Alchemists Stone

[GrudgeBringer]

Reading the description it says that it is a 50% reduction in Alchemy. (The Manual)

When reading the description when clicking on the object it says that you get more 'Money' when alchemizing.

It says nothing about 50% on gem reduction on Alchemy....BIG difference.

As I have never used it, can anyone clear this up for me please.

[Rookierookie]

I'm under the impression that it doubles the gold return from alchemizing fire/earth gems.

[Poopsi]

only gold I think

[Tolkien]

It's only gold.

If only it DID reduce gem-cost in alchemy. Then it would be 1 for 1.

-_-

[Poopsi]

It is a fairly worthless artifact. You get the same from hiring independent alchemists.

I think this one needs improvement

[Lingchih]

no, it's handy, if you don't have alclhemists

[Poopsi]

No, it is useless, it just doubles the return in gold, and gems->gold alchemy is not something done often anyway

[quantum_mechani]

no, it's handy, if you don't have alclhemists
Actually, it stacks with alchemists.

No, it is useless, it just doubles the return in gold, and gems->gold alchemy is not something done often anywayIf it were more expensive it would be a bad deal, but at only 6 gems with a hammer, it has plenty of niche. Even in normal games, there is often the need to alchemize the occasional fire gem to make ends meet, and in some extreme cases (late game post Armageddon, la Rl'yeh or Ermor) gold alchemy can be quite significant.

[Poopsi]

It isn't worth being an artifact

[lch]

So first you're saying it's useless, and now you're saying everybody should have one? :)

[BesucherXia]

in some extreme cases (late game post Armageddon, la Rl'yeh or Ermor) gold alchemy can be quite significant.

Second that. Thats why it should never be left to Ermor/Rly.

[Zargen]

I find the alchemist stone to be of some use when I'm playing nation with absolutely no need for fire/earth gems. And when you start gathering up a bunch of them from random magic sites and from random caches you get from a good role on luck, it gives that little extra bang for your buck when alchemitizing them.

[Agema]

Absolutely no need for gems? Surely such a thing is near-impossible. If you don't have the mages to use the gems, save up and start empowering or (if in MP) trade them for more useful ones.

What could make the alchemist stone quite handy is if it allowed you to convert non-astral pearls directly to other non-astrals at a rate of 2:1, instead of the normal two-step transformation converting to pearls and then to another gem type at 4:1.

[Micah]

QM is right, I would have said that it was worthless before playing in artifacts, but I've gotten quite a bit of mileage out of it, both for myself and for others (taking a cut of the margin.) Not a normal situation, for sure, but it does have a niche.

[Executor]

It's a very good artf. in some situations.
Example game Timewarp. Untherdark, no income, several hundred gems income. Alchemise, buy needed mages, put PD.
I only wish I was the one is possession of it. :)

[MaxWilson]

I find the alchemist stone to be of some use when I'm playing nation with absolutely no need for fire/earth gems. And when you start gathering up a bunch of them from random magic sites and from random caches you get from a good role on luck, it gives that little extra bang for your buck when alchemitizing them.

Is there any such thing as a nation with no need for fire/earth gems? If I've got 80 fire gems and 80 earth gems in the bank, would I rather have:

1.) 2000 gold from alchemy, or double that with the stone, or
2.) A mage empowered to F1E1 in addition to his usual paths, and 3 Fire Brands + 3 Shields of Gleaming Gold?

I think forging the stone probably requires F1E1 anyway, so in practice you're choosing between 2000 gold (if you have no F/E) or 8 Fire Brands + 8 Shields of Gleaming Gold (don't need to empower).

-Max

[Executor]

bump

[Lingchih]

Well, to be honest, I have one game where it has been sitting in my inventory for like 20 turns, and has never been used. I can see a situation where I could want to use it though. It is a niche artifact.

[Tolkien]

Does the (Master) Alchemist-Alchemist Stone effects stack?

[archaeolept]

the effects stack. Each adds 50% to the gold return; not doubling it, as several posters stated.

an alchemist w/ the stone will yield you 30 gp for a fire gem, i believe. Possibly worthwhile for a normal nation, other than certain niche situations like LA Ermor.

basically, it is pretty useless. Often I've forged it and then not used it at all. Or, in other games, it just remains unforged.

[Luckmann]

What about the Master Alchemist pretender? How does it stack alchemy bonuses?

A Master Alchemist gets a +100% bonus to Alchemy, so does the Alchemist's Stone add to that, to a total of 150% If so, what is the net gain from fire gems or whatever?

[Micah]

38?

[Huzurdaddi]

Due to the increase in gold produced by provinces in Dom3 alchemy is simply not used anymore.

The base ratios for alchemy should probably be bumped by x2 to get them back into line with Dom2 and then maybe people would consider using the option, then and only then would the stone become somewhat worthwhile.

However even in Dom2 there wasn't a lot of use of alchemy. With the advent of the CBM there is even less use for alchemy. Pity, I think it was a cool cool system.