PDA

View Full Version : Full Metal Alchemist Redux (3.5e)



The Anarresti
2010-05-24, 05:13 PM
Here is the final write-up. You have my permission to use this in any game you choose, just please don't make money off of it (that goes without saying). I'd like it if you did use it to PM me later with personal comments about how it worked out.
Alchemist


Level BAB Fort Ref Will Special
1st +0 +1 +0 +2 Transformation
2nd +1 +1 +0 +3 Bonus Metatransformation Feat
3rd +2 +2 +1 +3 Transformation + INT modifier times per day
4th +3 +2 +1 +4 Bonus Metatransformation Feat
5th +3 +3 +1 +4 Transformation + INT modifier times per day
6th +4 +3 +2 +5 Bonus Metatransformation Feat
7th +5 +3 +2 +5 Transformation + INT modifier times per day
8th +6/+1 +4 +2 +6 Bonus Metatransformation Feat
9th +6/+1 +4 +3 +6 Transformation + INT modifier times per day
10th +7/+2 +5 +3 +7 Bonus Metatransformation Feat
11th +8/+3 +5 +3 +7 Transformation + INT modifier times per day
12th +9/+4 +6 +4 +8 Bonus Metatransformation Feat
13th +9/+4 +6 +4 +8 Transformation + INT modifier times per day
14th +10/+5 +6 +4 +9 Bonus Metatransformation Feat
15th +11/+6/+1 +7 +5 +9 Transformation + INT modifier times per day
16th +12/+7/+2 +7 +5 +10 Bonus Metatransformation Feat
17th +12/+7/+2 +8 +5 +10 Transformation + INT modifier times per day
18th +13/+8/+3 +8 +6 +11 Bonus Metatransformation Feat
19th +14/+9/+4 +8 +6 +11 Transformation + INT modifier times per day
20th +15/+10/+5 +9 +6 +12 Bonus Metatransformation Feat


Alignment: Any
Hit Die: d6
Bonus Language:An Alchemist can replace any one of his racial bonus languages with Gnomish. The Gnomes invented Alchemy, so the large majority of students of Alchemy learn their language in order to study with the masters of the Art.
Class Skills:Alchemy (Int), Appraise (Int), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually), Profession (Wis), Speak Language (none)
Transformation(Su): An Alchemist can use this ability up to 3+ Int modifier times per day. This ability can affect up to 100lbs of material per level, has a range of touch, takes a standard action to use, provokes attacks of opportunity, lasts for 10min/level and counts as a spell of half the user’s alchemist level for purposes of saving throws, concentration checks, etc. If this ability is used to entrap a creature, or otherwise attacks a creature by transforming the materials around it, that creature is entitled to a reflex saving through, except in cases where the Alchemist instead makes an attack roll with the ability. This ability otherwise functions as the fabricate spell except as noted here.
Undo Transformation: This can be used to undo the effects of any of transformation that has a duration other than instantaneous, if the duration has not yet expired. It requires a move action to use, does not provoke attacks of opportunity, has a range of touch, and costs 0 uses per day to use. It can be modified by the Affect Liquids, Affect Gases, Short Range, Medium Range, and Long Range feats.
Skill Points at 1st Level: (4 + Int modifier) × 4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier
Proficiencies:Alchemists are proficient in all simple weapons, light and medium armor, and all shields (save tower shields). Armor does not interfere in their transformation ability.
Feats & Skills

Notes:
1. Each metaTransformation feat has a number given as a modifier. This is the number of additional times per day that a usage of this ability takes up, in addition to the original 1 time per day that a normal Transform Material usage takes up. If more than one feat is applied to a single usage, add together all the modifiers.
2. If not otherwise noted, a changed usage is just like the original. For example, if duration is not mentioned, than it is 10min/level, if range is not mentioned, than it is touch, etc.
3. Applying a Metatransformation feat to a use of the Transformation ability does not take any extra time, unless the feat description states otherwise.
4. If conjuring something damage-dealing, such as shaping a log into a spear or air into a club, you make an attack roll but substitute your intelligence score for your Strength or Dexterity score. The temporary “weapon” created deals damage as an appropriate weapon of medium size. You may only create temporary weapons that you are proficient with.
Not all damage-dealing transmutations may work this way, however.
Feats:
General Feats
Extra Transformation: The Alchemist may use his Transformation ability an extra four times per day. This feat may be taken more than once; it's effects stack.

