The Gist

From Full Metal Alchemist d20

This is the basics of each part of the system. These are things we're probably not going to change much, though how we do them is up for grabs.

Alchemy

Let's be honest, Alchemy is why you're here. What we see in the show that would be fun to replicate is:

• Most alchemists do research, figure out an array to draw, draw it, and activate it.
• They can do alchemy on-the-fly, though, but skill really matters with that
• Alchemists are always doing research and improving their technique
• Some alchemists have items with arrays on them that let them perform specific tasks instantly.
• Some characters specialize, but others don't

To do all this, we need a system where you can make up 'spells' on the spot. Skill matters, and research pays off in the form of bonuses for having tried it before. Alchemy, then, is going to be based on skills. You decide what you're going to do, the DM decides how hard it is and what skills it requires.

However, there are going to be some feats which let some characters specialize. They learn just enough alchemy skill to get some tricks down, and then use feats to get really good at them.

Classes

It can't all be about the alchemists, so we've got to set up classes so that it's fun and possible for non-alchemists to 'hold their own' against alchemists and do what alchemists can't.

• We've already got two kinds of alchemist-- one who is pretty much a researcher, and they get lots of skills so that they can be making up transmutations all the time. The other has just a few tricks, but knows well how to do them-- and they do other things, too.
• The military has soldiers
• In the manga, there are fighters with specified alchemic powers
• We need the 'subtle classes', rogues and engineers/mechanics.

The Rest

Almost everything else will fall out from these things. We need skills to support alchemy, and feats to support the classes. We need equipment appropriate for early modern times.