Augmented Alchemy

[Ferrix]

Looking at the Craft (alchemy) skill along with it's epic usages, I had a few questions about it.

Augmented Alchemy [Epic]
Prerequisites: Int 21, Craft (alchemy) 24 ranks.
Benefit: Whenever creating an alchemical item or substance, you can choose to make it more powerful than normal by adding +20 to the DC required to create it and multiplying its price by 5. If the item or substance deals damage, double the damage dealt. If the item or substance doesn’t deal damage, double the duration of its effect. If the item or substance doesn’t deal damage and doesn’t have a specific listed duration (or has an instantaneous duration), double all dimensions of its area. If the item or substance doesn’t fit any of these categories, then it cannot be affected by this feat. See the Craft (alchemy) skill description.

Create Augmented Alchemical Item or Substance
This requires the Augmented Alchemy feat, and allows a character to create alchemical items and substances of greater power than normal. To augment an alchemical substance, add +20 to the DC required to create the item and multiply the cost by 5. If the item or substance deals damage, double the damage dealt. If the item or substance doesn’t deal damage, double the duration of its effect. If the item or substance doesn’t deal damage and doesn’t have a specific listed duration (or has an instantaneous duration), double all dimensions of its area. If the item or substance doesn’t fit any of these categories, then it cannot be improved in this manner. A character can create an item with multiple degrees of augmentation. For every additional multiplier applied to damage, duration, or area, add an additional +20 to the DC and add an additional 5 to the cost multiplier.

First question is why require a feat to use the augmented alchemy ability?

Second question is why make that feat an epic feat?

Third question, why is the DC increase so high?

Now that I've asked my questions, I'll give my opinions on the whole subject.

I can't see the reason why you need a feat to use the augmented alchemy part of the Craft (alchemy) skill. To me, augmenting alchemy would be similar to making a masterwork piece of armor or weapon, and that doesn't require a feat, so why would augmenting alchemy?

Additionally, why restrain it to epic usage? With the already high craft DC's of alchemical items, it's not like most low level characters are going to be pumping out high powered alchemist fires, and alchemy will always be outpaced by magic. By fifth level, a fireball will deal 5d6 damage, while an augmented alchemist fire would take a DC 100 Craft (alchemy) check and cost 400gp. The craft DC seems a bit in excess, although the cost is about the same as a scroll of fireball.

And is a +20 to the DC really balancing or excessive? A 21st level character would be hard pressed to make the above augmented alchemist fire.

Opinions?

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Opinion? Augmented Alchemy is a really crappy Epic feat.