The Alchemist is mainly a caster class, with several possible variations on gameplay and multiple builds. The Alchemist can throw lethal potions onto his enemies, inflict them with various debuffs using hex fields, or summon natural phenomena to attack their enemies or help their allies.
Background
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Alchemist
 Fan-made Class | |
| Role: | Caster |
| Primary Attributes: | Vitality Willpower Life Mana |
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Skills and Traits | |
| Origin: | Dry Steppes |
| Affiliation: | Oruegia Society |
| Friends: | Several clans |
| Foes: | Demons, Cultists |
Hailing from the southern reaches of the Dry Steppes, the Alchemists of the Oruegia Society strive to learn and record all knowledge found in the world of Sanctuary. Normally reclusive, young alchemists are sent out into the world to broaden their knowledge of the magicks and beliefs of other cultures. Many individuals hold the title of Alchemist, but few are trained in the ancient arts of the Oruegia, the eldest of alchemical orders. The purpose of the Society is to study the fundamental nature of existence –the natural laws and energies as well as and basic components of matter. With the understanding of the Greater World around and the Lesser World beneath and their own perspective between, Alchemists are naturally humble and do not futilely seek power. This same control of ego prevents alchemists from being lure by the tempting powers of the High Heavens and the Burning Hells. While most mages seek wisdom through power –reaching outward –alchemists instead choose to seek power through wisdom –reaching within. Their name for theirselves, the Oruegia, actually comes from a phrase in their own ancient tongue as Orue Agea -meaning Seekers of the Self.
The ancient city of Melatras is the stronghold of the Alchemists, carved into the very mountains of the Dry Steppes that border Kurast. At the heart of Melatras is the Grand Library of Cedurnem, considered by most to be the oldest repository of knowledge in the world. Countless scrolls and vials fill the shelves and wisdom of the ages can be felt when walking down its weathered passages. Alchemists over the centuries have gathered knowledge of other clans and tribes and refined their techniques to great degrees. Though they are willing to share their arts with other magic-users, most outsiders do not possess the precision to use their skills –yet they have shared knowledge with of mage clans before. The curses of the Necromancers share a common root with the Hex Fields of the Alchemists, and the Horadric Cube is actually an elder secret bestowed to the Horadrim to show the Alchemists’ support.
While the Alchemists of Oruegia normally show compassion and peace to all life, they despise otherworldly forces that bring unbalance to the mortal realm. Therefore, Alchemists often view Demons with caution and even fury. They abhor humans that ally themselves with such wickedness even more than Demons, viewing them as traitors to their own kind that pervert the noble pursuits of knowledge for their own selfish purposes. Although not prone to war, an Alchemist will do all possible to ensure the complete annihilation of those like the Cultists. As the dark influence of the Burning Hells reaches across the world, the Alchemists have become less solitary in order to confront those that would deliver our world into the hands of evil.
The Squared Circle
Representing the whole philosphy of the Alchemists, the Squared Circle carries multiple layers of meaning:
The Outer Circle– The Chaos of Existence, from which all things come.
The Foundation Triangle– The three base elements of matter: Sulfur - Mercury - Salt
The Elemental Square– The four basic elements of magic of the mortal plane: Fire - Water - Earth - Air
>Each magical element has its own patron in alchemic lore: Vulken of Fire - Enquira of Water - Agathaea of Earth - Heremis of Air
The Balanced Ring– The duality of existence: male & female, light & shadow, good & evil.
The Inner Circle– The Order of Existence, that bonds all things together.
Class Design
The alchemist is mainly a caster/ranged class, with the ability to cast a wide variety of potions, natural phenomena, and can supplement these attacks with reality-altering Hex Fields. Given such a wide variety, new players can handle the class with relative ease while more experienced players can focus on skills that complement each other for complex and interesting character builds. Along with a variety of caster builds, a player could choose to build a solely spell-casting build, or even a melee fighter build.
Attributes and Skills
Most alchemist skills require a decent amount of mana, so Willpower is an important attribute. Most potions act as a ranged attack, as do most of the phenomena. Hex Fields act similar to both the Necromancer's Curses and The Paladin's auras. The hex field is cast in a particular spot with a radius around it. Any enemy that enters the field is affected. It does NOT follow the player or the enemies but remains fixed on the ground. Each skill is designed to be effective in its own way. Whereas some older classes had skills that would become obsolete or eclipsed after a while, each of the Alchemist's skills are designed to be useful at any level with a variety of boosting passive skills.
