Alchemist's Aspergillum (Damage + INT)

[sirmaniak]

Hello, i would like to know if the Alchemist can add his bonus by intelligence to the splash damage (with feat Throw Anything) of the weapon "Alchemist's Aspergillum" or the creatures only take 1 point of damage in addition to the normal effect of this mace.

Thank you.

[Azothath]

Throw Anything(Combat) feat. Applies to improvised ranged weapons and thrown splash weapons.
Battle Aspergillum a light melee weapon.
Alchemist's Aspergillum a +1 battle aspergillum and alchemists get a few extra rounds of usage out of the loaded liquid.

so I'm wondering if your intent is to throw the aspergillum?
The aspergillum isn't a splash weapon and doesn't do splash damage.
As an improvised thrown weapon taking a standard action to throw it and not taking the -4 to hit thanks to Throw Anything it will do (by weight, light wpn 4lbs and the rules are somewhat loose here, so I'd say 1d4 or 1d6) (1d6 +Str c20 *2)B dmg plus 1 point of the liquid contents damage on a successful hit. The aspergillum loses a use when thrown and probably for each round it is not upright whether it hits or not.

[blahpers]

While the aspergillum is "fueled" by alchemical items often used as splash weapons, they aren't being used as splash weapons when used in the aspergillum, Just as a rogue clobbering someone over the head with a crossbow doesn't get the benefits of the deadly aim feat, an alchemist wielding an aspergillum doesn't deal additional damage applicable only to splash weapons.

Edit: In a game design sense, you kind of do get the extra damage--it's just spread out over the additional attacks an alchemist can make before running out of fuel.

[sirmaniak]

The question is if the aspergillum is a splash weapon. The alchemist's skill says: Throw Anything (Ex) All alchemists gain the Throw Anything feat as a bonus feat at 1st level. An alchemist adds his Intelligence modifier to damage done with splash weapons, including the splash damage if any. This bonus damage is already included in the bomb class feature.

In other forum said: "...you can fill it with holy water and make it extra useful vs. the undead (especially those pesky incorporeals). Depending on what counts as a splash weapon, this might also allow an alchemist's intelligence modifier to add to the damage."

In any case. Do you think you can unbalance the game if i allow the alchemist to add the intelligence bonus to the splash damage?

Thank you.

[blahpers]

The aspergillum is a melee weapon, not a splash weapon. You swing it at your enemies with the intent of striking them with the knobby part, preferably without letting go of it. You don't throw it such that it breaks and spreads its contents in a radius. (You can throw it, at a penalty, but that just makes it a thrown weapon.)

Does it imbalance the game for an alchemist to get an extra X damage for X+1 hits before having to refuel? Well, yes, by definition, but it's whether it imbalances it enough to matter that's the question. Frankly, I couldn't see an alchemist using any other melee weapon if this were allowed unless it was for style points, but that's just me. But it doesn't come close to the damage an alchemist does with their bombs, so I'm not sure how much it matters.

[sirmaniak]

I think i will allow it. The alchemist who wants the weapon is a small creature, and has strengh +1. The damage he would do would be 1D4 + 5 (1D4 + STR + INT + 1), which i do not think will unbalance the game, since any fighter already does more damage.
Also the price of Alchemist's Aspergillum is 2800 gp, and it can not be bought at low levels.
I also think that the aspergillium itself can be a splash/melee weapon. When you hit you sprinkle some of the content.
Thanks anyway for the answers, i hope that this is not a error and i pay later :S

Thank you.

[blahpers]

Good luck and have fun!