[Poll] Where Alchemy sits

[Helmet 1454]

Writing this poll just to see what others think of how enjoyable Alchemy as an FA is when MAKING (not using) potions, & how often people see or make potions that are not medical, apart of the aesthetic pack, or provide a combative edge.

 

Feel free to leave your take below as well! Is it perfectly fine as is? If so, why? Or does it come short in some areas? If so, which?

Edited June 17, 2025 by Helmet

[DISCOLIQUID 2701]

I love the use of RP potions - like forgedust. They're really the only reason I learn alchemy, you can just buy all the good stuff for 20-50 minas at stalls. 

[WhatASithuation 210]

Song of fumes 100% my favorite. I love having my character bring wide-eye'd wonder to the oemii to indoctrinate them into the art. OH EDIT: And lands nurture. How else is my character supposed to grow pipeweed in his basement. I mean.. yaknow.

[Turbo_Dog 3567]

Alchemy is fun as most things are when your friends are around and can interact with the process too. Otherwise it feels like I’m just typing words and then sending them to be reed and judged. Thats really it

[Jamwill 211]

I think potioncrafting can be enjoyable in small portions. The problem is just that after having done it for a while, you get quite tired of having to write the same emotes over and over.

Crafting roleplay in general is also way more enjoyable when working together with someone else as opposed to doing it solo, since a lot of people (me included) find solo rp to often be quite bland, and unenjoyable. More like a chore than anything, if its required for making a specific item.

[Cpt_Noobman 1954]

I think it would be an improvement to alchemy if players were allowed to flavor the rp more. Extracting salts seems kind of stale when I'd rather be mashing things into a pot or cutting up plants and grinding crystals down into powder. Also, the process of examining ingredients seems a little silly. I think there could be more creative experiments to do to determine signs and symbols rather than just looking at them really closely and seeing glyphs/runes. 

[Cheese 8881]

Only potions I ever see anymore are blasting potions, tanglefoot, arctic mists, dragon's breath, auric oil, bone setter, and waters of life. pls guys u have so many options

[PrimnyaQuorum 3999]

I enjoy further alchemy work and the moral issues that can come with them. I only have made potions for a profit, or because an eventline required them for non-magic users. It’s slop but there’s no good fix

[Xergarok 811]

Mixed feelings on alchemy. I enjoy doing it in a group, but it's 100% based on whether I feel like it. I like to think on inventing stuff, such as with alchemy-based feats like Tawkin. I don't recall if I've ever actually made like... an ST-signed potion... I also never buy or use potions, not even in CRP (I'm under-equipped). 

 

I'd like to use them more for flavor though, and I really really want to make alchemy RP of sitting around a cauldron in a classroom more mainstream with the people I play with. Remove the feeling of a grind, try to enjoy the good times together type of deal. Still, grind aside I enjoy experimenting most and giving quests.

[Tentoa 3160]

It entirely depends. The process of making ST signed potions is a bit boring if done alone, but I find the fun in debating the philosophy of alchemy. Much of the issue that stems from alchemy is that some people value it primarily for the weaponry and advantages it can bring when combined with other feats and magics.

I really recommend if you want to do alchemy, really lean into the alchemy - treat it like the only magic your character is ever going to get and lean into it; the lead-up to eventually being a master alchemist can be very cool roleplay. 

[Samler 1564]

Jamwill hit the nail on the head on this one 

[Random 1690]

People will try to cut down on rp required to mass produce minmax alchemy and then complain that alchemy is boring 😵‍💫

[Helmet 1454]

 

On 6/17/2025 at 3:22 PM, DISCOLIQUID said:

I love the use of RP potions - like forgedust. They're really the only reason I learn alchemy, you can just buy all the good stuff for 20-50 minas at stalls. 

forgedust seems especially fun, it's a shame i haven't seen it more often.

 

On 6/17/2025 at 4:48 PM, Jamwill said:

I think potioncrafting can be enjoyable in small portions. The problem is just that after having done it for a while, you get quite tired of having to write the same emotes over and over.