Attributes
The distribution of attributes has yet to have been determined.
Starting Attributes
Attribute Increase Per Level
Alchemist Skills
The alchemist skills are arranged into to three distinctive skill tree categories:
All three trees have a combination of active and passive skills. Active skills are used in combat, while the passive skills boost or change the behaviour of the active skills or the Alchemist himself.
Potion Skills
The Potion tree skills include several potions and powders that an alchemist can use to both damage his enemies and strike them with debilitating debuffs.
> Aqua Fortis- Active Skill. Periodically deals Lightning damage and has chance of interrupting the current action of a monster. Lore: By utilizing simple acids, an alchemist can blister the raw skin of his opponents. Though not potent enough to kill, these acids are capable of shocking the nerves and causing spasms.
> Phosphorous- Active Skill. Temporary blinds monsters in range. Lore: Not all potions are meant to attack directly. With this in mind, an alchemist can mix delicate proportions of chemicals to produce a reaction that creates blinding light, allowing him to dispatch his foe by other means while they are incapacitated or escape unnoticed.
> Alembic - Passive Skill. Decrease the cost of all Potion skills.
> Lobbing Arm - Passive Skill. Increases the attack rating and casting speed of all Potion skills.
> Aftereffects - Passive Skill. Increases the range of Aqua Fortis shock damage.
> Brimstone - Active Skill. Monsters within the cloud flee until it dissipates. Lore: When surrounded by enemies, an alchemist can utilize the foul nature of this fundamental substance to create putrid clouds of sulfur that quickly spread through the area. So powerful is the sulfur that it drives enemies away simply by the noxious odor.
> Muriatic Acid - Active Skill. Increases weapon damage, but has a chance to lower weapon’s durability. Lore: Not above conventional weaponry, an alchemist in combat can imbue his weapon with corrosive acid that eats into the flesh of his wounded enemy. The strength of the acid greatly increases the damage of an attack, but also damages the weapon itself – slowly eating into it and degrading its durability.
> Tempered Vial - Passive Skill. Increases the splash radius of all Potion skills.
> Duplication - Passive Skill. Increases the chance to cast two vials of a potion instead of one.
> Catalyst - Passive Skill. --- (To be determined)
> Black Powder - Active Skill. Explodes on contact, deals Fire damage, cause knockback. Lore: Should an alchemist be in need of force, he can cast a volatile powder that generates powerful explosions. So great is the force of the explosion that it can knock enemies awat from the blast.
> Pitch - Active Skill. Enemies caught in area of effect are slowed or stopped. Lore: Speed is a powerful weapon. By using the natural thickness of this substance, an alchemist can ensnare his foes. After being slowed or even immobilized by the pitch, an enemy is easily dispatched by other attacks.
> Nitre - Passive Skill. Adds additional explosives to Black Powder that spread outward from the initial explosion.
> High Temperatures - Passive Skill. Adds Fire damage to Pitch.
> Residue - Passive Skill. Increases the effect duration of all Potion skills.
> Aqua Vitae - Active Skill. Deals Cold damage, lowers monsters’ attack rating. Lore: Having long studied the effects of spirits on drunkards, an alchemist can distill this liquid into a potion that intoxicates his victims. Their thinned blood leaves them cold and sluggish, while their attacks become uncoordinated. It is unlikely that a monster could land even a single blow while in such a drunken stupor.
> Ichor - Active Skill. Deals Poison damage. Lore: Legend has long told of this chemical being the essence of immortality in the blood of the gods, but also being extremely toxic to mortals. Should an alchemist be able to procure this rare substance, he can fill his enemies with a deadly poison.
> Hoarfrost - Passive Skill. Adds Cold damage to Aqua Vitae.
> Enhanced Formula - Passive Skill. --- (To be determined)
> Nepenthe - Passive Skill. Adds a chance to receive % less physical damage for 10 seconds when struck.
