Alchemist Tier 3: "Splash Potion!" (changed from OP)

[Anjovi]

Edit: New idea 3 posts down. This OP is the original idea.
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So I've found that having tier 3 and 4 the way they are is a little problematic in that:
3) boosts the potions effect
4) boosts the potions effect (x2)

3 also can't work with stat potions (i imagine for balancing reasons) which makes this the better candidate to swap out in my eyes.

That said:

Level 3-Transmutation 2: You've mastered the ability to transmute solids! (Congrats!) Combine item with a potion to reroll the stats/effect for the gear in question.

or

Level 3-Transmutation 2: You've learned to not be wasteful! (Congrats!) Never create negative stat items during transmutation. This still leaves potential potions that you won't need at the moment...but, at least you have some utility, which works all around.

This might improve the utility of an alchemist mage in both multi/singleplayer setting. Making the ultimate alchemist mastering through his brews (or the dynamic of him getting the occasional double quaff on those stat potions that you'd most likely have saved up for that point.)

Really like the idea of a weakling alchemist scholar character that becomes a master of something through his alchemy skills. This would introduce a Luck based character as well, which could be neat for the game. (assuming that double quaff chance is linked to LUC)

I'm generally leaning towards the potion idea as the gear one kind of just mashes the blacksmith totem with enchant, although perhaps that idea could be expanded upon.

[Raccoon]

Maybe the alchemy tree can make use of the lower stat potions in some way other than rerolling them. Maybe similar to coating your weapon in poison? I dunno.

Sounds a lot more fun than rerolling them to something potentially useful or feeding them to the Deranged.

[Anjovi]

What if instead of drinking potions, the alchemist simply equipped these potions for throwing? I mean you wouldn't want to drink them anyways. All negative stat potions could be potentially turned into some sort of generic ranged attack.

My idea would be:
Splashy Time!: Negative Stat potions can be equipped as ranged weapon. Each giving 3 charges of splash damage, which effectively damages health & weakens stats.

It would be a sort of short ranged attack that could splash groups of enemies in front of them. I like the splash idea as it implies that the wizard is sort of using some of the liquid in the bottle, as opposed to using an entire potion at once. This would allow devs to scale the # of charges for each potion used.

Might require some new animations, but....This could be a cool way to approach attacking with alchemists. It'd also fit in with the support theme, as you'd expose yourself temporarily to weaken down creatures for the other players.

Perhaps the Stat debuff could be generic or vary based on luck? Losts of cool stuff could happen. Everything from any of the stats could be changed with a small Text indicator in the place were damage stats are shown with each attack.

[Anjovi]

Just a note: This potion "Spray" could basically follow the area of area of attack that the eleclance has. Though, instead you'd have a sort mist like graphic and it'd of course be doing a different kind of damage.

[One Malnourished Russet Potato]

would there be friendly fire? Id hate to lower my buds strength or somthing

[Anjovi]

Good point! I'd say no, just because most other attacks don't seem to cause friendly fire.

[Wubilicious]

Alchemy is a funky tree, I'm personally fine with it as is. It's only really helpful for when you have many potions, making it more useful later in the game rather than sooner. I think it becomes stronger with the Snake Eater background, since that lets you chug the poison for health while your friends get the regen potions. Either that or your friend takes Snake Eater while you get 45 hp from regen potions. Sadly outside of that, it's not super useful, but at least spells are consistently strong.

[Anjovi]

To add on to this idea a bit, I've thought of:
Fire/Ice potions: Basically, these potions would be usable for splash damage, They would be fire and ice attacks that had the same Area of Effect as the eleclance spell. Which would freeze/set fire to respective enemies.

Before being identified, these potions could pose a risk to the drinker (Fire/Ice damage) After being identified, perhaps they could be used to augment potions like poison. This would be the options for non-alchemist players.

Alchemist players (upgrade 3): would be able to equip them like other neg stat potions and splash them on enemies with the attack described in paragraph 1 (as well as combine them with weapons using the combine button)

Fire potion could work as a generally more damage based attack, while the ice could act as a tougher version of frozen nova (unless the player's magic was significantly upgraded that is)

Though perhaps Fire/Ice potions could be usable by all classes, while alchemists could have the special ability to use more charges per potion, as well as the ability to use neg stat potions as an attack. The 'drink' option for these negative potions could just be void after identifying them, though there is opportunities for clever little hidden mechanics with the option of drinking them.