I am currently playing an Alchemist (old rules) and we are at level 5, soon to be 6. I wanted to play him as sort of off-tank, melee support. So far that works reasonably well. I got an early Amulet of Health, Shield and Medium armor with infusions for AC 19. Not extremely tanky but against our current enemies at least I'm doing fine. With the level 1 feat Magic Initiate (Druid) i got Shillelagh to boost my melee capabilities and be less MAD.
Once we hit level 6, ill unlock Alchemical Savant, which, while not helping me in melee is quite a nice feature to have for the heals or cantrips/spells i have to throw sooner or later each fight. Regarding this i have a few questions i cant really find satisfying answers to:
1. Can the All-Purpose Tool be used while utilizing Alchemical Savant? Do i have to spend an action beforehand to turn it into alchemical supplies or would the base form still fulfill the criteria for AS?
2. Would changing the APTs base form from a screwdriver to a quarterstaff be in any way game breaking? On one hand would that fit the magical setting we play in a bit better that an actual screwdriver and on the other hand it would (especially together with 1) help me once i do cast.
3. As far as i understand the rules correctly a Magic focus (staff) can be used as a Quaterstaff to fight in melee. As long as the staff itself is wooden I assume Shillelagh can be cast on the focus to boost once attack. This is something i would love to add to the Quarterstaff APT should that be possible.
I am fully aware that the answers to these questions are in the hands of my GM. But before i discuss the topic with him id like to get more opinions on wether changes/adaptations would be fine or close to fine with RaW or would be game breaking in any way. I personally (as a GM myself) would be fine with it but i don't want to pressure my GM with unreasonable requests in my favor.
As a final point, would any of the above answers change with the new 2025 Artificer rules?
Your All-Purpose Tool needs to be in the form of alchemy tools before you can use it for Alchemical Savant. "Whenever you cast a spell using your alchemist's supplies as the spellcasting focus, you gain a bonus to one roll of the spell." RAW there's no reason you can't walk around with them all the time in the form of one of those tools so you don't have to use a combat action within initiative. I would as your DM probably allow you to make that transformation as a free action unless your tool were actively in some other form for some other immediate purpose.
The rules say it has to be a tool. If you want to flavor your quarterstaff as a giant's stirring stick, you might be able to say it's a tool. :) The potential game-bending aspect is those pesky "it has to be in your hand" in the RAW so if you're using it one handed then it's totally within the same impact. Two-handed feels nicer but that's going to be up to your DM.
If it's wood then it should qualify. If I were being a stickler I might ask you to justify doing chemistry with a wooden stirring stick. :-) Maybe it's got a great layer of inert varnish.
In 2025, rather than doing the Druid/Shillelagh combination, you'd have the option to do the same with the rewritten True Strike cantrip that is on the 2025 Artificer spell list. That lets you use your spellcasting modifier directly for any weapon attack as your action (and gives you the option to make the damage normal or radiant).
In either 2014 or 2024, you'll probably be happier using Acid Splash as a (save-based, so no issues with melee range) cantrip. Then you can keep the tool and a shield in your hands, and get the Alchemical Savant damage at level 5.
The tool lets you learn any cantrip as an artificer cantrip, so Primal Savagery would be a great melee option.
I am currently playing an Alchemist (old rules) and we are at level 5, soon to be 6. I wanted to play him as sort of off-tank, melee support. So far that works reasonably well. I got an early Amulet of Health, Shield and Medium armor with infusions for AC 19. Not extremely tanky but against our current enemies at least I'm doing fine. With the level 1 feat Magic Initiate (Druid) i got Shillelagh to boost my melee capabilities and be less MAD.
Once we hit level 6, ill unlock Alchemical Savant, which, while not helping me in melee is quite a nice feature to have for the heals or cantrips/spells i have to throw sooner or later each fight. Regarding this i have a few questions i cant really find satisfying answers to:
1. Can the All-Purpose Tool be used while utilizing Alchemical Savant? Do i have to spend an action beforehand to turn it into alchemical supplies or would the base form still fulfill the criteria for AS?
2. Would changing the APTs base form from a screwdriver to a quarterstaff be in any way game breaking? On one hand would that fit the magical setting we play in a bit better that an actual screwdriver and on the other hand it would (especially together with 1) help me once i do cast.
3. As far as i understand the rules correctly a Magic focus (staff) can be used as a Quaterstaff to fight in melee. As long as the staff itself is wooden I assume Shillelagh can be cast on the focus to boost once attack. This is something i would love to add to the Quarterstaff APT should that be possible.
I am fully aware that the answers to these questions are in the hands of my GM. But before i discuss the topic with him id like to get more opinions on wether changes/adaptations would be fine or close to fine with RaW or would be game breaking in any way. I personally (as a GM myself) would be fine with it but i don't want to pressure my GM with unreasonable requests in my favor.
As a final point, would any of the above answers change with the new 2025 Artificer rules?
These are great questions. I would say RAW that:
In either 2014 or 2024, you'll probably be happier using Acid Splash as a (save-based, so no issues with melee range) cantrip. Then you can keep the tool and a shield in your hands, and get the Alchemical Savant damage at level 5.
The tool lets you learn any cantrip as an artificer cantrip, so Primal Savagery would be a great melee option.