# Alchemist *Source: Valda's Spire of Secrets* > [!tldr] Class and Feature Progression > > <table class="class-progression"> > <thead> > <tr><th colspan='6'></th></tr> > <tr class="class-progression"><th class"level">Level</th><th class"pb">PB</th><th class"feature">Features</th><th class="value">Formulae Known</th><th class="value">Discoveries Known</th><th class="value">Reagent Dice</th></tr> > </thead><tbody> > <tr class="class-progression"><td class"level">1st</td><td class"pb">+2</td><td class"feature"><a href='#Natural Philosopher (Level 1)' class='internal-link'>Natural Philosopher</a>, <a href='#Bombs (Level 1)' class='internal-link'>Bombs</a></td><td class="value">⏤</td><td class="value">⏤</td><td class="value">⏤</td></tr> > <tr class="class-progression"><td class"level">2nd</td><td class"pb">+2</td><td class"feature"><a href='#Bomb Formulae (Level 2)' class='internal-link'>Bomb Formulae</a>, <a href='#Field of Study (Level 2)' class='internal-link'>Field of Study</a></td><td class="value">3</td><td class="value">⏤</td><td class="value">⏤</td></tr> > <tr class="class-progression"><td class"level">3rd</td><td class"pb">+2</td><td class"feature"><a href='#Reagent (Level 3)' class='internal-link'>Reagent</a></td><td class="value">3</td><td class="value">⏤</td><td class="value">3d10</td></tr> > <tr class="class-progression"><td class"level">4th</td><td class"pb">+2</td><td class"feature"><a href='#Discoveries (Level 4)' class='internal-link'>Discoveries</a>, <a href='#Ability Score Improvement (Level 4)' class='internal-link'>Ability Score Improvement</a></td><td class="value">3</td><td class="value">2</td><td class="value">4d10</td></tr> > <tr class="class-progression"><td class"level">5th</td><td class"pb">+3</td><td class"feature"><a href='#Flashbang (Level 5)' class='internal-link'>Flashbang</a></td><td class="value">4</td><td class="value">2</td><td class="value">5d10</td></tr> > <tr class="class-progression"><td class"level">6th</td><td class"pb">+3</td><td class"feature"><a href='#Field of Study Feature (Level 6)' class='internal-link'>Field of Study Feature</a></td><td class="value">4</td><td class="value">3</td><td class="value">6d10</td></tr> > <tr class="class-progression"><td class"level">7th</td><td class"pb">+3</td><td class"feature"><a href='#Potion Improvement (Level 7)' class='internal-link'>Potion Improvement</a></td><td class="value">5</td><td class="value">3</td><td class="value">7d10</td></tr> > <tr class="class-progression"><td class"level">8th</td><td class"pb">+3</td><td class"feature"><a href='#Ability Score Improvement (Level 8)' class='internal-link'>Ability Score Improvement</a></td><td class="value">5</td><td class="value">3</td><td class="value">8d10</td></tr> > <tr class="class-progression"><td class"level">9th</td><td class"pb">+4</td><td class"feature"></td><td class="value">6</td><td class="value">4</td><td class="value">9d10</td></tr> > <tr class="class-progression"><td class"level">10th</td><td class"pb">+4</td><td class"feature"><a href='#Field of Study Feature (Level 10)' class='internal-link'>Field of Study Feature</a></td><td class="value">6</td><td class="value">4</td><td class="value">10d10</td></tr> > <tr class="class-progression"><td class"level">11th</td><td class"pb">+4</td><td class"feature"><a href='#Evasion (Level 11)' class='internal-link'>Evasion</a></td><td class="value">7</td><td class="value">4</td><td class="value">11d10</td></tr> > <tr class="class-progression"><td class"level">12th</td><td class"pb">+4</td><td class"feature"><a href='#Ability Score Improvement (Level 12)' class='internal-link'>Ability Score Improvement</a></td><td class="value">7</td><td class="value">4</td><td class="value">12d10</td></tr> > <tr class="class-progression"><td class"level">13th</td><td class"pb">+5</td><td class"feature"></td><td class="value">8</td><td class="value">5</td><td class="value">13d10</td></tr> > <tr class="class-progression"><td class"level">14th</td><td class"pb">+5</td><td class"feature"><a href='#Potion Improvement (Level 14)' class='internal-link'>Potion Improvement</a></td><td class="value">8</td><td class="value">5</td><td class="value">14d10</td></tr> > <tr class="class-progression"><td class"level">15th</td><td class"pb">+5</td><td class"feature"><a href='#Blast Coating (Level 15)' class='internal-link'>Blast Coating</a></td><td class="value">9</td><td class="value">5</td><td class="value">15d10</td></tr> > <tr class="class-progression"><td class"level">16th</td><td class"pb">+5</td><td class"feature"><a href='#Ability Score Improvement (Level 16)' class='internal-link'>Ability Score Improvement</a></td><td class="value">9</td><td class="value">5</td><td class="value">16d10</td></tr> > <tr class="class-progression"><td class"level">17th</td><td class"pb">+6</td><td class"feature"></td><td class="value">10</td><td class="value">6</td><td class="value">17d10</td></tr> > <tr class="class-progression"><td class"level">18th</td><td class"pb">+6</td><td class"feature"><a href='#Field of Study Feature (Level 18)' class='internal-link'>Field of Study Feature</a></td><td class="value">10</td><td class="value">6</td><td