Laboratory & Technical Formulae

Laboratory & Technical Formulae collects established specialist procedures used for analysis, sample handling, alchemical utility, and technical inspection.

Unlike ordinary Recipes, each procedure in this article requires knowledge of its named Formula. Tool proficiency alone is not sufficient. A crafter must know the Formula and satisfy its listed tool, material, equipment, Base Item, and Crafting Time requirements.

Routine crafting succeeds when those requirements are met and suitable working conditions are available. An ability check is used only when circumstances create genuine uncertainty.

Galarium Assay Preparations

Type: Nonmagical Consumable Laboratory Reagent
Purchase Price: 10 gp per assay set
Material Cost: 5 gp
Crafting Time: 1 workday
Required Tool: Alchemist's Supplies
Tool Proficiency: Required
Yield: 1 assay set
Formula Required: Galarium Assay Preparations

Galarium Assay Preparations are specialist reagent sets used to examine Galarium, Galarium residue, mineral contamination, and unusual changes in crystalline material.

A complete assay set contains prepared washes, Reagents, reference samples, and testing surfaces. Performing one complete analysis consumes the assay set.

Assay methods are used by refiners, mining organizations, artificer institutions, arcane colleges, and other specialists. Different traditions can use their own established formulations.

Analysis

Typical analysis uses the following DCs:

DC 15 Intelligence (Alchemist's Supplies): Confirm ordinary Galarium, recognize common impurities, identify ordinary extraction residue, or determine obvious physical damage.

DC 18 Intelligence (Alchemist's Supplies): Identify unusual contamination, significant alteration, abnormal residue, structural irregularity, or evidence that a sample has changed in an unfamiliar way.

DC 20 or Higher Intelligence (Alchemist's Supplies): Examine unprecedented, severely altered, magically corrupted, or otherwise exceptional material when meaningful analysis remains possible.

When both Arcana proficiency and Alchemist's Supplies proficiency apply to the same analysis, use the normal D&D 2024 interaction between a relevant skill and tool proficiency.

A failed assay normally produces an inconclusive result rather than false information.

Limits

An assay is primarily useful for examining physical composition, contamination, residue, structural abnormalities, and evidence of alteration.

It does not normally determine exact market Value, magical load, safe magical capacity, Functional Refinement, complete enchantment information, precise failure conditions, or the identity of an unfamiliar contaminant.

Those questions can require Galarium Refinement expertise, specialist instruments, divination, engineering records, or further research.

Crystal Packing Compound

Type: Nonmagical Protective Preparation
Purchase Price: 5 gp per application
Material Cost: 2 gp 5 sp
Crafting Time: 1 workday
Required Tool: Alchemist's Supplies
Tool Proficiency: Required
Required Equipment: Suitable container or case
Yield: 1 application
Formula Required: Crystal Packing Compound

Crystal Packing Compound is a dense resinous preparation used to secure Galarium and other fragile crystalline or mineral samples during transport.

One application is sufficient for one Small or smaller fragile sample placed inside a suitable container.

A correctly packed sample is considered appropriately secured during ordinary travel, transport, and routine handling.

If an exceptional fall, collision, impact, or similar event creates a genuine risk of physical damage and the DM calls for a check, proper packing grants Advantage on that check.

Limits

Crystal Packing Compound is intended for physical protection.

It does not suppress Galarium, prevent magical discharge, stabilize an unsafe magical load, or interfere with the magical Properties of the packed sample.

Materials requiring magical containment use the rules appropriate to that material.

Smoke Flask

Type: Nonmagical Alchemical Consumable
Purchase Price: 20 gp
Material Cost: 10 gp
Crafting Time: 2 workdays
Required Tool: Alchemist's Supplies
Tool Proficiency: Required
Required Equipment: Flask or similar breakable vessel
Yield: 1 Smoke Flask
Formula Required: Smoke Flask

Smoke Flasks are specialist alchemical preparations used for signaling, emergency concealment, pest control, and similar practical purposes.

Use

When taking the Attack action, a creature can replace one attack by throwing the flask at a point it can see within 20 feet.

The flask breaks and fills a 10-foot-radius Sphere with dense smoke.

The area is Heavily Obscured until the end of the thrower's next turn.

Strong wind disperses the smoke immediately.

The flask deals no damage.

Different alchemical traditions can produce comparable Smoke Flasks. The Formula represents a reliable specialist method rather than a technique belonging exclusively to one guild or institution.

Treated Inspection Lens

Type: Modified Optical Tool
Base Item: Magnifying Glass
Base Item Price: 100 gp
Finished Market Value: 110 gp
Treatment Material Cost: 5 gp
Treatment Time: 1 workday
Required Tool: Alchemist's Supplies
Tool Proficiency: Required
Formula Required: Treated Inspection Lens

A Treated Inspection Lens is a Magnifying Glass prepared with a specialist coating for examining minerals and crystals.

The Treatment reduces glare from internally luminous, reflective, or highly refractive materials that might otherwise obscure fine physical detail.

The lens can assist an examiner in seeing fine fractures, inclusions, residue, discoloration, surface changes, and similar physical irregularities.

Base Item

The Magnifying Glass is acquired or crafted separately before the Treatment is applied.

Applying the Treatment requires 5 gp of materials and 1 workday in addition to the Base Item.

If the Magnifying Glass is crafted rather than purchased, it is produced first using its ordinary mundane crafting Recipe.

Limits

A Treated Inspection Lens does not detect magic, automatically identify Galarium, reveal ley lines, measure magical charge, expose enchantments, or reveal Invisible creatures.

It remains a specialist physical inspection tool rather than a magical detection device.

The established Galarium Resonance Gauge does not require a Treated Inspection Lens. The two tools serve different functions.