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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Dannyalcatraz" data-source="post: 3704168" data-attributes="member: 19675">Alchemist vs Armorer:The armorer needs to know how to make metal spikey and how to attach it to other metal.  That's nothing- he does that all day.  He could probably do it correctly the first time he was asked- the real work in armory is in learning how to shape metal into the graceful curves of armor while retaining metal's hardness...without it getting too soft or too brittle.  He deals with a narrow range of alloys suitable for use in armor & weapons- routinely traded materials (essentially, the class of goods called "commodities") he's going to have on hand 99% of the time.  <s>Its so simple a task there are no rules for setting a DC for an armorer to attach something like this to armor. </s> The Craft: Weaponsmithing DC for adding armor spikes is DC15, and can be done by anyone with the skill, even a commoner.In comparison, besides all the other things the alchemist knows, in this instance, he will need to know which chemicals, poisons or toxins will be effective repellents to the critter in question.  Just because a chemical tastes or smells bad doesn't mean it will be an effective repellent.  Arguably, that that knowledge belongs more in the area of skills like <s>Herbalism </s> Knowledge: Nature than Alchemy, or at the very least, there would be a synergistic relationship here.  Those chemicals may be common or rare- he may even have to send someone out into to retrieve them (the above cited Corpse blossoms in the lich tomb, for instance).  And then, once the Alchemist has the knowlege and materials on hand...he has to make a DC check to actually mix the stuff into a usable form.  The Craft: Alchemy DC for a simple Acid is 15; 20 for Alchemist's fire, smokesticks, or tindertwigs; and 25 for Antitoxins, sunrods, tanglefoot bags and thunderstones...AND you have to be a spellcaster to make any of those.  I'm sure Oswalt's Patent Dragon Repellent would have a higher DC than 25.  Something like that may even be outside of the scope of the Craft: Alchemy skill and into the realm of the Brew Potion Feat or an Artificer's Infusion.So, yes, I'm pretty sure Armor spikes would be the first and the cheapest form of anti- eat me tech in most realities.Consider- the cost of armor spikes is 50GP.An alchemical substance capable of repelling a dragon- even for a few seconds is at least an order of magnitude more valuable than a sunrod, akin to the value of a potion at the very minimum- 200GP+.Besides, I don't know how you run your game, but I've yet to see a DM let his players buy anything they can find a price for assuming they have the GP for it.</blockquote>

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