Discoveries

At 2nd level, and then again every 2 levels thereafter (up to 18th level), an alchemist makes an incredible alchemical discovery. Unless otherwise noted, an alchemist cannot select an individual discovery more than once. Some discoveries can only be made if the alchemist has met certain prerequisites first, such as uncovering other discoveries. Discoveries that modify bombs that are marked with an asterisk (*) do not stack. Only one such discovery can be applied to an individual bomb. The DC of any saving throw called for by a discovery is equal to 10 + 1/2 the alchemist’s level + the alchemist’s Intelligence modifier.

At 20th level, the alchemist makes a grand discovery. He immediately learns two normal discoveries, but also learns a third grand discovery chosen from the list below, representing a truly astounding alchemical breakthrough of significant import. For many alchemists, the promise of one of these grand discoveries is the primary goal of their experiments and hard work.

Note Discoveries marked with an asterisk (*) do not stack—only one such discovery may be applied to a single bomb.

Table: Alchemist Discoveries
Paizo
Discovery Prerequisites Benefits Source
Acid Bomb* Deal acid damage with your bombs PZO1115
Alchemical Simulacrum Alchemist 8 Create a lesser simulacrum PZO1117
Alchemical Zombie Alchemist 8 Create zombie as if created by animate dead PZO1117
Anarchic Bomb Alchemist 8 Create bombs which deal chaotic divine damage, possibly staggering lawful creatures on their next turn if they take a direct hit. Anarchic bombs deal 1/2 damage vs. neutral creatures and such targets are not affected by the staggering effect. Anarchic bombs have no effect on chaotic-aligned creatures. CoB
Axiomatic Bomb Alchemist 8 Create bombs which deal lawful divine damage, possibly staggering chaotic creatures on their next turn if they take a direct hit. Axiomatic bombs deal 1/2 damage vs. neutral creatures and such targets are not affected by the staggering effect. Axiomatic bombs have no effect on lawful-aligned creatures. CoB
Bitter Pill (Su) Creatures get sick if they bite you. PZO1140
Blackstar Bomb* Drow, void bomb This bomb crushes the target like a void bomb, then repels nearby creatures with a burst of gravity. MC
Blinding Bomb* Alchemist 8 Blind enemies with your bombs PZO1117
Boneshard Bomb* Alchemical zombie discovery Bomb deals piercing damage instead of fire, and creatures that take a direct hit from a boneshard bomb must succeed at a Fortitude save or take 1d4 bleed in addition to normal damage. Creatures killed by a boneshard bomb or the bleed effect immediately reanimate as an undead creature with the skeleton template and count as undead created by animate dead for the purposes of determining how many undead the alchemist can control. USH
Bottled Ooze Alchemist 6 Preserve an ooze so it can be summoned later PZO1117
Breath Weapon Bomb* Alchemist 6 You can use a bomb as a breath weapon PZO1118
Celestial Poisons Alchemist 8 You can make poisons which affect undead and evil outsiders (which are normally immune to poisons.) CoP
Chameleon Your skin changes colors, granting you a bonus on Stealth checks PZO1121
Change Alignment Alchemist 12, infusion discovery Once/day brew an infusion which changes drinkers alignment to good for 10 min./alchemist level (unwilling drinkers gain save to resist.) CoP
Cognatogen Increase a mental score and decrease a physical score PZO1117
Collective Memory Cognatogen discovery While under the effects of a cognatogen, the alchemist adds half his class level on all Knowledge skill checks and may attempt all Knowledge skill checks untrained. This bonus does not stack with the second Intelligence bonus granted by the mindchemistarchetype’s perfect recall class feature. CoB
Combine Extracts Alchemist 8 Use two formulae at once PZO1115
Concentrate Poison Combine two poisons for increased effect PZO1115
Concussive Bomb* Alchemist 6 Deal sonic damage with your bombs PZO1115
Confusion Bomb* Alchemist 8 Cause confusion with your bombs PZO1117
Constructive Dyes Alchemist 8, divine inks The alchemist’s dyes congeal and solidify, allowing him to make physical objects from them. The alchemist can expend two uses of his daily bombs to create a non-magical object, as minor creation, using his alchemist level as the spell’s caster level. PPC:HoG
