Alchemic Knight (Magus/Alchemist)

An alchemic knight is master of creating and using alchemical concoctions during combat. Using their unique arcane and alchemical talent, they mix alchemical potions and weapon blanches right on the field of battle. Thanks to their unrelenting combat drills, they are able to adapt to their current situation and apply these concoctions to themselves (or their weapons) in at a moment’s notice. Alchemic knights combine their martial skills with the use of alchemical weapons to such perfection that they can rain down blows upon their enemies, and enhanced with alchemical fire, freezing ice, electrical shocks, or caustic alchemic goo. (Original Concept by LongKnave)

Primary Class: Magus.

Secondary Class: Alchemist.

Alignment: Any.

Hit Dice: d8.

Bonus Skills and Ranks: The alchemic knight may select three alchemist skills to add to his class skills in addition to the normal magus class skills. The alchemic knight gains a number of ranks at each level equal to 2 + Int modifier.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The alchemic knight is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with light armor, but not with shields.

Alchemy: At 1st level, an alchemic knight gains the alchemist’s alchemy ability and can create mundane alchemical substances and extracts, but not bombs or mutagens. When using Craft (alchemy) to create an alchemical item, an alchemic knight gains a competence bonus equal to his class level on the Craft (alchemy) check. In addition, an alchemic knight can use Craft (alchemy) to identify potions as if using detect magic. He must hold the potion for 1 round to make such a check.

An alchemic knight can create only a certain number of extracts of each level per day. His base daily allotment of extracts is given on Table: Alchemic Knight. In addition, he receives bonus extracts per day if he has a high Intelligence score.

An alchemic knight can study a wizard’s or magus’s spellbook to learn any formula that is equivalent to a spell the spellbook contains. A wizard or magus, however, cannot learn spells from a formula book. An alchemic knight does not need to decipher arcane writings before copying them. This ability replaces the magus’s regular spellcasting ability.

Alchemical Pool (Su): At 1st level, a reservoir of arcane energy that he can use as a catalyst to create his unique weapon blanches and other alchemical items. This alchemical pool has a number of points equal to 1/2 his alchemic knight level (minimum 1) + his Intelligence modifier. The pool refreshes once per day when the alchemic knight prepares his extracts.

At 1st level, an alchemic knight can spend 1 point from his alchemical pool to create a weapon blanch as a swift action. He still needs to use a standard action to apply it. Like an extract, this weapon blanch goes inert if it leaves the possession of the alchemic knight, unless he has the infusion discovery. Applied or not, the blanch is extremely unstable and only lasts or one minute before becoming useless.

A weapon treated with the blanch gains a +1 enhancement bonus. For every four levels beyond 1st, the weapon gains another +1 enhancement bonus, to a maximum of +5 at 17th level. These bonuses can be added to the weapon, stacking with existing weapon enhancement to a maximum of +5. Multiple blanches do not stack with themselves.

At 5th level, these bonuses can be used to add any of the following weapon properties: dancing, flaming, flaming burst, frost, icy burst, keen, shock, shocking burst, speed, or vorpal.

Adding these properties consumes an amount of bonus equal to the property’s base price modifier. These properties are added to any the weapon already has, but duplicates do not stack. If the weapon is not magical, at least a +1 enhancement bonus must be added before any other properties can be added, or the blanch does not work with that weapon. These bonuses and properties are decided when the blanch is made. This ability otherwise functions as and replaces arcane pool.

Alchemic Combat (Ex): At 1st level, an alchemic knight learns to use potions, extracts, and other alchemical items, and wield his weapons at the same time. This functions much like two-weapon fighting, but the off-hand is used to draw and use the item. To use this ability, the magus must have one hand free (even if the extract being used does not have somatic components), while wielding a light or one-handed melee weapon in the other hand. As a full-round action, he can make all of his attacks with his melee weapon at a –2 penalty and can also use the alchemical item. If using this item provokes an attack of opportunity, he can decide to take an additional penalty on his attack rolls, up to his Intelligence bonus, and add the same amount as a circumstance bonus to his AC against this attack of opportunity. This ability modifies spell combat.

