salvaged. Preserve: As thiefs hear noise.