Subject: Alchemical Techniques (LONG)
From: [email-masked] (ErolB1)
Date: 8 Mar 1997 03:01:31 GMT

After much procrastination, I finally finished hammering out the set of
alternate Alchemy rules I first broached on this newsgroup a couple of
years ago. Enjoy.

Erol K. Bayburt
Evil Genius for a Better Tomorrow

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     Alchemy in GURPS - An Alternate Proposal

     The Alchemy skill includes knowledge of a number of alchemical
*techniques.* A "technique" is the mental skill equivalent of a "maneuver"
in a physical skill. Like maneuvers, techniques may be either "average" or
"hard." The common Alchemical techniques are:

     * Roasting (average)     Defaults to Alchemy-1
     * Refluxing (average)     Defaults to Alchemy-2
     * Distillation (average)     Defaults to Alchemy-2
     * Sublimation (average)     Defaults to Alchemy-2
     * Caking (average)     Defaults to Alchemy-1
     * Quenching (average)     Defaults to Alchemy-2
     * Mixing (average)     Defaults to Alchemy-1
     * Grinding (average)     Defaults to Alchemy-1
          These techniques all have Alchemy as a prerequisite

     The special Alchemical techniques are: 
     * Analysis (hard) - Defaults to Alchemy
certain intermediates on their way to becoming Elixirs. Use this instead
of a straight Alchemy roll when using the rules for detecting and
analyzing elixirs (M88).

     * Illumination (hard) - Defaults to Alchemy-3
An alchemist must know this technique to create the "secret potions of the
masters" - i.e. any potion having a per dose cost of $1000 or more. It may
be used at default, but only by those alchemists who have explicitly
learned the technique. Learning the technique at default requires 8 hours
of training from someone who already knows the technique at 12 or better,
or 16 hours of study with books of forbidden lore. Once learned, it may be
bought up normally. 
     Typically, NPC alchemists will be willing to teach the technique only
to those who have reached guildmaster rank (Social Status 2). GM's may
alter this in any way they see fit for their own campaigns. Cruel GM's may
even require a *different version* of Illumination for each potion that
requires the technique. ("Oh, you've been trying to use the Illumination
of Circe. For the Elixir of Invisibility you need to use the Illumination
of Odysseus. No, I won't show you how it's done. You're lucky I don't turn
you in to the Guild as it is.")

     * Reagent Choice And Proportioning (hard) - Defaults to Alchemy-5
     This is the technique of making an educated guess as to the formula
for a potion when one lacks a formulary. (And it's sometimes needed when
one *has* a formula - Alchemists' notes are often sketchy or cryptic.) In
general, one needs to make a Reagent Choice roll under the following
conditions:

     Roll at a -10 penalty when researching new potions or when attempting
to duplicate a potion that one has only heard of. 

     Roll at -5 when attempting to duplicate a potion from a sample in
hand or from very sketchy notes

     Roll at no penalty when attempting to duplicate, without notes, a
potion one has made before, or when attempting to follow sketchy or
cryptic directions

     No Reagent Choice roll is needed when following a clearly-written
formula, or when following ones own notes for a potion one has made
before. 

     In all cases, the Reagent Choice roll is *in addition* to the other
technique rolls required to make the potion. It is also suggested that any
Reagent Choice roll be made *last* 

     All alchemical techniques can be improved above the base Alchemy
skill.

     Making most potions requires rolls against three different
techniques. A few potions require four or more technique rolls. These
rolls are made *instead of* the Alchemy-skill-at-a-minus rolls given in
GURPS Magic. When creating more than one dose of potion in a batch, the
rolls are each made at a -1 penalty for every two doses in the batch. 
     An alchemist must know all the techniques required for a potion at a
skill of 12 or better. He rolls against his skill in all the techniques
the potion requires, but in most cases he need only succeed with *two* of
the three rolls in order to produce a successful batch. Some potions are
especially tricky however: For these potions *all* the technique rolls
must succeed or the batch fails and the ingredients are lost. 
     Unless the alchemist needs to make a Reagent Choice roll he runs no
risk of getting a critical failure - the recipe either works or it
doesn't. If a Reagent Choice roll *is* needed, it must be successfully
made (along with two of the other technique rolls) or the batch fails and
the ingredients are lost. If the alchemist gets a *critical* failure when
rolling against his Reagent Choice technique, the batch fails and a lab
accident may occur - use the standard rules to determine just what
happens. 