class="value">18d10</td></tr> > <tr class="class-progression"><td class"level">19th</td><td class"pb">+6</td><td class"feature"><a href='#Ability Score Improvement (Level 19)' class='internal-link'>Ability Score Improvement</a></td><td class="value">11</td><td class="value">6</td><td class="value">19d10</td></tr> > <tr class="class-progression"><td class"level">20th</td><td class"pb">+6</td><td class"feature"><a href='#Philosopher's Stone (Level 20)' class='internal-link'>Philosopher's Stone</a></td><td class="value">11</td><td class="value">6</td><td class="value">20d10</td></tr> > </tbody></table> ^class-progression ## Hit Points - **Hit Dice**: 1d6 per Alchemist level - **Hit Points at First Level:** 6 + CON - **Hit Points at Higher Levels:** add 4 OR 1d6 + CON (minimum of 1) ## Starting Alchemist - **Saving Throw Proficiencies**: Dexterity, Intelligence - **Skill Proficiencies**: *Choose 3:* Arcana, History, Insight, Medicine, Nature, Perception, Sleight of Hand, or Survival - **Weapon Proficiencies**: Simple weapons and Bomb - **Tool Proficiencies**: Herbalism Kit and Alchemist's Supplies - **Armor Training**: Light armor **Starting Equipment:** You start with the following items, plus anything provided by your background. - Leather armor, a dagger, and alchemist's supplies - (a) explorer's pack or (b) a scholar's pack - (a) light crossbow and 20 bolts or (b) any simple weapon - (a) a vial of acid or (b) a flask of alchemist's fire, or (c) a vial of basic poison ## Alchemist A grinning gnome cackles with glee as he hurls a bomb into a group of charging goblins, blasting them into scorched chunks. He produces another, throws it at his feet, and disappears, still laughing, into the ensuing cloud of smoke. A slender elf quickly mixes liquids and herbs in a small bowl. She applies the mixture to an arrow wound on an injured dwarf's side, which immediately stops bleeding. Whether their methods are explosive, transformative, or restorative, alchemists live to transmute the world around them to their liking. ### Chemical Reactions One of the first things an alchemist learns is how to mix chemicals that react explosively with each other. Ostensibly, this is taught to students to prevent deadly accidents, but adventuring alchemists regularly apply this knowledge to create bombs. An alchemical bomb is a 1-pound, apple-sized, spherical glass or clay flask filled with a reactive chemical. A smaller vial of thin glass containing a reagent is suspended in the liquid, and the whole thing is sealed with a cork or wax seal. The chemicals violently explode when mixed. This occurs when the inner vial breaks, usually after the bomb impacts a solid surface or a fuse sets off a small explosive detonator within the vial. Bombs are primarily used to fend off enemies, but creative alchemists may find more practical uses for explosives, such as demolishing obstacles. ### Serums and Tinctures More experienced alchemists learn to mix less volatile substances into potions, alchemical concoctions which replicate magical effects. These potions range from the medicinal, such as potions of healing, to the transformative, such as potions of gaseous form, to the downright deadly, such as potions of poison. Undisputed masters of potions, alchemists constantly innovate with new formulations and preparations, improving their potions into magic items in their own right. ### Elemental Sciences The primary source of alchemy's power comes from the elemental planes. It is no surprise, then, that alchemists strive to tap deeper into that power, researching and discovering new compounds composed of the elements. The pinnacle of alchemy is the philosopher's stone, which is rumored to grant its bearer supreme elemental power. Few alchemists have succeeded in creating a philosopher's stone, and fewer still remain alive to divulge its secrets. ### Creating an Alchemist When you create an alchemist, consider why your character studies alchemy. Are you attracted to its dangerous power, or its ability to help others? Do you desire to use magic, but lack the aptitude or inborn ability? Why do you adventure? Are you searching for new alchemical formulae or rare ingredients? Do you, like so many, seek the philosopher's stone? Be sure to understand alchemy's place in your campaign world. You might have learned your trade from a master or studied alongside artificers and wizards in a university. Your trade might be commonplace or an oddity. Depending on the setting, you might be respected for your knowledge or feared for your destructive potential #### Quick Build You can make an alchemist quickly by following these suggestions. First, make Intelligence your highest ability score, followed by Dexterity. Choose any background. ## Class Features ### Natural Philosopher (Level 1) You have learned many things about alchemy during your studies. Starting at 1st level, you can add half your proficiency bonus, rounded up, to any skill check made to identify herbs, potions, poisons, or other alchemical substances. If you are proficient with such a skill, this bonus stacks with your normal proficiency bonus. ### Bombs (Level 1) At 1st level, you can