Alchemy

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Alchemy is a group of guild skills for the cleric, empath, sorcerer, and wizard professions. They allow for the creation of certain items through combining ingredients and performing a process on them using certain equipment.

Alchemy was released via the Revenge of the Kiramon quest, which occurred during August and September 2007.

Alchemy is split into three guild skill categories: General Alchemy, Potions, and Trinkets (see the Alchemy Navigation Box at the bottom of the page to go to specific information about potions and trinkets for each profession). All professions make the same recipes in General Alchemy, while recipes for Potions and Trinkets are different for each profession based on respective spell circles known, primary statistics for each profession, and sometimes roleplaying factors. It is not possible to have a higher rank in Potions and/or Trinkets than in General Alchemy (when the other skills are at the same rank as General Alchemy, the Taskmaster will refuse to give tasks for Potions and/or Trinkets).

For a list of ingredients, see List of alchemy ingredients. For a list of recipes, see List of alchemy formulas. The words formula and recipe are used interchangeably.

Success Factors

Outside of the training cauldrons, alchemists do not fail the various processes involved in making recipes. However, inside of the training cauldrons is a very different story. Success factors include guild rank difference (newly learned abilities are more difficult to practice), discipline bonus, logic bonus, Magic Item Use training. A profession's primary mana stat and relevant Mana Control training also factor into success.[1]

Alchemy Subsidiary Skills

There are a several skills that one learns by progressing through the ranks of General Alchemy, all accessible through the ALCHEMY verb. These are taught by the Skilled Masters at preset ranks.

Alchemy Seal
Alchemy Seal is the final step in any alchemy recipe. It is the magical process which finalizes and stabilizes the ingredients in a recipe into the final result. It is taught in the first rank of General Alchemy.
Alchemy Boil
Alchemy Boil is one of two methods of heating a concoction in a cauldron. It is taught during the first rank of General Alchemy.
Alchemy Simmer
Alchemy Simmer is one of two methods of heating a concoction in a cauldron. It is taught during the first rank of General Alchemy.
Alchemy Examine
Alchemy Examine is a verb which allows one to inspect any item, detailing whether or not it is suited for alchemy, as well as if it can be used as a substitute in any recipes for another ingredient. It is taught during the first rank of General Alchemy.
Alchemy Chant
Alchemy Chant is a verb which allows one to infuse a spell into a solution during the process of making a formula. This results in the concoction containing this spell. An alchemist can only chant a spell that they know, limiting the creation of certain items to certain professions. It is performed by entering ALCHEMY CHANT and then the spell number or spell mnemonic. It is taught at the beginning of Potions or Trinkets and is not used in General Alchemy recipes.
Alchemy Distill
Alchemy Distill allows one to distill a liquid in an alembic, removing impurities from it to result in a different liquid. It is taught at rank 15 of General Alchemy.
Alchemy Extract
Alchemy Extract allows one to put an ingredient into crucible, which cooks away the majority of the ingredient, leaving behind a new one. It is taught at rank 15 of General Alchemy.
Alchemy Infuse
Alchemy Infuse allows one to instill mana into a solution during the process of making a formula. It is taught at rank 30 of General Alchemy.
Alchemy Refract
Alchemy Refract allows a character to refract light into a solution during the process of making a formula. It is taught at rank 45 of General Alchemy.
Alchemy Channel
Alchemy Channel allows one to channel spirit in the process of making a formula. Each channel attempt costs 2 spirit points. It is taught at rank 50 of General Alchemy.

Before You Begin

Before beginning any alchemy tasks, it is recommended to purchase a few necessities:

At rank 15 you will need:

All of these items may also be available at festivals and pay events with various descriptions and may be altered to one's liking. CHEs and MHOs may also have various items in their prize closets. Cauldrons purchased from merchants may be lighter than the ones sold in the guild.

Tasks for Alchemy Progression

There are a variety of tasks that can be assigned by the taskmaster for Alchemy. Some of these are limited by one's progress in General Alchemy, and some are only assigned in the potion and trinket skills. A number of repetitions (reps) are assigned along with each task, all of which must be executed before the task is considered complete. The number of reps is also random, but the base increases with increasing ranks. Each completed task will garner an amount of guild training points, and once enough training points are received, a promotion to the next rank is earned. Certain tasks have an inclination to give a higher number of training points, but it still varies considerably. To view current ranks, current task, reps remaining until next task, and points remaining until next rank, use the GLD command.

