60 Alchemic Items

[Realms of Chaos]

Of the various types of items out there, perhaps one of the most maligned types would be alchemic items. They exist only to perform the smallest functions and can only be created by spellcasters. I don't think that anything short of an over-haul of the crafting system would truly make alchemic items seem like a preferable idea but I still got it in my mind to create some alchemic items, writing one or two down whenever ideas popped into my head.

For the most part, I attempted to stay away from the most common ideas that you'd find in every single alchemy PDF on the internet (although I did write up alchemic glue). That said, I'm not sure how well these items are balanced against each other, several of them don't have any real use for PCs, and I tended to drift more towards "SCIENCE!" instead of science.

Before we get this started, however, a small feat:

Alchemist
You are well studied in the ways of alchemy
Benefits: You may craft any alchemic item using the Craft (Alchemy) skill, even if you don't possess a caster level.
If you make a successful Craft (Alchemy) check, you may treat your result as the DC of the check for the purpose of determining your progress.

With that done, let's get this on the road:

Permanent Ink: Kept in small glass vials, this black fluid has several advantages over traditional ink. First of all, permanent ink is waterproof and resists all attempts to wash it off with water, alcohol, or similar fluids (even with the assistance of soap). The ink remains fresh and vibrant for much longer than normal ink, remaining so for over a century if left alone, for over a decade if the inked surface is subject to daily wear and tear, or for a full month if used on a living being. A message may be washed off through the use of acid (dealing 1d6 damage to the inked surface) and can be rendered unreadable by inflicting at least 10 points of damage to the inked surface. A single vial of permanent ink possesses enough ink to write a full page of text.
Weight _; Price 10 gp/vial

Compass Stone: This alchemically treated, pointed loadstone is strongly oriented to magnetic fields. The stone serves much the same purpose as a magnet but always points directly north if placed upon a liquid or allowed to hang freely from a string.
Weight _; Price 5 gp

Instant Parchment: This beakers of off-white parchment are of great use to a scholar on the go. After carefully pouring out some of the contents and resting it against a flat-surface (a full-action provoking attacks of opportunity), the contents dry into a piece of parchment of the appropriate size over the next minute. Alternately, the contents can be tightly balled up into small balls, effectively creating five sling bullets in place of a sheet of parchment. The paper can be folded into almost any other continuous shape as it is forming if the crafter succeeds on an Intelligence check (DC depends on complexity), though objects with moving pieces can’t be formed in this way and all objects are just as fragile as normal parchment. One beaker of instant parchment contains enough liquid to form five average sheets of parchment.
Weight _; Price 20 gp

Hoardgum: This rubbery, pink paste is normally sold in small barrels to those who want to take care that their belongings are protected. After one hour of exposure to air, this paste solidifies into a strong rubbery substance. If wrapped around one or more objects, the paste forms a shell of sorts around the object(s) and a single shells can be used to clump many objects together. Once hardened, hoardgum possesses 10 hit points per inch and 5 hardness and protects coated items from water and air. Furthermore, Hoardgum adheres to objects it dried in contact with and requires a DC 12 Strength check to pull it free of an object or visa versa. Strong alcohol dissolves hoardgum over the course of 1 round. A single barrel of Hoardgum can form a 1-inch coat over up to 5 cubic feet of material.
Weight 5 lbs; Price 50 gp

Float Stone: Despite its name, a float stone is actually a small metal sphere with a small groove around the center, around which a rope can be wrapped. When vigorously shaken (a standard action), a series of chemical reactions occur within the float stone, causing it to become incredibly buoyant. A single float stone can lift up to 500 pounds of attached material up to the surface, ascending at a rate of 100 feet per round. A Float Stone remains active for 3 minutes before fizzling out.
Weight _; Price 10 gp

Bottled Rope: Appearing as bottles of a walnut-brown liquid, bottled rope is exactly what one would expect. When unstoppered and poured upon the floor, any of the liquid exposed to air immediately hardens into a rope-like substance, using the statistics for silk ropes. A single bottle contains enough liquid for 50 feet of rope, usable either all at once or in multiple intervals. So long as at least half of the fluid remains, throwing the bottles rope causes a medium net to be formed as the liquid splatters out, catching any creatures in the square if their touch AC is beaten by the attack roll. Rope and nets formed from Bottled Rope last for 24 hours before crumbling apart.
Weight _; Price 30 gp

Alchemic Timer: This glass globe holds a variety of colored fluids that fail to mix under normal conditions. When shaken vigorously, the fluids temporarily combine to form a sickly brown mixture before separating once more over the course of 1 hour. With a DC 10 Intelligence check, someone can tell precisely how long it has been since the globe was last shaken.
Weight _; Price 20 gp

Night’s Rest: This lavender liquid serves as a sleep aid for anyone who would need it and who can’t carry a bedroll around with them. For eight hours after ingesting the fluid, a creature is fatigued and warmed from the inside, reducing any nonlethal cold damage they would take from any source by 1. Furthermore, the target’s body is numbed, allowing them to fall asleep on almost any rough surface. Lastly, the target takes a -2 penalty to saving throws against sleep effects but gain a +1 bonus to saving throws against effects that would alter their dreams. A single vial of night’s rest holds 7 doses.
Weight _; Price 5 SP

Image Box: This black, shuttered box can easily fit in the palm of a human’s hand. Filled with a unique alchemic fluid and a thin glass frame on one end, removing the shutter and exposing the fluid to light causes intense chemical reactions, permanently dying the glass frame to match the image it points towards. Dim light results in blurry and partial images and darkness prevents the image box from working at all. Though the box itself can be used indefinitely, the alchemic liquids must be replaced every 10 images and the glass frame must be changed between each captured image (Both actions require 2 full rounds to perform).
Weight _; Price 2 GP (box), 1 GP (alchemic fluids), 5 SP (glass frame)

Powder Burst: This rigid, sack sphere is overfilled with a light alchemic powder resembling flour. If thrown, the sphere splits along its seems, creating a large explosion of this powder. This is treated as a splash weapon with a splash range of 10 feet instead of 5 feet. Invisible creatures hit directly lose all benefits of invisibility while invisible creatures within 10 feet are reduced to possessing concealment. Water or other liquids remove this powder easily with total immersion.
Weight .5 lb; Price 15 gp