Constructive Dyes, Greater Alchemist 10, constructive dyes, divine inks The alchemist expands the set of objects he can create with his constructive dyes. The alchemist can expend one additional use of his daily bombs when using his constructive dyes discovery to create objects, as major creation. PPC:HoG
Cursed Bomb* Alchemist 12 Deliver a curse with a bomb attack. CoC
Cytillesh Bomb Cytillesh bombs deal 1d4 points of damage, plus 1d4 points of damage for every odd-numbered level, instead of 1d6 and are possibly sickened or become unconscious. PCS:ISMC
Darkness Bomb You can choose to have a bomb extinguish non-magical light sources carried by the target and dispel magical light sources carried by the target for 1 round/level (as deeper darkness.) PZO1121
Deadly Excretions Alchemist 8 Your toxic skin poison deals Constitution damage PZO1121
Defoliant Bomb You can create a bomb that deals extra damage to plant creatures PZO1121
Delayed Bomb Alchemist 8 You can choose to delay the explosion of your bombs PZO1115
Demolition Charge* Alchemist 8 When you create a bomb, you can choose to have it deal damage to an object as if by a sunder combat maneuver. DHB
Dilution Alchemist 12 Create two doses of a potion or elixir from one set of ingredients PZO1115
Directed Bomb Cause bombs to splash in a 15-ft. cone instead of a 5-foot burst MM
Dispelling Bomb Alchemist 6 Dispel magic with your bombs PZO1115
Divine Inks   The alchemist can develop special pigments and combine them with his alchemical reagents to create unique dyes that cling to the empty space around him, allowing him to paint images in the air to fool his enemies. By expending two daily uses of his bombs, he can use the dyes to create an image in a space adjacent to him, as silent image, using his alchemist level as the spell’s caster level. The image he creates remains for a number of minutes equal to his alchemist level. He can dismiss this image as a standard action. PPC:HoG
Divine Inks, Greater Alchemist 6, divine inks, improved divine inks The alchemist’s unique dyes allow him to create lifelike images. If he expends an additional daily use of his bombs, the image he creates with the divine inks discovery also produces sound, smell, and heat, as major image. PPC:HoG
Divine Inks, Improved Alchemist 4, divine inks discovery The alchemist’s unique dyes allow him to create images accompanied by sound. If he expends an additional daily use of his bombs, the image he creates with the divine inks discovery also produces minor sounds, as minor image. PPC:HoG
Doppelganger Simulacrum Alchemist 10, alchemical simulacrum Create a temporary body PZO1117
Ectoplasmic Bomb* Bombs damage incorporeal creatures and reveal presence of hidden undead creatures in the area. USH
Elemental Mutagen Whenever you imbibe a mutagen, you gain resistance to an energy type and a competence bonus on an associated skill check. MM
Elixir of Life Alchemist 16 Create an elixir that can cast true resurrection PZO1115
Enhance Potion Cause potions to be more powerful PZO1115
Eternal Potion Alchemist 16, extend potion Cause a potion to become permanent PZO1115
Explosive Bomb* Your bombs gain an increased area of effect PZO1115
Explosive Calligraphy Alchemist 6 The alchemist can create especially volatile pigments that detonate when agitated. This requires expending one daily use of his bombs, but otherwise functions as explosive runes except that it deals damage as one of the alchemist’s bombs. The alchemist can expend an additional daily use of his bombs to apply one discovery that applies to his bombs, such as acid bomb or dispelling bomb, to the runes created with this discovery. PPC:HoG
Explosive Missile Alchemist 4 Infuse a piece of ammunition with a bomb PZO1118
Extend Potion Potions you drink last longer PZO1115
Fast Bombs Alchemist 8 You can throw multiple bombs in a round PZO1115
Feral Mutagen Gain two claw attacks and a bite attack PZO1115
Fire Brand Goblin Use a bomb to set your weapon on fire PZO1121
Flesh-Eating Bomb* You can create bombs that devour living matter. PPC:MHH
Force Bomb* Alchemist 8 Deal force damage with your bombs PZO1115
Frost Bomb* Deal cold damage with your bombs PZO1115
Glassfoot Bomb You can cover the ground in jagged crystals in addition to its normal effects. These crystals act like caltrops, evaporating into a smelly but harmless gas in 2d6 rounds. PZO1121
Glimmering Infusion Infusion discovery You can expend any prepared extract to produce a cube of glowing motes adjacent to you that acts as glitterdust. PPC:SpyHB
