Get all 11 subclasses in the Complete Alchemist!
Alchemist
A grinning gnome cackles with glee as he hurls a bomb into a group of charging goblins, blasting them into scorched chunks. He produces another, throws it at his feet, and disappears, still laughing, into the ensuing cloud of smoke.
A slender elf quickly mixes liquids and herbs in a small bowl. She applies the mixture to an arrow wound on an injured dwarf’s side, which immediately stops bleeding.
Whether their methods are explosive, transformative, or restorative, alchemists live to transmute the world around them to their liking.
Chemical Reactions
One of the first things an alchemist learns is how to mix chemicals that react explosively with each other. Ostensibly, this is taught to students to prevent deadly accidents, but adventuring alchemists regularly apply this knowledge to create bombs.
An alchemical bomb is a 1-pound, apple-sized, spherical glass or clay flask filled with a reactive chemical. A smaller vial of thin glass containing a reagent is suspended in the liquid, and the whole thing is sealed with a cork or wax seal. The chemicals violently explode when mixed. This occurs when the inner vial breaks, usually after the bomb impacts a solid surface or a fuse sets off a small explosive detonator within the vial. Bombs are primarily used to fend off enemies, but creative alchemists may find more practical uses for explosives, such as demolishing obstacles.
Serums and Tinctures
More experienced alchemists learn to mix less volatile substances into potions, alchemical concoctions that replicate magical effects. These potions range from the medicinal, such as potions of healing, to the transformative, such as potions of gaseous form, to the downright deadly, such as potions of poison. Undisputed masters of potions, alchemists constantly innovate with new formulations and preparations, improving their potions into magic items in their own right.
Elemental Sciences
The primary source of alchemy’s power comes from the elemental planes. It is no surprise, then, that alchemists strive to tap deeper into that power, researching and discovering new compounds composed of the elements. The pinnacle of alchemy is the philosopher’s stone, which is rumored to grant its bearer supreme elemental power. Few alchemists have succeeded in creating a philosopher’s stone, and fewer still remain alive to divulge its secrets.
Creating an Alchemist
When you create an alchemist, consider why you study alchemy. Are you attracted to its dangerous power or its ability to help others? Do you desire to use magic, but lack the aptitude or inborn ability?
Why do you adventure? Are you searching for new alchemical formulae or rare ingredients? Do you, like so many, seek the philosopher’s stone?
Be sure to understand alchemy’s place in your campaign world. You might have learned your trade from a master or studied alongside artificers and wizards in a university. Your trade might be commonplace or an oddity. Depending on the setting, you might be respected for your knowledge or feared for your destructive potential.
You can make an alchemist quickly by following these suggestions. First, make Intelligence your highest ability score, followed by Dexterity. Choose any background of your choice, preferably one that lends insight into your history with alchemy.
| Level | Prof Bonus | Formulae Known | Reagent Dice | Discoveries Known | Features |
| 1st | +2 | — | — | — | Bombs, Natural Philosopher |
| 2nd | +2 | 3 | — | — | Bomb Formulae, Field of Study |
| 3rd | +2 | 3 | 3d10 | — | Reagent |
| 4th | +2 | 3 | 4d10 | 2 | Ability Score Improvement, Discoveries |
| 5th | +3 | 4 | 5d10 | 2 | Flashbang |
| 6th | +3 | 4 | 6d10 | 3 | Field of Study feature |
| 7th | +3 | 5 | 7d10 | 3 | Potions improvement |
| 8th | +3 | 5 | 8d10 | 3 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 9th | +4 | 6 | 9d10 | 4 | — |
| 10th | +4 | 6 | 10d10 | 4 | Field of Study feature |
| 11th | +4 | 7 | 11d10 | 4 | Evasion |
| 12th | +4 | 7 | 12d10 | 4 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 13th | +5 | 8 | 13d10 | 5 | — |
| 14th | +5 | 8 | 14d10 | 5 | Potions improvement |
| 15th | +5 | 9 | 15d10 | 5 | Blast Coating |
| 16th | +5 | 9 | 16d10 | 5 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 17th | +6 | 10 | 17d10 | 6 | — |
| 18th | +6 | 10 | 18d10 | 6 | Field of Study feature |
| 19th | +6 | 11 | 19d10 | 6 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 20th | +6 | 11 | 20d10 | 6 | Philosopher’s Stone |
Class Features
As an alchemist, you gain the following class features.
