Class Options: Alchemical Research Fields

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Alchemical Research Fields

Another batch of 2nd edition options. This time for the alchemist class. Second edition alchemists cast no spells, instead interacting with expanded alchemical items and crafting rules, though they mainly skirt the regular crafting rules with an ability that allows them to create a certain number of alchemical items each day automatically without expending materials, though they last no more than 24 hours.

Each alchemist picks a specialty field that gives them advantages when procuring and using a specific subset of alchemical items: bombers can control their splash, prepare more bombs, and use low-level bombs without them counting against daily limits; chirurgeon who can use Crafting skill in place of Medicine, prepare extra healing elixirs, use certain low-level remedies without them counting against daily limits, and maximize effects of elixirs of life; and mutagenist who can use mutagens that weren't custom-made for them, fight better with unarmed attacks, and can prepare more or even free mutagens.

While the selection is interesting, I immediately thought of a few additional choices that focus less on specific alchemical items and more on other aspects of archetypal alchemy.

Homunculist
You focus on growing your own specialized alchemical familiar, more powerful and versatile than those kept by other alchemists.

You gain Alchemical Familiar as a bonus feat at 1st level and your familiar gains an extra ability.

Field Discovery
You can take 10 minutes to adjust your familiar's abilities. For each batch of infused reagents spent for that purpose, you can replace one of your familiar's abilities with another. Whenever you feed your familiar an elixir of life, it heals maximum amount of hit points without rolling.

Perpetual Infusions
Your familiar gains an extra ability.

Perpetual Potency
Your familiar gains an extra ability.

Greater Field Discovery
Growing a replacement for your familiar takes one day of downtime activity instead of a week. When you are unconscious, you can direct your familiar as if you took an action to command them each round.

Perpetual Perfection
Your familiar gains an extra ability.


Oozebreeder
You use complex alchemical processes to create life and grow it into obedient, if mostly mindless ooze.

You gain ooze companion, which follows rules for animal companions, though it is ooze instead of animal and cannot be ridden, even if larger than would-be rider. They can be replaced by one week of downtime activity with access to suitable alchemical tools.

Ooze
Your companion is an alchemically grown ooze.
Size Small
Melee (Action) pseudopod (reach), Damage 1d4 bludgeoning
Str +2, Dex –2, Con +2, Int –4, Wis +0, Cha –4
Hit Points 4
Immunities critical hits, mental, precision, unconscious, visual
Skill None
Senses motion sense 30 ft., scent (imprecise, 30 ft), no vision
Speed 15 ft.
Support Benefit Your ooze companion splashes your foes with corrosive fluids that weaken their resistances. Until the start of your next turn, your Strikes against creatures within your ooze's reach ignore the first 5 points of one of the target's energy or physical resistances.
Advanced Maneuver Pseudopod Whip

Pseudopod Whip (Action)Your ooze companion makes a Strike with its pseudopod ignoring concealed conditon and AC bonuses from covers or raised shields.

Field Discovery
During your daily preparations select one of acid, bludgeoning, cold, fire, electricity, piercing, or slashing damage. Your ooze companion gains resistance equal to your level to selected damage type until your next daily preparations. Whenever you feed your ooze companion an elixir of life, it heals the maximum amount of hit points possible, without rolling.

Perpetual Infusions
Your ooze companion grows into a mature form and gains the associated benefits.

Perpetual Potency
Your ooze companion develops even more and becomes your choice of either a nimble or a savage companion.

Greater Field Discovery
Growing a replacement for your ooze companion takes one day of downtime activity instead of a week. When you are unconscious, you can direct your ooze companion as if you took an action to command them each round.

Perpetual Perfection
Your ooze companion reaches peak of its abilities, gaining a specialization of your choice.