Am I understanding the steps to have an alchemist create a potion correctly?

My players have recently hired an alchemist, and are hoping to have him start creating potions of Heroism, a third level effect. Can someone doublecheck how I believe such a process would work:

  • First, the PCs need to provide the alchemist with a workshop worth 8,000gp.
  • The base cost of a Heroism potion is 1500gp.
  • Because this is an alchemist trying to create the potion the cost is doubled to 3,000gp.
  • Ther is no sample or formula for the alchemist to work from.
  • The time to create the potion is six weeks.
  • Three weeks into process the alchemist is able to determine that the special components required are hearts of 3,000xp worth of lions. (Poor lions.)
  • After the requisite special components (probably a lot more money spent to acquire these special components) are acquired the work on the potion can continue. 
  • After the six weeks of work is completed the alchemist then makes a magic research roll as a level 5 spellcaster, where a success is on a 12+, modified by Intelligence bonus, ranks of Magical Engineering proficiency, the spell level of the effect and any bonus for every 10,000gp the workshop is worth above the 8,000gp minimum required value.
  • If successful the alchemist has now created the potion of Heroism, and now has a formula he can use for future attempts to create potions of Heroism.
  • With a formula, future attempts by the alchemist to create potions of Heroism have a base cost of 1,500gp and require 1,500xp worth of lion hearts.
  • If the formula is given to a PC spellcaster of 5th level or higher then the base cost is reduced to 750gp and 750xp worth of lion hearts.

Do I have the process for the alchemist to create a potion of Heroism outlined correctly? Have I missed anything?

 

Bump

That looks correct to me!

Thank you for the confirmation. I'll be using the initial post as an example for my players.

I'd like just a little more confirmation. I was searching the forums trying to find an answer to a different question I had about magical engineering when I came across this post:

http://www.autarch.co/comment/28300#comment-28300

In it you seem to state that the cost of the special components stays static (250gp in the example of a 1st level potion) regardless of whether the base cost is increased to 500gp because the potion is being made by an alchemist. (The formula being known. Is assumed.) Can you confirm if you're earlier post was in error?

The part about building them a lab is interesting. I can see that being the case if your very rich party decide to take on an Alchemist on retainer to churn out potions for them in their castle, but in my (extremely Alchemy heavy) setting most Alchemists in settlements already have a lab. it's such a clear investment that it makes for an interesting structure in itself - filled with valuable (if obscure) equipment that needs guards, cleaners, a whole micro-economy all on its own; in short, Alchemist Shops are a mini-scenario in themselves. A successful Alchemist is a ruler of their own tiny domain. I generally use a 10% surcharge for use of the lab - so an Alchemist capable of making a Potion of Heroism charges 800gp on top of their daily fees.

(At some point I really need to put the finishing touches to my Grand Alchemist custom class and post it up here.)