- (a) a light crossbow and 20 bolts or (b) any simple weapon
- (a) an explorer’s pack or (b) a scholar’s pack
- Alchemist’s supplies and (a) a vial of acid, (b) a flask of alchemist’s fire, or (c) a vial of basic poison
- Leather armor and a dagger
Natural Philosopher
You have learned many things about alchemy during your studies. Starting at 1st level, you can add half your proficiency bonus, rounded up, to any ability check you make to identify herbs, potions, poisons, or other alchemical substances. If the ability check already includes your proficiency bonus, you can add this bonus in addition to your normal proficiency bonus.
Bombs
At 1st level, you can create volatile alchemical bombs using your alchemist’s supplies. Whenever you finish a short or long rest, you can create a number of bombs equal to 10 + twice your alchemist level. For you the cost of materials necessary to create these bombs is negligible. After 24 hours, an unused bomb becomes inert. The statistics of a bomb are shown in the Bomb sidebar above.
Priming Bombs. Once per turn you can take the Use an Object action to prime a bomb with explosive reagents and make an attack with it, increasing the bomb’s explosive potential. When you do so, you can add your Intelligence modifier, instead of Dexterity, to the bomb’s damage roll.
Additionally, when you throw a bomb in this way, its damage increases by 1d10 when you reach 5th level (2d10), 11th level (3d10), and 17th level (4d10).
Saving Throws. When you throw a bomb, the save DC for its blast radius is calculated as follows:
Bomb save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier
Additionally, as a bonus action, you can empty some of the bomb’s explosive material to permanently remove the blast radius from this bomb, dealing damage only to the bomb’s target.
Bomb Formulae
By 2nd level, your research has granted you insight into new alchemical formulations for your bombs. Select three bomb formulae from the Bomb Formulae section. Once per turn when you prime a bomb, you can apply a formula to it. Applying a formula sometimes changes all of the damage dice rolled for a bomb, but also grants it special effects.
When you gain certain levels in this class, you learn additional formulae of your choice, as shown in the Bomb Formulae Known column of the Alchemist table. Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the formulae you know and replace it with another formula.
Field of Study
While all alchemists share a common knowledge base, most alchemists specialize into a particular field of study. When you reach 2nd level, you select your field of study, which grants you features at 2nd, 6th, 10th, and 18th level.
A formula granted by your field of study doesn’t count against the total number of formulae you know.
Reagent
Starting at 3rd level, you have a collection of powerful alchemical reagents, represented by a pool of reagent dice, that you can spend to brew potions or magnify the power of your explosives.
You start with three reagent dice, which are d10s, and you gain additional reagent dice as you gain levels in this class, as shown in the Reagent Dice column of the Alchemist table. You regain all expended reagent dice when you finish a long rest.
When you prime a bomb, you can expend a number of reagent dice up to your proficiency bonus and add the dice to the bomb’s damage roll.
You can spend 10 minutes and expend any number of reagent dice to brew potions. These potions retain potency for 24 hours, after which they become inert. If a potion calls for a saving throw, it uses your bomb save DC.
The number of reagent dice and the alchemist level required to brew a potion are given on the Potions table.
| Potion | Cost | Alchemist Level |
| Potion of Climbing | 1 reagent die | 3rd |
| Potion of Growth | 1 reagent die | 3rd |
| Potion of Healing | 1 reagent die | 3rd |
| Potion of Water Breathing | 1 reagent die | 3rd |
| Universal Solvent | 1 reagent die | 3rd |
| Cure-All | 2 reagent dice | 7th |
| Potion of Greater Healing | 2 reagent dice | 7th |
| Potion of Heroism | 2 reagent dice | 7th |
| Potion of Resistance | 2 reagent dice | 7th |
| Sovereign Glue (1 ounce) | 2 reagent dice | 7th |
| Potion of Diminution | 3 reagent dice | 14th |
| Potion of Flying | 4 reagent dice | 14th |
| Potion of Hill Giant Strength | 4 reagent dice | 14th |
| Potion of Invisibility | 4 reagent dice | 14th |
| Potion of Superior Healing | 4 reagent dice | 14th |
When you finish a short rest, you can choose to regain all of your expended reagent dice that weren’t used to brew potions. Once you use this feature, you can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.
