focusing on alchemist character creation

[tahltwo]

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so, ok, liking new concepts and gameplay mechanics of p2e...

first off, i have hlc licenses for 2 desktops and 1 for ipad... i’d be so bogged down with pc creation if i didn’t have hl to help X-D so, really glad that hl exists!

i am trying the hlo demo now and keen on making an alchemist to see how it all works out with p2e rules. damn it’s kinda complicated! (i guess it is for me because it’s new lol)

some questions that may be more of p2e rules than hlo, but some hlo pc creation process doesn’t seem to match with p2e rules?

1a) how do i determine how many bombs (doesn’t matter what kind) i can make at beginning of each day (can’t quite figure it out: it seems i can make 1/2 normal maximum batch, which is 2, per resonance point, which my current stats give me 5 rp; so i can make 10 max per day?), and

1b) how do i add number of bombs (as like a ticker to keep track of usage) in hlo?

2a) when adding the max number of formulas at level 1, which is 8, i see i can add for free “formula, 1st level” in gear. but they’re generic... does this mean i have to rename them to the kind of formula i chose, e.g. alchemist’s fire?

2b) how do i add said formulas into my formula book?

3a) now that i have the formula, what do i do: add the actual alchemical item, again e.g., alchemist’s fire, to be able to use them mechanically, i.e for atk and damage? because the formula itself doesn’t have those mechanics.

3b) when i add the 8 different alchemical items i chose to my equipment, then equip one of them (without anything else in my hands — just 1 bomb), i get the “hand holding equipment” validation error saying i’m over equipped?

4) i reported this error, but wanna make sure it’s not user error: anyone else getting an error message for damage roll for alchemist’s fire “1d81d1 is not valid etc”? it’s like the die damage coding is wrong or something?

5) not really a hlo thing, this one: but with 10 str, you’re encumbered with 5 bulk? alchemist has to have 1) formula book and 2) alchemist tool, along with leather armor, dagger, and a satchel (not a heavier backpack) — the lightest and most basic stuff, and i’m at 5 bulk! lol

 

[charlieluce]

I wish I had found this topic before I had a player who wanted to play an Alchemist for the second chapter of Doomsday Dawn. The class is basically not implemented; not having support for preparation of daily temporary alchemical items is like not having support for a Wizard's daily spell preparation, save that it's marginally easier to patch around.

 

[ShadowChemosh]

1a) how do i determine how many bombs (doesn’t matter what kind) i can make at beginning of each day (can’t quite figure it out: it seems i can make 1/2 normal maximum batch, which is 2, per resonance point, which my current stats give me 5 rp; so i can make 10 max per day?), and

You make 2 alchemy items per point of resonance you spend during daily prep. These are made with no crafting time and do not require a craft check. The downside is you have to spend resonance which you also need for drinking or using magic items.

You can also use QUICK ALCHEMY to make a single alchemy item as a single action during combat but the item only lasts for 1 round.

1b) how do i add number of bombs (as like a ticker to keep track of usage) in hlo?

Alchemist does not get any special class feature like PF1 bombs. This means you craft alchemist items each morning or buy them. So you add all your bombs on the weapons tab. The only difference is you check the "Crafted By This Character" flag if you crafted it instead of buying it.

If the whole party buys items for you at level 1 you can start with 50 bombs! But each bomb is L or more bulk so it adds up fast.

If you have a bomb equipped HLO appears to not be stacking them. But you can click into alchmist fire and at the very bottom say "Stack with". Then on the play tab you have a Counter you can check off as you use them. But keep in mind the weight will not be removed unless you actually remove the bomb.

2a) when adding the max number of formulas at level 1, which is 8, i see i can add for free “formula, 1st level” in gear. but they’re generic... does this mean i have to rename them to the kind of formula i chose, e.g. alchemist’s fire?

You add the formula book on the Gear tab and it has a note section. You can type in the different number of formula's you know. In the future this will be expanded maybe like a spellbook but a formula book holds information for ALL kinds of crafting (blacksmithing, magic, alchemy).

2b) how do i add said formulas into my formula book?

As above you type them in.

3a) now that i have the formula, what do i do: add the actual alchemical item, again e.g., alchemist’s fire, to be able to use them mechanically, i.e for atk and damage? because the formula itself doesn’t have those mechanics.

In example you add the Alchemist Fire item as a Weapon because well it is one.

3b) when i add the 8 different alchemical items i chose to my equipment, then equip one of them (without anything else in my hands — just 1 bomb), i get the “hand holding equipment” validation error saying i’m over equipped?

I can't duplicate this issue. Are you sure you do not have other gear equipped like shield, dagger or other items in your hands?

Also you don't really need to equip the bomb to have its correct values displayed. Unless a specific feat or ability requires a specific weapon I never equip them in HL.

