Wizard Archetype: School of Alchemy

This is a homebrew Wizard subclass. It is similar in purpose to the Player's Handbook Wizard: Transmutation School or the Unearthed Arcana Artificier: Alchemist but, well... different.

Introduction

It is clear that, no Alchemist will feel right or natural without a good deal of crafting and juggling with all sorts of components, but independently of rules or what crafting system you use (and there are plenty of nice ones out there), sometimes you just want to join a battle exploding everything like a Wizard, but throwing some shit instead of waving your hands.

You could, of course, accomplish this by having a normal spellcasting class and just applying some theme flavor every time you would cast a spell (for example: every time you would cast a spell, just imagine/describe your character pulling a vial of your belt and throwing /pouring on an ally or enemy, respecting the normal range, effects and rules of the spellcasting: a Healing Word could be thrown up to 60 ft. as a bonus action; a Cure Wounds poured up to 5 ft. as an action; a Thunderwave shattered at your feets as an action). This is really fun and great to picture the character the way you want without having to tweak rules and stuff.

The flavor approach may, unfortunately, lead to inconveniences like "if your hands are tied or occupied, and you only cast through your potions, would you be able to use a Healing Word (component: V)?" and soon, if both player and GM are not committed with this role play, there will be a lot of arguing or, at least, the flavor will be left aside for convenience.

This subclass is an attempt to give this feeling of throwing and sharing fluids during a battle (ahem...), with some advantages and disadvantages on doing so but without going too far from your typical Wizard. You'll still be able to cast spells normally, but you can also share them.

School of Alchemy

Alchemy Savant

Beginning when you select this school at 2nd level, you gain proficiency on Alchemist's Supplies and Herbalism Kit.

Also, the resources and time you must spend to use your Alchemist's Supplies and Herbalism Kit to brew non-magical concoctions (i.e.: acid, alchemist fire, healing potion, tanglefoot bag, smokestick, sunrod, thunderstick etc) are halved as you are able to improvise lots of the needed reagents.

Infused Potions

Starting at the 2nd level, you can not only brew useful chemical concoctions, but you can turn the very magical essence of your spells into liquid and store it in vials to further use by yourself or your allies.

You infuse a non-concentration and non-ritual spell that you have prepared (spending components and slots as normal) on a small vial which is filled with a glowing magical liquid. The potion takes the normal casting time of the spell to be produced and may be used by the alchemist as a bonus action on the same turn it was made or, as an action, for the next 4 hours after which the liquid fades and the spell is lost. If a spell (infused or already casted) states that its effect ends if it is casted again, it will fade if another vial is infused with the same spell. The spell needs the shattering energy of the vial to ignite its power, so if the vial is open without shattering, the liquid instantly evaporates and is lost.

The Infused Potion can be:

• shattered on yourself;
• shattered on an willing target 5 feet away without rolling or on a non-willing target with a normal melee attack (improvised weapon);
• thrown with a normal ranged attack as an improvised weapon (20/60), shattering on impact and casting the spell as if that point was the target or point of origin. An willing target AC is considered to be 10.

Spells that require melee or ranged spell attacks to hit, succeed instead if the vial hits the target. Spells that require a saving throw happen normally but a target striked by the Potion has disadvantage on it. The shattered vial is the point of origin of the spell and it is centered on it for touch and sphere spells or on the direction of its impact for line, cube, cone and cylinder spells. The spell's DC, damage, and other effects are determined by the Alchemist's spell casting ability when infusing the Potion. Persistent effects (i.e.: Arcane Lock, Charm Person, Mage Armor etc) are controlled by the user of the Potion, but the Alchemist who infused it may, as a bonus action, interrupt these.

Experimental Alchemist

At 6th level, after extensive research on your concoctions, training and some not so pleasant experimental accidents, you developed a resistance to one damage type (acid, cold OR fire damage) and have advantage on saving throws against spells released by your own Infused Potions.

You double your proficiency when using your Alchemist's Supplies and Herbalism Kit.

You are also considered proficient when attacking with or throwing flasks or vials of all sorts (i.e.: Infused Potions, Acid, Alchemist Fire etc).

Potion Mastery

At the 10th level, you've reached an almost intuitive understanding of alchemical concoctions and its nuances as well as you achieved a higher control of your low level Infused Potions.

You may inspect for 1 minute without disturbance any substance, as if you had used the Identify spell (even if you don't have it). You'll know its ingredients, its effects (magical or not) in case of exposition or consumption and a fairly good idea of how it was made or what concoction you can use it for. You may spend an action to try inspect it faster with a successful DC 15 Intelligence (Alchemist's Supplies/Herbalist Kit) check.

Once between long rests, you may spend 1 hour concentrating and try to stabilize the magical essence of a 1st level Infused Potion. 1 pound of gold (50 gp) is consumed during the ritual. With a successful DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) check the Infused Potion becomes permanent. On a failed roll the potion and the gold is lost.

Starting at 14th Level, you may stabilize 2nd level Infused Potions. 5 pounds of gold (250 gp) is consumed during the process.

Philosopher's Stone

At the 14th level, at the pinacle of your alchemist studies, you were able to develop and craft your own version of the legendary Philosopher's Stone.

The Philosopher's Stone is always attuned to its creator but doesn't count against the maximum of attuned items. It can be used as a +2 Magical Arcane Focus.

You may, as an action, break the Philosopher's Stone to unleash its stored energy casting a 7th level spell or lower of your choosing without spending a slot and its components. The spell may be any 7th level or lower Wizard spell existent, but you may not be able to control a spell that you don't know. If you attempt to cast a spell that is not on your spellbook, you must succeed on an Intelligence (Arcana) check with DC 15 + Spell Level. If you fail, the energy unleashed evaporates without effect.

Once your Philosopher's Stone is destroyed, you may spend 24 uninterrupted hours and 20 pounds of gold (1000 gp) to produce a new one. You can only craft a Philosopher's Stone per month, as you must gather all the delicate and rare components for its conception and you must have your Alchemist's Supplies.

Credits

• Homebrewed by G. Scary T.
• Art Images by G. Scary T.
• Layout made with The Homebrewery

Version

• 23/08/2018 School of Alchemy v1.0
• 25/12/2017 School of Alchemy v0.2
• 30/11/2017 School of Alchemy v0.1

Other Homebrews

• 2nd lvl Spell: The Artisan's Nest