Discoveries
In the course of your research, you have made a number of discoveries regarding the nature of alchemy. At 4th level, you gain two discoveries of your choice. When you gain certain alchemist levels, you gain additional discoveries of your choice, as shown in the Discoveries Known column of the Alchemist table.
Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the discoveries you know and replace it with another discovery that you could learn at that level.
Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
Alternatively, as an alchemist, when you gain an ability score improvement, you can instead choose to learn a new discovery for which you meet the prerequisites.
Flashbang
Beginning at 5th level, you carry a supply of concussive explosives to help you escape from perilous situations. As a bonus action, you can throw one of these explosives at your feet, disorienting and distracting nearby foes. Each Large or smaller creature within 5 feet of you can’t take reactions until the start of its next turn.
Evasion
Beginning at 11th level, when you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, and only half damage if you fail.
Blast Coating
Starting at 15th level, you automatically succeed on saving throws against your own bombs and never take damage from them.
Philosopher’s Stone
At 20th level, you unlock the crowning achievement of all alchemy: a philosopher’s stone, a dynamo of alchemical energy in a fist-sized, glowing jewel. You can construct your philosopher’s stone using your alchemist’s supplies, 1,000 gp worth of materials, and 7 days of work. You can only have one philosopher’s stone at a time. As long as you possess the stone, you gain the following benefits:
- Whenever you finish a short rest, you regain all expended reagent dice.
- You can brew potions as an action, instead of over the course of 10 minutes.
- You age 10 times slower than normal, and you can’t be aged magically.
Additionally, you learn the following formula, which doesn’t count against the total number of formulae you know:
By replacing your bomb’s explosive contents with your philosopher’s stone, you can change it into a nuclear bomb. A nuclear bomb deals 10d10 + 100 force damage instead of its normal fire damage, has a blast radius of 1 mile, and completely destroys the philosopher’s stone. Additionally, each creature within the blast radius that fails its saving throw takes the full bomb damage rolled, or half as much damage on a successful save. Creatures within 60 feet of the bomb gain no benefit from Evasion or similar features.
Bomb Formulae
Bomb formulae are summarized on the following table. Bombs that are exclusively available to one field of study are marked with an asterisk. Unless otherwise stated, all bombs produce a loud boom, audible out to one mile. Bombs are presented in alphabetical order.
| Formula | Damage | Saving Throw |
| Acid Bomb | d4 acid | Dexterity |
| Black Powder Bomb* | d12 fire | Dexterity |
| Bramble Bomb | ― | ― |
| Cryo Bomb | d8 cold | Constitution |
| Holy Bomb | d8 radiant | Dexterity |
| Impact Bomb | d8 force | Dexterity |
| Lightning Bomb | d8 lightning | Dexterity |
| Nonlethal Bomb | d8 bludgeoning | Dexterity |
| Oil Bomb | d6 fire | ― |
| Painkiller Bomb* | ― | ― |
| Psionic Bomb | d6 psychic | Wisdom |
| Quiet Bomb | d8 fire | Dexterity |
| Shrapnel Bomb* | d8 piercing | Dexterity |
| Smoke Bomb | ― | ― |
| Sonic Bomb | d6 thunder | Constitution |
| Stink Bomb | d8 poison | Constitution |
| Teleportation Bomb | ― | ― |
| Withering Bomb | d8 necrotic | Constitution |
By mixing your bomb’s explosive contents with a few drops of ardenflotic acid, a highly corrosive chemical, you can change it into an acid bomb. An acid bomb deals acid damage instead of fire damage, and its damage dice are d4s. Additionally, the target, as well as each creature within the blast radius that fails its saving throw, takes the same amount of damage again at the end of its next turn.