create volatile alchemical bombs using your alchemist's supplies. Whenever you take a short or long rest, you can create a number of bombs equal to 10 plus twice your alchemist level. The cost of materials necessary to create these bombs is negligible. The statistics of a bomb are shown in the Bombs sidebar. After 24 hours, an unused bomb becomes inert #### Priming Bombs Once per turn you can take the Use an Object action to prime a bomb with explosive reagents and make an attack with it, increasing the bomb's explosive potential. When you do so, you can add your Intelligence modifier, instead of Dexterity, to the bomb's damage roll. Additionally, when you throw a bomb in this way, its damage increases by `d10` when you reach 5th level (`2d10`), 11th level (`3d10`), and 17th level (`4d10`). #### Saving Throws When your bombs call for a saving throw, its save DC is calculated as follows: <span class='abilityDc'>**Bomb save DC**: Intelligence + Proficiency Bonus</span> > [!note] Bomb > > Bombs are martial ranged weapons with the following statistics: > > | Name | Cost | Damage | Weight | Properties | > |------|------|--------|--------|------------| > | Bomb | 2 sp | `d10` fire | 1 lb. | Finesse, special, thrown (range30/60) | > > ^name-cost-damage-weight-properties > > - **Bomb..** When a bomb hits a target, it explodes in a 5-foot radius and is destroyed. The bomb can be thrown at an unoccupied space within its range. Each creature other than the target within the blast radius must succeed on a DC 11 Dexterity saving throw, taking half the damage rolled on a failed save or no damage on a successful one. > - Additionally, as a bonus action, you can empty some of the bomb's explosive material to permanently remove the blast radius from this bomb, dealing damage only to the bomb's target ^bomb > [!note] Missed Bombs > > As bombs are explosive projectiles, it makes sense to ask what happens if a thrown bomb fails to hit its target. For simplicity, we assume that missed bombs explode harmlessly in the background or fail to detonate altogether, but do not explode in the target's space and deal damage with its blast radius. The GM can decide which of these two outcomes happens or can determine the outcome randomly. ^missed-bombs ### Bomb Formulae (Level 2) By 2nd level, your research has granted you insight into new alchemical formulations for your bombs. Select three bomb formulae from [here](/3-Content/Compendiums/lists/list-optfeaturetype-bf.md). Once per turn when you prime a bomb, you can apply a formula to it. Applying a formula sometimes changes all of the damage dice rolled for a bomb, but also grants it special effects. When you gain certain levels in this class, you learn additional formulae of your choice, as shown in the Bomb Formulae Known column of the Alchemist table. Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the formulae you know and replace it with another formula. ### Field of Study (Level 2) While all alchemists share a common knowledge base, most alchemists specialize into a particular field of study: - [[amorist|Amorist]] - [[apothecary|Apothecary]] - [[dynamo-engineer|Dynamo Engineer]] - [[mad-bomber|Mad Bomber]] - [[mutagenist|Mutagenist]] - [[venomsmith|Venomsmith]] - [[xenoalchemist|Xenoalchemist]] When you reach 2nd level, you select your field of study, which grants you features at 2nd, 6th, 10th, and 18th level. A formula granted by your field of study does not count against the total number of formulae you know. ### Reagent (Level 3) Starting at 3rd level, you have a collection of powerful alchemical reagents, represented by a pool of reagent dice, that you can spend to brew potions or magnify the power of your explosives. #### Reagent Dice You start with three reagent dice, which are `d10`s, and you gain additional reagent dice as you gain levels in this class, as shown in the Reagent Dice column of the Alchemist table. You regain all expended reagent dice when you finish a long rest. When you prime a bomb, you can expend a number of reagent dice up to your proficiency bonus and add the dice to the bomb's damage roll. #### Brewing Potions You can spend 10 minutes and expend any number of reagent dice to brew potions. These potions retain potency for 24 hours, after which they become inert. If a potion calls for a saving throw, it uses your bomb save DC. The number of reagent dice and the alchemist level required to brew a potion are given in the following table: | Potion | Cost | Alchemist Level | |--------|------|-----------------| | Potion of Climbing | 1 reagent die | 3rd | | Potion of Growth | 1 reagent die | 3rd | | Potion of Healing | 1 reagent die | 3rd | | Potion of Water Breathing | 1 reagent die | 3rd | | Universal Solvent | 1 reagent die | 3rd | | [Cure-All](/3-Content/Compendiums/items/cure-all-vss.md) | 2 reagent dice | 7th | | Potion of Greater Healing | 2 reagent dice | 7th | | Potion of Heroism | 2 reagent dice | 7th | | Potion of Resistance | 2 reagent dice | 7th | | Sovereign Glue (1 ounce) | 2 reagent dice | 7th | | Potion of Diminution | 3 reagent dice | 14th | | Potion of Flying | 4 reagent dice | 14th | | Potion of Hill Giant Strength | 4 reagent dice | 14th | | Potion of Invisibility | 4 reagent dice | 14th | | Potion of Superior Healing | 4 reagent dice | 14th | ^potion-cost-alchemist-level #### Reagent Synthesis When you finish a short rest, you can choose to regain all of your expended reagent dice that weren't used to brew potions. Once you use this feature, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest. ### Discoveries (Level 4) In the course of your research, you have made a number of discoveries regarding the nature of alchemy. At 4th level, you gain two discoveries of your choice, found [here](/3-Content/Compendiums/lists/list-optfeaturetype-di.md). When you gain certain alchemist levels, you gain additional discoveries of your choice, as shown in the Discoveries Known column of the Alchemist table Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the discoveries you know and replace it with another discovery that you could learn at that level. ### Ability Score Improvement (Level 4) When you reach 4th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature. If your DM allows the use of feats, you may instead take a feat. Alternatively, as an alchemist, when you gain an ability score improvement, you can instead choose to learn a new Discovery for which you meet the prerequisites. ### Flashbang (Level 5) Beginning at 5th level, you carry a supply of concussive explosives which help you escape from perilous situations. As a bonus action, you can throw one of these explosives at your feet, disorienting and distracting nearby foes. Each Large or smaller creature within 5 feet of you can't take reactions until the start of its next turn. ### Field of Study Feature (Level 6) At 6th level, you gain a feature granted by your Field of Study. ### Potion Improvement (Level 7) At 7th level, your repertoire of Potions expands. ### Ability Score Improvement (Level 8) When you reach 8th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature. If your DM allows the use of feats, you may instead take a feat. Alternatively, as an alchemist, when you gain an ability score improvement, you can instead choose to learn a new Discovery for which you meet the prerequisites. ### Field of Study Feature (Level 10) At 10th level, you gain a feature granted by your Field of Study. ### Evasion (Level 11) Beginning at 11th level, when you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, and only half damage if you fail. ### Ability Score Improvement (Level 12) When you reach 12th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature. If your DM allows the use of feats, you may instead take a feat. Alternatively, as an alchemist, when you gain an ability score improvement, you can instead choose to learn a new Discovery for which you meet the prerequisites. ### Potion Improvement (Level 14) At 14th level, your repertoire of Potions expands. ### Blast Coating (Level 15) Starting at 15th level, you automatically succeed on saving throws against your own bombs and never take damage from them. ### Ability Score Improvement (Level 16) When you reach 16th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature. If your DM allows the use of feats, you may instead take a feat. Alternatively, as an alchemist, when you gain an ability score improvement, you can instead choose to learn a new Discovery for which you meet the prerequisites. ### Field of Study Feature (Level 18) At 18th level, you gain a feature granted by your Field of Study. ### Ability Score Improvement (Level 19) When you reach 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature. If your DM allows the use of feats, you may instead take a feat. Alternatively, as an alchemist, when you gain an ability score improvement, you can instead choose to learn a new Discovery for which you meet the prerequisites. ### Philosopher's Stone (Level 20) At 20th level, you unlock the crowning achievement of all alchemy: a philosopher's stone, a dynamo of alchemical energy in a fist-sized glowing jewel. You can construct your philosopher's stone using your alchemist supplies, 1,000 gp worth of materials, and 1 week of work. You can only have one philosopher's stone at a time and only you can gain the stone's benefits. As long as you possess the stone, you gain the following benefits: - Whenever you finish a short rest, you regain all expended reagent dice. - Using the stone's transmutation magic, you can brew potions as an action, instead of in 10 minutes. - You age 10 times slower than normal, and your age cannot be magically changed. Additionally, you learn the following formula, which doesn't count against the total number of formulae you know: By replacing your bomb's explosive contents with your philosopher's stone, you can change it into a nuclear bomb. A nuclear bomb deals `10d10 + 100` force damage instead of its normal fire damage, has a blast radius of 1 mile, and completely destroys the philosopher's stone. Additionally, each creature within the blast radius that fails its saving throw takes the full bomb damage rolled, or half as much damage on a successful save. Creatures within 60 feet of the bomb gain no benefit from Evasion or similar features.