Grand Cognatogen Alchemist 16, greater cognatogen Increase mental scores and decrease physical scores PZO1117
Grand Inspiring Cognatogen (Su) Alchemist 16, greater inspiring cognatogen Your inspiring cognatogen grants a +4 dodge bonus to AC and a +4 bonus to Reflex saving throws; a –6 penalty to Strength and Constitution; and the effects of having the item lore, tenacious inspiration, and underworld inspiration investigator talents. PZO1129
Grand Mutagen Alchemist 16, greater mutagen Increase physical scores and decrease mental scores PZO1115
Grease Bomb* Alchemist 6 When you create a bomb, you can choose to have it create a grease slick upon detonation. DHB
Greater Plague Bomb Alchemist 16, plague Bomb, smoke Bomb Your smoke bombs spread a deadly disease PZO1121
Greater Alchemical Simulacrum Alchemist 14, alchemical simulacrum Create a simulacrum PZO1117
Greater Cognatogen Alchemist 12, cognatogen Increase mental scores and decrease physical scores PZO1117
Greater Inspiring Cognatogen (Su) Alchemist 12, inspiring cognatogen
Your inspiring cognatogen grants a +2 dodge bonus to AC and a +2 bonus to Reflex saving throws; a –4 penalty to Strength and Constitution; and the effects of having the amazing inspiration, eidetic recollection, and expanded inspiration investigator discoveries. PZO1129
Greater Mutagen Alchemist 12 Increase physical scores and decrease mental scores PZO1115
Grounding Goo (Su) Non-magically flying creatures damaged by your bomb find it harder to fly. PZO1140
Healing Bomb* When you create a bomb, you can choose to have it heal damage instead of dealing it. MM
Healing Touch Alchemist 6, spontaneous healing Heal other creatures with a touch PZO1117
Hellfire Bomb Alchemist 9, tiefling, explosive bomb You can deal half fire/half unholy damage with an explosive bomb. PPC:AoE
Holy Bombs* Alchemist 8 Bombs you create can deal good divine damage. CoP
Immolation Bomb* Alchemist 3 Deal damage over time with your bombs PZO1118
Inferno Bomb* Alchemist 16, smoke bomb Create an incendiary cloud effect with your bombs PZO1115
Infuse Mutagen You can have multiple mutagens prepared PZO1115
Infusion Your extracts can be used by others PZO1115
Inspired Bomb (Su) You can expend two uses of inspiration to increase a bomb’s damage by 1d6. PZO1129
Inspiring Cognatogen (Su) You learn how to make an inspiring cognatogen, a mutagen-like mixture that grants him inspiration (as the investigator’s class feature) at the expense of Strength and Constitution. PZO1129
Intuitive Understanding Alchemist 4, cognatogen discovery If you drink an extract of the divination school while under the effects of a cognatogen, your effective CL temporarily increases by +2. In addition, while under the effects of a cognatogen, you may use augury once as a spell-like ability ( caster levelequal to his alchemist level). At 10th level, you can use divination instead. CoB
Lingering Plague Alchemist 8 Creatures have to save more often against your disease-causing bombs PZO1121
Lingering Spirit Alchemist 4 You can take more damage before being killed PZO1117
Living Pigment Divine inks   PPC:HoG
Madness Bomb Alchemist 12 Deal Wisdom damage with your bombs PZO1115
Malignant Poison Alchemist 10 As a full-round action, you can increase the save DC of any poison and increase its duration DHB
Material Mastery (Ex) By expending an extract of the same school and level as a spell prerequisite when crafting a magic item, you take only a –2 penalty for ignoring that requirement, instead of –5. PPC:C&C
Mummification Alchemist 10, preserve organs Gain mummy-like immunities PZO1117
Mutagen Increase physical scores and decrease mental scores PZO1117
Nauseating Flesh Alchemist 12 Anything that bites the alchemist is nauseated PZO1118
Neutralizing Bomb* When the alchemist creates a bomb, he can choose to give it the potential to end certain ongoing effects instead of dealing damage. PZO9446
Ooze Blight* A target hit by your bomb loses the split special quality for 1d4 rounds. In addition, against creatures with the ooze type, this bomb deals untyped damage that bypasses all resistances. PPC:MHH
Parasitic Twin Vestigial arm (2) You can reroll your saves against certain mental effects PZO1117
Phantom Limb Alchemist 8 Manifest a ghostly, incorporeal arm. USH
Pheromones (Su) You gain a permanent +3 competence bonus on Bluff, Diplomacy, and Intimidate checks. PZO1140