  • ASK {NPC} ABOUT TRAINING ALCHEMY/POTIONS/TRINKETS once you have completed the reps for your task. This checks in with the administrator, rewarding you training points and a variable amount of experience, usually around 30. Repeat this command to receive your next task.
  • ASK {NPC} ABOUT NEXT ALCHEMY/POTIONS/TRINKETS when the Training Administrator tells you to visit the Guildmaster to receive a promotion. The Guildmaster will award you the next rank, along with 200 experience and 50 fame. Once the Guildmaster has promoted you, return to the Training Administrator to receive your next task.

Visit The Skilled Masters For A Lesson

This task is rarely encountered, only at the start of a new rank and only when the skilled masters have a new skill to teach you. Sometimes this will require actually performing the new skill, sometimes it will not. The skilled master will usually teach a new recipe during these, but not always. Either way, it usually only has one repetition, and this is earned either after listening to the full lesson, or performing the new skill taught by the skilled master one time.

Visit The Skilled Masters For Practice

This task is only assigned at the the start of a new rank. Once you go to the skilled master, he or she will ask you to make recipes that you would need to make if you were assigned the 'make tough recipes' task, and each repetition will require a recipe using a specific alchemy procedure (boiling, simmering, or infusing), alternating liberally between them. He or she will take the results of your recipes and pay you predetermined amount for the specific recipe (not all recipes will be reimbursed). It is also possible that you will be taught a new recipe at the start of this task, but it is not a guarantee.

Should you be focusing on one specific recipe for your training that does not involve the process you are asked to demonstrate, leave the room and speak to another master until you are asked to demonstrate the process you desire.

Make Tough Recipes

This task requires that you make a recipe of sufficient difficulty in your cauldron. Recipe difficulty varies between recipes, but in general, you can expect that if a recipe was taught within ten to fourteen ranks of your current rank, it will still be "difficult". You cannot use recipes from one of the three skills for any of the others, for example, you could not make a wand from Trinkets to get a repetition in General Alchemy or Potions.

Use Specific Process to Make Something

This task is much like the previous task, however, it requires that one make a recipe that involves a specified process (e.g. boil, simmer, infuse, chant, channel) of the particular discipline being trained in. One must always use a recipe is difficult enough to earn credit from.

Use Specific Process at the Training Cauldrons

These tasks are similar to the previous tasks, except that they require you to make something at the training cauldrons, rather than using your own cauldron. To enter the training cauldrons, find where they are located in the guild and GO CAULDRON. This will put you in a private room with a special cauldron that resists magic. There is a decent chance that parts of the process will fail when using the training cauldrons. Repeat the failed step until it is successful, then finish the potion. All tasks attempted here will be successful if done correctly. The variant requiring ALCHEMY CHANT will not occur in General Alchemy.

Clean Equipment

This task requires you to get a rag from within the guild and CLEAN CRUCIBLE in the alchemy workshops of your guild. This will give between 10 and 20 RT for each one. There are a limited number of crucibles within each guild, and you must wait ten minutes to clean one that you have recently cleaned before you can do it again. However, you can go to guild in another town to continue your repetitions without this limitation.

Polish Lens Assemblies

This task requires you to get a cloth from within the guild and POLISH ASSEMBLY in the alchemy workshops of your guild. This will give between 10 and 20 RT for each one. There are a limited number of lens assemblies within each guild, and you must wait ten minutes to polish one that you have recently polished before you can do it again. However, you can go to guild in another town to continue your repetitions without this limitation.

Sweep Alchemy Workshops

This task requires that you get a broom and pan from within the guild and sweep up piles of dust in the alchemy workshops. Just find a pile of dust and SWEEP DUST repeatedly. Each sweeping will incur 5-8 seconds roundtime, and each pile will take around five sweeps to get it. After this, you will gather it into your pan. It takes around 4 piles to fill a pan. Place the filled pan in the dustbin (usually PUT PAN IN BIN) back in the supply closet, and this will reward one repetition. Haste can be used to speed up this process. Should the workshops run out of dust before you have filled your pan, return to the supply closet, drop the broom to throw it away, and get a new one.