Alchemic Sealant: These jars of colorless paste are a boon to any who need to keep an item in fine condition. When applied to a damaged item with over half of its total hit points remaining, that object regains a single hit point. Alternatively, this sealant can be used to repair a broken diminutive or fine object so long as it lacks moving parts. A Single Jar of this sealant contains 5 applications.
Weight 0.5 lb; Price 30 gp

Woundstopper: This light-blue cream is often kept in small ceramic jars. If a single application is applied to the wounds of a creature at negative hit points, they are instantly stabilized. If a double application is applied to any wound, a creature heals 1 hit point one minute later as the cream helps to close the wound. Use of this cream is taxing on a body, however, so any creature receiving one or more applications of woundstopper is fatigued for 1 hour (this effect does not stack with itself or other sources of fatigue). A fresh jar of woundstopper holds 10 applications.
Weight _; Price 50 gp

Fugitive’s Rest: A favorite of bounty hunters and warriors seeking to reduce death, fugitive’s rest appears as a vial of a thin, red liquid. To utilize it, a creature must apply the fugitive’s rest to a weapon much as poison, though using it isn’t an evil act and carries no risk of personal harm. Once applied, the next successful attack that the weapon makes against a creature within the next minute stabilizes that creature if they are reduced below 0 hit points. Fugitive’s Rest applied to a wound through other means grants a +2 alchemical bonus to heal checks made to stabilize a creature.
Weight _; Price 10 gp

Blade Powder: This deadly powder is kept in pouches the size of a human’s thumbnail and is often easy to hide and smuggle about. When the powder is submerged in water, it crystallizes a bit of water into a sharp instrument with a statistics of a dagger. If two pouches of powder are submerged, a larger crystal with the statistics of a shortsword is instead created. Though adding more pouches to water increases the size of the crystal formed further, anything larger than a shortsword ends up uneven and unfit for combat. For each pouch of knife powder consumed by a living creature, that creature takes 1d4 points of damage 1 minute later as the powder briefly crystallizes before being broken apart by acid. Crystals formed by knife powder last for 1d4+1 hours.
Weight _; Price 5 gp

Ironcloth: Typically sold in complete outfits, Ironcloth quickly assumes an iron-like hardness when struck. Whenever a creature wearing an Ironcloth outfit is hit by a weapon (whether constructed or natural) or receives another sudden impact (such as from a fall), they gain the benefits of wearing a chain shirt immediately afterwards. This benefit lasts until the wearer goes for 10 minutes without being hit by a weapon, at which point Ironcloth returns to clothlike consistency.
Weight 20 lbs; Price 200 gp per outfit or 50 gp/square foot.

Thirsty Sponge: Dried and contracted as far as possible, thirsty sponges are generally the size of a human’s forearm and lack any visible pores. When placed in liquids, however, chemicals spread throughout the sponge result in rapid evaporation of up to 15 gallons of water-based liquids (such as ale, wine, water, milk, juices, and some poisons but not mercury or magma). If more liquid remains, a thirsty sponge balloons to the rough size of a human torso, absorbing up to 2 additional gallons of any fluid other than magma (the sponge has been treated for acid resistance) and doesn’t relinquish any of this fluid with casual contact, allowing it to be carried safely. If used as a thrown weapon against a water elemental or ooze (range increment 10 feet) while the chemicals remain, it deals 2d6 damage.
Weight 2 lbs; Price 150 gp

Burnblade: This thick gel is often kept in small, leather pouches. When needed, a warrior can reach into the pouch, draw forth a bit of this gel, and smear it upon a weapon as a move action (or as a swift action if the creature possesses the quick draw feat). If that weapon is used to make a successful attack within the next minute, that attack and all others made with it within 1 round deal additional elemental damage depending on its strength and variety. Despite its name, burnblade can deliver acid, cold, electricity, or fire damage depending on the variety. If placed on a natural weapon or unarmed attack, the creature performing the attack takes half as much damage. Mixing multiple varieties or strengths of burnblade together causes the immediate degradation of all mixed burnblade. Though typically sold in pouches of 10 applications (reflected in the prices below), up to 50 applications can fit in a single pouch.
Weight _; Price 400 gp (1d6 damage), 1,000 gp (2d6 damage), 1,800 gp (3d6 damage), 2,800 gp (4d6 damage), 4,000 gp (5d6 damage)

Scourge Soap: Despite the name, these small, dark brown bars of soap help to help give a body some reprieve from disease. After spending 10 minutes of bathing oneself with scourge soap and water (an act that uses up the scourge soap), a creature is healed of filth fever and may ignore any other mundane diseases they possess for 24 hours. Furthermore, the bather heals an extra point of ability damage to each damaged ability score when they next get a full night’s rest (this ability does not stack with itself).
Weight _; Price 150 gp

Liquid Sheen: Though of limited use, a few alchemists continue producing these glass vials filled with highly reflective liquids. When spread on any surface, the liquid continues giving off a mirror-like sheen for 24 hours before turning dull and flaking off. A single vial of Liquid Sheen can cover a single square foot.
Weight _; Price 5 SP

Alchemist’s Scale: These smoothed white stones are typically sold in the general size and shape of dishes, though a few alchemists form them into less common (and often less practical) shapes. Due to specialized alchemic treatments, an alchemist’s scale can withstand up to one ton of weight before cracking and changes colors as weight is placed on it, changing from white to a deep shade of red and finally deepening to black when an object approaches one ton. Use of an Alchemist’s scale provides a +2 bonus on appraise checks and a DC 10 Intelligence check allows a creature to discern the approximate weight of objects placed upon the scale.
Weight _; Price 10 gp


Speedy Dye: To the untrained eye, this dye appears as any other dye of the appropriate color. When poured onto clothing or flesh, however, its true properties emerge as the dye quickly spreads itself out evenly over the clothing or across the creature’s flesh over the course of one round, although it can’t hop from one article of clothing to another. It requires a full vial of the dye to fully color a single article of clothing or tinge the skin of a medium creature. When used to create a disguise, Speedy Dye grants a +1 bonus to disguise checks. Speedy Dye lasts indefinitely when used on clothes and lasts for a week when used on creatures.
Weight _; Price 2 gp

