Am I missing the obvious choice? Alchemist ranged vs. alchemist melee


Advice


I'm thinking of a new character, alchemist definately, but I'm somewhat stymied on whether to go melee or ranged.

The alchemal allocation would go great with greater magic fang, and his mutagen would help ac and strength. Visectionist would work with damage and I wouldn't have to worry about rationing bombs. My major concern would be when I hit DR, and being able to do enough damage to overcome it.

The other choice is bomb expert. DR? who cares, and having your casting stat (int) added to damage is pretty awesome. My concern here is running out of bombs. Our campaign does have somewhat lengthy days with combat sessions (4 at least before rest), so that would be difficult.

How did the alchemists that you played work out, ranged or melee?

gather information: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (7) + 0 = 7

Silver Crusade

Ranged Bombing is harder to do and I wouldn't recommend it for a new alchemist, especially if you have long game days.

Beastmorph Vivisectionist Alchemist with Feral Mutagen will tear anything to pieces


Elamdri wrote:

Ranged Bombing is harder to do and I wouldn't recommend it for a new alchemist, especially if you have long game days.

Beastmorph Vivisectionist Alchemist with Feral Mutagen will tear anything to pieces

I'm tending to agree, I built some mobs that the DM used and figuring out where the bomb went when it missed was kind of a pain.

Silver Crusade

A Great Alchemist Build


Elamdri wrote:
A Great Alchemist Build

that is a nice build. I hadn't thought about dragon style. And pounce will be awesome. Thanks for replies.

Silver Crusade

Kahn Zordlon wrote:
Elamdri wrote:
A Great Alchemist Build
that is a nice build. I hadn't thought about dragon style. And pounce will be awesome. Thanks for replies.

No worries. Beastmorph with Pounce and Rake...so nasty. You're basically a Druid with Sneak Attack.

Dark Archive

Cheapy recommends not to use the build because it is quite broken mid to high lvls.

Silver Crusade

What isn't broken high to mid levels these days?

Dark Archive

You'll always be able to make broken builds in a system as large as Pathfinder, though it doesn't mean you have to.

Silver Crusade

Well he's free to chose a less optimal route if he wants, I just pointed out an optimal build if that's what he wants. Typically I like to use them as springboards for different character concepts.


If you run out of bombs then you can still use Alchemical flasks (acid, alchemists fire, even holy water against the right foes) and still use your Int on the damage.

Silver Crusade

Mirrel the Marvelous wrote:
If you run out of bombs then you can still use Alchemical flasks (acid, alchemists fire, even holy water against the right foes) and still use your Int on the damage.

That's nice to get you through your 1st few levels, but tends to not be worth the action after that.

The way to play a bomber is to treat your bombs like spells. You want things like Force Bomb, Tanglefoot Bomb, Stink Bomb, Confusion Bomb, Poison Bomb...ect. That way you can throw like one bomb and get an awesome spell effect and damage.


I thought of another way to wreck. Add a level of barbarian for the rage and take fiend totem rage power. Be ratfolk with two claw attacks (feat) ring of rat fangs, tail blade (secondary) and have gore attack. trait the bite attack and you'll have 5 attacks at 3rd level when raging, 4 primary and one secondary. There must be something wrong with that. Seems right though


Taesla wrote:
Cheapy recommends not to use the build because it is quite broken mid to high lvls.

I won't use his build and will come up with something on my own (mostly) I game with powergamers (somewhat) so it should be ok. If there's a lag I'll take infusion discovery and hand out extracts.


Mirrel the Marvelous wrote:
If you run out of bombs then you can still use Alchemical flasks (acid, alchemists fire, even holy water against the right foes) and still use your Int on the damage.

I think he will use the acid flasks and alchemists fires to start. I would still get throw anything, and plan on using craft (alchemy) to whip up some items.

Lantern Lodge

5 levels of Gunslinger (Mysterious Stranger / Pistolero) and 5 levels of Alchemist (Grenadier) with the Explosive Bomb and Explosive Missile Discoveries = gun damage + dex + bomb (3d6 + int) + Pistolero's Up Close and Deadly (2d6) + Vital Strike = win, also 1d6 fire damage every round to target until it puts its self out. All for the cost of 1 bullet, 1 grit point, and 1 bomb use as a standard action.


Psion-Psycho wrote:
5 levels of Gunslinger (Mysterious Stranger / Pistolero) and 5 levels of Alchemist (Grenadier) with the Explosive Bomb and Explosive Missile Discoveries = gun damage + dex + bomb (3d6 + int) + Pistolero's Up Close and Deadly (2d6) + Vital Strike = win, also 1d6 fire damage every round to target until it puts its self out. All for the cost of 1 bullet, 1 grit point, and 1 bomb use as a standard action.

That's cool. Alchemists are a sweet new class and I can't wait to play one. I am leaning melee, but may think of a ranged build for fun.

Community / Forums / Pathfinder / Pathfinder First Edition / Advice / Am I missing the obvious choice? Alchemist ranged vs. alchemist melee All Messageboards

Want to post a reply? Sign in.
Recent threads in Advice
Cat folk urogue claw viability
Druid Gear