ND/Alchemy and Herb Lore

# THIS IS STILL IN DRAFT FORM AND NEEDS SEVERE REVISION

The only thing I'm satisfied with are the costs of healing effects and damage effects. The overall concept is good but it still needs fixes.
Okay, it's probably better than the GURPS Magic Alchemy system because the costs, while not great, are at least systematic and approaching reasonable.
Since I keep refusing to spend brain sweat fixing it, it's been effectively replaced by New Potions.
Alchemy is the science of distilling the native magic essence that everything contains into concentrated forms that produce useful supernatural effects. Herb Lore is the art of processing and combining herbs to create poultices or drinks that produce minor supernatural effects.

Herb Lore is more limited than Alchemy, but a herbal solution to a problem is always cheaper than an alchemical solution, if herb lore can resolve the problem at all.

## The Limits of Alchemy and Herb Lore

Alchemy can produce some supernatural effects. It can transform the user, granting them a different form and related abilities. It can also augment the user without transforming them. However, alchemy cannot directly move the user, nor greatly augment his movement except through transformations. Alchemical augments are all internal, and cannot grant abilities that target someone other than the user, except through transformation.

Herb Lore cannot produce any overt supernatural effects. It cannot transform the user, and it can only augment the user within normal biological limits.

Neither alchemy nor herb lore can grant knowledge. They can each increase the user's general understanding or physical grace, but they can't teach an unknown skill.

\* Does not stack with other elixirs that increase the same trait; most effective elixir takes effect.
## Prices of Elixirs

Alchemicy and Herb Lore effects are stored in elixirs, usually potions or poultices, that can be stored and consumed as needed.

Elixirs have effects, duration, potencies, and cost. Cost is dependent of the effects, duration, potency, and the skill used to make the elixir.

Durations run on the range of instant, short (roughly 20 minutes), medium (roughly 3 hours), long (roughly a day), to very long (roughly a week).

Most elixirs take effect automatically, and have absolute potency. Cheaper elixirs can be resisted, and the potency provides a penalty to the HT check to resist.

The cost of an absolute elixir with a base cost, equal to the the sum of the absolute value of the advantages or disadvantages it provides. Multiply by $1.5 for an instant duration, $3 for a short duration, $10 for a medium duration, $30 for a long duration, or $100 for a very long duration. Multiple by 1 for an elixir with maximum potency, or (0.5 + 0.05 times the potency) for a less potent elixir. Finally, triple cost for an alchemy elixir.

Some effects have special costs:

 Transform to new template | N/A | 15 + 1 per point of template cost

\* Multiple elixirs within 1 hour cause 2 HP toxic injury each.
Normal elixirs weigh 0.5 lbs per dose.

Grenades
For 5 times the cost, an elixir that only does damage can be made into a grenade with Area Effect 2 that weighs 1 lb.

For 20 times the cost, an elixir that only does damage can be made into a grand grenade with Area Effect 4 that weighs 4 lbs.

## Sample Elixirs

Not completely broken, but still needs work.