Ale Dust: Developed by dwarven alchemists, many an adventurer has been known to swear by this amber dust. When added to water, a small pouch of this dust turns up to a gallon of water into rich ale. If added to less than a gallon of water, remaining dust settles at the bottom of the ale, ready for future use. If added to more than a gallon of water, a pouch of Ale Dust performs its duties as normal but the ale is suitably diluted. A few human alchemists have developed Wine Dust but it has yet to gain nearly as much popularity.
Weight _; Price 5 sp (Ale) or 55 gp (Wine)

True Preservatives: While many adventurers are content to load their vittles with ice or salt to keep food fresh, others on longer voyages take greater care when preserving food. Any food dipped in a small vat of this clear preservative is protected from the outside elements and microorganisms, allowing even dairy products and ripe fruits to remain fresh for decades. Even so, true preservatives aren’t intended for consumption and anyone who eats preserved food without washing it off first must make a DC 20 Fortitude save or be sickened for 24 hours. Dead bodies could theoretically be embalmed in this fluid to keep their bodies intact although time spent embalmed still counts for effects such as raise dead, unlike a gentle repose effect. A single vat of true preservatives can coat up to 100 cubic feet of material.
Weight 6 lbs; Price 350 gp

Elixir of Life: Among the most valuable of all alchemic secrets is the pursuit of eternal life. Although “immortality” can be obtained in this way, it is often too expensive to maintain indefinitely. Whenever a single drop of this royal blue liquid is ingested, a creature ceases aging for 24 hours. A typical vial of this elixir, if it could even be considered one, contains 30 drops of this liquid.
Weight _; Price 5,000

Ox Chew: These specially treated bars, created for sentient creatures rather than oxen (who might swallow them), grant the ability to carry far heavier burdens. So long as the chew is being chewed, chemicals released from it increase the consumer’s carrying capacity as if it was one size category larger. A bar of ox chew can be utilized for a total of six hours, although this time can be split into smaller units of time and even among several chewers.
Weight _; Price 5 gp

Flare: These short glass tubes are filled with three different fluids that, under normal circumstances, do not mix. If violently shaken, however, the top and bottom layers mix together, causing a large chain reaction that produces light. When shaken as a move action, a flare produces bright light within a 100-foot radius and shadowy illumination within a 200-foot radius for 1 round, after which time the flare is expended. All creatures within 30 feet of the flare are dazzled and are granted concealment by the blinding light (allowing creatures to hide in the light).
Weight _; Price 15 gp

Sound-Setting Kit: Through a combination of unique chemical reactions, specialized channels for directing air flow, and a few minor alchemic items, almost any sound short of speech can be imitated. By spending 2 rounds of work and making a DC 15 Craft (Alchemy) check, a user can imitate almost any non-speech sound, so long as it is no louder than a lion’s roar. A sound can be recognized as false with a Listen check (DC equals user’s Craft [Alchemy] check result). Furthermore, a user can set a delay on the creation of the sound of up to 5 rounds, although each round of delay counts as an additional use. A single set of supplies in a sound-setting kit lasts for 50 uses.
Weight 3 lbs; Price 300 gp or 200 gp for extra materials.

Tincture of Resistance: Although less popular than similar magical cloaks, a tincture of resistance helps a creature resist harmful effects. There are three varieties of tincture, instantly recognizable from each other by color and scent. Each tincture provides an alchemical bonus to a specific saving throw (based on the form of tincture) of a size corresponding to its strength. The effects of a Tincture last for 1 hour after ingestion.
Weight _; Price 40 gp gp (+1), 160 gp gp (+2), 360 gp (+3), 640 gp (+4), 1,000 gp (+5)

Mead of Allies: This honey-scented drink dulls the senses of others, making them quite suggestible. For every glass that a creature drinks, that creature takes a -1 penalty to Spot and Listen checks and other creatures gain a +2 bonus to Charisma-based checks against them.
Weight _; Price 40 gp (per flagon)

Restorative Salve: This thin white salve is a boon to healers around the world. When a creature uses a successfully uses the heal skill to provide long-term care for a creature and uses this salve (a decision that must be made before the heal check is rolled), the target heals additional hit points depending on the strength of the salve.
Weight _; Price 20 gp (1d6), 120 gp (2d6), 300 gp (3d6), 560 gp (4d6)

Incense of Drowsiness: Fumes from these blocks of alchemically treated incense induce a deep drowsiness when inhaled. Any living creature within 20 feet of the burning Incense must make a DC 14 Fortitude Save or take a -2 penalty to spot and listen checks and a -4 penalty to saving throws against sleep effects. A block of this incense burns for 1 hour.
Weight _; Price 40 gp

Calming Incense: Fumes from these blocks of alchemically treated incense induce feelings of deep relaxation when inhaled. Any living creature within 20 feet of the burning incense are freed from any negative emotion-based effects and must make a DC 14 Will Save or lose all such positive effects and take a -4 penalty to all attacks rolls.
Weight _; 120 gp

Eyeblight: A specialized form of acid, the fumes of eyeblight are enough to mess with a creature’s eyes. Eyeblight only deals 1d4 points of acid damage (unlike normal acid) but any creature hit must make DC 14 Fortitude save. The creature is blinded for 1d4 rounds if they fail their roll and take a -10 penalty to spot checks and a 20% miss chance with all attacks for 1 round even if they succeed.
Weight _; 40 gp

Mental/Physical Stimulant: Creatures needing a temporary boost to their mental or physical capabilities may well turn to any of these forms of alchemic stimulants. Each alchemic stimulant is set to provide a temporary alchemical bonus of a set size to a set ability score for 1 hour after ingestion.
Weight _; 400 gp (+2 bonus), 1,600 gp (+4 bonus), or 3,600 gp (+6 bonus)

Armored Paste: When spread across flesh, feathers, or scales, this browning paste causes quick hardening of the treated material. A creature coated in this material gains an enhancement bonus to its natural armor bonus depending on its strength for 1 hour.
Weight _; 100 gp (+1 bonus), 300 gp (+2 bonus), 500 gp (+3 bonus), 700 gp (+4 bonus), or +900 gp (+5 bonus)

False Shadow: This black fluid, sold in vials, is just translucent enough that applying it onto a surface merely darkens the color as though a shadow were being cast. A single vial of False Shadow can cover up to a 10-foot square and can be recognized as false with a DC 25 spot check, lowered to DC 15 if the lighting isn’t right and to DC 5 if it is obvious that nothing is casting the shadow.
Weight _; 10 gp