By adding a potent fertilizer to your bomb’s explosive contents, you can change it into a bramble bomb. A bramble bomb deals no damage, but instead causes tough, thorny brambles to sprout from any area of natural ground within the bomb’s blast radius, which becomes difficult terrain. Additionally, if a creature in the blast radius is prone when the bomb detonates, it is enveloped by the brambles and must succeed on a Strength (Athletics) check against your bomb save DC before it can move or stand. The brambles shrivel and die after 1 minute.
By replacing your bomb’s explosive contents with a piece of ice-nine, you can change it into a cryo bomb. A cryo bomb deals cold damage instead of fire damage, its damage dice are d8s, and it requires a Constitution saving throw, instead of a Dexterity saving throw. Additionally, the target, as well as each creature within the blast radius that fails its saving throw, has its speed reduced by 10 feet until the end of its next turn.
By adding a few drops of holy water to your bomb’s explosive contents, you can change it into a holy bomb. A holy bomb deals radiant damage instead of fire damage, and its damage dice are d8s, unless the target is a Celestial, Fiend, or Undead. The bomb’s damage dice are d6s against Celestials and d12s against Fiends and Undead.
By replacing your bomb’s explosive contents with a more reactive one, you can change it into an impact bomb. An impact bomb deals force damage instead of fire damage, and its damage dice are d8s. Additionally, the target, as well as each creature within the blast radius that fails its saving throw, is pushed 5 feet away from the center of the blast.
By replacing your bomb’s explosive contents with a charged arcane capacitor, you can change it into a lightning bomb. A lightning bomb deals lightning damage instead of fire damage, and its damage dice are d8s. Additionally, the target, as well as each creature within the blast radius that fails its saving throw, can’t take reactions until the end of its next turn.
By replacing your bomb’s explosive contents with a pouch of rubber pellets, you can change it into a nonlethal bomb. A nonlethal bomb deals bludgeoning damage instead of fire damage, and its damage dice are d8s. If damage from this bomb drops a creature to 0 hit points, it knocks the creature out, rather than dealing a killing blow, rendering the creature unconscious and stable. Additionally, this bomb’s rubber pellets bounce around corners, ignoring half and three-quarters cover for targets within the blast radius.
By mixing your bomb’s explosive contents with a few drops of a super-surfactant, you can change it into an oil bomb. An oil bomb deals no damage, but coats each creature within the blast radius in a sticky, flammable oil. The next time a creature coated in oil takes fire damage, it takes an extra d6 damage for each die of fire damage rolled, up to a maximum of half your alchemist level, rounded up. This oil can be removed by dousing a creature with a gallon of water.
By mixing your bomb’s explosive contents with dust from a psionic crystal, you can change it into a psionic bomb. A psionic bomb deals psychic damage instead of fire damage, its damage dice are d6s, and it requires a Wisdom saving throw, instead of a Dexterity saving throw. Additionally, the target, as well as each creature within the blast radius that fails its saving throw, has disadvantage on Constitution saving throws it makes to maintain concentration on spells until the end of its next turn, including against this bomb’s damage.
By replacing your bomb’s explosive contents with a wad of thermal cotton, you can change it into a quiet bomb. A quiet bomb’s damage dice are d8s. When this bomb detonates, it makes only a low thud, audible out to 10 feet, and releases a puff of smoke to mask the light given off by its blast. Creatures have disadvantage on ability checks to detect that this bomb was detonated nearby.
By removing your bomb’s explosive contents entirely, you can change it into a smoke bomb. A smoke bomb deals no damage but fills a 10-foot-radius sphere with smoke. This smoke spreads around corners and its area is heavily obscured. It lasts for a number of rounds equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of 1 round) or until a wind of moderate or greater speed (at least 10 miles per hour) disperses it. Once you throw one of these bombs, you can’t throw another one for 1 minute.
