Alchemy Expanded - Rules for Metatronic Generators

[KarlKost]

For TL 3 Alchemy using Metatronic Generators

Starting Wealth (Average) TL 8: 20.000
Starting Wealth (Average) TL 3: 1.000

Average Alchemist Wage (Average): $2.000,00
Average working days in a month: 22
Average working hours: 8
Average working hours in a month: 176 hours

That gives 11.3636363636 per hour.
Rounding to $10 per hour = $ 1.760,00
Rounding to $12 per hour = $ 2.112,00
Rounding to $15 per hour = $ 2.640,00

So, we'll use a base wage for trained Alchemists as $2.640,00 per month, or $15,00 per hour of work ($120,00 per day), placing an Alchemist wage between Comfortable and Wealth, which is realistic for such specialized job.

This is the average wage for Expert Alchemists (at least Alchemy 14+, althought an Alchemist with 14 skill would receive a little less. That's the average for Alchemists between 14 and 19 skill, so that value will be that of Alchemists with 16 skill; Alchemists with 19 skill would receive slightly more). Those will be assisted by students (skill between 8 to 13, but usually no less than 10), which will receive wages between $700 and $1.400 (when close to being called full Alchemists, or at skill 13).

Master Alchemists (Alchemy 20-25) will control entire guilds, and receive a lot more money, based on productivity. That means the masters are the de facto owners of the alchemist shops, and how much they make will depend exclusively on how many disciples they have, their productivity and the local economy. In terms of costs, 20% of the costs are materials, 30% are the wages of the lower rank Alchemists; the remaining 50% dont automatically translate to profit to the masters however - most of the time the Alchemists arent merchants themselves, thus they send steady supplies to merchants that repass those to consumers. That usually consumes another 20% of the retail price (thus, if you personally know an Alchemist, you can get a 20% cut "direct from the source"). Of the 30% that remains of final retail price, there are taxes and other expenses; whatever is left (usually 10% of final price to consumers), is the Masters' profits. That value cover the "rent" of the lab by the lower Alchemists, as well as their instruction - the Master Alchemists arent just "bosses", they are instructors and tutors for the lower alchemists, thus lower Alchemists pay for their education with their labor.

That amount is for Alchemists working in guilds; this implies that the facilities and tools being used do NOT belong to the Alchemist himself, thus he pays a guild-fee. This wage of $15 hour or $2.640 month thus is a bit less than the retail price of the items that Alchemists will be paying. An Alchemist fortunate enough to have his own lab (you know, like wealthy player characters) can thus earn a lot more and gets access to Alchemical items for much cheaper prices.

Most Alchemical items will be either tiny (SM-8, 0.03 lbs, bulk -1) like pastiles or mini (SM-6, 0.3 lbs, bulk -3), like potions, alchemical grenades, etc.

In Metatronic Generators, Tiny items cost $3.500 per 1CP, and Mini cost $3.000 per 1CP. Those are for TL8. For TL3 (most typical for fantasy), we divide those values by 20. This gives a cost of $175 per 1CP for Tiny items, and $150 per 1CP for Mini items.

That's however the retail price. To calculate the cost of materials only, that's 20% of the retail price; this means that the costs of materials are $35,00 for Tiny items, and $30,00 for Mini per 1CP - the rest of that are the costs of Labor.

Most Alchemist Guild Labs will be the best possible, offering a bonus of +2 to skill. This is going to be crucial, since most Expert Alchemists (skill 16) will be producing batches of 5 items at a time; since each additional batch is rolled at a -1, that bonus is important to offset the increased difficulty. That's also what explains the differences of wages based on skill - the capability to brew several batches at once, thus reducing the individual costs. That's also why even Expert Alchemists choose to remain using guild resources instead of trying to set their own shops.

We'll use all that math to calculate how long it takes to brew the alchemical items. Since a 16 skill Expert makes $15/hour or $2640/month (176h) and usually makes 5 batches each time, and knowing his wage is 30% of the retail price, we know that he must produce at least $8.800,00 value in alchemical products. There's one problem thou: producing 5 batches in a roll with skill 16, plus +2 from lab bonuses, gives a final roll of 13, which means that 16.2% of the batches will fail. Not to overcomplicate the math over time and material lost and to also take into account critical successes, we'll just simply round that value to $10.000,00 / month. This means such Alchemist should make $3.000; the smaller amount is due to the failed batches. And this also means the Alchemist spends $2.000,00 in materials each month. That amount divided by the 176 monthly working hours give the average value of 11.3636363636, which we'll round to $15 of value produced each hour, to be an easier math. Since each time it is produced 5 batches, this means that each batch brews $3 of value from materials per hour. That means that each 1CP that an item has takes 10 hours to be brewed, or that 10 days of brewing produces a potion (or other) equivalent to a 24CP item.