Rageberry Warpaint: Applied to the skin of creatures in an often decorative manner, this bright red ointment bolster’s the will of the imbued creature to fight and crude versions have been used by barbarian tribes to help their berserkers fight longer. Any creature imbued with this paint gains the benefits of the diehard feat and the disadvantages of the rage ability (including -2 AC) for 1 hour.
Weight _; 25 gp

Iron Putty: This dull grey putty is remarkable for the way it interacts with iron, steel, bronze, brass, and copper. When placed in contact with any of these metals and rubbed in, iron putty greatly lowers the melting temperature of the metal, allowing it to be shaped by hand like putty for 1 hour. A single flask of iron putty can shape up to a 5-foot cube of metal.
Weight _; 500 gp

Swarmbreeder: This small black pellet, when fed to a tiny or smaller vermin like a spider or rat, causes that vermin to become quite verile, seeking out as many mates as possible, having litters twice as large as normal, and having these litters after hours instead of days or weeks. Though this substance breaks down 24 hours after ingestion, its effects are passed onto the descendents of the target during this time. In effect, if left to its own devices, the ingesting creatures create a swarm of its type over 24 hours.
Weight _; 120 gp

Muffle Gel: This thick white gel, when exposed to air, absorbs some sound made around it, capturing it in bubbles as it hardens into a single pebble. A padded box of muffle gel, once opened, can absorb up to 4 hours of ambient noise, 1 hour of sneaking and whispered voices, 15 minutes of normal conversation or hard work, or 5 rounds of combat. While opened, all noises within 5 feet of the muffle gel have their Listen check DC increased by +5. Once it has absorbed all of the sound that it can, the resulting pebble can be used as a sling bullet or be thrown with a range increment of 10 feet, erupting into a harmless burst of noise (DC -20 Listen Check to hear).
Weight _; 75 gp

Unseen Solution: This clear liquid, carried in stoppered beakers, it useful for making other things less noticeable. If mixed into a liquid, that liquid loses most of its taste, scent, and color, increasing the DC of skill checks made to identify it (or detect its presence if the solution is mixed into another liquid) by +2. A single beaker can affect up to 1 pint of liquid (such as a mug of ale or four vials of poison).
If mixed into a tiny or smaller item during its creation, that item takes on a slightly insubstantial appearance, granting a +2 bonus on Sleight of Hand checks to conceal it. If mixed into a metal weapon while it is forged (regardless of size), that weapon grants a +2 bonus to bluff checks made to Feint with it. Lastly, when mixed into an alchemic grenade-like weapon during its creation, it is difficult to see the weapon as it is thrown or spot any visual effects that it normally creates (requiring a DC 20 spot check if the effect is instantaneous or a DC 15 spot check otherwise). A single beaker can be mixed into the creation of any applicable item up to tiny size.
Weight _; Price 40 gp

Debtor’s Boon: First used to help scammers borrow money indefinitely, this sweet brown alchohol helps to dull a creature’s memories. When trying to recall any event from within 1 hour of drinking debtor’s boon, a creature must make a DC 20 Wisdom or Autohypnosis check. If confronted with evidence that their memories are hindered while this hour is in progress, they must make an identical check to realize this fact for 1d10 minutes, after which time the memory is forgotten unless a second check is made. Debtor's boon counts as a poison for most purposes.
Weight 1 lb; Price 200 gp

False Death: Created for a wide variety of unsavory purposes, these black pills are often sold in packs of six. By placing one or more in one’s mouth and biting down hard onto them as a move action, each pill releases a toxin that puts the creature into a temporary deathlike state. While in this state, the target gains all immunities of the undead type, can’t see, and can’t be healed by either positive or negative energy damage. Attempts to bring the target back from the dead cause this state to end prematurely. Heal checks made on the target detect them as dead unless a DC 20 heal check is made and deathwatch detects that the creature is fragile regardless of how many hit points the creature possesses. For each pill taken in this way, this state lasts for 10 minutes and the target can’t end this effect prematurely. Creatures immune to poison gain no benefit from false death.
Weight _; Price 375 gp

Alchemist’s Fat: This bizarre item consists of a watertight membrane wrapped around a glob of fat. If ingested whole, the membrane adheres to the wall of a creature’s stomach and slowly releases the fat contained within over 24 hours. Although this item fails to provide proper nutrition, it provides a feeling of fullness and grants a +4 bonus to Constitution checks made against starvation and cold weather for the full duration. A creature can only benefit from one membrane of alchemist’s fat at a given time.
Weight 0.5 lb; Price 2 sp

Tent Sphere: This item appears to be little more than a head-sized sphere of tightly-wound wire with a moist fleshy membrane between the wires. When thrown on the ground, the wires spread out and the fleshy membrane (a strong and stretchy polymer) fills the space between, creating a small tent that can fit two people. Unpacked tent spheres are exceedingly bulky and packing the tent sphere back into a ball is incredibly difficult (requiring 1 hour of work and a DC 20 Dexterity check), prompting most adventurers to simply leave them behind.
Weight 5 lbs; Price 200 gp

Wavehopper Boots: A failure by most accounts, a few seaborn individuals still manage to fight while wielding these bulky boots (and some people have even tried turning their use into a sport). When a wearer of these boots enters water, the substance lining the soles of these boots violently explodes, propelling the wearer up and into the air. In effect, the wearer must make a DC 20 balance check and a jump check with a +10 bonus (this jump check and all others made in this way are treated as though they have been made with running starts). If the wearer succeeds on the balance check, they bounce off of the water more or less in control, allowing them to control where they jump and even make a single attack roll at any point during their jump. Otherwise, the target bounces in a random direction and takes a -4 penalty to AC for 1 round. If this jump results in the wearer landing in water, the process is repeated at the start of the wearer’s next turn as they bounce again. A single pair of Wavehopper Boots can make up to 10 jumps before the soles must be replaced. If place in water without a wearer, the boots bounce abount on their own (+10 bonus), leading most wearers to keep them in their waterproof box when not being worn.
Weight 6 lbs; Price 200 gp (pair of boots and waterproof box) or 100 gp (replacement soles)

Tracker Dust: Though highly visible with the help of a specialized scope, tracker dust is normally clear and almost invisible to discern from normal dust to unaided senses. When a creature walks across a patch of tracker dust, some of it becomes attached to them and is carried onwards for up to 5 miles of travel, depositing small bits of the dust with every step. Discerning what set of footsteps through tracker dust is which (if there are several) requires a survival check as normal. A single pouch of tracker dust can cover a single five-foot square and catch the footprints of up to four creatures larger than diminutive in size.
Weight _; Price 150 gp (tracker scope) or 50 gp (pouch of tracker dust)