By mixing your bomb’s explosive contents with a few drops of air elemental essence, you can change it into a sonic bomb. A sonic bomb deals thunder damage instead of fire damage, its damage dice are d6s, and it requires a Constitution saving throw, instead of a Dexterity saving throw. Additionally, the target, as well as each creature within the blast radius that fails its saving throw, is deafened until the end of its next turn.
By adding a single drop of skunkanide, a chemical too unholy to expound upon, you can change it into a stink bomb. A stink bomb deals poison damage instead of fire damage, its damage dice are d8, and it requires a Constitution saving throw, instead of a Dexterity saving throw. Additionally, the target, as well as each creature within the blast radius that fails its saving throw, has disadvantage on ability checks it makes until the end of its next turn.
By replacing your bomb’s explosive contents with a glowing etherite crystal, you can change it into a teleportation bomb. A teleportation bomb deals no damage and instead opens a rift in space, instantly teleporting you to its point of detonation. This effect fails if the bomb explodes more than 30 feet away from you.
By mixing your bomb’s explosive components with a powerful desiccating agent, you can change it into a withering bomb. A withering bomb deals necrotic damage instead of fire damage, its damage dice are d8s, it requires a Constitution saving throw, instead of a Dexterity saving throw. Additionally, the target, as well as each creature within the blast radius that fails its saving throw, can’t regain hit points until the end of its next turn.
Discoveries
If a discovery has prerequisites, you must meet them to learn it. You can learn the discovery at the same time that you meet its prerequisites. A level prerequisite refers to your level in this class. You can only learn a discovery once, unless otherwise specified.
Your morbid research into the most vicious, exotic poisons has revealed how to synthesize the following poisons when you brew potions:
| Potion | Cost |
| Burnt Othur Fumes | 3 reagent dice |
| Crawler Mucus | 3 reagent dice |
| Drow Poison | 3 reagent dice |
| Pale Tincture | 4 reagent dice |
| Midnight Tears | 5 reagent dice |
| Wyvern Poison | 6 reagent dice |
A breakthrough in your alchemical studies has revealed the formulation of several potent elixirs. You can brew the following potions:
| Potion | Cost |
| Necromantic Draught | 4 reagent dice |
| Oil of Etherealness | 4 reagent dice |
| Potion of Speed | 4 reagent dice |
| Potion of Stone Giant Strength | 4 reagent dice |
Your alchemical research has revealed many of the basic chemicals that govern emotions. You can brew the following potions:
| Potion | Cost |
| Potion of Animal Friendship | 1 reagent die |
| Philter of Love | 2 reagent dice |
| Potion of Clairvoyance | 3 reagent dice |
| Potion of Mind Reading | 3 reagent dice |
You have mastered the alchemical secrets of shifting matter, which allow you to brew the following potions:
| Potion | Cost |
| Oil of Slipperiness | 2 reagent dice |
| Sandstone Solution | 2 reagent dice |
| Aqua Fortis | 3 reagent dice |
| Chameleon Concoction | 3 reagent dice |
| Potion of Gaseous Form | 3 reagent dice |
You learn three cantrips of your choice from the wizard spell list. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for your wizard spells.
You learn two additional bomb formulae.
You gain proficiency with martial weapons and shields.
You have developed a serum that thickens your blood. Your hit point maximum increases by your alchemist level + your Constitution modifier, and it increases by 1 again whenever you gain a level in this class.
When you prime and throw a bomb, you can choose to throw a number of bombs equal to the amount of damage dice for the bomb instead of only one. Each bomb you throw deals 1d10 damage plus your Intelligence modifier and can’t target the same creature or space. You must spend reagent dice separately on these bombs and can apply a bomb formula to only one of them.
As a bonus action, you can load one of your bombs onto the head of a crossbow bolt. Instead of its normal damage, this bolt deals damage as if the bomb had been primed and thrown, but it doesn’t have a blast radius. Only one of your bombs can be loaded onto a bolt at a time, and you can’t fire an explosive bolt on the same turn you throw a bomb.