Pickled Quasit Alchemist 10 You seal a quasit in a bottle, which you can throw at a square within 30 feet and release the quasit (it is not under your control.) CoC
Plague Bomb* Alchemist 8, smoke bomb Duplicate the effects of contagion with your bombs PZO1117
Plague Vector Alchemist 14, plague bomb Cause those affected by your plague bomb to become carriers for the disease, infecting those they come into physical contact with. CoC
Poison Bomb* Alchemist 12, smoke bomb Duplicate the effects of cloudkill with your bombs PZO1115
Poison Conversion Alchemist 6 You can convert one form of poison to another form PZO1118
Precise Bombs Choose which squares are missed by your bomb’s splash damage PZO1115
Preserve Organs Sneak attacks and critical hits are less likely to do damage PZO1117
Profane Bomb* Alchemist 8 You can have your bomb deal evil divine damage. Good creatures that take a direct hit from a profane bomb must make a Fort save or be staggered on their next turn. Against a neutral creature, a profane bomb deals half damage, and the target is not affected by the bomb’s staggering effect. A profane bomb has no effect against evil-aligned creatures. CoC
Promethean Disciple Alchemist 6 You know how to craft constructs by way of alchemical research rather than arcane magic. You gain Craft Construct as a bonus feat without needing to meet its requirements and you substitute the number of ranks in Craft (alchemy) you have for your total caster level and must use Craft (alchemy) to create the construct. OA
Psychoactive Bomb* Alchemist 6 Your bombs make it easier to manipulate others BotM
Psychokinetic Tincture Alchemist 4 1/day, concoct a tincture as a standard action, and channel one spirit for every 4 alchemist levels possessed (see details). USH
Purging Mutagen The alchemist’s mutagen combines ipecac and other purgative components. PZO9446
Rag Doll Mutagen Goblin Your body becomes rubbery and easy to contort PZO1121
Ranged Baptism Alchemist 4 You can use holy water as a splash weapon and any squares subject to its effects (including creatures affected by splash damage) or that contain creatures subject to its effects are also affected as if by the consecrate spell. CoP
Remedy Extract Alchemist 4 When the alchemist creates an extract, he can add one non-magical alchemical remedy (such as an antitoxin) to it. PZO9446
Rocket Bomb Goblin, alchemist 6th Create bombs with less accuracy but more ka-boom! PZO1121
Sandstone Solution Use a potion to make sand or dirt as hard as stone. PoS
Scrap Bomb Goblin Your bombs create shrapnel and cause bleed damage PZO1121
Shock Bomb* Deal electricity damage with your bombs PZO1115
Siege Bomb* Alchemist 12, explosive bomb Deal bomb damage with siege weapons PZO1118
Smoke Bomb* Create a fog cloud effect with your bombs PZO1115
Solid Ground (Su) Creatures can’t burrow, earthglide, or meld (as meld into stone) in a 5-ft. area. PZO1140
Spell Knowledge Select a single spell from the sorcerer/wizard spell list that is at least 2 levels lower than your highest-level extract known. You can prepare and cast this spell as an arcane spell. PPC:C&C
Splitting Mutagen Alchemist 12 You can split into two identical copies of yourself. PPC:MHH
Spontaneous Healing You can heal more rapidly PZO1117
Sticky Bomb Alchemist 10 Deal splash damage one extra round PZO1115
Sticky Poison Alchemist 6 Poison applied to a weapon lasts longer PZO1115
Stink Bomb* Smoke bomb Create a stinking cloud effect with your bombs PZO1115
Strafe Bomb Your bomb splash damage affects a line PZO1117
Sunlight Bomb* Alchemist 10, blinding bomb Create a bright sunlight effect with your bombs PZO1117
Syringe Stirge (Su) Alchemist 6 As a full-round action, you can expend two daily uses of bombs to create a syringe stirge, a tiny construct primed with a bomb (if you have multiple types of bombs, you must select which type the syringe stirge carries when created). PPC:C&C
Tainted Infusion Delayed bomb, infusion When you prepare an extract with the infusion discovery, you can lace the extract with one of your bombs as long as the extract has a duration greater than instantaneous. You can reduce the duration of the extract to 1 round. As soon as the extract’s duration expires, it detonates, dealing 150% of the normal bomb damage to the drinker. This effect does not produce a splash radius. Producing a tainted extract consumes both an infusion slot and a daily bomb use. CoC
Tanglefoot Bomb* Entangle foes with your bombs PZO1117
Tentacle Gain an extra limb PZO1117