Growth Enhancer: When this dull grey fluid is injected into the body of an animal, humanoid, or monstrous humanoid, it helps that creature to grow larger. To gain the benefits of growth enhancer, a creature must receive daily injections for at least a week. For each week that a creature receives growth enhancer, they grow 1 inch taller (or longer) and gains weight equal to their weight multiplier, up to the racial maximum for height and weight of the target’s race. Discontinuing treatment holds no ill side-effects. A single kit includes a syringe and 7 doses of growth enhancer.
Weight _; Price 750 gp

Combat Anesthetic: Used by fighters and thugs alike, this runny fluid, when introduced into a creature’s bloodstream (typically through a syringe or the tip of a coated dagger), renders a creature less capable of feeling physical sensations. Available in different strengths, a dose of combat anesthetic reduces nonlethal damage taken by the indicated amount. For every 5 points of strength it possesses, however, the target takes a -1 penalty to Dexterity-based skill checks. A creature unwillingly exposed to combat anesthetic can resist its effects with a DC 15 Fortitude save. A dose of Combat Anesthetic lasts for 1 hour.
Weights _; Price 10 gp (5), 40 gp (10), 90 gp (15), or 160 gp (20)

Eternal Ice: Though resembling typical ice, eternal ice is not formed from water. Instead, it is formed from a crystallized matrix of specialized chemicals and possesses the melting temperature of iron. Whatever temperature it is kept at, however, eternal ice is always cool to the touch. Though typically used to create grandiose sculptures and even palaces, adding even a few cubes of eternal ice to a waterskin ensures that its contents remain cool (unless warm enough to melt the ice).
Weight 10 lbs per cubic foot; Price 50 gp per cubic foot or 10 gp to cool a waterskin.

Air Crystals: Though they may appear magical in nature, these ephemeral crystals are formed from a concoction that captures vast quantities of oxygen and crystallizes it. When a handful of Air Crystals are thrown as a grenade-like weapon, severe wind is created within all adjacent squares for 1 round, blowing away from the square where the crystals landed. A more expensive variant of air crystals have a weak toxin built into them, sickening all creatures in affected squares for 1 round unless they are immune to inhaled poison.
Weight _; Price 35 gp (normal) or 70 gp (befouled)

Sabotage Powder: Used more often for disarming traps than for its namesake, sabotage powder is composed of thousands upon thousands of pellets holding a sticky alchemic substance. Using this powder on any mechanism with moving parts (including many mechanical traps, most nonmagical vehicles, and so forth) grants a +5 circumstance bonus to the next Disable Device check made against it and permits such a check to be made untrained.
Weight 1 lb; Price 65 gp

Lucid Rest: Acting entirely as a luxury of the rich, anyone who ingests a vial of this purple liquid before going to sleep gains complete control of their dreams. If using the Lucid Dreaming skill (Manual of the Planes), this liquid instead grants a +5 bonus to such checks.
Weight _, Price 10 gp

Explosive Capsule: Exceedingly dangerous in the wrong hands, an explosive capsule contains multiple volatile fluids within it that combine when thrown as a grenade-like weapon. All creatures within 5 feet of one when it lands take the indicated amount of fire damage depending on its strength, or half of that with a successful Reflex save (DC 10 + number of dice of damage dealt). Variants of this capsule allow a creature to instead set a timer of up to 5 rounds as a full-round action that provokes attacks of opportunity (although throwing the capsule still sets it off early). Other variants of this capsule deal cold, acid, or electricity damage in place of fire damage.
Weight 0.5 lb; Price 50 gp (1d6), 100 gp (2d6), 150 gp (3d6), 200 gp (4d6), 250 gp (5d6), 300 gp (6d6), 350 gp (7d6), 400 gp (8d6), 450 gp (9d6), 500 gp (10d6), x1.5 (timer), x1.5 (alternate energy damage)

Sweetscent: Used both when travelling through sewers and for dealing with prolonged periods without bathing, this poultice of alchemically treated herbs diminishes scent and absorbs minor toxins in the air. Sweetscent is activated by crushing the herbs within as a swift action and functions for 1 hour afterwards in a 5-foot radius. Within this radius, the save DC of inhaled poison and scent-based effects are decreased by 2. Furthermore, the range at which a creature carrying sweetscent can be detected by the scent ability is reduced by 10 feet (though they can still be pinpointed if adjacent to the creature).
Weight _; Price 20 gp

Phantom Shaker: Frequently used by adventurers venturing into the deeper pits of the world, this small capsule of liquids can mislead creatures with unorthodox senses. After shaking the capsule as a move action and dropping or throwing it, the capsule continues to shake for 1 minute, creating vibrations in both the air and ground. As a result, a creature with blindsense, blindsight, or tremorsense senses a creature where the phantom shaker resides (creatures with blindsight perceive a moving mass not unlike a huge ooze).
Weight _; Price 50 gp

Alchemic Glues: Though the best form of adhesive known to man would be the magical sovereign glue, there are several forms of less powerful, alchemic glues. Known as Serf’s Glue, Merchant’s Glue, Jack’s Glue, Queen’s Glue, and King’s Glue in ascending order of strength, these forms of glue require 1 minute of contact between two objects to activate. Each form of glue can support a certain amount of weight and has a different Strength check DC to detach the two items. A single dose of glue is sufficient to coat a 5-foot square.
{table=head]Type of Glue|Maximum Weight|Strength DC

Serf’s Glue|

10 lbs

|

5

Merchant’s Glue|

25 lbs

|

10

Jack’s Glue|

50 lbs

|

15

Queen’s Glue|

100 lbs

|

20

King’s Glue|

250 lbs

|

25

[/table]

Weight _; Price 5 sp (Serf), 5 gp (Merchant), 25 gp (Jack), 50 gp (Queen), or 100 gp (King)

Longwalk: Used frequently by messengers, soldiers, and travelers in a hurry, longwalk doesn’t speed up those who ingest it so much as increase their physical endurance. After taking longwalk, a creature can hustle for an hour without taking nonlethal damage and time spent hustling in this way does not count towards the normal limitations of their body (if any).
Weight _; Price 1 gp

