Idea Chemist Changes

I think very many people can agree that the buff that was given was both necessary and overkill at the same time.
The old chemist was actually just the class that buffed others, and the current chemist is more often than not objectively better than soldier and heavy.
I have some ideas for changes to chemist that will both keep the buff over old chemist while reducing the power of its current iteration. I will explain my thoughts in spoilers following suggestions.
Also keep in mind that these are meant to be taken separately. Some suggestions may work well with others, but they are by no means meant to be packaged together.

Remove resistance and give chemist better armor.

Spoiler: Thoughts

Currently, resistance is better than any equivalent buff to armor, simply because resistance is a flat damage reduction while armor is slightly dependent on RNG. This might seem like a bad thing, but it gives chemist an edge over every other class other than ninja just because it doesn’t need to rely as much on low-rolling damage numbers. This puts chemist in line with other classes.
Also note that this change is fairly minor. I listed it first, though, because it has to do with the next suggestion.

Change specifically chemist’s helmet in addition to other armor pieces.

Spoiler: Thoughts

Currently, chemist loses a single point of armor with flag by losing its leather helmet, as it has in the past. Chemist with increased damage reduction and a potential of 40 extra hearts from health pots is better able to shrug off damage than soldier and sometimes even heavy. Considering heavy and soldier both lose more than one point of armor when holding flag, chemist after the buff is objectively better at holding flag than either of them.
If chemist’s damage reduction is more reliant on a buff to its armor (specifically the helmet), it will lose armor comparable to soldier and heavy. I’m well aware that only buffing the helmet will result in a terrible carrying class. That result may or may not be desirable, but if this nerf would be tempered, the simple solution is to also change another piece of armor.

Remove the mana change.

Spoiler: Thoughts

The ability to block, throw damage potions to deal knockback and damage, and heal eight hearts per health pot is insanely overtuned. Blocking halves the damage taken after armor and resistance are taken into account. Chemist also has the largest extra health pool in the game if you don’t consider ninja medic assassin and mage “infinite,” as well as arguably one of the best ways to relieve pressure with damage potions. There is absolutely no reason for chemist to have such an easy time soaking up damage in addition to being further able to right click the ground a few more times than was already possible. Chemist’s damage reduction is a fine direction to go for a buff, but it should not also be compounded with the ability to actually spam 8-heart healing items as well as knockback projectiles.

I understand that it’s much too late for the sort of feedback that was requested during testing. But that doesn’t change that chemist is currently an issue, regardless of whether being an issue made it through testing or not.

Thanks for reading what’s basically a rant.

Best