Material Dependent Class

[AtlanteanTroll]

This may not be quite the right section, but here it goes ...

I have a great interest in creating an Alchemist Class. The problem is materials. (I have ideas for the sort of things it would make, but the problem is) How does he get them? Yes, I can say that creating X item is takes Y-Hours/Level and costs Z gold/batch in materials ... But how is he suppose to get his hands on the stuff?

If an ingredient is sufficiently rare to the general populous, but something common as a supply, what should I have DMs do? Have specialty shops everywhere?

[AtlanteanTroll]

BUMP

I know this seems trivial, but it's really got me stuck. Please help.

[Eldest]

Give them the abillity to gather it with different skills, like survival.

[Saidoro]

I suggest having them go to a local tavern and hire lower level adventurers to collect 10 rat tails(or whatever).

You could take a cue from the Xenoalchemist class and have part of the cost come from rare creatures and have the cr limits of what is available (Either by hiring adventurers, which should have a higher cr cap and lower cost but take longer, or by buying stuff from dedicated stores.) based on the size of the town. Obviously whatever parts are needed should be available from monsters significantly under the party's cr when you gain access to whatever they're needed for if the potion is something you want them using frequently.

[ericgrau]

Check www.d20pfsrd.com. It has an alchemist base class. PF has a slight power boost vs. 3.5, but it's mostly minor abilities. In the case of the alchemist, the discoveries probably represent this boost. It's no more power creep than many 3.5 books, but something to consider if you're stingy about that sort of thing.

[NichG]

Have the alchemist be able to take common or semi-common things and bring out their potential. For example, a random guy sees firepit ash, but an alchemist sees valuable potash that, with the aid of a little bit of the right metals, can be used to create a metal that burns on contact with water and causes horrible burns, or a way to make soap. He can turn a gallon of horse urine into raw phosphorous with nothing but time and effort and a few adjutants. As the alchemist gets better and better, they can stretch common materials further and further, pull out more and more properties.

To tie this in with the economy, perhaps there are something like five primary reagents that alchemists use for this purpose (combinations, techniques applied such as calcination and reduction, etc lead to the actual things they make). These five reagents aren't incredibly common but they're not super-rare either.

Then if you want to give them particular loot, they find materials that are already refined and alchemically potent, and don't require skill to use (but come in limited quantities). These'd allow an alchemist to exceed the limit of their skill until the reagent runs out.

[Kurtmuran]

well that kind of stuff depends in your DM

the alchemy in D&D and pathfinder lak of espesific info, i have a very long research about it and i have info from magazines or olg books ( like alchemy & herbalist ) i have a project for make an book for y all my research but if you want some info now, check up this link http://www.angelfire.com/jazz/lorenvale/alchemist.htm

[Hanuman]

Handy haversack. Gain when you can, ask your DM lots of questions.
Essentially, be Jeff from Earthbound.