Yeah, Rolemaster's good if a bit of overkill as usual.  I think the Alchemy Companion got folded into the Treasure Companion in RMSS.

GURPS Magic covers alchemy quite well, it's maybe a little too good.  One very hard skill gets you access to all those potion recipes.  They can, of course be developed individually as techniques.  As usual GURPS is long on mechanics and short on flavour.

In my early GURPS Fantasy campaigns I allowed Alchemists to have black powder weapoins as a trade secret.  In GURPS a "pastile" is a burnable potion pellet, which I allowed to be loaded as bullets.  WHAM!  Area effect healing potion bullets!

Quote from: Steven Mitchell on September 22, 2023, 07:52:07 AM

Quote from: Mishihari on September 22, 2023, 01:10:31 AM
I haven't been a fan of alchemy as an adventuring ability.  To me it seems more of a support activity for a guy with a lab (like Q in the James Bond books/movies), not something an adventurer does.

You might enjoy the DQ approach in another aspect then, one I'm also using:  Some of the "spells" actually make short duration potions.  The obvious one is a cure spell that turns a glass of water or wine or ale (or other normal drink) into a small healing potion.  The spell lasts for a few minutes.  This kind of thing works best in rules where some kind of Gygaxian naturalism is expected.

For me, the idea of a potion-making alchemist is too far removed from either fantasy fiction or history. In my mind, the concept of "alchemy" is tied to specific beliefs and practices - seeking enlightenment by turning lead into gold (European); or seeking immortality (Chinese). And it's not an archetype in fantasy fiction at all.

Can anyone suggest any sources outside of RPGs for what they think alchemists should be like? I've heard of the manga/anime series Full Metal Alchemist, but I'm not big on anime.

QuoteOne of my annoyances with 5e is that artificers aka alchemists are semi-official; every game where I haven't locked down character classes, I've had a player show up with one. I want to be more medieval and grounded than the 5e default, and that conception of artificers generally don't fit my worlds.

I must say it's really weird to me considering that alchemy and artifice were really important hallmarks of medieval (post-Dark Age at least) and Reneissance life.
Compared to what wizards, druids, clerics can do to make world less grounded... damn if you want more grounded world, ban all full casters and allow only artificers, just don't let them dress in steampunk way There is nothing in rules allowing artificers to make XIX century technology remember - they are first and foremost item enchanters and good craftsmen within realities of your setting.

QuoteI have some ideas I kind of like that I'm going to develop but I'm interested in the approaches others have seen and used.  There's a couple that were obvious, but I found unsatisfactory.  A limitation of the number of potions one can carry just because game balance doesn't sit well with me.  I dislike meta rules - I want a reason that makes sense in the fictional universe.  Cost to brew potions can work, but the gamemaster then needs to be very careful with the amount of treasure handed out, because it affects the power of the alchemist a lot more than the other characters.  This is burdensome, as I found out when I created a fighter-engineer class for my brother, back in my 2E days.

Idea from Witcher 1 video game - alchemy is based on some primordial dweomers present in various things - minerals, herbs or various animals organs (magical beasts are of course more potent). For every spell like effect you need specific combination - so you need spent time to harvest resources. Also various bases for elixirs are necessary - if you want one that will last year you need specially purified alcohol - if you use mere water effect potion will work only minute from brewing and there will be high chance of wanton chaotic effects.

QuoteFor me, the idea of a potion-making alchemist is too far removed from either fantasy fiction or history. In my mind, the concept of "alchemy" is tied to specific beliefs and practices - seeking enlightenment by turning lead into gold (European); or seeking immortality (Chinese). And it's not an archetype in fantasy fiction at all.

Which is weird because it's medieval magick prima sort.