This science trespasses in domains normally reserved for the gods—the creation of life, or at least pseudo-life. Alchemists who study this science gain servants who can be of great assistance in their other endeavors, but they also run the risk of their servants’ potential treachery or failure.
Create Homunculus
At 2nd level, on choosing this science, you construct a homunculus. Choose a beast or monstrosity that has a challenge rating of ¼ or less to inspire your servant. Modify the inspiring creature in the following ways. The creature is crafted from clay and is a construct. Add your proficiency bonus to its AC, attack rolls, and damage rolls. Its hit point maximum equals half your own, and it possesses a number of Hit Dice equal to half your own. Its alignment is the same as yours, and it has Intelligence and Wisdom scores of 10 (+0). The homunculus also gains the ability to speak any language you do.
The construct obeys your commands as best as it can. It takes its turn on your initiative, but it doesn’t take an action unless you command it to. As a bonus action on your turn, you can mentally (or verbally) command the construct to move, and direct it to take the Attack, Dash, Disengage, Dodge, or Help action. As an action, you can command your construct to take a more complex action such as “defend this room” or “keep attacking that creature,” which it will continue to do until the task appears to be complete or it receives a new command. If your construct is destroyed, you may create another one by spending 10 downtime days working with your alchemical supplies. If you die, your homunculus becomes inert clay and must be re-created after you are raised or resurrected.
Starting at 6th level and every level thereafter, you can reshape your homunculus. Choose a beast or monstrosity with a challenge rating no greater than ¼ your alchemist level to inspire your servant. Modify the creature as described above to craft your new homunculus. This reshaped homunculus possesses the same memories and personality as your old one—unless the GM decides otherwise. Reshaping your homunculus takes the same amount of time as constructing a new one.
Discoveries of Creation
At 6th and 10th levels, your studies of the Science of Creation allow you to discover a new secret that can enhance and augment your creations. You can also select one of these discoveries instead of a regular discovery.
Repair Unliving Flesh. You learn how to cast cure wounds in a way that affects constructs and undead.
Disguised Homunculus. As an action, you can mentally command your homunculus to change its size to Small, becoming a small but otherwise unremarkable member of your race (as the alter self spell). This effect ends if the homunculus makes an attack roll or casts a spell. Once you use this discovery, you must finish a short or long rest before you can use it again.
Independent Construct. Your homunculus gains the ability to take the Attack, Dash, Disengage, Dodge, or Help action on your turn without being commanded.
Spellbound Construct. Whenever you cast an alchemist spell that would normally affect you as the target, you can choose to have it affect your construct instead (as long as the spell can affect your construct) regardless of the distance between the two of you, as long as you are on the same plane.
Supreme Homunculus
At 14th level, your homunculus can be based on a creature of the construct, dragon, or humanoid types. Your homunculus can be based on a specific creature you have seen before. As long as you can spend the required time, you can reshape your homunculus at will, instead of when you gain a level.