I've been looking into playing someone that makes a lot of alchemy items for a current game, and started wondering.
What are all the ways I can increase the DCs of Alchemical items in D&D 3.X and Pathfinder?
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2 Answers
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You can use the Full Pouch spell which creates a duplicate of another alchemical item. The interesting part being :
Saves against the new alchemical item’s affects use the original item’s save DC or the save DC of this spell, whichever is higher.
By increasing the DC of this spell you can create an alchemical item with a higher DC than the usual.
In theory you could try to reduce the cost of such a process by using the spell directly on an already duplicated item. However, the spell explicitly states :
You cast this spell as you draw out a consumable alchemical item to use.
The (probably dangerous) consequences of using this spell without using the duplicated item thereafter should be decided by your GM.
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\$\begingroup\$ You had me until you started adding things about copying the copies... I think the lines in the spell "as you draw out a consumable alchemical item to use" and "functions as the original in all ways except the copied item suffers a slight reduction in quality" are specifically targeted to prevent you from selling or keeping the item around, and maybe against recasting the spell on the new item (is the alchemical item even a valid target if you never intended to throw it; does reducing the quality again prevent the item from even functioning/what's it's shelf life?) \$\endgroup\$ Commented Apr 4, 2019 at 16:20
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\$\begingroup\$ @Ifusaso I'm comfortable with "a slight reduction in quality" being vague enough—legalistically—to be meaningless, but I agree that the phrase You cast this spell as you draw out a consumable alchemical item to use (emphasis mine) is indisputable. If the duplicated item goes unused, the GM must decide what happens, but something certainly should! \$\endgroup\$ Commented Apr 4, 2019 at 16:33
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1\$\begingroup\$ @Ifusaso Indeed I don't expect the duplicated item to be sold and the "functions as the original in all ways except the copied item suffers a slight reduction in quality" seem to be here to prevent this. About fact to prevent to keep the duplicate, I agree the idea need at least to be discussed with the GM \$\endgroup\$– RopheCommented Apr 4, 2019 at 16:43
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The Alchemical Strike feat helps the budding Alchemical tactician.
You can throw a single alchemical item as a full-attack action, increasing the effectiveness of the alchemical agent thrown. When throwing a single alchemical item as a full-attack action, you increase the DC of any effects associated with that alchemical item by 2. When your base attack bonus reaches +11 and every 5 points of bonus thereafter, increase the saving throw DC of the alchemical item by an additional 2. This feat does not apply to an alchemist’s bombs.
Notably this seems to stack with the spell mentioned in @Rophe's answer, making it a potentially powerful (whereas otherwise it's only moderately useful).
It's notable that this is not an uncommon question, and it clearly has very few answers.
answered Apr 4, 2019 at 16:25
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\$\begingroup\$ The few answers is the reason I had the question.. Thank you, this feat did indeed come in very helpful! As a sidenote, we were forced to use a homebrew that we came across that granted higher DC and Damage, but requiring a much higher Craft (Alchemy) skill check to acquire them.. Well worth it, as most all Alchemical Items become basically worthless about level 5 it seems. \$\endgroup\$– AOKostCommented Jan 14, 2023 at 23:37