Exploring Interest in Alchemy Class

[Er Adens]

Hello everyone,

This is subject to change.

I'm curious to see if there's any interest in an Alchemy-focused class, (yes i know others have made it before), and I’d love to get some feedback!! and collaboration on this idea(more like interpritation of said idea).

I’ve been playing Vintage Story for a while now, and the in-game lore surrounding Alchemy has been of greate intrest and how it could tie in the game loop. With that in mind, I’ve come up with a concept for an Alchemist class.

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Class: Alchemist
The Alchemist class specializes in resource extraction, crafting, and the use of buffs and debuffs. They are fragile and deal less physical damage but can create powerful concoctions to use in combat.

Traits:

• Frail: -2.5 health points, -25% ranged distance

• Nervous: -15% melee damage

Unique Mechanics:
Alchemists can craft a Sampling Pickaxe that they can share with others, which allows them to harvest Chunk Rocks when mining natural stone blocks. These rocks can then be ground down into Chunk Rock Powder using a hammer. This powder, along with Catalysts, can be processed in an Alchemical Refinery to create Resource Solutions based on the area where the Chunk Rock was gathered and the specific Catalyst used.

The process also leaves behind Sludge, which can be used as fertilizer when placed in a barrel (similar to rot).

Note: Some Chunk Rocks will produce unique resources. For example, Suevite Chunk Rock is the only known source of Meteoric Iron, as the resource is highly concentrated in this type of rock.

Catalysts:

1. Saltwater Solvent

   • Recipe: Water + Salt

   • Extracts: Copper, Tin, Zinc, Quartz

2. Acidic Solvent

   • Recipe: Vinegar + Sulfur

   • Extracts: Iron, Lead, Bismuth, Alum, Cinnabar, Saltpeter

3. Caustic Solvent

   • Recipe: Lime + Resin

   • Extracts: Gold, Silver, Borax, Sylvite (Potash), Phosphorite

4. Alkahest

   • Recipe: Vinegar + Saltpeter Solution + Silver Dust

   • Extracts: Meteoric Iron, Nickel, Chromium, Titanium, ++ Rare minerals

5. Spirituous Brine

   • Recipe: Salt + Alcohol

   • Extracts: Coal variants (Lignite, Bituminous), Sulfur, Graphite

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Solutions:

The solutions produced through Alchemy can be processed into powders that can be smelted or further refined.
For example:

• Copper Solution → Copper Powder → Copper Ingot

 

Alchemical Refinery:

There are four tiers of refineries that allow for the extraction of resources:

1. Tier 1: Basic Refinery

   • Made with pottery.

   • Limited to extracting basic resources with low heat requirements.

   • Only one material can be extracted at a time.

   • The sludge can become burned sludge, making it unusable. However, the sludge can be reused multiple times to extract a percentage of the material.

2. Tier 2: Intermediate Refinery

   • Made with copper and brass.

   • Can extract up to two resources at a time using the same catalyst.

   • The sludge has a reduced chance of being burned.

3. Tier 3: Advanced Refinery

   • Made with glass.

   • This refinery can extract any number of resources as long as they use the same catalyst.

4. Tier 4: ???(modular refinery?)

   • Potential for multi-catalytic extraction? This tier could allow for the use of multiple catalysts to extract different resources simultaneously.

Note:
With rare and advanced recipes, the Alchemist can even manipulate and reform the very earth itself—creating synthetic gems and rare minerals through transmutation processes. These high-level recipes are difficult to master and require rare ingredients, but the rewards can be "sparkly"

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Combat Role:

In combat, the Alchemist isn't a front-line fighter but rather a tactical support specialist. They rely on crafted concoctions to:

• Damage enemies with corrosive flasks or volatile brews.

• Hinder opponents by slowing movement, obscuring vision with chemical smoke, or weakening their defenses.

• Support allies with tonics, elixirs, and medicinal mixtures—boosting regeneration, curing ailments, or granting temporary resistances.

Though physically frail, a well-prepared Alchemist can turn the tide of battle through clever use of their chemical arsenal.

[Enjen]

Well if you're planning to make a mod you've got my vote! This seems fairly thought out. I haven't played the story yet so I can't back you on that front