Crafting Competence series: Alchemist

The Purposes of Alchemy --

"If we ask what the objects were which the art so strenuously sought to attain, the answers are not as simple as many would imagine. One of them stands out prominently in the popular mind -- the discovery of the Philosopher's Stone which was to transmute the baser metals into gold. But alchemists aimed at far more than this." Alchemy -- Its Science and Romance, John Edward Mercer

Your character has begun their first steps upon the winding path of alchemical mastery. Because of your exposure to multiple kinds of chemicals and reagents, you now have a deeper natural understanding of the reactions and catalysts that can be created by those with a clever mind and deft hands. 

• The ability score of your choice is increased by 1, to a maximum of 20. 
• You gain proficiency with Alchemist's Tools. If you are already proficient with Alchemist's Tools, you gain expertise with them instead (Double your proficiency bonus).
• You gain the ability to blueprint and create alchemical items, based on the DM's approval. An item must be researched before it can be created, and you must have access to the required reagents and ingredients (or close substitute) in order to craft the required item. 

Alchemical items created this way are not the same as those found in market stalls and workshops around the world, and so must be specifically crafted within the game. The timeframe for an alchemical item to be created depends on the complexity and difficulty of the item, but always divides into 8-hour segments of time. If you are interrupted while brewing, mixing, or crafting an item, you lose any time you have accrued towards the creation of the item, but not the materials required. 

Blueprinting

An item must be designed before it can be created. For each recipe you would like to create, you must spend 8 hours researching and designing, and then make a Intelligence (Alchemist's Tools) check. The DC is determined by the complexity and difficulty of the item you are attempting to create. When you are creating blueprints, there are no gold costs to consider. If you fail the check, you make no progress that day and must spend another working on your blueprints. Once your blueprints are completed, you may use them to make any number of items, so long as you keep the notes in your possession. You may also share blueprints with another alchemist if you stumble across a similar mind in your travels, but be aware that such friendships frequently come with costs.

Crafting the Object

Once your blueprints are completed, you may begin to create your item. You must gather your raw materials and then spend several hours in concentration while you work on your final product. Your raw materials are abstracted into a gold cost for your item, and you must spend that amount of gold for every 8 hours of work. For example, an item that requires 16 hours of work at 10 gold an hour will require two separate attempts for a total of 20 gold pieces. Once you finish 8 hours of work on the item, you must attempt a Dexterity (Alchemist's Tools)  check in order to make progress on the item. 

On a failed check, the gold for the item is expended, but you do not make any progress on the item. You must pay the gold cost again and attempt the progress after another 8 hours of work. 

Item Classifications

Items can be several different levels of advancement, depending on the complexity of the item. As characters level, they become aware of new and wondrous items, and can work on more and more ambitious projects. There are several levels of items that can be researched based on the level of the character, as follows:

• Bronze (levels 1-4)
• Iron (levels 5-8)
• Silver (Levels 9-12)
• Gold (Levels 13-16)
• Exotic (Levels 17-20)

An item cannot be crafted or researched before you have achieved the requisite character level, though you can learn and collect the blueprint from a peer if one is available.

Bronze Recipes

These include, but are not limited to: Alchemist's Fire, Acid Vials, Flares, Thunderstones, Paltry Potions of Healing, and Simple Poison.

Iron Recipes

These include, but are not limited to: Tarfire, Acid Flasks, Oil of Sharpness, Detect Magic Smelling Salts, Minor Potions of Healing, and Darksight Torches.

Silver recipes

These include, but are not limited to: Greater Alchemist's Fire, Black Dust, Potions of Invisibility, Truth Serum, Greater Potions of Healing, and Sage Tonic.

Gold Recipes

These include, but are not limited to: Antivenom, Mutagens, Elixirs of Life, Bottled Lightning, Superior Potions of Healing, and Lingering Poison.

Exotic Recipes

These include, but are not limited to: Philosopher's Stones, Panacea, Starstuff, Fey Tears, Supreme Potions of Healing, Elemental Gems, and Bottled Rifts.

Credit: Thanks to Dumpstat and Steven Bandstra for the idea and design of improving tools. Visit the original page at Dumpstat blog: Alchemist's Supplies.

Dnd Beyond will not allow homebrew content to link to further homebrew content, so items created by this feat will be listed with "CC:A" for ease of searching.