Project Overview

This piece started out purely as the creation of a new class for Dungeons and Dragons 5e, the Alchemist. This was created to fill a niche I considered to be overlooked in the class line-up for 5e by creating a true crafting class. It also serves the purpose of expanding my experience into TTRPG design, which is a style of game design I'm interested in pursuing post-graduation and (as I have discovered) is something I both enjoy and have an aptitude for.

Ultimately, however, the project evolved during development to involve the creation of a completely new mechanical system for the game, required to facilitate and enhance the intended class experience and do justice to my original vision for the alchemist's gameplay philosophy - this being to bridge the gap between magic and martial classes and allow for the use of magical effects by a character who is not necessarily themselves a mage. I considered the divide between the two archetypes of classes to be unnecessarily significant, and made this project for those who are looking for a closer hybrid between magic and martial outside of the more traditional "spellsword" character tropes that can be found in the warlock and paladin, among others. This class also enables the support of other player characters through the alchemist's ability to give potions to other members of their party.

This adds some much needed complexity to the game, and to the project, and helps set the Alchemist apart from the other classes and give it an identity all its own while staying true to the feel of vanilla 5e. The class is detailed below, as well as some further explanation underneath that require context from the class features.

USP

The unique feature of this piece is the creation of a whole new mechanical system for D&D 5e that remains in keeping with the feel of the base game. This comes in the form of Alchemy Points, a system of "casting" potions that enables giving spell effects to other players and combining multiple slots into more potent substances. This could allow the alchemist to mix and match different potions, but will definitely allow at higher levels the option to choose between a few very powerful effects or numerous lesser ones, both for personal use and for your allies. With this had to also come a system of toxicity, keeping the overall number of available simultaneous potions down for balancing reasons (having too many at once could easily be overpowered if not kept in check). With toxicity came the option to completely cleanse, removing all potion effects but also clearing toxicity. This system draws loose inspiration from the alchemy in The Witcher 3, but is crafted to fit the D&D environment.

Class Summary

The Alchemist is a hybrid martial/magical class, but with one key difference - traditionally, alchemists don't practice their own magic. Instead, through the use of alchemical concoctions in the forms of powders, potions and bombs, the alchemist combines magical substances to support their allies, disable their enemies, and cause havoc on the battlefield. With a pinch of instant darkness powder the alchemist can black out even the most brightly lit rooms, and with a handy health potion given before a battle, can be the difference for their allies between scraping by and certain death.

With further development, the alchemist would be split into three separate archetypes - the pure alchemist, arcane alchemist, and bioichemical experiment. The pure alchemist is detailed below, involving the use of potions and bombs mostly exclusively, supporting martial weapons and enabling their allies without casting any spells of their own. 

An arcane alchemist would make use of magic and chemistry together, casting spells with one hand and imbibing concoctions with the other - they must be careful though, as the two can muddle each other and cause catastrophic effects if the user isn't careful. In design terms, this would mean that the arcane alchemist would have lower toxicity, fewer potions, but access to spells and spell slots that the other subclasses don't have. 

The Biochemical Experiment on the other hand is a much more physical archetype - the latent concoctions in the bloodstream of the alchemist cause lasting effects, as well as random temporary ones each day, introducing an element of unpredictability into the gameplay but enabling some incredible buffs if they're lucky. This feature has been introduced to a degree into the base class, providing random effects on death, but with more development time I would love to flesh this out into a full subclass as I believe this one has some incredible potential for the crazy fun that D&D can be so good at facilitating.

The Alchemist

Class Features

As an alchemist, you gain the following class features:

Hit Points

Hit Dice: 1d6 per alchemist level

Hit Points at 1st Level: 6 + your Constitution modifier

Hit Points at higher levels: 1d6 (or 4) + your Constitution modifier per alchemy level after 1st

Proficiencies

Armor: Light

Weapons: Swords, daggers, darts, light crossbows, light bows

Tools: Alchemist’s Tools

Saving Throws: Constitution, Wisdom

Skills: Choose two from Arcana, Insight, Medicine, Nature, Sleight of Hand and Survival

Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

·       (a) A light crossbow and 20 bolts or (b) any simple weapon

·       An ingredient pouch, with a mortar and pestle

·       (a) A dungeoneer’s pack or (b) an explorer’s pack

·       Two daggers

Potion Crafting & Usage

You understand the scientific and arcane energies that course within many things. You can tap into these energies, creating concoctions with various alchemical effects. All alchemy substances can be combined with another of the same type to boost the level of the outcome (like mixing two health potions for an increased boost).