Alchemical Strike (Su): At 2nd level, whenever an alchemic knight uses an alchemical substance or an alchemical bomb (see new arcana), he can deliver the effect through any weapon he is wielding as part of a melee attack. An alchemic knight can make one free melee attack with his weapon (at his highest base attack bonus) as part of using the substance (or bomb). If successful, this melee attack deals its normal damage as well as the effects of the l bomb or substance. If the alchemic knight makes this attack in concert with alchemic combat, this melee attack takes all the penalties accrued by alchemic combat melee attacks. This attack uses the weapon’s critical range (20, 19–20, or 18–20 and modified by the keen weapon property or similar effects), but the alchemical bomb or substance effect only deals ×2 damage on a successful critical hit, while the weapon damage uses its own critical modifier. This ability replaces spellstrike.

Magus Arcana: This is exactly like the magus ability of the same name, except that whenever the alchemic knight could choose a magus arcana, he can select an alchemist discovery that he qualifies for instead. The alchemic knight treats his level as his alchemist level for the purpose of qualifying for discoveries. If the alchemic knight has selected the alchemical bombs arcana, he can choose any discovery that modifies bombs and apply it to his alchemical bombs. Any arcana that provides a new way to use the arcane pool can instead be used to create alchemical items with the same effects by spending points from his alchemy pool, and only affect the user once used (as a standard action). Arcana that require an immediate action to use (like arcane edge) are applied as weapon blanches and take effect on the next successful hit. This ability otherwise functions as and replaces magus arcana.

Extract Recall (Su): At 4th level, the alchemic knight learns to use his alchemical pool to recreate extracts he has already used. With a swift action he can recreate any single extract that he has already prepared and used that day by expending a number of points from his alchemical pool equal to the extract’s level (minimum 1). The extract is prepared again, just as if it had not been used. This ability replaces spell recall.

Swift Alchemy (Ex): At 4th level, an alchemic knight gains the alchemist’s swift alchemy ability, This ability replaces cantrips.

Knowledge Pool (Su): At 7th level, when an Alchemic knight prepares his extracts, he can decide to expend 1 or more points from his alchemical pool, up to his Intelligence bonus. For each point he expends, he can treat any one extract from the alcheist extract list as if it were in his formulae book, and can prepare that extract as normal that day. He can also recreate extracts in this way using his recreate extracts ability, but only until he prepares extracts again. This ability modifies knowledge pool.

Improved Alchemic Combat (Ex): At 8th level, the alchemic knight’s ability to use alchemical items and make melee attacks improves. When using the alchemic combat ability, the alchemic knight receives a +2 circumstance bonus to his AC, in addition to any bonus granted by taking an additional penalty on the attack roll against the attacks of opportunity he provokes. This ability modifies improved spell combat.

Improved Extract Recall (Su): At 11th level, the alchemic knight’s ability to recreate extracts using his alchemical pool becomes more efficient. Whenever he recreates an extract with extract recall, he expends a number of points from his alchemical pool equal to 1/2 the extract’s level (minimum 1). Furthermore, instead of recreating a used extract, as a swift action the alchemic knight can prepare an extract of the same level that he has in his formulae book. He does so by expending a number of points from his alchemical pool equal to the extract’s level (minimum 1). The alchemic knight cannot apply metamagic feats to an extract prepared in this way. The alchemic knight does not need to reference his formulae book to prepare the extract. This ability modifies improved spell recall.

Greater Alchemic Combat (Ex): At 14th level, the alchemic knight gains the ability to seamlessly use alchemical items and make melee attacks. Whenever he uses the alchemic combat ability, his AC bonus equals double the amount of the attack penalty taken. This ability modifies greater spell combat.

Persistent Strike (Su): At 16th level, whenever an alchemic knight makes an alchemical strike with a substance or alchemical bomb, if the attack fails, the substance or bomb persists for 1 minute or until he makes a successful attack, whichever comes first. This ability replaces counter strike.

Instant Alchemy: At 18th level, an alchemic knight gains the alchemist’s instant alchemy ability. This ability replaces greater spell access.

Alchemic Champion: At 20th level, the alchemic knight becomes master of both combat and alchemy. He never provokes an attack of opportunity for using items or drinking extracts and potions. When using alchemic combat, he can use an alchemical item at in conjunction with every attack he makes. This ability replaces true magus.

Table: Alchemic Knight

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