If you consider alchemist elixirs as extra always prepared sub-class spells the feature suddenly sounds much better.. So now our 3rd. level feature is, you have these eight spells always prepared, plus one random extra that you can cast without using a spell slot. Another thing to consider is effect stacking. With exception of transformation elixir, which mentions alter self spell, all the elixirs are their own unique effects stacking with each other and your spells. You already mentioned courage + bless. Others to consider are: speed + longstrider for + 20 ft. movement for full hour. Flight + Expeditious Retreat / misty step, or combine with speed boosts above. If you have monk in party they will love transformation for d6 unarmed and +1 to hit and damage and I guess your rogue would not mind having instant disguise in pocket either. Finally healing elixir + healing word makes alchemist one of the most efficient single target healers in early levels, or jojo two downed friends in single turn. Unless your party has multiple healers, alchemist should pretty much always spend one of their slots for a healing elixirs and give it to the hardiest non-caster in the party for emergencies.
I do agree with the effect stacking and healing efficiency. I hadn't looked particularly at one round burst healing but taht certainly would be a good amount of efficiency to use both an elixir and healing word to get two party members up. It would effectively be two spell slots in a single round which is a lot of resources for a half-caster but I think in that situation where two party members are down it is definitely worth it! And yes stacking the effects of multiple elixirs or spells would be awesome. I hadn't really considered the Transformation Elixir plus monk but that is a very good point and I'm sure it would be a really fun combo between the two characters. Very good points!
I liked the idea of going Tiefling for the fire synergies. I found pretty good success with using Booming Blade and Blaming Sphere. Also, I think War caster is a must have feat since the Alchemist primarily deals damage through Cantrips.
Yes absolutely! I think there are some pretty neat things that can be done with a Tiefling + Flames of Phlegethos + Green Flame Blade. There’s definitely a fiery combo there. And yes War Caster is always a great choice!
@@ExploringtheBuild i realized that support blasting was awesome. I used the Catapult spell like a Siege weapon. I used Vortex Warp like an ambulance, and I used Rope Trick to conduct triage operations. My Homunculus Servant was my nurse that administered elixirs and Cure wounds. then Vortex my dudes back to the front lines
Thank you, Alex! Excellent support build idea and I enjoyed your clear run through. I appreciate your view on it and the discussions it created below. Here's hoping OneD&D does it justice in the future!
Alchemists should get the Alchemy Jug Infusion for free and receive double the yield from it, so you'd have the option to use acid, oil, small amounts of poison...mayonnaise, etc. Maybe some mechanic to give a free cast of Catapult per short rest to pair with it? Maybe a feature similar to the Thief's Fast Hands to allow more economical weaponized object interactions with it? I wish Alchemical Savant included to the ability change the damage type of any spell (and maybe Artificer cantrips) to Acid, Fire, Poison or Necrotic too, kind of like the Scribes Wizard. It feels pretty thematic to me with an Alchemist mixing together different reagents to generate his/her spell effects of those damage types. The way it is written, the experimental elixirs seem almost unusable to me. I agree it should be free to make proficiency bonus elixirs per day on the randomized chart plus create more with chosen effects by expending a spell slot. Like you said, it desperately needs some sort of scaling too. Hard for me to imagine creating more elixirs at the expense of an extra cast of Fairy Fire (or Bless/Heroism on your build) even at low levels as written. I have never actually played one though, so maybe I am selling the Elixirs short. I think what would make this a fun class is there was just more tools in general. It feels so limited in what they can do which is weird. Personal wish...Somehow it would be nice if they got Vitriolic Sphere just so I could actual use that spell someday. I always end up skipping it because it seems redundant to Fireball.
Another unpopular subclass is the Monster Slayer Ranger. However, when I think of a monster slayer I think of Geralt of Rivia, the Witcher; and it could be a fun archetype to play around in the right campaign. Thus, I would like to see a build based on Geralt of Rivia that continues the monster hunting theme (gaining knowledge about a target, preparing for the hunt, hunting down the target, and taking it out) while accommodating for the Monster Slayer Ranger's weaknesses. On top of that, it would also be cool if the build uses a lineage that gives the character a monsterous feel, like the Shifter or the Hexblood.
That’s a great idea for a build and I will put it on the list! I agree that Monster Slayer isn’t the most popular but I did run one once and had a lot of fun with it! A Witcher-esque build can certainly be done, would you want to see the potions and elixirs that Witchers drink included too? Or just the “knowledgeable monster hunter” theme
If at the very least you could CHOOSE the free elixir you're making for free And if you could drink it as a bonus action And also if potions somehow escale with level Then it would be pretty good. At least make it so you can make a number of free potuons equal to proficiency a day.
Enjoyed your take. I want to love this sub class. I really do. But the Devs whiffed on this one. Even the Transformation Wizard doesn’t provide the mechanics to do this archetype justice.
I completely agree. Even after making the video I think the thing that bugged me most is that in the artificer base class they have infusions that get unlocked as you level up. Yet the designers couldn’t take that one extra step to translate that same concept to the alchemist and their elixirs. Very much a shame. Hopefully they will have better treatment in the future!
How many potions are uncommon? Quite a few. And level 10 artificers can craft them faster and for 1/4 of the gold. Greater healing potion? Potion of growth?
@ericpeterson8732 popular subclasses with issues have been errata'd before, such as bladesinger, and Tasha's was the second printing of artificer Also remember the artificer spell list will be the same but some of the spells are likely getting buffed, and other non-artificer spells are getting rebalanced, such cure wounds (buff to all 3 halfcasters), and conjure animals (which is now a good spell instead of a busted one) Also, magic items are being completely overhauled, this likely buffs artificer indirectly as their magic item options get potentially more powerful though they could wind up at roughly the same, as well as PHB tool proficiency use, if optional tool proficiency rules enter the PHB and become core optional rules, more people will use them, so artificers get more out of their abilities to improve tool use Alchemist specifically has fairly weak spells, which may improve, ray of sickness, acid arrow, blight, are all spells that are generally too weak to consider casting, since they are acid, poison, and necrotic spells, which are basically pathetic in D&D rn, obviously if they are stronger to be as good as other spells, so will alchemist be, as they will have more options in combat Even healing word being changed to 2d4, and letting you cast a leveled spell on the same turn would help alchemist probably (That being said, alchemist should have it's class features redesigned)