Tanglefoot Bomb: Inspired by smaller tanglefoot bags, tanglefoot bombs, when thrown, explode in a larger area, are harder to escape from, and slowly constrict those held within. When thrown, a tanglefoot bomb ensnares all creatures in the square where it lands (no saving throw) and all other creatures within 10 feet who fail a Reflex save (DC 16), grounding all flying creatures caught in the blast unless flying through magical or supernatural means. Unlike a traditional tanglefoot bag, a successful strength check only allows a creature to move 5 feet, freeing them if they move entirely beyond the area of the tanglefoot bomb. Each round that a creature remains entangled by this bomb, the sticky substance slowly constricts around them, dealing 1d4 points of nonlethal damage. Only creatures up to huge in size can be caught by a tanglefoot bomb.
Weight 2 lb; Price 750 gp

Sleeping Pellets: These small brown pellets, when thrown like a grenade-like weapon or when delivered by a blowgun or sling, explode into a small puff of smoke. Any creature in the square where it lands must make a DC 15 Fortitude save at the end of the round or fall asleep for 1d4 rounds. If hit by multiple sleeping pellets in a single round, the target only makes a single Fortitude save but the DC is increased by +1 for each pellet beyond the first. While asleep, a creature can’t be awoken by mundane means (including damage). Though sometimes sold individually, sleeping pellets are typically sold in bags of 20. Creatures immune to sleep effects or who don’t sleep are immune to sleeping pellets.
Weight _; Price 300 gp (6,000 gp for a bag of 20)

Phial of Revivification: This foul-smelling, yellowish liquid, when poured into the body of a slain creature, sends fumes to the brain and heart that catch, conduct and empower even the faintest of electrical signals. If the creature was alive and had died within the past round, they are brought back to life at -9 hit points and are stabilized. The subject does not lose a level, constitution, or prepared spells but is not cured of poison or disease (though any ability scores of 0 are restored to 1). In order for this Phial to function, the body of the dead creature must be at least mostly intact.
It has been said that a stronger version of this phial exists, a deep jade liquid that can revive a dead creature even after up to 24 hours have passed. If such a concoction truly exists, however, it is well beyond the talents of all but the most gifted alchemists.
Weight_; Price 8,000 gp (normal) or 20,000 gp (empowered)

{table=head]Alchemical Items|Craft*Skill*DC
Permanent Ink, Compass Stone, Alchemical Timer, Powder Burst, False Shadow, Serf's Glue|

10

Rageberry Warpaint, Alchemist's Fat, Merchant's Glue|

12

Night's Rest, Alchemical Sealant, Fugitive's Rest, Ale Dust, Tracker Dust, Combat Anesthetic (up to 10), Lucid Rest, Jack's Glue|

15

Wine Dust, Blade Powder, Tent Sphere, Combat Anasthetic (up to 20), Sweetscent, Queen's Glue, Longwalk|

17

Instant Parchment, Float Stone, Ironcloth, Liquid Sheen, Flare, Mead of Allies, Restorative Salve (up to 2d6), Incense of Drowsiness, Wavehopper Boots, King's Glue|

20

Woundstopper, Ox Chew, Restorative Salve (up to 4d6), Calming Incense, Eternal Ice, Explosive Capsule (up to 2d6)|

22

Hoardgum, Bottled Rope, Thirsty Sponge, Burnblade (up to 2d6), Speedy Dye, True Preservatives, Tincture of Resistance, Eyeblight, Armored Paste, Iron Putty, Debtor's Boon, Growth Enhancer, Sabotage Powder, Explosive Capsule (up to 4d6)|

25

Burnblade (up to 4d6), Scourge Soap, Physical Stimulant, Muffle Gel, Unseen Solution, False Death, Air Crystals, Explosive Capsule (up to 7d6), Phantom Shaker, Sleeping Pellets|

27

Burnblade (5d6), Explosive Capsule (up to 10d6), Tanglefoot Bomb|

28

Elixir of Life, Mental Stimulant, Swarmbreeder|

30

Image Box, Phial of Revivification (normal), Sound-Setting Kit|

35

Phial of Revivification (empowered)|

45

[/table]

[Ziegander]

Alchemist
You are well studied in the ways of alchemy
Benefits: You may take ranks in Craft (Alchemy) even if you don't possess a caster level.
If you make a successful Craft (Alchemy) check, you may treat your result as the DC of the check for the purpose of determining your progress.

I haven't read any of the items yet (I'm a fan of the idea behind the project, though), but your opening feat is sticking out to me like a sore thumb. I read it and find myself stunned trying to decipher what it does.

Anyone can take ranks in Craft (Alchemy) they just can't make the items without a caster level. Likewise, if you are making a Craft skill check the only thing you could possibly be doing is crafting an item, so if you can make alchemical items, then you automatically use your skill check as determining the progress of the item you are attempting to make.

[NineThePuma]

Actually, the description of Craft (Alchemy) says that you can't take ranks unless you have a caster level.

And the way the second feature works is "if you succeed on the check, increase the DC to match your check" which makes you able to make the item faster.

[Realms of Chaos]

I haven't read any of the items yet (I'm a fan of the idea behind the project, though), but your opening feat is sticking out to me like a sore thumb. I read it and find myself stunned trying to decipher what it does.

Anyone can take ranks in Craft (Alchemy) they just can't make the items without a caster level. Likewise, if you are making a Craft skill check the only thing you could possibly be doing is crafting an item, so if you can make alchemical items, then you automatically use your skill check as determining the progress of the item you are attempting to make.

Pretty much as NineThePuma points out.

In regards to the second part, the progress that you make when crafting any item with the craft skill (whether in SP or CP) equals the DC of the item x your check result if you succeed. Though you can increase the DC by +10 to get your item faster, the language of the feat I made simply fixes your progress at your check result squared (which is often higher).

Edit: just doublechecked and realized I was wrong about needing a caster level to take ranks. The language of the feat for that purpose has been updated.

[Ziegander]

Actually, the description of Craft (Alchemy) says that you can't take ranks unless you have a caster level.

I'm away from my books at the moment, but is that in the actual print copy of the PHB? Because this is what the SRD says on the matter:

(From a footnote)"You must be a spellcaster to craft any of these items."