A good rational to price each specific item is to treat each one as a Hard Technic that defaults to Alchemy -1 per each 10CP of the final value - ie a potion worth 11-20CP would be Alchemy -2, another worth 21-30CP would be -3 and so on.

For inventing new potions, the rules on Magic state that it requires a roll of Alchemy -6 minus twice the penalty for the Default formula. For example, an elixir worth 35CP (Default -4) would roll at Alchemy -14 (-6 -4 -4). At an additional -5 if the research is conducted in a low mana terrain. All other prototypes are standard.

Making the first dose of a newly conceived elixir follows the Prototype rules. Equipment modifiers are -10 for the lowest grade of laboratory, -5 for a home laboratory, 0 for a professional-grade laboratory, and +TL/2 for a cutting-edge lab (min +2 for the best possible lab).

Effects Duration: 1d+2 hours (the smallest duration for all small Metatronic Generators not self powered is 6 hours, turned into 1d (4 hours) plus 2 for randomization. This can be adjusted with modifiers however).

Herbalism: the skill Herbalism can also be used to make elixirs. The advantage is that the costs for materials are halved (labor costs are the same). Thus, tiny items (like pastilles) made with Herbalism cost only $17,50 per 1CP and Mini cost only $15,00 per 1CP in materials.

[KarlKost]

Summary


Cost of Alchemy (Materials): $35 for Tiny, $30 for Mini per 1CP
Retail Price (Alchemy): $175 for Tiny, $150 for mini per 1CP


Cost of Herbalism (Materials): $17,50 for Tiny, $15,00 for Mini per 1CP
Retail Price (Herbalism): $157,50 for Tiny, $135,00 for Mini per 1CP.


Guild Tariffs (for players that decide to play an Alchemist and decide to use the guild resources to produce elixirs for themselves, they'll have to pay for the guild to use the space) $87,50 for Tiny, $75,00 for mini per 1CP (those prices do NOT include the prices of materials


Time Required: 10 hours per 1CP


Duration of effects: 1d+2 hours


Roll for each formula: Technique Hard, Defaults to Alchemy -1 per 10CP


Invention: Concept - Alchemy -6 minus 2× the Default Penalty. -5 if reaserched on low many. All other modifiers are normal.

Invention: Prototype - same modifiers as Concept, with the addition of -10 for the lowest grade of laboratory, -5 for a home laboratory, 0 for a professional-grade laboratory, and +TL/2 for a cutting-edge lab (min +2)

[KarlKost]

Alchemical Possibilities


Grenade +5%
Many grenades have a fuse time and affect an area, but this meta-enchantment does not assume this. Grenades can be thrown at a distance determined by ST. A grenade weighs 0.5 lb., has SM-6 and Bulk -3. This is a Mini item.
Statistics: Increased 1/2D, x10, +15%; Muscle-Powered Range, -10%.


Ointment -105%
A cream or jelly. If touched, it sinks into the skin, taking immediate effect – a dose of ointment on a weapon or doorknob only affects the first person to touch it. It usually takes 8 seconds to apply an ointment to an object or person. Lasts a week if exposed to air; neutralized by water. A flask with an ointment weighs 0.5 lb., has SM-6 and Bulk -3. This is a Mini item.
Statistics: Contact Agent, -30%; Melee Attack, Reach C, Cannot Parry, -35%; Takes Extra Time 3, -30%; Terminal Condition, Water, -10%


Pastille+85%
A thumbnail-sized tablet, kept in a sealed vial. When lit, it instantly flashes into flame and begins to fill an area 2 yards across (for a larger radius, add +50% to the cost per doubling) and 8 feet high with smoke. Indoors, this smoke lingers about a minute; outdoors, it disperses within about 10 seconds. Anyone within the affected area suffers the elixir’s effects in 2d seconds. To avoid the smoke’s effects, hold your breath (see Holding Your Breath, p. B351). An unburnt pastille lasts a month if exposed to air, but is destroyed instantly upon contact with water. A pastille can be thrown according to the ST. Pastille weighs 0.03 lb., has SM-8 and Bulk -1. This is a Tiny item.
Statistics:Area Effect, 2 yards, +50%; Drifting, +20%; Increased 1/2D, x10, +15%; Muscle-Powered Range, -10%; Nuisance Effect, Disperses quickly outdoors, -5%; Onset, 2d seconds, -5%; Respiratory Agent, +50%; Takes Extra Time 2, -20%; Trigger, Fire, -10%.


Potion -25%
A potion must be ingested to take effect. Once in hand, it takes a Ready maneuver to open the vial, another to drink. One dose of potion affects one man-sized creature instantly. Potions lose their power in a day if left open or mixed with other things. A typical potion’s effect lasts 1d+2 hour, but this can be changed. A potion weighs 0.5 lb., has SM-6 and Bulk -3. This is a Mini item.
Statistics: Blood Agent, -40%; Extended Duration, 30x, +60%; Fixed Duration, +0%; Melee Attack, Reach C, Cannot Parry, -35%; Takes Extra Time 1, -10%.


