UPDATE: Xenochemistry (Roguelike chems + phrase building based chemistry)

[Frank_Stein]

Chem starts with a box of chems with randomized names and apperances. Included would be a manifest of what the chems could be, and table of characteristics they have.

The chems can be identified by running a series of tests on them using tools and experiments. Many chems would have similar characteristics, meaning identifying them is a process of narrowing them down with multiple tests

Examples of tests:

• It's pH level
  
• It's radioactivity
  
• Does it react with certain materials like maxuite or synth rubber
  
• Does it react with certain chems
  
• Is it toxic
  

Identified chems could be then safely combined with certain other existing chems, as they would all have very volatile reactions with a few other existing known chems.

It's my recommendation that this system exist alongside the current system, and that the randomized chems and the things you can make with them are unique creations rather than replacing other existing chems, at least until feedback is received.