> Alkahest - Active Skill. Deals Fire damage, spreads through contact. Lore: Hailed as the long-sought after universal solvent, a wise alchemist could discover an acid capable of dissolving even gold. An alchemist can use this chemical to melt to flesh from bone of any creature it comes into contact with. Its resilience allows it easily spread from monster to monster or from the ground for its duration.
> Aether - Active Skill. Steals life of monsters, replenishes the health of the caster. Lore: Considered to be the fifth element of existence, Aether is the essence of life and spirit. When properly channeled, an alchemist can focus the spirits of Aether to seek out his enemies and rob them of their life force in order to replenish his own health.
> Potency - Passive Skill. Increases damage of acids and poisons while enemy is moving.
> Panacea - Passive Skill. Increases effect of non-skill potions.
> Quintessence - Passive Skill. Increases duration that enemy affected by Aether continues to give health to caster when nearby.
Hex Field Skills
The Hex Field tree skills focus on altering reality in order to allow an alchemist to finish his enemies faster and easier. Once a hex field is cast, the glyph representing that hex field floats at the center and projects a faint boundary for the area of effect. Multiple hex fields cannot be cast, but cannot overlap their effects. If a new hex field overlaps an older one, the new one will cancel the effects of part the old hex field it overlaps.
> Crisis- Active Skill. Lowers physical resistance of enemy and increases chance of critical strike. Lore: Alchemists have long studied the crisis period, the critical point in the body’s defenses that results in recovery or death. Having this knowledge, an alchemist can subtly influence the probability to be in favor of death, causing wounds to fail to heal and bleed uncontrollably.
> Confinement- Active Skill. Enemies that enter field cannot move beyond its limits. Each additional monster lowers field’s duration. Lore: By altering the natural laws, an alchemist can manifest temporary pocket realities onto the worldly plane. These pockets bind monsters to their reality, allowing them to enter but not leave until the reality dissipates.
> Calligraphy - Passive Skill. Increases the range of all Hex Field skills.
> Fine-Tuning - Passive Skill. Adds a wave of Arcane damage when Confinement field collapses.
> Prediction - Passive Skill. Increases the chance to avoid an enemy attack when you are not casting.
> Dyscrasia - Active Skill. Enemies within field move slower and have lower elemental resistances. Lore: Through years of studying the fundamental temperaments, an alchemist can upset the natural balance of a monster’s bodily fluids. The lack of equilibrium slows the monster’s natural bodily functions and renders it unable to withstand sudden elemental or environmental changes.
> Peaceful Slumber - Active Skill. Prevents enemy heal within field, slain monsters cannot be used in any way. Lore: In understanding the nature of the life force, an alchemist can impede the flow of vitality, rendering any attempt to heal by potion or spell ineffective. By driving out this life force, the corpse of a slain monster cannot be manipulated or resurrected.
> Death Rattle - Passive Skill. When enemy dies in hex field, lowers defense of nearby enemies.
> Mystic Pattern - Passive Skill. --- (To be determined)
> Metallurgy - Passive Skill. Weapon damage receives bonus from Willpower.
> Spirit Sever - Active Skill. Enemies within field suffer mana burn and lose magic resistance. Lore: The alchemists have long understood that all magic of the world is done by manipulating the world’s natural fields. An alchemist can sever a monster’s ties to these natural fields, draining its mana reserves and leaving it vulnerable to magical damage.
> Vulken's Wrath - Active Skill. Demons and Undead receive regular fire damage, lowers their physical resistance. Lore: Fire has always been seen as a symbol of purity and a key to the art of alchemy. By invoking the wrath of Vulken, the alchemical patron of fire, an alchemist can call forth this purifying fire to sear the corrupted spirits of demons and the undead.
> Empowered Psyche - Passive Skill. Alchemist gains % of mana lost by enemy in Spirit Sever field.
> Field Flux - Passive Skill. Increases the health and mana orbs dropped in hex fields.
> Alignment - Passive Skill. --- (To be determined)
> Violent Demise - Active Skill. Enemies that die within field explode. Spirits of dead attack other monsters. Lore: An alchemist can infuriate his enemy by filling its body with pain, tormenting its spirit until it violently explodes from its body upon death. The furious spirit will blindly lash out at its former allies before it is forced to move on and leave the mortal plane.
