d20 – Alchemical Magic

   Alchemical Magic is a branch of hedge magic – magic that relies on talismans, rituals, and exotic ingredients, rather than raw power. In general, would-be alchemical magi may buy their magic both Specialized (can only recover 2d6 levels of spells per day) and Corrupted (“casting” a spell requires a craft/alchemy skill check at a DC of (5 + 5 x Spell Level). Since that combination can reduce the cost of buying a spell progression quite drastically (at least in Eclipse), characters may dabble in alchemical magic, or similar forms of hedge magic, relatively easily.

   Alchemical Spell Lists:

   The alchemical spell lists operate much like those of the Ranger, Paladin, or Warmage: these are the spells available to an alchemist capable of casting spells of the given level.

• Level Zero: Brew*, Detect Poison, Flare, Glue*, Identify Herb*, Phosphorescence (Light), Smoke Cloud* and Spray*.
• Level One: Bless (or Curse) Water, Cure Light Wounds, Distillation*, Entangle, Fastburn*, Magic Weapon, Obscuring Mist and Resist Energy.
• Level Two: Alchemic Mist*, Blindness/Deafness, Delay Poison, Fire Trap, Glitterdust, “Melf’s Acid Arrow”, Pyrotechnics and Soften Earth and Stone.
• Level Three: Antitoxin (Neutralize Poison), Cure Moderate Wounds, Dispel Magic, Ectoplasm (Shadow Conjuration), Haste, Magic Circle*, The Naming of Names* and Poison (Can produce various toxins, not just Con poison).
• Level Four: Break Enchantment, Hold Monster, Rusting Grasp, Proto- plasmic Salve*, Stoneskin, Touch of Alkahest*, and Vital Elixir*.
• Level Five: Cloudkill, Cure Serious Wounds, Dispel Magic Greater, Fabricate, Major Creation, Transmute Mud to Rock (and vice-versa), Veil and Wall of Stone.
• Level Six: Acid Fog, Antimagic Field, Animate Objects, Create Undead, Flesh to Stone (and vice-versa), Otiluke’s Freezing Sphere, Stone of the Philosophers*, and Wall of Iron.
• Level Seven: Banishment, Cure Critical Wounds, Simulacrum, and Transmute Metal to Wood.

   New Cantrips:

• Brew: Instantly makes up to a pint of tea, extract, or mixture from the usual ingredients.
• Glue: Instant “Superglue”. Breaking the bond requires a DC 15 Strength check and may inflict 1d6 damage to the surfaces being torn apart. The things in question must be touched and pressed together. A reflex save applies to living creatures.
• Identify Herb: Tells you what a herb is and gives a fair notion of what it’s good for.
• Smoke Cloud: Makes a billowing, 20 Ft radius, burst of smoke. This is thick and hard to see through (General -4 circumstance penalty for coughing and vision), but dissipates normally.
• Spray: Empties the contents of up to (L/3, 3 Max) vials or flasks onto any target within 30 Ft. No save to avoid, but targets resist whatever’s in the flask normally.

   New Spells:

   Distillation

• Concentrates and enhances alchemical concoctions, doubling their effectiveness and increasing the DC of any save by +2 by infusing them with 1 XP.
• Transmutation. Level: 1, Components: V, S), Casting Time: One hour, Range: Touch, Target: Special, Duration: Instant. Saving Throw: As per the liquid in question, Spell Resistance: No.

   Fastburn

• Makes up to a Lb of burning material burn up in a few moments. This usually causes a deafening bang and up to 4d6 damage in a 15 Ft radius burst depending on amount and quality of fuel handy; Small candle 1d6, Candle 2d6, campfire 3d6, oil 4d6.
• Transmutation. Level: 1, Components: V, S, Casting Time: One standard action, Range: Medium, Area: Special, Duration: Instant, Saving Throw: None (Object), Spell Resistance: No (Object).

   Alchemic Mist

• Turns up to one vial full of any liquid per six levels or part thereof (3 maximum at level 13+) into a cloud of mist which has the full effects of whatever-it-is on all within it. Sadly, this won’t work on magical liquids, although it works nicely on poisons and alchemical concoctions.
• Transmutation. Level: 2, Components: V, S, M (Vial of stuff), Casting Time: One standard action, Range: Medium, Area: 20-foot radius burst, Duration: 2d4 rounds, Saving Throw: As per the liquid in question, Spell Resistance: No.

   Magic Circle

• Immobile, but the effects apply against attackers of any alignment. Otherwise as per Magic Circle against (Whatever).

   The Naming of Names

• Attempts to bind a target with it’s true name. What can be done is pretty much GMO, but this is usually roughly equivalent to the various Dominate spells.
• Enchantment Level: 3, Components: V, Casting Time: One standard action, Range: Medium, Target: One creature, Duration: Special, Saving Throw: Yes, but no bonuses, Spell Resistance: No.
• This actually has nothing to do with alchemy – but is a common part of many low-magic settings, and thus is common to pretty much all competent spellcasters in such realms.

   Protoplasmic Salve

• Removes blinded, confused, dazed, dazzled, deafened, diseased, exhausted, fatigued, feebleminded, insane, nauseated, paralyzed, sickened, stunned, and poisoned conditions as well as curing ability damage and 3d6 damage, regardless of the level of damage. It can even restore fingers, toes, noses, and similar small parts, since it replaces damaged tissues.
• Transmutation. Level: 4, Components: V, S, M (Vial of Salve), Casting Time: One standard action, Range: Touch, Target: Creature touched, Duration: Instant, Saving Throw: Fortitude Negates (Harmless), and Spell Resistance: Yes (Harmless)

   Touch of Alkahest

• As per Disintegrate, but with no range, an inability to affect any target immune to acid damage, a maximum of 30d6, and slower results (divide the damage over 1d4 rounds, dispelling or washing off the acid will halt the ongoing effect).
• Note that the spell level is reduced to three if you know the true name of the creature to be affected.
• Transmutation. Level: 4, Components: V, Casting Time: One standard action, Range: Touch, Target: Creature or object touched, Duration: 1d4 rounds, Saving Throw: Fortitude Partial (Object), Spell Resistance: Yes

   Vital Elixir

• Grants the subject a +4 enhancement bonus to Str, Con, Dex, and Chr. The usual benefits apply.
• Transmutation. Level: 4, Components: V, S, M (Vial of Elixir, which the target must drink), Casting Time: One standard action, Range: Touch, Target: Creature touched, Duration: 1d6 minutes per level, Save: Will Negates (Harmless), and Spell Resistance: Yes (Harmless)

   Stone of the Philosophers

• Transmutes nonliving matter to creates an object or effect worth up to 50 GP per level of the caster at a cost of 1 XP per 5 GP worth of equipment or effect produced. This cannot be used to create magical items and finely-created items are limited by the user’s personal skills.
• Transmutation. Level: 6, Components: V, S, XP. Casting Time: One standard action, Range: Touch, Target: Special, Duration: Instant. Saving Throw: None (Object), Spell Resistance: No (Object)