Thorny Bomb (Su) You can make a bomb do piercing damage (that also counts as a magic weapon). PZO1140
Tumor Familiar Gain a familiar that is part of the alchemist’s body PZO1117
Underwater Demolition You can create and throw bombs underwater PZO1121
Vestigial Arm Gain an extra arm PZO1117
Void Bomb* Drow, alchemist 6 By combining the spores from strange fungi with slivers from extradimensional voids, some drow alchemists create bombs that cause bursts of gravity capable of crushing those inside. MC
Volumizer (Su) You can use an extract slot of any level to create a reactive tablet that purifies water and doubles its volume. PZO1140
Wings Alchemist 6 Gain wings that let you fly PZO1117
Grand Discoveries Prerequisites Benefits Source
Awakened Intellect Grand discovery Gain 2 points of Intelligence PZO1115
Change Alignment, Greater Grand discovery, alchemist 20, change alignment discovery, infusiondiscovery Change alignment infusion effects are permanent (but can be removed by wish or miracle.) CoP
Eternal Youth Grand discovery Stop aging PZO1115
Fast Healing Grand discovery Gain fast healing 5 PZO1115
Philosopher’s Stone Grand discovery Learn how to make a philosopher’s stone PZO1115
Poison Touch Grand discovery Gain a poison touch attack PZO1115
True Mutagen Grand discovery, grand mutagen Gain a more powerful mutagen PZO1115
3rd Party Publishers
Ascension Games, LLC
Discoveries Prerequisites Benefits Source
Alter Simulacrum Alchemist 10, alchemical simulacrum discovery Alter the physical appearance of your alchemical simulacra. PS
Blending Body Increased miss chance while in dim light. PS
Bottled Assistant Alchemist 8 Create an alchemical assistant to help identify and create items. PS
Darkness Bomb* Bomb creates darkness, fatigues creature hit. PS
Extinguishing Touch Extinguish small fires and light sources with a touch. PS
Keen Sight Gain low-light vision and darkvision. PS
Perfect Sight Alchemist 12, keen sight discovery Gain immunity to blindness. PS
Shadowmeld Compound Alchemist 8 Create an alchemical substance that can turn objects into shadowstuff. PS
Terror Bomb* Alchemist 8 Bomb incites fear in those struck. PS
Umbral Bomb* Alchemist 6, darkness bomb discovery Bomb creates supernatural darkness, exhausts target and fatigues those in splash radius. PS
Legendary Games
Discoveries Prerequisites Benefits Source
Compounding Formulary Alchemist 4 The alchemist can create alchemical items in powdered rather than liquid form and can infuse powders and liquids together into a variety of stable magical compounds. Inverse
Effectual Invisibility Alchemist 4 Whenever using an extract, potion, spell-completion, or spell-trigger item to create an invisibility effect, use alchemist level as caster level rather than the caster level of the item. Inverse
Invisible Bomb Alchemist 8 When creating a bomb, can choose to render the bomb and its explosion invisible until thrown denying opponent its Dexterity bonus to AC against the attack and creatures struck or within the blast radius suffer a -2 to Reflex saves against the bomb. Inverse
Tenacious Invisibility Alchemist 6 When creating an extract or mutagen that provides invisibility, whenever the invisibility effect would be ended prior to the end of its duration, including being dispelled or being broken by making an attack, the invisibility effect lingers for a number of additional rounds and the DC to dispel an extract that provides invisibility is increased. Inverse
Transparency Mutagen Alchemist 10 Become invisible when imbibing a mutagen and invisibility lasts for the duration of the mutagen. Inverse
True Invisibility Alchemist 14 When creating an extract or mutagen that provides invisibility, the target of that extract or mutagen is also protected against all devices and spells that gather information about the target through divination magic for as long as the invisibility effect lasts. Inverse
Radiance House
Discoveries Prerequisites Benefits Source
Expelling Bomb Alchemist 8 Expelling bomb deals full damage to incorporeal creatures, including splash damage and a creature struck by a direct hit is affected as by Exorcise Spirit binder secret. An expelling bomb’s damage dice are reduced by one step: d6s to d4s or d4s to d3s. PMU2
Occult Mutagen Alchemist 6 When preparing your mutagen, can choose to forgo normal benefits to seal a spirit within the concoction. PMU2
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