> Empathy - Active Skill. Enemies in field receive % of melee or ranged damage they inflict. Lore: Alchemists have studied the workings of the mind for ages. With an understanding of the complex subtleties of thought, an alchemist can force an enemy to share his feelings and pains. Even as an enemy strikes the alchemist, it feels the pain of the wound as if it were its own wound.
> Greater Logic - Passive Skill. Increases the mana gained from points in Willpower.
> Gematria - Passive Skill. --- (To be determined)
> Equilibrium - Passive Skill. Alchemist receives % mana in proportion to his/her life at any given moment.
> Archeus - Active Skill. Enemies within field are attacked by weaker doppelgangers. Lore: Through sheer force of will, an alchemist can manifest the higher realm onto the world. In the righteous power of this realm, all minions of the Burning Hells find themselves being punished by the conscience over the guilt of their wickedness. It is as though their own shadows have been charge by the Light to rebuke their dark deeds.
> Aether - Active Skill. Monsters within field lose auras, enchantments, and special resistances, qualities and attacks. Lore: In his innate understanding of existence, an alchemist can send the natural laws of the world in to chaos. Without the guidance of the laws, chaos completely disrupts monsters’ inherent abilities –going as far as to negating the effects of any monster’s auras, enchantments, and special resistances or qualities.
> Astral Force - Passive Skill. Increase the attack speed and chance of critical strike for Archeus doppelgangers.
> Transcendence - Passive Skill. --- (To be determined)
> Order - Passive Skill. Lowers cost and Increases duration of all Hex Field skills.
Phenomenon Skills
The Phenomenon tree skills covers a wide array of natural Phenomena that the Alchemists have studied. In understanding the nature of these Phenomena, a skilled alchemist can channel them himself, unleashing untold destruction onto his enemies.
> Ignis Fatuus- Active Skill. Deals Fire damage with a 25% chance of dealing Poison damage. Lore: This eerie fire can be seen hovering over the ground, moving as though it has a mind of its own –beckoning observers. Even a young alchemist can learn the secret to this mysterious fire with little instruction, igniting deadly gases to conjure ghastly flames that will scorch his foes and poison their veins.
> Aurora- Active Skill. Deals lightning damage with chance of stunning. Lore: Myths across the world tell tales of the lights that snake across the night, bring good or ill omen. An alchemist can summon forth these shimmering lights of the northern and southern skies to electrify his enemies and perhaps leave them dazed.
> Qi Focus - Passive Skill. Increases mana recovery when not moving.
> Deja Vu - Passive Skill. Increases the chance of critical strike when the same Phenomenon skill is cast more than once within a 5 second period.
> Research - Passive Skill. Increases the damage of all Phenomenon skills.
> Combustion - Active Skill. Sets monster on fire for a time, deals constant Fire damage. Lore: An alchemist can use his knowledge of the temperaments to raise natural choler in a monster’s body to a dangerously high level. Eventually, the monster bursts into flames from the excess, burning it from head to toe.
> Spectral Lightning - Active Skill. Deals Lightning damage to enemy targetted and lesser Lightning damage to any enemies in its path. Lore: Manifesting this rarely seen phenomenon, an alchemist can hurl a sphere a burning electrical energy. The sphere releases arcs of lightning onto any enemy in its path and detonates in a deadly blast when it reaches its destination.
> Phantom Pain - Passive Skill. When an enemy receives critical strike, it continues to lose health realated to % of critical strike damage per second for 5 seconds.
> Amnesia - Passive Skill. Increases the chance that enemy will disengage attacking after being struck by melee attack.
> Balanced Humors - Passive Skill. Increases resistances.
> Saint's Fire - Active Skill. Glow attracts monsters, chain lightning deals Lighting damage. Lore: Legend tells of a band of pirates that stole sacred relics from a clan of sorcerers, and were cursed by its priests. While on the sea, the sailors were startled by a fire on the mast, but mystified by its beauty and the fact that it did not burn the ship. Suddenly, a bolt of lightning struck, and the ship –with its crew –sank to oblivion. Likewise, an alchemist can call forth the strange glow of the fire to mesmerize his enemies before lightning strikes them down.
> Salt Crystals - Active Skill. Field of crystals spread in direction cast, deals Physical damage, monsters attack pillars. Lore: Alchemists of old identified salt as one of the three base elements of the universe. Today, an alchemist can bring salt from the earth, sending out a field of crystals spikes beneath his enemies’ feet and providing pillars of salt as a barrier for the alchemist.