Distill Water

This task requires that you go through the lengthy process of distilling water for the guild using an alembic. This task tends to take a while, and as such, usually only requires a few repetitions. First, one must select an alchemy workshop and POUR ALEMBIC. This will incur 20 sec. RT, after which you must LIGHT ALEMBIC, which might incur another 10 sec. RT. After this, the alembic will begin to boil the water over the course of about two minutes, during which you do not incur roundtime, and can do other things while remaining in the same room. Eventually, the alembic will shake with the pressure, and you need to TURN ALEMBIC, which will incur 35 sec. RT. After this, you must wait about two more minutes for the alembic to shake again, when you will TURN ALEMBIC again. After the fire has died down, CLEAN ALEMBIC for another 35 sec. RT, and then GET ALEMBIC, which will incur 10 sec. RT and finish a repetition. If you perform the wrong verb, wait too long to perform the TURN verb, or do a verb to early, a guild worker will run in and stop you, forcing you to start the task over again.

Grind Ingredients For The Guild

For this task, you need to go to the guild alchemy shop and LOOK ON SHELF. If/when there are no ingredients on the shelf, ASK CLERK ABOUT INGREDIENTS and he will restock them. Then, one by one, GET the ingredients from the shelf, and you will put them in a guild-provided mortar. Proceed to GRIND the ingredient until it cannot be ground anymore, then GIVE the mortar to the clerk. He will take the ingredient and give a repetition.

Collect Ingredients For The Guild

To complete this task, you need to go to the clerk in the guild alchemy shop and ASK CLERK FOR LIST. He will supply you with a backpack (or rucksack) and a scroll inside which details a number of ingredients and quantity of each which he wants you to gather. These ingredients will be a request for 1-9 of any of the following: gems, herbs, foragables, alchemy components, and skins. Some of these may also be requested in a ground up form, which you must do to them with a mortar and pestle once you procure the ingredient itself. Each completed request with the proper amount of the ingredient will constitute one repetition. To turn in your list and backpack, hold the backpack in one hand and the scroll in the other. Then, GIVE SCROLL TO CLERK and he will take both, rewarding you the sufficient number of repetitions. If you have extra items in the backpack, too few, or too many, he will refuse to take it.

If you do not complete the total number of repetitions, but do turn in some of the ingredients, you will have to wait 15 minutes before he will give you a new list. If enough time has elapsed between the time you got the list and the time you turned in the supplies, the wait is reduced or removed. If you cannot collect any of the ingredients, or lose your list and backpack, you must wait 30 minutes before he will give you a new set. If someone else attempts to read your scroll, they will 'kick it aside' since it is not for them and the scroll will disappear, thus preventing you from being able to turn it in for repetitions.

When turned in, the clerk will pay you a small sum for items you give him, although not all items are reimbursed.

Grind A Variety Of Ingredients

This task requires that you GRIND a number of ingredients of any sort in your mortar. Any ingredient will work, but they each need to be different than the ones you have already done for the task. You do not need to turn in these ground ingredients; it is just a practice task.

Distill Ingredients

For this task, you must distill any ingredient which must be done in the guild alchemy workshops. This is accomplished by holding an appropriate liquid in the right hand (usually water purchased from the guild alchemy shop), and typing ALCHEMY DISTILL in front of an available alembic. This will incur four 10 second RT cycles, and give you the ingredient, which is yours to keep. Each successful distillation results in one repetition.

This task will not be assigned until rank 15 in General Alchemy.

Extract Ingredients

For this task, you must extract any ingredient which must be done in the guild alchemy workshop. This is accomplished by holding the ingredient in the right hand, and typing ALCHEMY EXTRACT in front of an available crucible. This will incur four 10 second roundtime cycles, and give you the ingredient, which is yours to keep. Each successful extraction results in one repetition.

This task will not be assigned until rank 15 in General Alchemy.

References

  1. Posted by GM Estild

Resources

Alchemy Navigation Box - edit
Alchemy · Formulas · Guild shop inventories · Reagents · Skins · Gems · General Alchemy
Potions: Cleric · Empath · Sorcerer · Wizard
Trinkets: Cleric · Empath · Sorcerer · Wizard
Guilds: Cleric · Empath · Sorcerer · Wizard