Powder -125%
Solid form. A powder must be eaten in food, or dissolved in drink, to be effective; it takes effect in 2d minutes. Typically, it takes 4 seconds to properly mix it. Powders can last a long time; there is only a 50% chance per year that a given powder loses its power while exposed to air. Powders mixed with food or drink last a month. A typical powder’s effect lasts 1 hour, but this can be changed. A dose of powder weighs 0.1 lb., has SM-8 and Bulk -1. This is a Tiny item.
Statistics: Accessibility, Must be mixed with food or drink, -20%; Blood Agent, -40%; Melee Attack, Reach C, Cannot Parry, -35%; Onset, 2d minutes, -10%; Takes Extra Time 2, -20%.

[KarlKost]

Alchemical Charms

Alchemical Charms follow the same rules for base Alchemy, however since they are permanent items, they dont share the discount of 1/5 of the CP price that common alchemical items share for being a one use only item; also, for being self powered items, they cost twice as much. This means that the process to create them is long and expensive; they are also much harder to invent and to learn.

There are two main types of Alchemical Charms: Alchemical Amulets and Alchemical Talismans

Alchemical Amulets - those items are "Always On"; the wielder must simply wear the item to obtain it's benefits. Full Price

Alchemical Talismans - those items effects last for the same amount of time as the corresponding elixir would, then they remain dormant "recharging" for an amount of days equal to the amount of weeks the correspondant elixir would take for be brewed (minimum 1 day). This is worth as a -50% limitation.
Limited Use (-40%) (Extended Duration x3 +20%, Fixed Duration (Reversed) +0% ) [-48% - rounded to -50%]


Worked Examples

Stabilizer Workbench
This is a workbench station that has been alchemically prepared to serve as a stabilizer for alchemical works. It's due to this special table that Alchemical labs arent just simply exploding all the time and the guilds can develop their work with relative safety and with very few accidents. After stabilizing a botched elixir, the table changes color, and it takes a full day for its stabilizing capabilities to return, during which time is not recommended to use it.
Everytime an Alchemist rolls a critical failure, roll 3d two more times. A critical failure will only ever occur if all the 3 rolls result in a critical failure.
The Alchemical Workbench is practically mandatory for the craft of the art.
Statistics Luck (15) (Game Time +0%, Always On +0%, Apparatus +0%, Aspected (Alchemy or Herbalism) -20%, Acessibility (Critical Failures turned into regular failures, cannot change for a success) -20%, Acessibility (Critical Failures only) -20%) [6]
Costs: SM 0; 300 lbs; Bulk -9; $75,00x2 per 1CP retail price; $15x2 per 1CP for materials.
Total: $900,00 retail, $180,00 materials.
Default - Alchemy -1
Invention Roll - (-6 - 2) = Alchemy -8.


Field Kit for Alchemy
This is a miniature kit for Alchemy/Herbalism filled with all required components of a complete lab, including the Alchemical stabilizer (above). It's compact size allows it to be carried into a backpack. It gives the +2 bonus as a major lab, stabilizes alchemical operations just like the Alchemical Workbench (above) and brew elixirs with 1/10th of the normal time (thus taking only 1 hour per 1CP). However, it requires expensive solvents to keep it clean after each use, solvents that costs $280 to fabricate, otherwise it begins to slowly crumble. Those solvents must be administered by the Alchemist for at least 1 hour, requiring absolute attention to the procedure during that time.
Statistics - Luck (15) (Game Time +0%, Always On +0%, Apparatus +0%, Aspected (Alchemy or Herbalism) -20%, Acessibility (Critical Failures turned into regular failures, cannot change for a success) -20%, Acessibility (Critical Failures only) -20%; Temporary Disadvantage (Maintenance (1 person, daily) -10%; Temporary Disadvantage (Dependency, Rare -30, Daily x3) -90%); Alchemy +2 (9) (Unusual Training Perk (1); Temporary Disadvantage (Maintenance (1 person, daily) -10%; Temporary Disadvantage (Dependency, Rare -30, Daily x3) -90%); Hasted (11) (Technique Hard: removes the -9 for hasting effects to only 1/10th of the time required; Unusual Training Perk (1); Temporary Disadvantage (Maintenance (1 person, daily) -10%; Temporary Disadvantage (Dependency, Rare -30, Daily x3) -90%) (15+9+11=35) [7]
Costs: SM -2; 30lbs; Bulk -7; $100x2 per 1CP retail price; $20x2 per 1CP materials
Total: $1.400 retail price; $280 materials.
Default - Alchemy -1
Invention Roll - (-6 - 2) = Alchemy -8.