Metatransformation feats
Cure: This ability causes the Alchemist to channel positive energy into the subject, curing 1d4+1 points of damage per level as with a cure spell. A successful Fortitude save negates the effect. Modifier: +0 Duration: Instantaneous
Inflict: Functions as Cure, only it uses negative energy as an inflict spell
Repair: Functions as Cure, only it repairs damage as a repair X damage spell
Disintegrate: Perquisites: Alchemist level 10. Mimics the effect of the Disintegrate spell. After using this ability, the Alchemist must succeed on an Alchemist level check against DC 20 or become fatigued. Duration: Instantaneous. Mod: +5
Extend Transformation: Doubles the duration of the effect of any of your transformation abilities. Has no effect on any whose duration is instantaneous, permanent, or concentration. Modifier: +1
Rearrange Proteins: Turns affected organic material into edible food (wood into brown bread, flowers into fruit, blood into broth, etc.). It can also work the other way around. The substance to be affected must be organic. Vegetable-based foods can only come from plant matter, and meat-based foods from flesh. Example: you cannot turn bones into bread, but you could turn bones into jerky. Duration: Permanent, but the food rots as normal. This has no effect on living animals or living plant creatures. This can also be used to create or nullify poisons, but an appropriate Craft(poison-making) check is required. In this case, the duration is as normal. Modifier: +1
Mastery of Petrifaction: Perquisites: Alchemist level 11. You may duplicate the effects (only the effects) of the following spells: Flesh to Stone, Stone to Flesh. You may also transform stone into any homogenous organic material, such as wood, or any homogenous organic material into stone. Duration: Permanent Modifier: +4
Quicken Transformation: perquisites: Alchemist level 8. Use the Transformation in question as a move action. Modifier: +4
Transmute Flame: Perquisites: Alchemist level 2. This can produce any of the following effects:
1. Increase light: The radius of bright and shadowy light produced by the flame doubles with a halving of the heat output (1d3 heat damage, not 1d6). It becomes magical flame.
2. Increase heat: The fire burns a pale blue (shadowy illumination out to the old bright illumination range, no bright illumination). Fire damage taken from the fire doubles. It becomes magical flame.
3. Duplicates the effect of the spell quench. Non-magical fire effect only. Range is still touch.
4. Duplicates the effect of the spell pyrotechnics. Range is still touch.
5. Duplicates the effect of the spell burning hands, only the cone starts from the fire, and is doubled for every size category the fire is above tiny (ex a tiny fire (torch) makes a 15ft cone, a small fire (campfire), makes a 30ft cone, a medium fire (firepit) makes a 60ft cone, etc.
You may touch the fuel for the fire, and not the fire itself to effect this transformation. For example, you may use this on the flame of a torch you are carrying. Modifier: +1
Affect Liquids: You may affect liquids with your transform materials ability. Moving a liquid from one place to another is instantaneous (for example, if you shape a puddle so that it moves out of its bed, it does not creep back to it’s old spot after 10min/level is up. However, maintaining an unnatural form requires concentration. For example, if you shape a pond into a pillar of water, you expend one per day usage. For every round after, you must be in contact with the water pillar, and concentrate as a standard action to maintain the pillar shape, but you do not use any more per-day uses. If you were to change the shape again, however, even if you had constant concentration, you expend a per-day use. If you affected the actual transformation with any range feat, you also affect the subsequent concentration checks with the same feat. Modifier: +0
Affect Gases: Perquisites: Affect Liquids. You may affect gases with your Transform Materials ability, as Affect Liquids. Modifier: +0
Transmute: Perquisites: Alchemist Level 9. You may turn any kind of material into any other kind of material. You may even replicate the magical qualities of materials such as Cold Iron, or duplicate precious metals. The transmuted material is the same temperature as it originally was, for example, if you attempted to turn cool wood into lava (although you would burn your hand on the lava sample) you would only turn the cool wood into cool stone. You must have at least 1 oz of the material to be turned into and touch it to the subject matter to effect the transformation. The duration is 10min/level, as normal. You must succeed on a DC 10+(2 per pound affected) Alchemy check to made precious metals, and a DC 15 + (2 per pound affected) to duplicate extraordinary materials such as cold iron, darkwood, Adamantine, mithrail, or Alchemical Silver. Modifier: mundane materials: +2, precious metals: +3, extraordinary materials +4.