Dusts & Powders

These substances have various utility effects, but easily made, scattering into a cloud when used to create hovering effects within their radius, such as darkness and magic repulsion.

Potions

These concoctions can be imbibed by the user for various effects. Drinking too many too quickly will have toxic effects on the imbiber, causing them to take 1d4-2 poison damage per round for 4 rounds, or until cured with a Cleansing Draught (it’s advisable to always have one prepared, for this reason). 

Bombs

These substances are extremely volatile, exploding when shaken and exposed to air (by opening or shattering the container they are stored in). As such these make good projectile weapons with a variety of explosive effects.

Alchemy Slots

Alchemists are given 6 Alchemy Slots at 1st level, as well as one Catalyst Slot. Alchemy slots can be prepared with one recipe from the Alchemist Recipe List, or with a catalyst item. These are similar to spell slots in that they are the primary resource used by the Alchemist class, but crucially Alchemy Slots can be given to other player characters to be used, with the slot being used up once the substance has been used. In this way, Alchemy Slots can be considered akin to the containers in which substances are stored, rather than a font of innate power, and enable direct support of other player characters by the Alchemist.

On an action or a bonus action, two or more alchemical substances of the same type can be combined for greater effects - for example, two base level health potions could be combined into one enhanced health potion, but this action requires the use of several Alchemy Slots to achieve.

Potions induce toxicity once too many are used by the same person - for an alchemist, their heightened tolerance lets them imbibe up to four from 1st level, with this number increasing as the alchemist levels up. For other classes, any more than one will induce toxicity. Toxicity causes 1d4-2 poison damage per turn for four turns, or until cured by a Draught of Cleansing. For this reason, it's recommended for an alchemist to always have at least one Draught of Cleansing prepared.

Catalysts

Catalysts can be used to boost the power of an alchemical concoction to enhance its effect without wasting several alchemy slots. A basic catalyst will boost a potion as though three had been mixed, and a superior catalyst will boost as though five had been mixed. The primary function of catalysts is to enable the conservation of Alchemy Slots. Catalysts will be allocated to fill available Catalyst Slots after a rest, but can also be found as items - in this case, they will take up Alchemy Slots instead. Superior Catalysts will require two available Alchemy Slots, or the 20th level perk "Catalytic Enhancement" in order to prepare them in Catalyst Slots.

Class Progression

1st Level

Alchemical Study - You have a working knowledge of the scientific and arcane energies that flow through all things. Tapping into these energies, you are able to create alchemical reactions between substances to produce various useful effects. You have knowledge of 6 recipes from the Recipe List, which can be prepared after a rest. You have 6 Alchemy Slots. Alchemical Substances can be used on an action or a bonus action.

Heightened Tolerance - You can imbibe up to four potions before toxicity sets in. Toxicity deals 1d4-2 poison damage per turn for four turns, unless cured by a Draught of Cleansing.

2nd Level

Alchemical Experimentation - You can mix alchemy substances of the same type together, creating more potent effects from them. You may only mix filled Alchemy Slots together, and the new concoction will fill a slot of its own - this can be considered equivalent to pouring the substance from one slot into another filled slot.

3rd Level

Catalyst Research - You gain 1 Catalyst Slot. Catalysts can boost the potency of alchemical substances, conserving Alchemy Slots.

Slot Increase -   +1 Alchemy Slot

5th Level

Heightened Tolerance - You can imbibe two more potions without taking toxicity damage.

6th Level

Biochemical Experiment - The built up alchemical substances in your body have permanently altered your biochemistry. Your skin is tougher, adding +2 to your armor class.

Imbued Weapons - You gain the ability to imbue one of your own melee weapons with poison damage. Creatures struck by the weapon must make a constitution saving throw of dc8 + your constitution modifier, taking 1d4+2 poison damage on a fail.

Slot Increase -   +3 Alchemy Slots

8th Level

Acid Blood - Your blood becomes acidic; creatures that come into contact with your blood (e.g. through biting attacks) must make a dc12+ alchemist constitution modifier constitution saving throw, or take 1d4+2 acid damage.

Slot Increase -   +1 Catalyst Slot

9th Level

Heightened Tolerance - You can imbibe two more potions without taking toxicity damage.

11th Level

Enhanced Imbuing - You can now imbue one more of your weapons with poison. Weapon poisons now do 1d6+2 damage on a failed save in addition to weapon damage, and can now affect simple crossbows and light bows.

