Quartz 5

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  • Alchemist
    created: 2026-03-09T12:15:33.792-04:00
    modified: 2026-03-09T12:15:33.792-04:00
    published: 2026-03-09T12:15:33.792-04:00
    tags:
  • ttrpg-cli/class/alchemist
  • ttrpg-cli/compendium/src/5e/valdaspire24
    cssclasses:
  • json5e-class
    obsidianUIMode: preview

Alchemist

Source: Valda’s Spire of Secrets (2024)

Class and Feature Progression

LevelPBFeaturesReagentsBomb FormulaeDiscoveries
1st+2Bombs, Reagents, Potion Brewing2——
2nd+2Bomb Formulae, Reagent Synthesis43—
3rd+2Alchemist Subclass63—
4th+2Ability Score Improvement84—
5th+3Discoveries, Potion Brewing1041
6th+3Subclass Feature1241
7th+3Evasion1441
8th+3Ability Score Improvement1651
9th+4Potion Brewing1852
10th+4Subclass Feature2052
11th+4Blast Coating2252
12th+4Ability Score Improvement2462
13th+5Potion Brewing2663
14th+5Subclass Feature2863
15th+5Potion Mixologist3063
16th+5Ability Score Improvement3273
17th+6Potion Brewing3474
18th+6Experimentalist3674
19th+6Epic Boon3884
20th+6Philosopher's Stone, Nuclear Bomb4084

Hit Points

  • Hit Dice: 1d8 per Alchemist level
  • Hit Points at First Level: 8 + CON
  • Hit Points at Higher Levels: add 5 OR 1d8 + CON (minimum of 1)

Starting Alchemist

Starting Equipment: Choose A or B (A) 2 Daggers, Leather Armor, Alchemist’s Supplies, Alchemist’s Fire, Scholar’s Pack, and 6 GP; or (B) 160 GP

Multiclassing Alchemist

Alchemist

Whether their methods are explosive, transformative, or restorative, Alchemists transmute the world around them to their liking.

Explosive Reactions

One of the first things an Alchemist learns is which chemicals react explosively with one other. Ostensibly, this is to prevent deadly accidents, but adventuring Alchemists regularly apply this knowledge to create Bombs.

An alchemical bomb is a one-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. When the inner vial breaks, usually on impact, the chemicals react with a violent explosion. With experimentation, an Alchemist can even infuse these explosions with elemental fire, lightning, or frost.

Serums and Tinctures

Experienced Alchemists learn to brew potions, alchemical concoctions that replicate magical effects. These range from the medicinal, such as Potions of Healing, to the transformative, such as Potions of Gaseous Form. Undisputed masters of potion-brewing, an adventuring Alchemist should have a surplus of potions to distribute among their allies.

Elemental Sciences

The source of alchemy’s power is the Elemental Planes. Therefore, it is no surprise that Alchemists strive to tap deeper into that power, researching and discovering new elemental compounds. The pinnacle of alchemy is the Philosopher’s Stone, which is rumored to grant its bearer supreme command of the elements. Few Alchemists have succeeded in creating a Philosopher’s Stone, and fewer still remain alive to divulge its secrets.

Class Features

Bombs (Level 1)

You can create volatile alchemical Bombs using the statistics shown in the Bomb sidebar.

Bomb Mastery. You have proficiency with Bombs and you can use the Bomb’s mastery property.

Priming Bombs. When you take the Attack action on your turn, you can prime a Bomb to increase its potency. Make one attack using a Bomb or use the Bomb’s Explode property; you can’t make any other attacks using this Attack action. Add your Intelligence modifier to the damage roll.

When you prime your Bomb and deal damage with it, its damage increases by 1d10 when you reach Alchemist levels 5 (2d10), 11 (3d10), and 17 (4d10).

Alchemist Save DC. Some of your Alchemist features require your target to make a saving throw. The save DC equals 8 plus your Intelligence modifier and Proficiency Bonus. You can use this saving throw for your Bombs instead of the DC specified in the Explode property.

How Many Bombs Do I Have?

As an Alchemist, you can use Alchemist’s Supplies to effectively make as many Bombs as you need for the adventuring day at no cost. If you prefer to track your inventory of Bombs manually, you can create a number of Bombs equal to 10 + twice your Alchemist level when you finish a Short or Long Rest. After 24 hours, an unused Bomb becomes inert.

Reagents (Level 1)

You have a collection of powerful reagents that you use to brew potions and empower your Bombs. You have 2 Reagents. You regain one expended Reagent when you finish a Short Rest, and you regain all expended Reagents when you finish a Long Rest. You gain additional Reagents when you reach certain Alchemist levels, as shown in the Reagents column of the Alchemist Features table.

Empowered Bomb. When you deal damage with a Bomb, you can expend a number of Reagents up to your Proficiency Bonus and add 1d10 to the Bomb’s damage roll for each expended Reagent.

Additionally, if you use the Bomb’s Explode property, you can increase the radius of the explosion by 5 feet. You can do so once for each expended Reagent. For example, if you expend 2 Reagents, you can choose for the Sphere to be a 5, 10 or 15-foot radius.

Potion Brewing (Level 1)

You can spend 10 minutes and expend any number of Reagents to brew potions, which can be done during a Short Rest. You can have a total number of potions at one time up to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of 1). These potions retain potency until you finish a Long Rest, after which they become inert.

When you brew potions, you can also distill potions you have already brewed, destroying them and recovering the Reagents expended to brew them, up to a maximum of the number of Reagents listed on the Alchemist Features table. You can expend these Reagents immediately to brew new potions.