Move Heat: Perquisites: Alchemist level 4. You may move heat from one object to another. You must be touching both objects, one that you move heat from, the other you move it to. Alternatively, you may move heat to or from yourself. You may move up to 30ºF per 100lbs per level. You may move heat unevenly, for example, you may cool 500 pounds of water by 10ºF to warm up your 100lb elf companion by 50ºF. If you use this on a living creature, for every degree Fahrenheit per three pounds you increase or decrease their temperature, they take 1 point cold or fire damage, as appropriate. If you change the range of this effect, you must change the range of the sending and receiving independently. For example, if you applied the Close Range feat to this technique, at the sending end, you still have to touch the material that you are sucking heat from. Duration: instantaneous. Modifier: +1
Oxidize: Perquisites: Alchemist level 11. This instantly combines the subject matter with the surrounding oxygen. Wood turns to ash and smoke, iron rusts, etc. No heat is produced. This works underwater, but not in any place were there is no oxygen. As a rule of thumb, for every 20lbs oxidized, ten cubic feet of the surrounding air is rendered unbreathable. Oxygen must be touching the material for this to work. Duration: instantaneous. Modifier: +5.
Delay Transformation: You may delay the effect of a Transformation ability for five rounds per per-day use you expend after you touch the target. For example, Gerald the Gnomish Alchemist expends two per-day uses in addition to the 6 it would cost him normally, for a grand total of eight, to Delay Disintegrate the bridge he is standing on. A minute later the bridge disintegrates, leaving Gerald safely on one side with the zombie hoard trapped on the other. You may delay an effect for less than five rounds per per-day usage used, but
modifier: +1 per 5 rounds delayed.
Close Range: The transformation is given a range of close (25ft + 5ft/2levels), instead of touch. If you had to make a touch attack with the original technique, you now have to use a ranged touch attack. Modifier: +1
Medium Range: The transformation is given a range of medium (100ft + 10ft/level), instead of touch. Perquisites: Close Range. Modifier: +2
Long Range: This transformation is given a range of long (400ft + 40ft/level), instead of touch. Perquisites: Medium Range. Modifier: +2
Solidify Fluid: This allows you to temporarily make a fluid solid, with no change in visible appearance. The new substance has the hardness and density of ice. This lasts as long as you concentrate on the fluid. For example, you could shape a gallon of water into a longspear, causing to shoot out and stab an adjacent enemy. Normally, the water would splash off harmlessly, but instead, only while you are effecting the transformation, the water is solid. The water longspear stabs the enemy, and then instantly dissolves back into normal water. You could also use this to solidify structures: if you condense air into a wall, for example, you can use this feat to make the wall solid. The air wall only lasts as long as you concentrate on it normally, so the air wall remains solid only as long as you concentrate on it. Modifier: +1
Pulse: Perquisites: Alchemist level 4. You send out a pulse of Alchemical force (the same stuff that allows you to effect transformations). Instead of transforming anything, however, the pulse merely travels through the material, to a range of 10ft/level. It returns in 1d4 rounds, having bounced off of all material that is in a different state than itself (you still have to have the appropriate feat to send the pulse through liquids and gases), giving you effectively an echolocation “click” of the area. For example, Aldric, 5th level Gnomish Alchemist, sends a pulse into a cave wall, and the DM rolls 1d4 (he gets 3, and does not tell Aldric). The pulse spreads out to a range of 50ft from the contact spot, moving only through the rock. It returns after three rounds, telling Aldric that, from his point of contact, solid material extends fifty feet in all directions, except for a pocket of non-detection ten feet in diameter, twenty feet from the point of contact. This pocket may contain air, water, lava, vacuum, or any other non-solid. If Aldric was not touching the point of contact when the pulse returned, he would have lost the pulse. Remember that things such as a living body contain a mixture of solids and liquids. This can alternatively