13th Level

Biochemical Instability - When HP drops to 0, roll 1d100. Choose the corresponding effect from the Biochemical Experiment Death Table. All effects have a 20ft radius (Examples effects include, on a roll of 1, the body detonates - proc Fireball centred on the body -  or alternately, on a roll of 100, your HP is restored to full and a regeneration buff is applied restoring 1d6 HP per turn for three turns to everyone within 5ft.)

Slot Increase -   +3 Alchemy Slots

Inexplicably Targeted - Bombs no longer affect allied characters, and thrown potions no longer benefit enemies.

16th Level

Purity - You no longer take toxicity damage.

17th Level

Venomous Strike - Weapon poisons have no limit on how many weapons can be imbued, and all weapon type restrictions are removed. Weapons no longer cause a saving throw, instead applying the poison damage automatically.

Slot Increase -   +3 Alchemy Slots, +1 Catalyst Slot.

20th Level

Catalytic Enhancement - Catalyst Slots can be prepared with Superior Catalysts. +1 Catalyst Slot.

Ability Score Improvement

At 4th, 8th, 12th, 16th and 19th level, you may increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or two ability scores of your choice by 1 each. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 with this feature.

Balance

This proved remarkably difficult to balance during creation - due to the inherently multiplayer nature of D&D, I found myself unable to adequately test the class in an authentic game environment. I used stat improvements from the other classes to inform the scale of improvements for this class, but it was very difficult to ensure it was kept on an appropriate power level consistently in line with everything else.

This is certainly a powerful class currently, and will likely need some further tweaking to secure its place either as a supporting class or as a "glass cannon". Testing against NPC encounters proved that the Alchemist can hold its own in combat environments, but especially in encounters against one large enemy the class can become quite overpowered due to the availability of extra damage modifiers on top of base weapon damage (such as poisoned blades). However, I don't believe this to be vastly beyond the capabilities of classes like the rogue or warlock, so I haven't reduced the class's power just yet.

Changes

There's a few things I'd change if I had the development time available. First and most notably, the introduction of sub-classes. As it stands I was only able to create one core class around which I could structure the new mechanic, playing with that to try and balance it as best as I could. Once I have that balanced and functional in regular gameplay, however, the introduction of subclasses would really breathe new life into something that I already thing is a breath of fresh air for the class line-up. Having the option of a magical, or more highly physical alchemist in the Arcane Alchemist and Biochemical Experiment subclasses that I touched on earlier would really add to the replayability of the class overall. As stated before I'm most excited for the Biochemical Experiment, as I feel that it's something especially unique among the existing character options for 5e, and it woul be really interesting to see how that would fit into the wider dynamic of an adventuring party. The Arcane Alchemist isn't something to ignore though either, as I think the introduction of magic at the cost of reduced alchemical utility would really shake things up and enable some incredible combos - casting grease then setting it alight with a firebomb? The possibilities are endless.

Something else I'd most certainly have liked to change earlier is the opportunity for playtesting. Due to the nature of D&D gameplay I've been unable to test the class in the correct environment, so the iteration has been very much based on hypothetical ideas of what feels overtuned and what needs adjusting rather than practical, hands-on experience at the hands of other players. I'd like to get some testers to try this class out in their own games so I can get some true feedback on what is and isn't working, as my experience of running D&D games as a dungeon master is minimal. As such it's difficult to feel confident that the small combat encounters I ran for myself were adequate evidence.

Going forward

I still intend to refine this class going forward - I  really enjoy the challenge of balancing a completely new mechanical system, particularly when compared to the combat prowess of other classes. The difference in approach between video game development and the development of this project has consolidated my view that TTRPG design would be a good career path to look towards. This piece prompted a lot of ideas for me on how I could start on making a full game experience of my own in the TTRPG space, or how I would enhance existing products in that space. I found during this project that TTRPG design suits my skillset - the lack of software engine alone removes many of the barriers that I've run into in other projects regarding deadlines and work ethic, and I've always found myself to be more comfortable hashing out concepts on paper rather than programming. I deliberately removed any level design requirements from the project this time around, as I've found myself shoehorned into it in previous assignments, and as my interest has always been mechanics and systems design I feel that's been a detriment to my confidence as a designer. As such this project let my skills shine a little brighter and I'm much more confident about my future - whether or not that ends up in the videogaming space or in tabletop.