Alchemist's Cookbook

Alchemist's Cookbook is a relic that appears in runs as a passive item granting a small chance to convert peg hits into healing effects. It was introduced in the demo release of the game and has undergone balance changes in subsequent versions. The relic’s flavor references The Anarchist Cookbook by name association, reflecting its theme of improvised chemistry and explosive lore.

The core mechanical effect is a chance on each peg hit to convert a portion of damage into healing; the conversion percent was adjusted in later patches. As of v0.9.58 the conversion chance/effect was reduced from 7% to 5%. In an earlier patch (v0.8.9) the relic no longer reduced bomb damage, a behavior that had previously been part of its interactions.

Practical usage and interactions:

• Alchemist's Cookbook provides modest sustain by occasionally converting peg damage into healing; it is most useful in longer fights or rooms where many pegs are hit repeatedly.
• Because the conversion percentage is small, the relic functions best when combined with effects that increase the number of peg hits (multi-ball, ricochet, or other peg-multiplying mechanics) so the healing procs occur more frequently.
• The relic no longer reduces bomb damage, so it does not negatively interact with explosives or bomb-type pegs after v0.8.9.
• Treat the item as a supplementary survivability tool rather than primary healing; stack other healing sources if available for more reliable recovery.

The Alchemist's Cookbook is primarily a thematic relic with niche mechanical value; its patch history shows net nerfs to its conversion effectiveness, so plan builds assuming a low proc rate.