be used short range, to a range of 1foot/level, which provides a more in-depth analysis and can pass through all material (but not a vacuum). It also allows you to make an appraise check to identify the material, at a -5 penalty. This pulse always returns after one round. So, Aldric sends a short-range pulse into a treasure chest. He knows that the chest is full halfway with solid, halfway with gas, with a small space, roughly quadrupedal in shape, with a complicated mixture of solids, liquids and gases. He makes an appraise check and determines that the metal is gold (from the vibration of the pulse when it returns). He can probably guess that the complex grouping is a living creature, about the size of a cat. Adjustment: +1
Catch Energy: This can be used to catch and hold energy. This can be used two ways: to catch an attack, or to hold energy that you have already moved about. The first way you must ready an action, and then when the attack is used on you, you must succeed on an Alchemy check of DC=the attack’s save DC to catch it. Once you have the energy, you must succeed on a concentration check of DC 15 at the beginning of your next turn to hold it. Each subsequent round you must make a concentration check at the beginning of your turn, with DC=(2+ the previous DC). If you fail, you take the damage you are holding, as normal, no save (vulnerabilities, immunities and resistance apply, as normal, but evasion doesn’t)If you choose to release it, you can make a ranged touch attack with range 120ft against any target you choose. You deal the damage that you would have originally taken (vulnerabilities, resistance and immunities notwithstanding). You may hold a maximum of 10points/level of energy. For example, Alric readies an action against a 10th-level sorcerer (with 18 Charisma) famous for his fire spells. The sorcerer casts Fireball, and Alric is caught in the blast. The fireball would normally deal 10d6 (in this case, 32) fire damage, with a reflex save against DC 18 to half. However, Alric intentionally fails his reflex save, and instead makes an Alchemy check against DC 18. He succeeds, and instead catches the 32 points of fire damage, instead of taking it as damage. The following round, on the beginning of his turn, Alric makes a DC 15 Concentration check to hold onto the energy. He succeeds, and hold onto the fireball for his turn. He decides to release it as a standard action, making a ranged touch attack against the sorcerer, dealing 32 points of fire damage.
You can also use this to hold energy you took not from an attack. In this case, you need not make an Alchemy check to catch it, and the DC for holding onto it starts at 10, not 15. For example, Alric reaches his hand into a fire, taking 1d6 points of damage. He now is holding onto five points of fire damage, which he can release as usual. He cannot, however, catch more fire damage from the fire, while holding onto the fire damage he already has. This only works with acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic. Modifier: +2.
Convert Energy: Perquisites: Catch Energy. You can convert energy you hold into any other kind of energy (acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic only) on a point-for-point basis, as a standard action.
Transmute Body: Perquisites: Alchemist level 3. By altering the body of the subject, you grant them certain abilities, such as a bonus to an appropriate skill (climb, jump, hide, escape artist, tumble, disguise, but not bluff, perform etc.) This bonus can be up to your Alchemist level.
Alternatively, similar effects can be made, such as duplicating barkskin or spiderclimb, or granting the subject natural weapons. For difficult adjustments, an appropriate Heal check is necessary, if working with living flesh. If performing on a construct, an appropriate Craft check is necessary, if on an undead, an appropriate Knowledge: Religion check, etc.
Larger Attack: When using a technique that mimics a weapon, this allows that effective weapon damage to be moved up one (or more) size categories. For example, a blast of air that mimics a club usually would deal 1d6, but now would deal 1d8 if modified. Modifier: Large: +1, Huge: +2, Gargantuan: +4, Colossal +8
Skills:
Alchemy (Int): This skill is used in all the same ways with regard to Alchemical transformations as Spellcraft is toward spells and Psicraft to manifestations. In addition, it is used to perform difficult transmutations.
If you have any questions on the class itself, please feel free to post them to this thread. If you have any feedback, feel free to post if doing so would be non-thread necrotic: otherwise, just PM me. If you have any questions on specific instances, such as DM fiat, please PM me.

