Obscure Alchemy
Hello everyone, and welcome to another exciting edition of Obscure Arcana, where we bring you the best in new spells every week. Or at least, that’s what we usually do; this week we’re going to focus on something that those folks who make the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game are really keen separate from spells, but which function in every discernible way exactly like spells: alchemical formulae. As I’m certain devoted readers will by now have discovered, we don’t really love the alchemist class here at Necromancers of the Northwest, but that doesn’t mean that we don’t want to improve things for those of you who feel differently, So without wasting any more time, I’ve got some new formulae I’m certain you’ll enjoy exploring. Here we go.
Digestive Enhancer
Unlike a typical extract, a digestion enhancer extract is not consumed in like a potion, but must be applied to a mutagen in order to have any affect. Applying a digestion enhancer to a mutagen is a move action that provokes attacks of opportunity. A mutagen that has been affected by a digestion enhancer extract is considerably easier to digest, allowing it to be safely consumed even by non-alchemists. In addition, a mutagen which has been affected by digestion enhancer allows non-alchemists to gain a benefit as though they were the alchemist who created it.
Gold Form
This potent extract allows the alchemist to transmute the flesh of a living humanoid into living gold for a short period of time. Once consumed, the subject is instantly transformed into a living statue composed of pure gold. A creature who has been so affected gains a number of benefits. Firstly, he gains construct traits, except that he retains his Constitution score and any hit points gained as a result of a high Constitution. Secondly, he gains 5 points of damage reduction which cannot be overcome by any means. Finally, the subject gains an amount of spell resistance equal to 10 + the creator’s alchemist level for the spell’s duration.
High Explosive
Unlike an ordinary extract, a high explosive extract is not consumed like a potion but must be added to a bomb the alchemist creates. Applying a high explosive extract to a bomb can be done as part of the standard action required to draw the components of, create, and throw a bomb. A bomb that has been affected by the high explosive extract has a much higher explosive potential, and the bomb’s splash damage is equal to the normal damage for the bomb, rather than the bomb’s minimum damage.
Ready Potion
Unlike ordinary extracts the alchemist prepares, a ready potion extract is not consumed like a potion but must rather be added to an existing potion. Applying a ready potion extract in such a way takes the same amount of time as imbibing a normal extract of the same level. Once added to a particular potion, a ready potion extract imbues the potion with the magical energy of the alchemist who prepared the extract, increasing the caster level of the potion (and thus any level-dependent effects of that potion) to the creator’s alchemist level. (For example, a potion of cure moderate wounds created by a 3rd-level cleric that was affected by a ready potion extract created by a 7th-level alchemist would function as a potion of cure moderate wounds with a caster level of 7.) This ability can only affect substances created with the Brew Potion feat and has no affect on alchemical extracts.
Stabilize
Unlike an ordinary extract the alchemist prepares, a stabilize extract that an alchemist prepares is not consumed like a potion, but rather must be added to a bomb he creates. A stabilize extract has no effect on a bomb which has already become inert. Applying a stabilize extract to a bomb takes the same amount of time as using an extract of the same level as the stabilize extract. A bomb affected by the stabilize extract does not become inert after creation and retains its explosive potential for an amount of time equal to the spell’s duration. A bomb affected by this extract otherwise has the same properties it had when it was created, even if the alchemist gained levels sufficient enough to create a more powerful bomb by the time the bomb is used. (For example, an 18th-level alchemist uses a stabilize extract on one of his bombs and reaches 19th level before he actually uses the bomb; it still only deals 9d6 + the alchemist’s Intelligence modifier points of damage, even though the alchemist could produce bombs capable of dealing 10d6 + his Intelligence modifier points of damage.) At the end of the spell’s duration, the bomb still becomes inert.