Alienist

Alchemist tend to stick to earthly knowledge, leaving the forbidden lore of the stars to others with more curiosity than bravery, and yet alienists not only seek this knowledge, but its most horrid teachers. Forming bonds with eldritch horrors, alienists give these waking nightmares form through forbidden rituals, allowing them to exist in our reality.

### **Nightmare Summoner (Su)**

The alienist adds summon monster I-VI to their formulae list, being able to prepare them without their formulae book. Rather than imbibing this extract, the alienist tosses it as a standard action to a square within 30 feet of themselves, the extract bubbling up before taking the form of a summoned monster of the alienist’s choice known as a summoned horror. The summoned horror only vaguely resembles the creature it is intended to be, looking somehow wrong to all observers except for the alienist and is treated as an aberration for the purpose of effects which would benefit it. Preparing this extract is in effect forming a pact with a specific unique creature from another dimension, causing its soul to temporarily inhabit a body made of alchemical slurry of the alienist’s choice, the creature’s form normally being one that could not exist within reality. Due to this reason, the alienist cannot choose to summon multiple creatures with an extract, even if it would normally be allowed (such as being able to use *summon monster II* to summon 1d3 creatures from the *summon monster I* list). A creature summoned through this ability lasts for 1 minute per alienist level. The square (or squares if the creature is larger than Medium) that the monster was summoned to becomes difficult terrain and blocks line of sight for all creatures except the summoned horror and the alienist for a number of minutes equal to the alienist’s intelligence modifier. An alienist cannot summon more than one creature at a time, attempting to do so will cause the extract to fail.

At 5th level, the summoned horror can be 1 level higher than the extract’s level (a 5th level alienist who used a *summon monster II* extract could instead summon a creature as though using *summon monster III*). At 11th level, the summoned monster can be 2 levels higher than the extract’s level. At 17th level, summoned monster can be 3 levels higher than the extract’s level.

This ability alters extract but does not prevent the alienist from taking the combat scientist archetype and replaces discipline breakthrough.

### **Godless Research (Ex)**

Whenever an alienist throws a *summon monster* extract, they can spend 1 quintessence while doing so to further modify their summoned horror, pulling it from the darkest depths of the outer reaches. The summoned horror instead takes on a far more disturbing form, inimical to the world into which it was summoned and gains a +4 alchemical bonus to its Strength and 2 additional hit points per hit die it possesses. In addition, the summoned horror is immune to mind-affecting effects. At 10th level, this alchemical bonus increases to +6, the summoned horror gains 6 additional hit points per level, and whenever the summoned horror damages a creature with its natural attacks, that creature must make a successful Will saving throw (DC 10 + 1/2 the alienist’s level + their Intelligence modifier) or take 2 Wisdom damage; if a creature takes Wisdom damage from this ability, the summoned horror gains temporary hit points equal to the alienist’s level which last for 1 hour (these hit points do not stack with each other). At 16th level, this alchemical bonus increases to +8, the summoned horror gains 8 additional hit points per level, and the summoned horror instead deals Wisdom drain, the summoned horror gaining temporary hit points equal to two times the alienist’s level.

This ability replaces alchemical discipline.

### **Altered Research (Ex)**

The alienist can select [evolution] talents as though they had the mutagenic alchemical specialization, being able to apply them to their summoned horror. As normal, a summoned horror can only have a single [evolution] talent applied to it, but the alienist can select the dual evolution discovery.

### **Dimensional Stability (Ex)**

At 2nd level, the alienist and their summoned horror gain a +2 bonus on effects which would force them to a different plane (such as *banishment* or *plane shift*). At 4th, 6th, and 8th level, this bonus increases by +2.

This ability replaces poison resistance.

### **Horrific Exposure (Ex)**

At 3rd level, whenever the alienist uses a summon monster extract, all enemies within 30 feet of the summoned horror except those of the aberration type must make a successful Will saving throw (DC 10 + 1/2 the alienist’s level + their Intelligence modifier) or become *confused* for 1 round. At 13th level, this effect lasts for a number of rounds equal to the alienist’s Intelligence modifier, and enemies must also make a successful Will save to avoid becoming *confused* whenever the summoned horror reduces a creature to 0 or fewer hit points.

This ability replaces swift alchemy and instant alchemy.

### **Shared Essence (Su)**

An alienist’s summoned horror can use quintessence surge as long as the alienist is not currently affected by that ability, using the alchemist’s quintessence as though it was their own. If they do, the alchemist heals an amount of hit points equal to 1/2 their class level and cannot use their quintessence surge until its effects on their summoned horror ends. In addition, as long as either the alienist or their summoned creature is under the effects of quintessence surge and within 120 feet of the square the summoned horror was summoned, they can teleport to that square as a move action.

This alters quintessence surge.

### **Adamant Horrors (Ex)**

At 9th level, the alienist’s summoned horror gain DR 5/orichalcum. At 19th level, this increases to DR 10/orichalcum.

This ability replaces discipline defense.

### **Unbound Step (Su)**

At 10th level, whenever an alienist or their summoned horror is under the effects of quintessence surge, they can teleport up to 30 feet per round as a move action.

This ability replaces poison immunity.

### **Reality Rip (Su)**

At 20th level, an alienist gains 2 discoveries and can spend 2 points of quintessence to use the *gate* spell for planar travel. They can instead spend 5 points of quintessence to use *gate* to use the call creature effect, treating any creature summoned as though it was summoned by their nightmare summoner ability (thus allowing them to spend quintessence to enhance it). This ability replaces grand discovery.