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View Full Version : Alchemy and Healing - need help [4E]



The Mormegil
2008-09-24, 06:26 AM
The problem is, a player wants to use Alchemy to create healing objects. I know of the Herbal Pouch already, but I would like to have more options ready. I could allow him to brew potions, but I thought asking for help here was a good idea anyway. So please, could you post ideas for homebrewing Alchemy Healing objects, while possibly not making them magical? (I'm looking more on a Nature base, here...)

Also, This is 4E.

Thanks

Tempest Fennac
2008-09-24, 06:30 AM
He could use Profession (Herbalist) ranks to make the potions (they could be made using mundane items while possibly not burning Exps). I'm not sure how to handle restring HPs, but the price and rarity of herbs could very depending on what they do (eg: herbs which emulate Lesser Restoration, Neutralize Poison or Remove Disease would probably be mre common then herbs which could be used to cure more perminant things like Blindness or level loss). Survival could be combined with Herbalism in order to find free herbs.

The Mormegil
2008-09-24, 06:37 AM
Good point, sorry, I didn't specify: THIS IS 4E. I'll update.

Tempest Fennac
2008-09-24, 06:39 AM
I don't know that much about it unfortunately. Heal and Nature are class skills, right? They could be used rather then Survival, Alchemy and Herbalism. (Nature could find and identify herbs while Heal could be used to prepare them). Also, I heard that saving throws against conditions are easy to succeed at, so do you think having the potions merely granting a saving throw (possibly with a small bonus), would work well?

Shadow_Elf
2008-09-24, 07:03 AM
Typically to get healing, you must spend a healing surge and gain X hitpoints. Sometimes this is Surge value + X, sometimes just X. Your "herbal remedies" could also grant saving throws, bonuses, resistances. For example
"Winterroot Remedy"
The target spends a healing surge but regains no hitpoints, instead, they regain hitpoints = 1/2 their level + con modifier and they gain resist 5 cold/tier for five minutes... or something.
Also, I always thought it was strange that Brew Potion ends up making potions cost more...

The Mormegil
2008-09-24, 07:21 AM
Also, I always thought it was strange that Brew Potion ends up making potions cost more...
Hmmm... How so? The ritual costs exactly the same of the potion...

Shadow_Elf
2008-09-24, 05:33 PM
Hmmm... How so? The ritual costs exactly the same of the potion...

But it costs money to learn the ritual. Therefore each potion made by brew potion is Cost of Potion + [Cost of ritual/# of potions brewed] rather than just cost of potion. Its not huge, but I think that "brew your own" should end up being cheaper in the long run...

The Mormegil
2008-09-26, 08:47 AM
Ah, but that's not true for Wizards, and then you can make any potion you like in the middle of the dungeon instead of having to depend on markets and merchants and most of all, the ever-so-high market prices!