> Crystalization - Passive Skill. Increases the range of the Salt Crystal skill.
> Spine Chill - Passive Skill. Increases the chance to stun enemies with Lightning Phenomenon skills.
> Proximity Burns - Passive Skill. Adds splash damage to all Fire Phenomenon skills.
> Prima Materia - Active Skill. Tendrils seek out enemies and deal Physical damage. Lore: Because of its liquid form, alchemist have long considered quicksilver to be the prima material, the base form of metal and a fundamental substance. An alchemist can send out this quicksilver to seek enemies and strike at them with its metallic tendrils.
> Elemental - Active Skill. Summons one random elemental: Sylph, Gnome, Undine, or Salamander. Can only have one elemental at a time. Lore: In his mastery of the temperaments, an alchemist can summon a being of pure element to fight at his side. Upon finishing his incantation, he is joined by one of four creatures: a sylph of lightning, a gnome of poison, an undine of ice, or a salamander of fire.
> Elemental Refinement - Passive Skill. Increases the attack damage and life of Elementals.
> Theurgy - Passive Skill. --- (To be determined)
> Amalgamation - Passive Skill. Alchemist and allies receive increased attack damage for 15 seconds when touched by Prima Materia tendril.
> Transfiguration - Active Skill. Alchemist transfigures into the shape of first enemy attacked. Enemies of same type will not attack Alchemist but will attack other types of enemies that the alchemist targets. Does not influence unique or champion monsters. Lore: One of the greatest secrets of the Alchemists, a wizened alchemist can actually shift his form to resemble his enemy. While in such a form, enemies of his kind will view him as their own and give their loyalty to him. Should the alchemist choose to attack another kind of enemy, his new allies will willingly fight for their brother.
> Sanctum Moleculae - Active Skill. Molecule splits into particles that radiate in zigzag pattern, deals Arcane damage. Lore: The greatest of alchemists understand the basic components of matter and the power within them. With this power, an alchemist can create the Sacred Molecule to attack his enemies. The molecule shatters in chaotically moving particles that radiate outward and permeate enemies with magical energies.
> Sufferance - Passive Skill. Increases the duration of Transfiguration.
> Oscillation - Passive Skill. Increases the number of particles released by Sanctum Moleculae.
> Philosopher's Stone - Passive Skill. Increases the health gained from health orbs, increases the amount dropped by enemies and chests or stashes.
Skill-Boosting Prefixes
In Diablo 2, every character class had prefixes on items that boosted all skills in general or all skills of a particular skill tree. It is unknown if the same or a similar format will be used in Diablo 3. However, if it were, the prefixes for the Alchemist would be as follows:
Student’s (or Adept's) – 1 to all Alchemist skills
Alchemist’s – 2 to all Alchemist skills
Potion-Maker’s – 1 to all Potion skills
Herbalist’s – 2 to Potion skills
Apothecary’s – 3 to all Potion skills
Scribe’s – 1 to all Hex Field skills
Scholar’s – 2 to all Hex Field skills
Philosopher’s – 3 to all Hex Field skills
Eerie – 1 to all Phenomenon skills
Uncanny – 2 to all Phenomenon skills
Phenomenal -3 to all Phenomenon skills
Development
The Alchemist originally started as an experiment in designing a character for Diablo 2, but has been revamped to accomodate the new skill system of Diablo 3. One thing about Diablo 2 is that there were potions that could be equipped as weapons, yet these potions quickly became outclassed by other weapons. It seemed like a waste, but it was wondered if new, more lethal potions could be used on a more regular basis. The Alchemist is intended to take that step in using potions as his main weapon. However, the potions are a skill, so the Alchemist can still equip an actually weapon to suit his/her purposes. There are even Alchemist oriented item sets and Alchemist-specific helms already created; however, until more is revealed about items in Diablo 3, these sets and item ideas will not be posted. Many of the skills have connections to actual alchemical inventions or concepts.
Media
Pic 1
Pic 2
Location of Melatras in Sanctuary
References
Feel free to ask questions about the Alchemist to Kire or at his e-mail at [email protected] He looks foward to any comments or suggestions you might have.