To make an item using Craft (alchemy), you must have alchemical equipment and be a spellcaster. If you are working in a city, you can buy what you need as part of the raw materials cost to make the item, but alchemical equipment is difficult or impossible to come by in some places. Purchasing and maintaining an alchemist’s lab grants a +2 circumstance bonus on Craft (alchemy) checks because you have the perfect tools for the job, but it does not affect the cost of any items made using the skill.

And there's nothing in either of those quotes indicating that one couldn't take the ranks.

And the way the second feature works is "if you succeed on the check, increase the DC to match your check" which makes you able to make the item faster.

Ah... while I suppose that's right, it does seem like a confusing way to handle it. Of course, I don't have a better idea, so take my concerns with a grain of salt.

[Realms of Chaos]

Ah, I noticed that at the last possible moment but it seems that my edit to the previous post was swordsaged by your reply.

[katarl]

This post does what it says on the tin.

Kudos, sir.

[Absol197]

I am a fan of all of these, and will be using many of them in my games from now on.

I had a gnome alchemist NPC is the last game I ran who could really have profitted from this list. Poor Roondar...

Anyways, how about expanding? Can we supply any home-made alchemical items, thus giving the Playground a convienient place for all their alchemical item needs? Do you have any others you'd like to share?

And on the needing a caster level discussion, I know that's how it normally works, but I've always thought that needing a caster level for alchemy was stupid, so I got rid of it entirely. In my games, if you have ranks in Craft (alchemy), you can make alchemical items, even if you're the barbarian (although if he offers you one to try, you might want to consider having him test it first...)

[deuxhero]

Neat flavor for most, but no-save 20% miss chance from the Eye-acid seems very unbalanced.


Debtors boons doesn't seem like it would work (who is going to loan you 200+ gold within an hour of asking? Most lenders, even criminal ones, keep ledgers.) and seems more like... uh yeah. Does it count as a poison (for detect poison)?

[Alefiend]

+1 like for these. Alchemy should matter in this game.

[Zeta Kai]

RoC, have I mentioned that I love you lately? 'Cause I do. These are great. The Alchemist in the Hourglass of Zihaja will greatly benefit from these.

Do you mind if I include some of these in that class' write-up? I'll credit your contribution, of course. I've been thinking of making more alchemical items, but I haven't had the time, & these are too good to pass up.

[Eledragon]

okay, first of all, my psion alchemist loves you.

second of all, a random idea.

Vileputty or thornputty: a material that you can slather over your hands and grows thorns on them. basically makes your unarmed attacks claw attacks, or something like that.

[Realms of Chaos]

Anyways, how about expanding? Can we supply any home-made alchemical items, thus giving the Playground a convienient place for all their alchemical item needs? Do you have any others you'd like to share?

I'm sorry about making your signature a liar but I assume that you want some form of response.

If anyone has any alchemic items that they'd want to share, that would be just fine. As for me, I think that there's a few more that I could come up with next time I sit down and think.

And on the needing a caster level discussion, I know that's how it normally works, but I've always thought that needing a caster level for alchemy was stupid, so I got rid of it entirely. In my games, if you have ranks in Craft (alchemy), you can make alchemical items, even if you're the barbarian (although if he offers you one to try, you might want to consider having him test it first...)

While I know that most people play this way, I generally try to keep my homebrew compatible with rules as written so that nobody ends up confused.

Neat flavor for most, but no-save 20% miss chance from the Eye-acid seems very unbalanced.

I was making that acid to serve as a more sane alternative to the infamous dust eggshell grenades from Oriental Adventures (which cost 1/4 as much and automatically blind a target with no save). Considering that the item still requires an attack roll and only lasts for 1 round with a successful save, I'm not sure that I can see the problem.

Debtors boons doesn't seem like it would work (who is going to loan you 200+ gold within an hour of asking? Most lenders, even criminal ones, keep ledgers.) and seems more like... uh yeah. Does it count as a poison (for detect poison)?

I suppose that when I wrote this, I was really thinking of conmen than anything else, as getting someone to take it means you could rob them blind or trick them and they wouldn't remember. As for the... other use... yikes, I hadn't considered that.

I suppose that I'll change the name if I can get a suggestion for a better one and I'll write that it does count as a poison.

Zeta Kai: Feel free to use whatever you need.

[flabort]

I like these. some of them seem fairly strong, but their durations and prices are supposed to balance them out, right? Anyways, do you mind if I post some ideas for some items?

Spoiler

Show

How about an ultra-focused lens? Capable of focusing certain spectrums of light (Or light like effects) towards a single point a certain distance away? I read a book (Master of the Five Magics, I forget who wrote it) where the protagonist needed to focus light from a full moon onto his alchemical solution to get it to activate, but no mundane lens was strong enough... so he used another type of magic to make one capable. It could be used for fire starting, or other uses, too?

Perhaps a gel that creates such a great growing environment for plants, dirt free, that they grow extra fast?

Maybe a fabric with rather... sharp edges? Cut the fabric, and you've got a cutting edge? I dunno what you'd use it for... or how.

I... don't have very good ideas here. I love what you've made, and will definitely be making use of them, when and if I can.

[Cieyrin]

Looking good, RoC. Two things: maybe the Alchemist feat should count as Skill Focus for requirements purposes and/or provide a small bonus to the skill. You could also generic the feat up to work with any Craft skill, as any crafter would kill have that kind of granularity of ensuring their work is the most efficient it can be.

The other point is what are the Craft DCs to make these items? Not knowing them makes it a bit harder to play with these other than as random treasure or as being in store fronts.

Them's my 2 coppers. Take as you will.

[Kurtmuran]

i like this but where is the craft checks
i wan to use an alchemyst of pathfinder and i be searching some alchemy and cheap recipes for crafting my own alchemy items

[Ziegander]

These still need Craft check DCs for crafters. Otherwise, this is a lovely resource!

[flabort]

I thought of some sort of self-sealing wax, that can be used for the lids of poison bottles.
Stick your dagger through, swirl it about to get the blade coated, pull the dagger out, the wax re-seals itself, letting you use what's left of the poison later, without worrying about exposure to air.

Perhaps such a seal would let you use a poison twice for every time you could normally use it? Or, it lets you poison a blade much faster, without risk of poisoning yourself?

[Ziegander]

Or, it lets you poison a blade much faster, without risk of poisoning yourself?