Crafting roleplay in general is also way more enjoyable when working together with someone else as opposed to doing it solo, since a lot of people (me included) find solo rp to often be quite bland, and unenjoyable. More like a chore than anything, if its required for making a specific item.

Thank you for giving a correct take.

Do you think there could be any methods to reduce the amount of effort needed to make these RP-oriented potions, or at least make it more interesting like having Alch be done in front of people more often instead of at home?

 

On 6/18/2025 at 3:13 AM, Xergarok said:

Mixed feelings on alchemy. I enjoy doing it in a group, but it's 100% based on whether I feel like it. I like to think on inventing stuff, such as with alchemy-based feats like Tawkin. I don't recall if I've ever actually made like... an ST-signed potion... I also never buy or use potions, not even in CRP (I'm under-equipped). 

 

I'd like to use them more for flavor though, and I really really want to make alchemy RP of sitting around a cauldron in a classroom more mainstream with the people I play with. Remove the feeling of a grind, try to enjoy the good times together type of deal. Still, grind aside I enjoy experimenting most and giving quests.

How do you think the 'feeling of a grind' could be reduced further? Aside from that, great input.

 

1 hour ago, Dr Random K. said:

People will try to cut down on rp required to mass produce minmax alchemy and then complain that alchemy is boring 😵‍💫

What could we do to make alchemy rp of these non-minmax potions less menial, though? I mean it takes the same amount of labor to make a Lands Nurture as it does a potion that will actually 'matter' like blasting potions or arctic mists.

This is like making both a combustive fire blast & a flavor, non-combative fire bending spell take the same 5 emotes & amount of mana when talking in MA territory. Of course people are going to use the combustive fire blast more often, it's just more useful and worth it for the amount of effort they are putting in.

Edited June 20, 2025 by Helmet

[Xergarok 811]

7 hours ago, Helmet said:

How do you think the 'feeling of a grind' could be reduced further? Aside from that, great input.

 

Not really necessary, the most grind part is being forced to RP extraction until T3 (but nobody really cares) which can be a pain if you make a Homunculus. At that point you best find a way to make it fun to compensate for the grind, the screenshots, the document, etc. So do it in group, make it a fun lesson, whatever. After T3 there isn't much grind, only if YOU choose you need X amount of potions and thus need to 'grind' the potions. The 'grind' isn't inherent to Alchemy (except for herbs), it's a player mindset in my opinion. 

 

Grinders will always find it annoying, their goal is not RP but the outcome (potions). You can't please them, and if they don't undertake steps to make it fun they will keep finding it annoying because long RP takes more time for them to reach their goal. People who enjoy it can also be bummed out by this grind part but I'd recommend them to find ways on their own. Alchemy will always necessitate some structure or outline... Whether it's tossing herbs in a pot, or extracting stuff, etc. 

 

Conclusion: It's fine as is, it's not overly grind once you are T3 (no extraction), herbs could perhaps be more dynamic (it's a mechanical grind) but not terrible... But to me it's a mindset issue. Is the RP the goal, is the potion the goal, and can you make the RP fun whilst making a ton of potions without getting burned out... I'm of course happy to see improvements to alchemy, just no clue right now what those might be! 

[MysticalWeasel 910]

Alchemy is the most bloated part of the server, and makes people who do not use magic be on the same level in all areas as magic. It needs to be shrunk down and have its niche where it can shine and have its place in RP. For now, the only place I see potions used is combatively. Three emotes with a inventory space of any answer for any situation is boring and makes people who invest time into magics feel useless when you can just get a feat that gives you tools to be on par wit them. 

Beyond that, people don't see to use the other cool aspects of alchemy. I haven't seen a smogger mart in forever, its only used to boost ones ability in combat situations. BTW I mean all combat not just CRP. Every event, everyone has fifty different potions. Becoming a bigger headache than minion tracking.