I wanted to get some opinions on my Grenadiers class ability “Directed Blast”. I have experienced some varying interpretations and wanted to see what a larger circle might think.
Directed Blast (Su)
At 6th level, a grenadier can detonate a bomb so that it splashes in a 20-foot cone rather than affecting a radius. The cone starts at the alchemist and extends away from her in the direction she chooses. The alchemist designates one creature in the squares affected by the cone to be the target of the bomb and makes her attack roll against that creature; all other squares in the cone take splash damage. If the alchemist has the explosive bomb discovery and throws an explosive directed blast, the cone of splash damage is 30 feet long instead of 20 feet.
This ability replaces swift poisoning.
I think this ability is kinda like a burning hands with the alchemist’s bomb (albeit that this is a supernatural ability). He detonates it from his square and it sends out a cone of energy that takes a direct hit against one person in the cone and splash damage against the rest.
The last sentence is the controversial part and I think it could have been worded better. In trying to explain how this ability works with the explosive bomb discovery, it says “If the alchemist throws an explosive directed blast…”. Some GMs have said they think the terminology of "throws" is still used, because you effectively still throw the bomb, since you make a ranged attack roll against a target that is within the blast radius of the cone. But you cannot actually use this ability in conjunction with a thrown bomb attack, i.e. I throw my explosive bomb twenty feet and then have it explode in a cone instead of a burst.
I disagree. I think the intent of the ability is to allow bombs to explode in a cone whether thrown or detonated.
Looking at the “Strafe Bomb” Alchemist Discovery from Ultimate Magic. Its explanation uses the exact same format as Directed Blast, but is clearer. You can throw a bomb and have it explode in a line instead of a burst.
Strafe Bomb (Su)
Benefit: The alchemist can throw bombs that splash in a 40-foot line rather than affecting a radius. The line starts at the alchemist and extends away from him in the direction he chooses. The alchemist designates one creature in the squares affected by the line to be the target of the bomb and makes his attack roll against that creature; all other squares in the line take splash damage.
Special: If the alchemist has the explosive bomb discovery and throws an explosive strafe bomb, the line of splash damage is 80 feet long instead of 40 feet.
I think it is clearly intended for both abilities to work when a bomb is thrown. It is common in PF for burst radius abilities to be able to be modified later to lines or cones by equipment, feats, or archetypes class abilities. Strafe Bomb is available to all alchemists at 2nd level, so this is a low level ability. Directed Blast is available only to grenadiers and at 6th level. I don’t think this is game breaking or cheesy.
Any thoughts out there?
Pretty sure the intent is exactly what it says: "The cone starts at the alchemist".
You basically drop a bomb in your square and it only explodes in a 20/30 foot cone.
@ Ra Loi, I know, right? That's what I was thinking. Hey thanks for responding. Sometimes I post stuff and its like it goes to the part of the internet that no one cares about.
Not to be weird or anything, but we should totally hang out together.
@Evil Monk, Strafe says the same thing about starting at teh alchemist and clearly is a throw.
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No, you do not begin a line or a cone anywhere except adjacent to the caster. Ever. Bombs are no exception to this, and it even clarifies this in the descriptions of both the Directed Blast and Strafe Bomb abilities.
Just because the effect begins adjacent to you doesn't mean you aren't throwing something to generate that effect.
@Evil Monk, Strafe says the same thing about starting at teh alchemist and clearly is a throw.
How is it "clearly a throw"?
It's pretty cut and dried.
Benefit: The alchemist can throw bombs that splash in a 40-foot line rather than affecting a radius. The line starts at the alchemist and extends away from him in the direction he chooses. The alchemist designates one creature in the squares affected by the line to be the target of the bomb and makes his attack roll against that creature; all other squares in the line take splash damage.
It can't be thrown if it starts at the Alchemist, period. He just picks a guy to be the main target, that guy takes full damage, and the rest of the guys in the line take splash.
You are making a thrown bomb attack roll against the direct target in the cone, but the cone otherwise starts on you and extends outward, it does not start where you throw it.
I'll see about asking the author and will relay the information. I suspect that you won't like the answer.
@Evil Monk, Strafe says the same thing about starting at teh alchemist and clearly is a throw.How is it "clearly a throw"?
Its clearly a throw because thats how I dreamed it in my head. My bad, upon further examination I was in error. But do not fret internet, this will not stop me from believing that I am totally right about everything in the future.
@Cheapy if you got that kind of pull to talk to the designer ask him about another feature of this archetype, Alchemical Weapon. Does an Alchemist get to add his INT bonus to damage to these splash weapons that don't splash on this attack.
Thanks.
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Ok, asked the original author. His response was that cones always start at your base, and that one way you could think of it is to imagine him throwing it at his feet and it blasts out as a cone. So it's not throwing like you would a normal bomb.
I also asked him about your other question awhile ago, and I recall the answer being "yes, you add them" since they're still splash weapons. I just asked him again, and he agreed that it would add, but cautioned that Paizo may think differently.
And during that investigation, I noticed that d20pfsrd.com's alchemist version of throw anything was incorrect and made it seem like you had to use Throw Splash Weapon to get it, when the correct terminology is "An alchemist adds his Intelligence modifier to damage done with splash weapons, including the splash damage if any."
Recap:
Ok, asked the original author. His response was that cones always start at your base, and that one way you could think of it is to imagine him throwing it at his feet and it blasts out as a cone. So it's not throwing like you would a normal bomb.
I also asked him about your other question awhile ago, and I recall the answer being "yes, you add them" since they're still splash weapons. I just asked him again, and he agreed that it would add, but cautioned that Paizo may think differently.
And during that investigation, I noticed that d20pfsrd.com's alchemist version of throw anything was incorrect and made it seem like you had to use Throw Splash Weapon to get it, when the correct terminology is "An alchemist adds his Intelligence modifier to damage done with splash weapons, including the splash damage if any."
Recap:
Directed Blast can't be used when thrown like a normal bomb, and is still restrained by the rules of cone blasts that the ability lays out.
You can add Int to the damage of alchemical weapon. (But Paizo may think differently if officially clarified and in any event, it won't be multiplied if critically hit.)
Hey thanks for checking on this. Could I ask who the original author is?
Russ Taylor wrote the grenadier for Pathfinder Society Field Guide. I tend to try and get permission before naming who the authors are :)
Sorry for the necro. One of my players got this on his bramble brewer. The ability says:
"The alchemist designates one creature in the squares affected by the cone to be the target of the bomb and makes her attack roll against that creature; all other squares in the cone take splash damage."
He's reading it as automatic damage, no saving throw to ignore halve damage. I'm was a bit skeptical, but let that pass. But his blasts became annoying the last levels, so I went looking for a clarification. The splash damage here is automatic, or is like a normal bomb (saving throw to negate half)?
Edit: also just noticed that I have been a bit unfair to him. Reflex only halves the bomb splash damage, do not negate it. He will be happy