Alchemy issue [Archive] - Wizards Community

Alchemy issue [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Graiskye
11-06-06, 01:45 AM Greetings all. I recentlet started up a game, and am having my first experience with Alchemy. One of the players is a Wizard and is mad for Alchemy. Now I'm a fairly open minded DM, I like to cultivate player creativity whenever possible, and my young Wizard has all kinds of ideas that he wants to 'try', but I'm very low on knowledge in relation to it. As I understand it is a subset of the Craft skill, but thats about the extent of my knowledge regarding it. So any advice, on where to find more info, ways to 'work' Alchemy into the scenario, So far he has been packing around his Alchemists kit, and he sets it up every night when they rest and he works on his 'potions', for instance he wants to make 'Acid Berries', now he had a rudimentary list of ingredients that once he gathered we, figured that he would have to spend 5 sessions working on them, and he would eventually create his 'Acid Berries', Acid berries are small projectile like balls filled with acid, they can be shot threw a sling stuck on the end of an arrow etc.... Another use he thought of was using them in a stuck or keyless lock barrel dissolving the lock mechs and opening the lock.
The young wizard is only 11, and hes a great kid, thing is I'm the type of DM who isnt a great knower of all things, Im more the type that concentrates on keeping the fun moving, liking the players to provide some of the fleshing, so he pretty much came up with this on his own, and know I'm concerned whether this is good. Should I rein him in a bit, and have him play more by the books, this being the case I want to be able to present him with the more structured system, but also present him with options for inventiveness, he loves to think up new effects,spells, etc.. and I think Alchemy is a perfect outlet for it.
I realise Im rambling a bit, unsure of exactly how to say it I guess, would love any advice regarding Alchemy, how do others work it, good ways, bad ways, whatever...
Books or links to articles regarding would be super also. Thanks for taking the time to read, best wishes. Grais.
Gahread
11-06-06, 02:45 AM Damn clever kid for an 11 year old!

For the 'acid berries', I'd have them do 1d3+1 acid damage if slung. Craft DC 17, cost 1 gold per modified slingstone. He's just increased the average damage from 2.5 to 3 per shot from his sling and ensured that even creatures that would be immune to his damage for some reason will still take 1 point of acid damage. Not bad for a first try!

The lock might be easier to dissolve just by pouring a vial of acid inside. I don't know how he'd get a hard, marble-sized container of acid to dissolve the innards of a lock without some difficulty.
Benedictus
11-06-06, 09:13 AM If you have Complete adventurer you need to look at the Weapon Capsules.
Point them out to the kid too.

He sounds like a good player.

Encourage him, but don't let him get away with anything either.
Myree
11-06-06, 11:27 PM Definitely encourage this kid! We need him on OUR side!

Now, you are also right that you need to keep the fun rolling for everyone. I would suggest limiting his "experimenting" to non-adventure time. Plain and simple, a chemist might haul his gear from place to place, but you don't stop working on nitroglycerin half-way through and move the lab without risking some damage. I'd say that anything he has already invented can be built at the nightly pit-stops, as long as he works out the math so it can either be done in one cooking period, or else has a safe way to ferment or settle or whatever while the rest of the adventure is happening. That way he can keep them freshly stocked with ammo (well, as long as he dragged the raw materials along safely too), but isn't spending a lot of time away from the rest worrying about his latest invention. And you definitely need to be watching those skill checks -- you can't "take 10" on that kind of thing, and I would say the contant tear down, lug around, and set up has got to have a negative impact. And whoa to the camp-site if he roles a crit failure while playing with his checkistry set -- we are talking stinking clud at LEAST, if not full fireball!