FlamingKobold
2010-05-24, 05:39 PM
Don't use "medium" saves. They're not a thing. Choose good or poor. Also, the only thing in the table is "transformation + int modifier times per day," which is never defined as a class features. Fix up the formatting.

The Anarresti
2010-05-24, 07:06 PM
Why not use medium saves? Just because no base class uses it doesn't mean that it can't be used.
And I'd think that "transformation + INT modifier times per day" would be self-explanatory: you get to use your transformation ability an additional number of times per day equal to your intelligence modifier.
Thanks for the comments, though.

FlamingKobold
2010-05-24, 08:40 PM
But you don't have a class feature named "Transformation." The abilities that you define aren't in the table. This is a problem. Change the Hit die to "d6" rather than "1d6."

Vaynor
2010-05-24, 09:26 PM
Why not use medium saves? Just because no base class uses it doesn't mean that it can't be used.

It's not just that no base class uses them (or prestige class for that matter, but that's irrelevant), it's that those are the two types of saves given in the PHB.


Base Save Bonus: The two numbers given in this column on Table 3–1 apply to saving throws. Whether a character uses the first (good) bonus or the second (poor) bonus depends on his or her class and the type of saving throw being attempted. For example, fighters get the lower bonus on Reflex and Will saves and the higher bonus on Fortitude saves, while rogues get the lower bonus on Fortitude and Will saves and the higher bonus on Reflex saves. Monks are equally good at all three types of saving throws. See each class’s description to find out which bonus applies to which category of saves. If a character has more than one class (see Multiclass Charac- ters, page 59), the base save bonuses for each class are cumulative.

However, it's your homebrew, so feel free to do what you like.

The Anarresti
2010-05-25, 12:35 PM
Ok, thanks for your input. As long as it doesn't cause a problem for multiclassing (just add the base save bonuses together), I think I'll keep it the way it is. And I'll fix the formatting.

The Anarresti
2010-05-25, 01:17 PM
Storage Sphere:A clear glass object, in the shape of a dodecahedral solid, about 2" in diameter, these objects are used by Alchemists to store energy. It is riddled with microscopic tubes to trap energy put inside. If an Alchemist is holding energy, using the catch energy feat, he may put it inside a blank sphere using a standard action, as if discharging it normally. If the sphere is holding energy, it become opaque and takes a certain color: fire: red, cold: blue, acid: green, electricity: yellow, sonic: white. A Sphere can only hold a certain amount of energy: any more than it's limit, and it shatters, releasing the energy in a 20ft spherical burst, dealing the points of damage to all creatures within range (reflex half). A sphere may hold up to ten points of damage per 100gp of its cost. It may hold energy for any length of time. If broken, it release the energy as if it had been overcharged. You may add more energy of the same type to a sphere with energy already in, as long as it does not exceed the limit, but you may not mix energy. If you do, it shatters. You can withdraw energy from it as a move action: you can withdraw as many points of energy as you want from the sphere with no check, up to the amount that the sphere holds. If you withdraw energy from it, you only need to make the (DC 10) concentration check to hold onto it at the start of your next turn. Any alchemist who touches one of these knows exactly how much damage is in it. A DC 20+ (maximum point limit/10) Alchemy check tells you how many points of damage the sphere could theoretically hold. No retry, take 10, or take twenty.
For every 100 points, the radius doubles, rounded up. So, a sphere that holds 10-100 points would be 2", one that holds 110-200 would be 3", etc.
Cost: 10xp + 25gp for every 10 points of holding capacity. Requires the Craft Alchemical Item feat to make. Price: 100gp for every 10 points of holding capacity.