This is exactly what I was thinking. It could allow characters without the Poison Use class feature to use poison without the risks. It (the wax) would probably only be good for a certain frame of time? Like... 1 month or something until it goes bad and stops working?

[Zylle]

First of all, gotta say I really liked all the items on the list, very creative and I think they would add a lot of flavorful options for a group that was in lower levels and can't yet afford a ton of magical items.

Ironcloth: Typically sold in complete outfits, Ironcloth quickly assumes an iron-like hardness when struck. Whenever a creature wearing an Ironcloth outfit is hit by a weapon (whether constructed or natural) or receives another sudden impact (such as from a fall), they gain the benefits of wearing a chain shirt immediately afterwards. This benefit lasts until the wearer goes for 10 minutes without being hit by a weapon, at which point Ironcloth returns to clothlike consistency.
Weight 20 lbs; Price 200 gp per outfit or 50 gp/square foot.

One thing I might suggest is to specify that this gives the benefits and drawbacks of the chain shirt while active (i.e. 20% arcane spell failure and -2 armor check penalty). Some might disagree and say that it wouldn't be necessary, but I can definitely see the wizard in my group abusing it to become an armored wizard

[Debihuman]

Of the various types of items out there, perhaps one of the most maligned types would be alchemic items. They exist only to perform the smallest functions and can only be created by spellcasters.

Actually, anyone with Craft (Alchemy) skill can make alchemical items. This was changed from 3.0. It isn't necessary to be a spellcaster to make alchemical items in 3.5 unless the creation of item is based on a spell (which is why holy water and the everburning torch aren't alchemical items but "special" items. A few of your items are probably magical items and not alchemical items.

[edit] Seems I was wrong. To create alchemical items you do need to be a spellcaster. That said, that feat is mighty useful. I don't know if it would break the game or not.

Ironcloth could be based off a variant of the ironwood spell.
Alchemical Sealant skirts the need for repair but just barely. I think the strict parameters make it okay for alchemists to make. Ditto for woundstopper.

On the other hand, Fugitive's Rest seems more like a magical item in use than an alchemical one. Scourge Sponge is another that should probably be a magic item rather than alchemical. Cleaning is one thing; removing disease and curing wounds is another. If it mimics a spell it should be a magic item.

I haven't gone through the whole list. Most of these are really good and I could easily see a good use for them. Two thumbs up!

Just one more thing: The word is "Alchemical" not "Alchemic."

Debby

[Cieyrin]

Actually, anyone with Craft (Alchemy) skill can make alchemical items. This was changed from 3.0. It isn't necessary to be a spellcaster to make alchemical items in 3.5 unless the creation of item is based on a spell (which is why holy water and the everburning torch aren't alchemical items but "special" items. A few of your items are probably magical items and not alchemical items.

Nope, it's still in there.

To make an item using Craft (alchemy), you must have alchemical equipment and be a spellcaster.

[Debihuman]

Thanks Cieyrin. I've edited my post to reflect that.

Debby

[Realms of Chaos]

Debihuman: I can understand why you would say that some of these items should be magical but I have a few arguments to make for the reverse.

First of all, though it is and has always been a trend throughout D&D, I don't recall there ever being a solid rule that alchemic items must be worse than magic items. Even if this is the case, however, and I somehow missed this rule, I would beg to differ with it. Though there are logical limits to what mundane items could ever hope to accomplish (teleportation, for example, is right out), I'd see whatever science (or SCIENCE!) could hope to accomplish as fair game in an alchemist's arsenal, regardless of how powerful it is relative to magic items.

I do recognize that this is something of a problem in some regards. Though non-casters would need my alchemist feat (as pointed out above) to create these items (a stand-in for a normal item creation feat), casters wouldn't need to take any feat and could create a vast variety of effects (making item creation feats worth a bit less).

The thing is, one of my goals creating these items was to make the idea of a player running on alchemic gear halfway feasible (though still nowhere near optimal): see burnblade, tincture of resistance, armored paste, mental/physical stimulants, and so forth. If I excluded effects anything remotely like spell effects or magic items, this wouldn't be possible.

That said, there is a valid concern about what this does to spellcasters so feel free to remove or restrict whatever items you think would be disruptive (of course ).

On one last note, I can't believe that I've forgotten the word "alchemical".

[Qwertystop]

This looks pretty cool to me. My funniest memory of Alchemical Items is when one of the other PCs filled a jug with 40 doses of Alchemist's Fire. He walked into a bar and one of the NPCs thought it was beer.

We were barred from the bar. Forever.

[Ziegander]

If you're too busy to do it I'll get to work on assigning Craft DCs for these, because it's almost insulting to provide a feat to enable non-casters to craft alchemical items alongside a bunch of new, awesome alchemical items that can't be crafted.

[Qwertystop]

If you're too busy to do it I'll get to work on assigning Craft DCs for these, because it's almost insulting to provide a feat to enable non-casters to craft alchemical items alongside a bunch of new, awesome alchemical items that can't be crafted.

I thought Craft DCs were based on price?

[Ziegander]

I thought Craft DCs were based on price?

Ah, no, if there's a hard and fast rule for determining Craft DCs I surely don't know it, but the DCs listed with the Craft entry in the SRD are grouped together in ways that would be impossible to use to categorize the items in this thread. One would basically need to assign a Craft DC for them individually.

[Realms of Chaos]

If you're too busy to do it I'll get to work on assigning Craft DCs for these, because it's almost insulting to provide a feat to enable non-casters to craft alchemical items alongside a bunch of new, awesome alchemical items that can't be crafted.

If you could help, I'd be greatly appreciative. Every time that I sit down and decide to start writing down DCs, I end up staring at a blank screen one hour later (three times so far, including the past hour). I'll probably force myself through it this weekend otherwise but GAH!

[Ziegander]

If you could help, I'd be greatly appreciative. Every time that I sit down and decide to start writing down DCs, I end up staring at a blank screen one hour later (three times so far, including the past hour). I'll probably force myself through it this weekend otherwise but GAH!

Heh, understandable. I'll look into it. The issue is that the DCs really don't follow any rhyme or reason, so it'll basically have more to do with how difficult I personally think the item sounds like it is to make. Which... who knows, could work, could be a mess. All I have to compare against are the items in the SRD with DCs that range from 15 to 25, and many of these seem considerably more involved that stuff like Antitoxin or a Sunrod. So, we'll just have to see!