Give him his time, but make sure he understands the need for balance with the rest of it. If it keeps being an issue, I would recommend that character settle down to a tower somewhere to supply the group when they are back in town, and the player roll up a new "not so creative" (and probably lower Int.) younger brother for him that is in charge of gather ingrediants and field testing the results (so still gets that "combat trial" feel), etc. Encouraging a slightly different role-playing mode for him might really open up some new avenues for the player besides just the one he is already excelling at!
Graiskye
11-07-06, 05:37 PM Thanks you all for your replies, even got a PM, from a great helpful person who sent me a 'custom set' of rules dealing with Alchemy. I feel much better now, just sharing my thoughts and getting feedback is just what the doc ordered.
Next session , me and Liam,my 11 yr old player(very mature btw), will sit down and I'll go over how we are going to work his aclhemy from now on. No big changes really, just a bit more structure,little less improv.
Thnaks for all the help, and keep it coming if you so desire, can never have too much info(welll......almost never).
Thanks again, Grais.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Graiskye 11-06-06, 01:45 AM	Greetings all. I recentlet started up a game, and am having my first experience with Alchemy. One of the players is a Wizard and is mad for Alchemy. Now I'm a fairly open minded DM, I like to cultivate player creativity whenever possible, and my young Wizard has all kinds of ideas that he wants to 'try', but I'm very low on knowledge in relation to it. As I understand it is a subset of the Craft skill, but thats about the extent of my knowledge regarding it. So any advice, on where to find more info, ways to 'work' Alchemy into the scenario, So far he has been packing around his Alchemists kit, and he sets it up every night when they rest and he works on his 'potions', for instance he wants to make 'Acid Berries', now he had a rudimentary list of ingredients that once he gathered we, figured that he would have to spend 5 sessions working on them, and he would eventually create his 'Acid Berries', Acid berries are small projectile like balls filled with acid, they can be shot threw a sling stuck on the end of an arrow etc.... Another use he thought of was using them in a stuck or keyless lock barrel dissolving the lock mechs and opening the lock. The young wizard is only 11, and hes a great kid, thing is I'm the type of DM who isnt a great knower of all things, Im more the type that concentrates on keeping the fun moving, liking the players to provide some of the fleshing, so he pretty much came up with this on his own, and know I'm concerned whether this is good. Should I rein him in a bit, and have him play more by the books, this being the case I want to be able to present him with the more structured system, but also present him with options for inventiveness, he loves to think up new effects,spells, etc.. and I think Alchemy is a perfect outlet for it. I realise Im rambling a bit, unsure of exactly how to say it I guess, would love any advice regarding Alchemy, how do others work it, good ways, bad ways, whatever... Books or links to articles regarding would be super also. Thanks for taking the time to read, best wishes. Grais.
Gahread 11-06-06, 02:45 AM	Damn clever kid for an 11 year old! For the 'acid berries', I'd have them do 1d3+1 acid damage if slung. Craft DC 17, cost 1 gold per modified slingstone. He's just increased the average damage from 2.5 to 3 per shot from his sling and ensured that even creatures that would be immune to his damage for some reason will still take 1 point of acid damage. Not bad for a first try! The lock might be easier to dissolve just by pouring a vial of acid inside. I don't know how he'd get a hard, marble-sized container of acid to dissolve the innards of a lock without some difficulty.
Benedictus 11-06-06, 09:13 AM	If you have Complete adventurer you need to look at the Weapon Capsules. Point them out to the kid too. He sounds like a good player. Encourage him, but don't let him get away with anything either.
Myree 11-06-06, 11:27 PM	Definitely encourage this kid! We need him on OUR side! Now, you are also right that you need to keep the fun rolling for everyone. I would suggest limiting his "experimenting" to non-adventure time. Plain and simple, a chemist might haul his gear from place to place, but you don't stop working on nitroglycerin half-way through and move the lab without risking some damage. I'd say that anything he has already invented can be built at the nightly pit-stops, as long as he works out the math so it can either be done in one cooking period, or else has a safe way to ferment or settle or whatever while the rest of the adventure is happening. That way he can keep them freshly stocked with ammo (well, as long as he dragged the raw materials along safely too), but isn't spending a lot of time away from the rest worrying about his latest invention. And you definitely need to be watching those skill checks -- you can't "take 10" on that kind of thing, and I would say the contant tear down, lug around, and set up has got to have a negative impact. And whoa to the camp-site if he roles a crit failure while playing with his checkistry set -- we are talking stinking clud at LEAST, if not full fireball! Give him his time, but make sure he understands the need for balance with the rest of it. If it keeps being an issue, I would recommend that character settle down to a tower somewhere to supply the group when they are back in town, and the player roll up a new "not so creative" (and probably lower Int.) younger brother for him that is in charge of gather ingrediants and field testing the results (so still gets that "combat trial" feel), etc. Encouraging a slightly different role-playing mode for him might really open up some new avenues for the player besides just the one he is already excelling at!
Graiskye 11-07-06, 05:37 PM	Thanks you all for your replies, even got a PM, from a great helpful person who sent me a 'custom set' of rules dealing with Alchemy. I feel much better now, just sharing my thoughts and getting feedback is just what the doc ordered. Next session , me and Liam,my 11 yr old player(very mature btw), will sit down and I'll go over how we are going to work his aclhemy from now on. No big changes really, just a bit more structure,little less improv. Thnaks for all the help, and keep it coming if you so desire, can never have too much info(welll......almost never). Thanks again, Grais.