Your potions don’t have unpredictable effects if a creature drinks one of your potions while still under the effects of another.

The number of Reagents and the Alchemist level required to brew a potion are given on the Potions table.

Potions

PotionReagents
Alchemist Level 1
Potion of Climbing1
Potion of Diminution1
Potion of Growth2
Potion of Healing1
Potion of Resistance1
Potion of Water Breathing1
Alchemist Level 5
Potion of Greater Healing2
Potion of Invisibility2
Sovereign Glue1
Universal Solvent1
Alchemist Level 9
Potion of Heroism3
Potion of Hill Giant Strength3
Potion of Superior Healing3
Alchemist Level 13
Potion of Flying5
Potion of Frost Giant Strength4
Potion of Stone Giant Strength4
Potion of Invulnerability6
Alchemist Level 17
Potion of Fire Giant Strength7
Potion of Speed9
^potions

Bomb Formulae (Level 2)

Your research has uncovered new formulations for your Bombs that you can apply just before throwing them. Choose three Bomb Formulae from the “Bomb Formulae Options” section later in this class’s description.

Replacing and Gaining Formulae. When you reach certain Alchemist levels, you learn additional formulae of your choice, as shown in the Bomb Formulae column of the Alchemist Features table. Additionally, whenever you finish a Long Rest, you can replace one of your Bomb Formulae with another formula of your choice.

If another Alchemist feature gives you a Bomb Formula, it doesn’t count against your number of formulae.

Applying Bomb Formulae. Once per turn when you prime a Bomb, you can apply a Bomb Formula to it, granting it special effects and potentially changing its damage dice.

Reagent Synthesis (Level 2)

When you finish a Short Rest, you can regain an additional number of expended Reagents up to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of 1).

Once you use this feature, you can’t do so again until you finish a Long Rest.

Alchemist Subclass (Level 3)

You gain an Alchemist subclass of your choice. A subclass is a specialization that grants you features at certain Alchemist levels. For the rest of your career, you gain each of your subclass’s features that are of your Alchemist level or lower.

Ability Score Improvement (Level 4)

You gain the Ability Score Improvement feat or another feat of your choice for which you qualify.

Discoveries (Level 5)

In the course of your research, you have made a number of discoveries regarding the nature of alchemy. You gain one discovery of your choice from the “Discovery Options” section later in this class’s description

Whenever you gain an Alchemist level, you can replace one of your discoveries with another one for which you qualify. When you gain certain Alchemist levels, you gain more discoveries of your choice, as shown in the Discoveries column of the Alchemist Features table. You can’t pick the same discovery more than once.

Potion Brewing (Level 5)

Your Potion Brewing feature gains new potions for you to brew.

Subclass Feature (Level 6)

You gain a feature from your Alchemist Subclass.

Evasion (Level 7)

When you’re 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.

You don’t benefit from this feature if you have the Incapacitated condition.

Ability Score Improvement (Level 8)

You gain the Ability Score Improvement feat or another feat of your choice for which you qualify.

Potion Brewing (Level 9)

Your Potion Brewing feature gains new potions for you to brew.

Subclass Feature (Level 10)

You gain a feature from your Alchemist Subclass.

Blast Coating (Level 11)

You automatically succeed on saving throws against your own Bombs and never take damage from them.

Ability Score Improvement (Level 12)

You gain the Ability Score Improvement feat or another feat of your choice for which you qualify.

Potion Brewing (Level 13)

Your Potion Brewing feature gains new potions for you to brew.

Subclass Feature (Level 14)

You gain a feature from your Alchemist Subclass.

Potion Mixologist (Level 15)

You can mix two potions together and drink them as a Bonus Action, gaining the effects of both. You suffer no unexpected effects from mixing potions.

Ability Score Improvement (Level 16)

You gain the Ability Score Improvement feat or another feat of your choice for which you qualify.

Potion Brewing (Level 17)

Your Potion Brewing feature gains new potions for you to brew.

Experimentalist (Level 18)

When you finish a Long Rest, you can replace any of your Bomb Formulae with other formulae of your choice, and you can replace one of your discoveries with another one for which you qualify.

Epic Boon (Level 19)

You gain an Epic Boon feat or another feat of your choice for which you qualify.

Philosopher’s Stone (Level 20)

You gain the crowning achievement of alchemy: a Philosopher’s Stone, a dynamo of alchemical energy in a fist-sized, glowing jewel.

Constructing a New Philosopher’s Stone. If your Philosopher’s Stone is destroyed, you can construct a new one using Alchemist’s Supplies, materials worth 1,000+ GP, and 7 days of work. You can only have one Philosopher’s Stone at a time.

Philosopher’s Stone Benefits. As long as you possess the stone, you gain the following benefits:

Regenerating Reagents. When you roll Initiative, you regain expended Reagents until you have 6 if you have 5 or fewer.

Quick Brewing. You can brew potions as a Utilize action, instead of over the course of 10 minutes.

Longevity. For every ten years that pass, your body ages only one year.

Nuclear Bomb (Level 20)

You can utilize the most devastating Bomb Formula imaginable. By replacing your Bomb’s explosive contents with your Philosopher’s Stone, you can change it into a Nuclear Bomb. You must use the Bomb’s Explosive property. This Bomb deals 10d10 + 100 Force damage instead of its normal Fire damage, and its explosion is a Sphere with a radius of 1 mile. A creature within 60 feet of the center of the Sphere gains no benefit from Evasion or similar features.

This Bomb completely destroys your Philosopher’s Stone.

Optional Features

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