ok so i was looking threw some classes today and found the crossbowman. it looked cool and i thought that pure raw damage was not what i was looking for. i thought it would be cool to shoot crossbow bolts that explode or have just plain cool effects. i remember the alchemist and there bombs were awesome but i was wondering how to do the feats and discoveries. also would the grenadier and there ability to infuse alchemic items in attacks be worth it. or could you do the same thing by researching new items that explode on impact with a bolt shot. tying a thunderstone to the end of a bolt would be clunky but why not.
Look at the Explosive Missile discovery on page 24 of Ultimate Combat.
Look at the Explosive Missile discovery on page 24 of Ultimate Combat.
+1. This is the one that lets you attach bombs to your arrows.
A bow alchemist needs all of the other basic archer feats - Point Blank Shot and Precise Shot. But, if you intend to throw bombs, you should have these anyways.
You could also take Rapid Shot and Many Shot. The Alchemist Discovery Fast Bombs lets you throw multiple bombs in a round. But, you will run out of bombs quickly if you do that.
Tying a Thunderstone to an arrow would make it an improvised weapon, I believe...so, -4 to your attack role. Since it's attached to ammo, I'm not sure if Catch Off Guard would negate the penalty or not (usually Catch Off Guard applies to melee weapons)
|
Also note Kirin style, really damn good for adding our INT multiple times to your attack, and that item that lets you mix alchemical stuff to explode at once. That can add your INT bonus 3 times to a single shot; pretty nice.
Kirin style really isn't that good, it takes your swift action, you have to make a knowledge check, and it only applies to one attack. Arcane Strike is far superior.
You would want the grenadier archetype then you can attach flasks and thunderstonea and tanglefoot bags etc to your bolts also
|
|
It also takes three feats instead of one on an already feat starved build, you can't take it until level 9, and again, it only applies to one attack per round in exchange for for your swift action. The cost is too high for what you get. You can bypass the pre-reqs if you take a two level dip in moms, but then you give up alchemist levels.
There are a lot of ways to get a sla even if you are playing a race that doesn't normally have one. There are a few traits that give one.
|
Honestly the Crossbow is not your friend, since even at its best (A light Crossbow), you're still burning a feat to reload like a normal person, a feat you could have used (or burn a trait for Heirloom Weapon which still can give you prof in a martial weapon or Grenadier) to pick up longbow proficiency, which is all and all a better weapon. The array of different arrows you could use (tanglefoot, smoke, blunt, raining, etc), as well as the free action to load are just wonderful.
As for adding weapons to your shot, Grenadier again comes through for you as well as giving you proficiency in the longbow so that you don't need a feat, AND Precise Bomb. Add Explosive Missile to the list and you're getting tex mex sexy.
But let's go a step further, make your weapon Conductive. Now whenever you hit a ranged attack, you can expend 2 bombs to allow your bomb to affect the target. And yes, that and Explosive Missile do stack, so for 3 bombs you can hit an opponent with 2 different bombs as well as whatever Alchemy Item you decided to tie onto it.
Hell, let's go even crazier, take two regular alch items (Acid and Alchemist Fire) and combine them with a Hybridization Funnel, now combine THAT to your Conductive Explosive Missile and watch the sparks fly!
And if you want to see more tips on running an Alchemist, check out my guide for even more information on Alchemical Archers, one of my favorite types of alchemist to run.
BTWay, Kirin Style is garbage, if you want to keep using your Int while on the move, Focused Shot is a FAR better way to do it.
Also, Ki-rin Style doesn't do anything until your 3rd. swift action spent on it.