ToME: the Tales of Maj'Eyal

Personally I find alchemists' potions rather boring and repetitive.

First problem is whatever class I play I go for the same potions first: focus and foundations. Game after game, game after game. Also, I almost never go after avoidance, mastery or stone-skin (unless if I want specific reward)

I'd prefer to get random things every game and in fact we have a random system already: Ingredients

I think it would be cooler if Alchemists never knew what kind of potion will they bring and said something like bring me that,that and that and I'll be able to do (insert random name of potions) with effects like this. Effects should be based on the ingredient.

There are many permanent benefits ingredient can give, TOME gives many-many possible variants for interesting buffs. Also, more than one effect for the ingredient may exist so you can't be certain

Not all ingredients have to be beneficial, some may be neutral, some double-edged and even harmful (No one is forcing you to drink the resulting potion.)

PS: I know some guys love guaranteed things, but I prefer evil RNG

First problem is whatever class I play I go for the same potions first: focus and foundations.

Note, that some combos (majority of alchemists, non-grappling brawlers, single element archmages) already have too many class talent points. Amount of necessary generic points fully depends of personal preference: whether or not you go AM, unlock escort trees and such. And all of remaining portions have direct application: how are you going to get 100 luck as halfling in case of bad gear? Still some of portions really need buff. Avoidance is overkill for anyone naturally boosting defense and of too little use for everyone else, and stoneskin is just plain useless, compared to the rest.

I think it would be cooler if Alchemists never knew what kind of potion will they bring and said something like bring me that,that and that and I'll be able to do (insert random name of potions) with effects like this. Effects should be based on the ingredient.

So you are saying, that some portions are useless and immediately propose to make all of them useless?

I wouldn't mind if the options were shuffled between the four alchemists.

I still like the idea of making all the potions give +1 to either Class or Generic, tossing the Class/Generic potions, and working from there.

You end up about in the same spot(you average being able to get four potions per game, sometimes three with very bad luck, sometimes five with very good), and in exchange for a small player buff, you make them a lot more interesting.