4) i reported this error, but wanna make sure it’s not user error: anyone else getting an error message for damage roll for alchemist’s fire “1d81d1 is not valid etc”? it’s like the die damage coding is wrong or something?

I see it adding persistent and splash damage to the final damage which is wrong. So for now you will have to -2 to the final damage. But at least you have a note for how much splash and persistent damage is suppose to happen.

5) not really a hlo thing, this one: but with 10 str, you’re encumbered with 5 bulk? alchemist has to have 1) formula book and 2) alchemist tool, along with leather armor, dagger, and a satchel (not a heavier backpack) — the lightest and most basic stuff, and i’m at 5 bulk! lol

Yep you need to have a Str score for the Alchemist or don't wear armor or something else. This is I think the intent (badly) to prevent Wizards and Sorcerer from wearing armor but currently every sorcerer/wizard I have seen is walking in with Scale Mail.

 

[charlieluce]

Oh, and there appears to be no support for the Empowered Bomb class feature. I was hoping that checking "Crafted By This Character" actually did something, but nope.

 

[charlieluce]

I'm also getting the "Hands Holding Equipment" error, listing all the non-Weapon Alchemical Items the character has (7) even though the character not only has nothing in their hands, it stays even if I mark all the Items as Dropped to Ground as well.

And I just tried adding three "Elixir of Life, Minor" to another character and got the error with them.

 

[ShadowChemosh]

I'm also getting the "Hands Holding Equipment" error, listing all the non-Weapon Alchemical Items the character has (7) even though the character not only has nothing in their hands, it stays even if I mark all the Items as Dropped to Ground as well.

Dropping to ground controls weight not hands FYI.

And I just tried adding three "Elixir of Life, Minor" to another character and got the error with them.

Need more info. Using my goblin alchemist test character I added Elixir of Life, Minor and no errors are displaying. I tried equipping and un-equipping the item.

Did you pick a ancestry for your other character because anything that uses slots or hands requires the base race to be selected to correctly calculate the values.

 

[brenthberry]

Add formulas known to Character Notes in order to print

And the character sheet doesn't print out Item notes, so you need to type the known formulas into the notes section on the Character tab if you want them to be printed on your character sheet somewhere.

 

[ShadowChemosh]

And the character sheet doesn't print out Item notes, so you need to type the known formulas into the notes section on the Character tab if you want them to be printed on your character sheet somewhere.

Well that is not good. I don't do much of anything with printed sheets. I would recommend reporting this issue as that is sort of important.

 

[charlieluce]

Non-weapon Alchemical items, Shadow.

EDIT: If HLO "supported" the Wizard by having the spellbook be the Notes text block in an item, and did daily preparation by having you buy scrolls "for free", how many people do you think would find that acceptable?

 

[Mathias]

I am sorry that formulas are not implemented yet, but there is so much to add that they have not gotten to the top of the list yet. In the meantime, the workaround is to write them down using the item's Notes section.


The issue with alchemical items and hands held is a bug that others have already reported, and has been fixed for the next release. I'd like to remind everyone that within Hero Lab, in the gear icon at the top right, is a Bug Report option. For example, if the printout isn't including notes, please report that as a bug, so that we can put it on the list to be fixed. Same with Empowered Bombs not being implemented. I've added both of those to our to-do list.

 

[ShadowChemosh]

Need more info. Using my goblin alchemist test character I added Elixir of Life, Minor and no errors are displaying. I tried equipping and un-equipping the item.

I finally found out how to duplicate this issue. You have to have OTHER gear equipped then the error happens. It has nothing to do with equipping the elixir or not.

And I just tried adding three "Elixir of Life, Minor" to another character and got the error with them.

I totally missed the word "three" you had here. My bad...

 

[tahltwo]

...

Yep you need to have a Str score for the Alchemist or don't wear armor or something else. This is I think the intent (badly) to prevent Wizards and Sorcerer from wearing armor but currently every sorcerer/wizard I have seen is walking in with Scale Mail.

first of all, wow, i thought this this thread was dead and my questions left unanswered — thanks so much, shadow!

(btw, i never posted it officially, but i really appreciate all the stuff you do for the community, user contents and stuff — you’re awesome!)

re: casters in armor (scale mail!?) — that’s possible in pf2!? lol

i’ve been involved in play test games and i find other stuff kinda awkwardly ruled and funny too, like recovery (e.g. how a 4th level pc adventures with a party with no healer and everyone takes massive damage — down to single-digit hp — and we’re all screwed, walking around before a day’s rest, vulnerable as eggs on a on a bumpy road! lol); or how much resource needed (using up rp) to do simple healing potions.

magic things — e.g. basic stuff like healing potions — are frickin’ expensive!

and don’t get me started on critical hits: my pc went from 54 hp to -27 in one round! rofl — so glad they frickin’ amended the dying rule too.

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