As a bonus action you can mix your bomb’s contents together and apply the fiery concoction to a melee weapon you are holding. Until the end of your turn, this melee weapon deals an extra 1d6 fire damage on a hit. This bonus damage increases by 1d6 at 5th level (2d6), 11th level (3d6), and 17th level (4d6).
You have tweaked your bomb’s formula to increase its explosive yield. Your bomb save DC increases by half your proficiency bonus, rounded down.
Whenever a creature regains hit points by drinking one of your potions, it gains resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical attacks until the end of its next turn.
When you prime and throw a bomb, you can use your bonus action to make an attack with a weapon that isn’t two-handed.
You’ve discovered a radical necromantic workaround: restoring life with direct electricity to the heart. As an action, you can drive a bolt into the torso of a creature within 5 feet of you that has died within the last minute and shock it back to life. That creature returns to life with 1 hit point. This feature can’t return to life a creature that lacks a heart, a creature that has died of old age, or a creature that is missing vital organs.
Once you use this ability, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.
Thanks to a new internal design for your bombs, you have expanded their blast radius and magnitude. Whenever you add reagent dice to your bomb’s damage, you can also choose to expand the bomb’s blast radius by a distance of up to 5 feet per two reagent dice spent.
Your research into poisonous compounds has taught you how to concoct lethal toxins. You gain proficiency with the poisoner’s kit. Additionally, you can craft the following poisons when you brew potions, which use your bomb save DC instead of their normal save DC:
| Potion | Cost |
| 2 × Antitoxin | 1 reagent die |
| 2 × Basic Poison | 1 reagent die |
| Oil of Taggit | 2 reagent dice |
| Potion of Poison | 2 reagent dice |
| Serpent Venom | 2 reagent dice |
| Truth Serum | 2 reagent dice |
You have modified your bombs to have narrow gaps in their explosions, perfect for keeping some creatures safe from the blast. You can choose one creature in the blast radius of a bomb, other than the target, to automatically succeed on its saving throw against the bomb and take no damage from it.
By keeping your potions organized on a bandolier or in a series of pouches, you can quickly draw them at a moment’s notice. Immediately after you take damage from a creature you can see, you can use your reaction to drink a potion.
Using a sophisticated hypodermic needle, you can more quickly administer potions and poisons. As a bonus action, you can inject a potion into yourself or a willing creature within 5 feet of you, granting the benefits of the potion as if it were consumed normally. You can inject a potion into an unwilling creature with a successful melee attack, treating the syringe as a finesse weapon.
You’ve developed a powerful, but fleeting way to blend your mutagens. When you inject yourself with a mutagen, you can choose to inject a tri-mutagen, which grants you the benefit of all your mutagens at once. This benefit lasts for 1 minute, or until you inject yourself with a different mutagen. Once you use this ability, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.
Fields of Study
All alchemists learn the basics of their science: the elements, chemical reactions, and alchemical formulae. Beyond that, alchemists pick up a specialty, which they practice and research in depth. Some focus on the healing arts, and some focus on destruction, while others focus on research or potion-brewing. Fields of study are as varied as the alchemists who research them and have applications equally as diverse.
| Name | Description |
| Apothecary | Alchemical healers and herbalists |
| Bowgunner | Wields a high-velocity bowgun to launch bombs at staggering range |
| Mad Bomber | Pyromaniacs who fashion particularly devastating bombs |
| Mutagenist | Transmutes their body with experimental, injected mutagens |
I’m concerned that information I’m seeing here and in the Complete Alchemist’s guide doesn’t match up.
For example:
-On this page a bomb’s range is listed as 30/90, but in the guide it’s 30/60.
-On this page there is an additional line in Reagent Synthesis, not present in the guide: “Once you use this feature, you can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.”
Additionally, “Improved Potions” lacks any description of what it’s referring to such that one must search around and realize it’s referring to the expanded access to potion types, in the potion table, inside of the reagent feature.
Also would be great if this and other classes could be added to Mage Hand Press’ offerings on Roll20. Even better if it had Compendium support.