The Secrets of Alchemy – For 5th Edition by Ismael Alvarez is a role playing game supplement published by Fat Goblin Games for use with Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition. As such, it is covered by the Open Game License and some parts are considered to be Open Game Content as a result.
This is a 15 page PDF that is available from DriveThruRPG for $1.99 but was purchased at a greatly reduced price as part of a special bundle. Two pages are the front and rear covers, one page is the front matter, one is an ad and one is the Open Game License.
The supplement opens by explaining that it has a number of rules related to alchemy. It starts with The Alchemist’s Supplies, which is on proficiency with such. There are stated to be several solutions provided for this; unfortunately at least some of the text of this section is missing, making it rather unclear.
How to Do Alchemy has a table of different alchemical items, the proficiency bonus required to make them and whether the ingredient is common, uncommon or rare. Gathering Materials has rules for finding the needed materials.
Alchemy by Mentor will allow a character to gain proficiency with alchemist’s supplies by spending some time, and money, training with a mentor. Alchemy by Feat is another way of gaining proficiency in alchemist’s supplies. Alchemy by Background is a background for alchemist characters and Alchemy by Archetype is a wizard tradition. This also has a new spell.
Alchemical Item Descriptions has the items in the earlier table detailed more thoroughly, together with a table of cost. Each item may be common, uncommon or rare. Common ingredients are never detailed, but even common items may have uncommon or rare ingredients which can be used.
Everyday Alchemy is how alchemists can be found in communities and the alchemical mixing cauldron is a new item.
The Secrets of Alchemy – For 5th Edition in Review
The PDF lacks bookmarks and has enough different sections that these would have been useful. Navigation is poor. The text maintains a two column colour format and the main error noticed was the missing text as stated earlier. There are a number of colour illustrations related to alchemy, which may be custom. Presentation is good.
Alchemy is an art that is often associated in magic, but it is one that has typically been poorly depicted in D&D and derived games. This supplement attempts to fix that and in some ways is a good start. It really needs expanding on what is here though. The supplement feels a little muddled, a hodge podge of rules related to alchemy rather than a coherent whole. It could really do with a much longer supplement that covers everything in more detail. The Secrets of Alchemy – For 5th Edition is an okay start, but really not much more than that, and it can be found by clicking here.
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