Jair Barik
2010-05-25, 01:26 PM
1. Alchemy is already a skill, Craft (alchemy)
2. Bonus languages don't really work that way. An elf wizard doesn't 'not have elvish' so he can take Draconic, he just gets the option to take draconic as a bonus language for high Int (same for Clerics)
3. Why is speak language a skill? Thats only really a skill for classes that specialise in skill monkeying. Appraise, Forge and Use Magic device look as though they would fit better (maybe heal too)
4. I'd agree that either make the save good or bad.

DracoDei
2010-05-25, 01:36 PM
I like to see stuff use Medium Saves actually. The whole point of homebrewing it to expand beyond the PHB/DMG/MM limits, so saying that nothing in those books uses those is irrelevant to me.

The Anarresti
2010-05-25, 02:18 PM
1. Alchemy is already a skill, Craft (alchemy)
2. Bonus languages don't really work that way. An elf wizard doesn't 'not have elvish' so he can take Draconic, he just gets the option to take draconic as a bonus language for high Int (same for Clerics)
3. Why is speak language a skill? Thats only really a skill for classes that specialise in skill monkeying. Appraise, Forge and Use Magic device look as though they would fit better (maybe heal too)
4. I'd agree that either make the save good or bad.
1. Not in the game that I'm running with this character. Craft(alchemy) is now Craft(chemistry). Semantics.
2. Maybe I worded it poorly. I meant it to be exactly like the Wizards-and-Draconic thing.
3. Heal is already on there. Appraise is a good idea, I'll add that. Isn't Forge just another application of Craft? Or do I just not have the right splatbook (for the record, I have no splatbooks whatsoever) Use Magic Device, well, even Wizards do not have Use Magic Device, and this class, although it uses magic in the form of supernatural abilities, doesn't really deal in the applied magic you see in spells, which is the kind you get in magic devices. I personally think that Speak Language should be a class skill for any scholarly class (all knowledge skills individually). Especially in medieval times, languages were very important: A scholar would be expected to at the very least speak Latin, if not Greek, Hebrew and Arabic as well, not to mention the hundreds of local languages that required anyone of importance to speak many, many tongues. There are many texts of scholarly importance in many different languages (such as, oh I don't know, Draconic and Wizards, and of course Elvish and Gnomish books), and learning new languages would be vital for any academic. Nowadays, less so, because of globalization and the ease of translation, but still, most serious historians learn at least some of a second language to read sources in the original. And scientists and medical professionals have their dog latin creole language that they all understand. Modern-day English speakers (especially Americans) rarely realize exactly how important languages are.
4. And I respectfully disagree.

Vauron
2010-05-25, 04:26 PM
And I'd think that "transformation + INT modifier times per day" would be self-explanatory: you get to use your transformation ability an additional number of times per day equal to your intelligence modifier.
Thanks for the comments, though.

Three things;
1. No, it is not clear what you meant by "transformation + INT modifier times per day". I heavily suggest that you write a class feature that makes it clear. Perhaps something like:

Alchemist's Touch: Multiple your Intelligence modifier by the value shown on the table when determining the number of additional times per day you can use Transformation.

On the table you would merely keep track of the multiplier, sorta like how the rogue class presents sneak attack progression or psion does power points.

2. You mention the Undo Transformation class feature. That is not a class feature that this class gains at any point in time, going by how you have presented the class.

3. I find it odd in general that you only ever get to add your INT modifier additional times to increase the number of transformations/day. Usually, the class itself progresses uses per day independant of stats.