Dwarf Fortress > DF Suggestions

Alchemist's workshop transmutating materials.

(1/3) > >>

Aquillion:
While thinking about the problems some people have had with demands or fey moods for things that aren't available at their location, I came up with a (partial) solution:  Why not allow dwarves to use the alchemist's workshop to transmute base metals, turn glass to crystals, and perform a few other, similar feats?  Naturally, such things would require absolutely huge amounts of materials and wouldn't be feasible to outfit your entire fortress, but they could be used when you absolutely need something that simply isn't available any other way.This fits in with the original concept of an 'alchemist'.  While it might seem magical, it wouldn't be, really; the dwarven alchemists would simply be using properties of their world, in the same way that real-world alchemists sought to use the properties of our world to perform useful transmutations.

Raiden333:
I really really like this idea. Lead to gold!

MindSnap:
Rather than have it use a set amount of materials, have the probability that it produces ANYTHING start at low levels, and be tied to alchemy skill. Say, at no adjective alchemist, a 10% chance of the expected outcome, 20% chance of something random, and 80% chance of nothing coming out. Only metals to metals, rock to rock,  gems to gems etc. And no adamantium fabrication.

WyldKarde:
The trouble with having a huge chance of either total failure or an undesired result is that it undermines the stated purpose here, which is to supply hard to find items for fey moods.  It should be non-trivial though, so perhaps huge raw materials requirements based on the relative values of the materials?  So for example, gold into platinum might require ten bars of gold, but claystone into platinum would require a hundred or more blocks (not rocks, blocks).  Naturally, that would lead to an extremely cluttered workshop and so would take even a legendary Alchemist some time to process.Alternatively, let the value of the desired output only be achievable at a given level of Alchemy skill.  Even a dabbling alchemist could produce a common stone such as shale from another kind of common stone (at a 5-1 ratio, perhaps), but it would take a Master alchemist to produce gold from lead or crystal glass from green glass (still at a ratio of 5-1 or worse).(Disclaimer: All numbers, relative skill levels etc are pulled out of thin air and are unlikely to stand up to any scrutiny)

RubberDuckofDoom:
Personally, I like the alchemist's shop to do alchemy, not magic, regardless of what it's called. The two aren't the same. Misguided in terms of goals and as badly organized as it was, Alchemy was a science, and it is where we get Chemistry from.That's why the Alchemist makes lye right now and not fireball scrolls. Transmuting materials would, in addition to game concerns, seem kind of silly and wrong to me.Your milage may vary.[ November 26, 2007: Message edited by: RubberDuckofDoom ]

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page