DinoMan18 Posted March 30, 2007 Report Share Posted March 30, 2007 i know this has been done before I just want to get some ideas from you guys on how to build a alchemists dont hold any ideas back i would love to hear anything Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Schultz Posted March 30, 2007 Report Share Posted March 30, 2007 Re: need help for alchemist character 1. Alchemy was as much a religous/spiritual metaphor as it was proto-chemistry. Effects should reflect that. 2. Alchemy, at least in the west, was not really a separate discipline from fortune-telling, prophecy, and other forms of magic. Thus, an alchemist probably studied those as well. 3. Go read up on some web sites for alchemy; here's the wiki article. Here's the one I've gone to before for alchemical symbolism. I've no idea if it's right or not, but it sounds interesting... 4. If possible, read up on game versions of hermeticism and alchemy. There's a GURPS supplement that's basically "GURPS Hermetic Magic" (No, it's not Authentic Thaumaturgy. The other one. EDIT: GURPS Cabal.) There's lots of lists of alchemical elements and rules for a HERO-similar system. Of course, Ars Magica is the other system which more-or-less defines hermetic thought to the gaming industry. SPECIFIC EFFECTS Spiritual Transformations - alchemy was about that, at least according to Yung. That's also where we get a lot of the modern interpretations of the Tarot, I beleive; Campbell and the Hero's Journey would be a decent source here. Mechanics: Aids and Heals for Mental characteristics, or even Transform (spirit). Immortality - one of the reputed effects of the Philosopher's stone, which makes sense if you think of it as the ultimate in spiritual transformations: turning dross into something refiend and pure. mechanics: Life support. Also can be Regeneration, as well as various Mental and Power defenses, to represent a lack of weaknesses to spiritual or mental corruption. homoculi - basically a spiritual clone that acts as a decoy against malevolent spells and effects. Created as one of the advances of alchemy. Mechanics: DECV, with a foci base. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Schultz Posted March 30, 2007 Report Share Posted March 30, 2007 Re: need help for alchemist character Other effects: Hermaphrodism - symbolic of the unity of masculine and feminine spirituatlity. A high-level alchemist may start to display such characteristics. Effects: High COM (androgynous). Also may have Physical Limitation: Hermaphrodite Purified Body - The body becomes more purified through spiritual enlightenment. Effects: high BODY and CON, as well as the associated LS: Immunities. Could have high STR, but not brick-level high. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Schultz Posted March 30, 2007 Report Share Posted March 30, 2007 Re: need help for alchemist character Amulet making, 101 - Hermetic ritual and alchemy in particular was all about the mistic gadgets. Effects: these can most easily be described as Aids and Succors to skills with a foci limitation, with a sufficiently long duration. EDIT - however, they'd be for areas of effect based on Alchemical symbolism: all skills that fall under Mar's domain, for example. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Weapon Posted March 30, 2007 Report Share Posted March 30, 2007 Re: need help for alchemist character Other effects: Hermaphrodism - symbolic of the unity of masculine and feminine spirituatlity. A high-level alchemist may start to display such characteristics. Effects: High COM (androgynous). Also may have Physical Limitation: Hermaphrodite So might someone who's spent too much time around mercury. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saiyanslayer Posted March 30, 2007 Report Share Posted March 30, 2007 Re: need help for alchemist character This would be a great link to start looking, if you want to see a very cool concept on alchemy it's also a great series Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Posted March 30, 2007 Report Share Posted March 30, 2007 Re: need help for alchemist character I don't have my copies on hand; Was Alchemy covered in either of the two Fantasy Hero magic books? Just thinking if it was that's a good place to steal--er, um, borrow ideas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DinoMan18 Posted March 30, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 30, 2007 Re: need help for alchemist character yes they do talk about alchemy in books but i dosent give and examples of posible people thats one thing i wish the books had is a example person you could take as a basic concept and yes i am a huge full metal fan but i dont want to steal from al or ed mustang is the best!!!!!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Schultz Posted March 31, 2007 Report Share Posted March 31, 2007 Re: need help for alchemist character yes they do talk about alchemy in books but i dosent give and examples of posible people thats one thing i wish the books had is a example person you could take as a basic concept and yes i am a huge full metal fan but i dont want to steal from al or ed mustang is the best!!!!!!!!!!!! I've seen a couple of Full Metal Alchemist episodes. From what I recall, they actually use the following issues from "real" alchemy. 1. Laws of Sympathy and Contagion - general hermetic laws: affecting part of something affects the whole. Also, the "you must give something up to gain something" rule, and a lot of the ritual work they do with seals and wards, is quasi-hermetic. 2. Limits of the Divine - mideval alchemy was originally concieved of as a mortal's attempt to uncover divine truths; however, the limit of that is that you are not actually Divine yourself; such abilities were the province of God and the Church. Thus, you can't do certian things with Alchemy that is the realm of God - specifically, ressurrection. 3. Amulet making - basically anything with magical power that is physical could be considered a variation of an amulet of some sort. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
st barbara Posted March 31, 2007 Report Share Posted March 31, 2007 Re: need help for alchemist character Another way of looking at it might be to take the concept that "alchemy is about change"; the Philosopher's Stone was supposed to be able to change base metals into gold and alchemists experimented with chemicals to change things into other things. You could therefore have an alchemist character who has the power to change the form or chemical makeup or whatever of objects. He (or she) should probably do this with some form of "potion" or device . Remember the old D C villain "Doctor Alchemy" ? He had got hold of "The Philosopher's Stone", which could transform anything into anything else, at range. Of course, being a sixties supervillain he used it to comit crimes and fight super heros rather than simply retire rich after transforming anything he wanted into precious metals and selling it, but hey supervillains are like that ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FenrisUlf Posted March 31, 2007 Report Share Posted March 31, 2007 Re: need help for alchemist character Other effects: Hermaphrodism - symbolic of the unity of masculine and feminine spirituatlity. A high-level alchemist may start to display such characteristics. Effects: High COM (androgynous). Also may have Physical Limitation: Hermaphrodite First of all, I like the ideas. Reminds me of some of the stuff surrounding the Solificati from Mage:the Sorceror's Crusade. That said, how is hermaphroditism a PHYSICAL Limitation? Wouldn't some version of Social Limitation be more appropriate? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKJAM! Posted March 31, 2007 Report Share Posted March 31, 2007 Re: need help for alchemist character That said, how is hermaphroditism a PHYSICAL Limitation? Wouldn't some version of Social Limitation be more appropriate? Well, if the alchemist hasn't fully refined the process, I imagine there could be severe hormonal problems--and there's finding clothes that fit right. But that would usually be Slightly Limiting at best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DinoMan18 Posted April 1, 2007 Author Report Share Posted April 1, 2007 Re: need help for alchemist character i thank all of you for your input i have made the character you see my GM The Main Man is using rifts as a platform for the game i am playing a guy for right around detroit (melenium City)i know i spelled that wrong i will finish these on the morrow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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