Hello everyone.

I wanted to get your thoughts on my rework for the alchemist's Experimental Elixir. The the mechanic I was thinking of plays into the experimentation element of Experimental Elixir.

Keep the annoying random element but the alchemist can now learn new elixirs from potions that they come across. Like a wizard learns from spell scrolls, but this process destroys the potion. The player must make a tool check using alchemist supplies based on the potion's rarity in order to learn it. The new formula must replace a known elixir. This keeps the max possible elixirs at six.

I like it because it gives the player a reason to use their tools and It also provides a touch of customization and a real cost attached for failure.  If you wanted to up the "fun" a bit, critical failure could come with some interesting consequences depending on the rarity of the base potion.

Thanks in advance for any feedback.

The issue with that is the current Elixirs are all balanced around being just a little less powerful than a 1st level spell, but with added utility. Some of the potions out there would be waayyy too powerful to create by simply expending a 1st-level spell slot, let alone as one of their free uses.

Maybe you could only create the basic elixirs or common potions for free, but the other potions require a slot, 1st-level slot for a Common potion, 2nd or 3rd for an Uncommon potion, 4th or 5th for a Rare potion and nothing more powerful than that?

I like that. good idea.I didn't even consider the balance against a first level spell.

My biggest thing as that the base list doesn't scale in any way and most are rather boring. If they didn't come free every day I don't think my players would even bother/remember to make them after awhile.

They are very useful a lot of the time, and often well worth spending a 1st level slot to get them.

The way I houseruled the Alchemist to make them better is that they get a number of free elixirs equal to PB, they can use their “free” elixirs to not only create a random elixir, but they also have the option to spend a free elixir slot to maintain a previously made elixir. That way they can spend unused spell slots the night before and use their free slots to keep those going instead of rolling new ones since you get to pick and choose whenever you spend a slot. Between the legit value of the elixirs compared to a 1st-level slot coupled with the ability to save an unused Elixir made using a higher level slot, it really does add a lot of value to the Alchemist subclass.

The other thing I did was give Alchemists a special version of the Homunculus Servant that has a special pouch like a marsupial which can contain a number of Tiny items equal to your PB. It also has an Action that it can feed an Elixir or Potion it is carrying to a creature within 5ft. I also let the little sucker chuck alchemical substances (like Alchemist's Fire (flask), Acid (vial) etc.) using your Spell Attack modifier for the attack roll, and your Spellcasting Ability modifier to the damage roll. (Remember, an “improvised weapon” also does 1d4+Abil bludgeoning damage on a hit, so that is in addition to the damage from those substances.) This means the Homunculus Servant can be a useful delivery mechanism for both Elixirs and Healing potions, and it gives the Alchemist an excuse to actually use their Alchemist's Supplies, Herbalism Kit, and Poisoner's Kit tool proficiencies.