Techniques required for each potion: 

Cadmus (Dragon Slaying):  Caking, Distillation, Illumination
Castor (Horse Taming):  Mixing, Refluxing, Sublimation
Ibycus (Bird Control):  Caking, Distillation, Grinding
Melampus (Beast Speech):  Quenching, Roasting, Sublimation
Achilles (DR 3):  Distillation, Illumination, Quenching, Roasting,
Sublimation,*
Antaeus (Endurance):  Illumination, Quenching, Sublimation, Roasting,
Sublimation,*
Ares (DX; Bravery):  Distillation, Quenching, Refluxing,*
Atalanta (Move):  Caking, Quenching, Refluxing,*
Heracles (ST):  Distillation, Mixing, Sublimation,*
Hermes (Stealth; Climb):  Caking, Grinding, Sublimation,*
Orion (Encumbrance):  Mixing, Roasting, Sublimation,*
Theseus (Leadership; Tactics):  Caking, Illumination, Mixing
Bellerophon (Odiousness):  Grinding, Illumination, Quenching
Eris (Madness):  Distillation, Quenching, Sublimation
Hecate (Unluckiness):  Illumination, Mixing, Roasting
Juno (Jealousy):  Caking, Distillation, Sublimation
Narcissus (Self-Love):  Caking, Grinding, Refluxing
Nemesis (Hate):  Distillation, Quenching, Roasting
Phobos (Fear):  Quenching, Refluxing, Roasting
Philoctetes (Weakness):  Caking, Distillation, Quenching
Priapus (Lecherousness):  Quenching, Roasting, Sublimation
Sisyphus (Curse):  Caking, Mixing, Refluxing
Tantalus (Foolishness):  Distillation, Grinding, Quenching
Thanatos (Damage: 2d/4d):  Grinding, Mixing, Sublimation
Tithonus (Aging):  Caking, Grinding, Roasting
Agni (Fire Resistant):  Distillation, Mixing, Refluxing
Aphrodite (Attractiveness):  Distillation, Grinding, Sublimation
Circe (Shapeshift):  Grinding, Illumination, Refluxing
Daedalus (Flight):  Illumination, Mixing, Quenching, Roasting,*
Delphi (See Auras):  Caking, Quenching, Roasting, *
Ephialtes (Water Walking):  Caking, Roasting, Sublimation
Hector (Pain Resistance):  Distillation, Mixing, Quenching
Kouon (Gambling Luck):  Mixing, Quenching, Refluxing,*
Moly (Magic Resistance):  Grinding, Illumination, Mixing, Refluxing, *
Odysseus (Invisibility):  Caking, Illumination, Mixing, Refluxing,
Sublimation,*
Poseidon (Water-Breathing):  Distillation, Grinding, Mixing,*
Tyche (Luck):  Distillation, Grinding, Illumination, Roasting, *
Aesculapius (Cure Disease):  Grinding, Roasting, Sublimation,*
Athena (Calming):  Caking, Mixing, Quenching
Aurora (Awakening):  Analysis, Quenching, Roasting
Ceres (Fertility):  Analysis, Caking, Distillation, Illumination,
Quenching, Roasting,* 
Chiron (Heal Wounds):  Mixing, Refluxing, Roasting
Epimenides (Susp. Animation):  Distillation, Illumination, Mixing, *
Hebe (Youth):  Analysis, Caking, Illumination, Mixing, Refluxing,
Roasting, Sublimation*  
Hydra (Regeneration):  Caking, Distillation, Grinding, Illumination,
Quenching, *
Janus (Protection):  Caking, Quenching, Roasting, Sublimation, *
Morpheus (Sleep):  Distillation, Grinding, Refluxing
Persephone (Resurrection):  Analysis, Grinding, Illumination, Mixing,
Refluxing, Sublimation,*  
Pluto (Reanimation):  Analysis, Caking, Illumination, Mixing, Refluxing,
Roasting, Sublimation *
Apollo (Foretelling):  Illumination, Roasting, Sublimation
Artemis (Immunity to Love):  Caking, Refluxing, Sublimation
Epimetheus (Memory):  Caking, Illumination, Refluxing
Orpheus (Charisma):  Caking, Quenching, Sublimation, *
Prometheus (Wisdom):  Distillation, Illumination, Roasting,*
Eros (Love Potion):  Caking, Distillation, Refluxing, Roasting,*
Pan (Drunkenness):  Mixing, Quenching, Sublimation
Philemon (Friendship):  Caking, Grinding, Mixing
Phoebus (Truthfulness):  Distillation, Illumination, Quenching
Pirithous (Forgetfulness):  Analysis, Distillation, Roasting, *
Polyphemus (Gullibility):  Grinding, Mixing, Quenching
Argus (Keen Sight):  Grinding, Refluxing, Roasting
Marsyas (Musical Ability):  Distillation, Refluxing, Roasting
Syrinx (Keen Hearing):  Distillation, Refluxing, Sublimation
Vulcan (Craftsmanship):  Illumination, Refluxing, Sublimation,*

* Indicates an especially tricky potion, one that requires *all* the
technique rolls to be successfully made
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