Post by grumblyarcher on Oct 20, 2015 18:05:23 GMT
I've been looking over the Alchemist Pathfinder class again and have been reminded of a couple of concepts I've been considering:
The Doctors
Dr. Jameson Iverness (Vivisectionist Alchemist, Human, Lawful-Neutral) has the bedside manner of an iceberg but you can always rely upon him for two things. The first is that when acting in a professional capacity, he will address any medical problem you may have with remarkable talent and efficiency. The second is that he knows exactly where all of your internal organs are and the most expedient way to access them with a sharp object. While rather mercenary in his primary profession, he considers himself a doctor first and a combatant second and prefers to allow others to handle the fighting unless pressed or annoyed. However, that is not to say he does not possess certain... gifts in combat and woe unto those who make the mistake of attempting to harm anyone under his care.
The Vivisectionist archetype trades out the Alchemist's bombs for the Sneak Attack class feature of the rogues and a few choice supporting abilities. Dr. Iverness is a character I used to play in a sandbox style game with some friends. If we needed things like healing or potions, we would have to provide it ourselves more often than not. Dr. Iverness rapidly cornered the market on potion supply and saved numerous PCs from unfortunate ends with his medical knowledge. His status in the town meant that while a few people challenged his authority, he could diffuse most situations with direct eye contact and a raised eyebrow. Very few wanted to risk expeditions into the wilds without his potions providing emergency healing.
Dr. Caul Lochreed (Promethean/Chirurgeon Alchemist, Human, Lawful-Neutral) and Michani Lochreed (Homunculus Companion, Neutral Good) are a unique pair. A first glance at the pair and one might think that they are simply a travelling physician and his mute daughter but spend enough time with them and suddenly the oddities begin to compound. These oddities are what have driven them into a slightly questionable profession.
The first thing one might notice is that there is something off about Michani. While she plays the part of a shy young maiden, and may very well be just that, there is an odd and unsettling cast to her appearance. It may be that her eyes are spaced just a little too widely or perhaps the light does not play across her skin properly. Whatever it is, it makes many uncomfortable around her. It does not help that she has a hard time grasping certain concepts that are taken for granted by others.
Her ‘father’ has his physical quirks as well, namely a third arm. Its shoulder is layered just behind his normal right shoulder and the limb looks healthy and normal despite being entirely surplus to the typical body plan of a human. Its reactions are a touch sluggish though, perhaps a symptom of improper connections with the rest of his body. His right ring finger, the normal one, sports a strip of scar tissue around it.
Promethean Alchemists trade their bombs and mutagens for a Homunculus that advances like an animal companion. The Chirurgeon Archetype can stack with it and allows Alchemists to use their healing extracts more freely. While certainly not an 'optimized' build, this one amuses me to no end. The Lochreeds once again try to fill the role of party healer but can work nicely as combatants against less challenging foes. The rules for customizing and improving constructs (if allowed) also mean that Dr. Lochreed can potentially sink an enormous amount of gold into his daughter to turn her into a true terror on the battlefield. Throw in a few idiosyncrasies such as Michani's penchant for nice clothes and the doctors talent at sewing (a bit of Bespoke showing through here) or the doctor's tendency to tweak bits of Michani's appearance day-to-day in an attempt to finally bring her out of the uncanny valley and you have an endearing, if exceedingly odd pair.
The Doctors
Dr. Jameson Iverness (Vivisectionist Alchemist, Human, Lawful-Neutral) has the bedside manner of an iceberg but you can always rely upon him for two things. The first is that when acting in a professional capacity, he will address any medical problem you may have with remarkable talent and efficiency. The second is that he knows exactly where all of your internal organs are and the most expedient way to access them with a sharp object. While rather mercenary in his primary profession, he considers himself a doctor first and a combatant second and prefers to allow others to handle the fighting unless pressed or annoyed. However, that is not to say he does not possess certain... gifts in combat and woe unto those who make the mistake of attempting to harm anyone under his care.
The Vivisectionist archetype trades out the Alchemist's bombs for the Sneak Attack class feature of the rogues and a few choice supporting abilities. Dr. Iverness is a character I used to play in a sandbox style game with some friends. If we needed things like healing or potions, we would have to provide it ourselves more often than not. Dr. Iverness rapidly cornered the market on potion supply and saved numerous PCs from unfortunate ends with his medical knowledge. His status in the town meant that while a few people challenged his authority, he could diffuse most situations with direct eye contact and a raised eyebrow. Very few wanted to risk expeditions into the wilds without his potions providing emergency healing.
Dr. Caul Lochreed (Promethean/Chirurgeon Alchemist, Human, Lawful-Neutral) and Michani Lochreed (Homunculus Companion, Neutral Good) are a unique pair. A first glance at the pair and one might think that they are simply a travelling physician and his mute daughter but spend enough time with them and suddenly the oddities begin to compound. These oddities are what have driven them into a slightly questionable profession.
The first thing one might notice is that there is something off about Michani. While she plays the part of a shy young maiden, and may very well be just that, there is an odd and unsettling cast to her appearance. It may be that her eyes are spaced just a little too widely or perhaps the light does not play across her skin properly. Whatever it is, it makes many uncomfortable around her. It does not help that she has a hard time grasping certain concepts that are taken for granted by others.
Her ‘father’ has his physical quirks as well, namely a third arm. Its shoulder is layered just behind his normal right shoulder and the limb looks healthy and normal despite being entirely surplus to the typical body plan of a human. Its reactions are a touch sluggish though, perhaps a symptom of improper connections with the rest of his body. His right ring finger, the normal one, sports a strip of scar tissue around it.
Promethean Alchemists trade their bombs and mutagens for a Homunculus that advances like an animal companion. The Chirurgeon Archetype can stack with it and allows Alchemists to use their healing extracts more freely. While certainly not an 'optimized' build, this one amuses me to no end. The Lochreeds once again try to fill the role of party healer but can work nicely as combatants against less challenging foes. The rules for customizing and improving constructs (if allowed) also mean that Dr. Lochreed can potentially sink an enormous amount of gold into his daughter to turn her into a true terror on the battlefield. Throw in a few idiosyncrasies such as Michani's penchant for nice clothes and the doctors talent at sewing (a bit of Bespoke showing through here) or the doctor's tendency to tweak bits of Michani's appearance day-to-day in an attempt to finally bring her out of the uncanny valley and you have an endearing, if exceedingly odd pair.