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“There is no problem that cannot be solved through the careful application of high explosives.”
The Demolitionist is an expert in explosives. With a bomb he can take out a wall, wreak havoc amongst his enemies, and set deadly traps for the unsuspecting. They are not the kind of Rogue that stabs you in the back, they are the kind that puts a bomb in your room before you go to bed at night, or lobs one in your general direction during the heat of battle. While they lack the variety of infusions that an Alchemist may possess, they are every bit as deadly with the bombs they make, and most are happy with knowing just enough alchemy “to be dangerous”.
Explosives Training.
Bomb (Su)
Demolitionist are experts at swiftly mixing various volatile chemicals to create powerful bombs that they can hurl at their enemies. A demolitionist can use a number of bombs each day equal to his class level + his Intelligence modifier. Bombs are unstable, and if not used in the round they are created, they degrade and become inert—their method of creation prevents large volumes of explosive material from being created and stored. In order to create a bomb, the demolitionist must use a small vial containing an ounce of liquid catalyst—the demolitionist can create this liquid catalyst from small amounts of chemicals from an alchemy lab, and these supplies can be readily refilled in the same manner as a spellcaster's component pouch. Most demolitionist create a number of catalyst vials at the start of the day equal to the total number of bombs they can create in that day—once created, a catalyst vial remains usable by the alchemist for years.
Drawing the components of, creating, and throwing a bomb requires a standard action that provokes an attack of opportunity. Thrown bombs have a range of 20 feet and use the Throw Splash Weapon special attack. Bombs are considered weapons and can be selected using feats such as Point-Blank Shot and Weapon Focus. On a direct hit, a demolitionist's bomb inflicts 1d6 points of fire damage + additional damage equal to the demolitionist's Intelligence modifier. The damage of an demolitionist's bomb increases by 1d6 points at every odd-numbered demolitionist level (this bonus damage is not multiplied on a critical hit or by using feats such as Vital Strike). Splash damage from a demolitionist bomb is always equal to the bomb's minimum damage (so if the bomb would deal 2d6+4 points of fire damage on a direct hit, its splash damage would be 6 points of fire damage). Those caught in the splash damage can attempt a Reflex save for half damage. The DC of this save is equal to 10 + 1/2 the demolitionist's level + the demolitionist's Intelligence modifier.
Demolitionists can learn new types of bombs as discoveries, in place of learning a rogue talent (see the Discovery ability) as they level up. A demolitionist may only select discoveries that are related to bombs, and they treat their demolitionist class level as Alchemist's levels for the purposes of determining which discoveries they qualify for. A demolitionist may not select any rogue talents that use sneak attack, unless the have gained sneak attack from another class.
A demolitionist's bomb, becomes inert if used or carried by anyone else.
This ability replaces Sneak Attack
Throw Anything (Ex)
All demolitionist gain the Throw Anything feat as a bonus feat at 1st level. A demolitionist 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.
Precise Bombs (Ex)
At 3rd level, a demolitionist gains the precise bombs alchemist discovery as a bonus discovery.
This ability replaces Trap Sense +1
Explosive Disarm (Ex)
At 5th level, a demolitionist can attempt to disarm a mechanical or magical trap by detonating it rather than disarming it with a Disable Device check. As a full-round action, a demolitionist may expend one of his bombs to make a ranged touch attack against a trap, using the trap's Disable Device DC as its AC. If the attack misses, the bomb's splash damage activates the trap. If the attack hits, the bomb deactivates the trap without setting it off. The demolitionist must both know the location of the trap and be able to reach the trap's trigger with a ranged touch attack in order to use this ability.
This ability replaces Uncanny Dodge from 4th Level.
Directed Blast (Su)
At 6th level, a demolitionist can detonate a bomb so that it splashes in a 20-foot cone rather than affecting a radius. The cone starts at the demolitionist and extends away from him in the direction he chooses. The demolitionist designates one creature in the squares affected by the cone to be the target of the bomb and makes his attack roll against that creature; all other squares in the cone take splash damage. If the demolitionist 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 Trap Sense +2.
Land Mine (Ex)
At 8th level, a demolitionist can turn his bombs into land mines. Setting a land mine is a full-round action that provokes attacks of opportunity. The land mine fills a single 5-foot square, and can't be placed in the same space as another trap, land mine, or magic trap. The demolitionist can arm the land mine with any bomb he is eligible to use, and the effects of this bomb are immediately transferred to the land mine. Creating a land mine uses up two of the demolitionist's bombs per day. The DCs for Perception checks to notice the land mine, Disable Device checks to disable it, and saving throws to avoid its effects are equal to 10 + 1/2 the demolitionist's level + his Intelligence modifier. All demolitionist land mines are mechanical traps with the qualities Trigger: location and Reset: none. Land mines last for 1 day per demolitionist level or until they are triggered, whichever comes first.
This ability replaces Improved Uncanny Dodge
Staggering Blast (Su)
At 9th level, a demolitionist's bombs become particularly overwhelming when they explode. Whenever a demolitionist scores a successful critical hit with a bomb, the creature directly struck by that bomb is staggered for 1d4+1 rounds. A successful Fortitude save (DC equals the bomb’s Reflex save DC to avoid splash damage) reduces the duration to 1 round. The effects of this ability stack with a frost bomb’s staggering effect, but not with the effects of the Staggering Critical feat. Additional hits from a staggering blast add to the effect’s overall duration.
This ability replaces Trap Sense +3
Mine Engineering (Ex)
At 10th level, a demolitionist's expertise in improving explosives allows him to create land mines with minimal expense. Creating a land mine uses up only one of the demolitionist's bombs per day.
This ability replaces the Advanced Rogue Talent for Level 10.
Demolition Specialist (Ex)
At 12th level a demolitionist becomes a specialist of taking down structures with his explosives. Any time a demolitionist deals damage to an object his bombs automatically ignore half of that object's hardness.
This ability replaces Trap Sense +4
Powerful Bombs (Ex)
At 15th level a demolitionist's bombs become quite powerful. He treats any 1s that he rolls on his bomb damage dice as 2s. Also a demolitionist's bomb's splash damage increases to half of the bomb damage rolled.
This ability replaces Trap Sense +5
Swift Mining (Ex)
At 18th level a demolitionist can set land mines with astounding speed. It now only takes the demolitionist a Move Action to set a land mine. Setting the land mine still provokes a attack of opportunity.
This ability replaces Trap Sense +6
Explosives Mastery (Ex)
Upon reaching 20th Level a demolitionist becomes a Master of Explosives. He treats any 1s and 2s that he rolls on his bomb damage dice as 3s. Also anyone caught in the bomb's splash damage radius takes the full amount of the bomb damage rolled, as if they had been directly hit by the bomb. Finally the demolitionist's bombs are so precise that they completely ignore an objects hardness when dealing damage.
This ability replaces Master Strike
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I was surprised to find that no one has really thought to do this with the rogue. Especially since we have an Alchemist that traded bombs for Sneak Attack dice. Anyway, my goal here was to create a Rogue Archetype that specialized in bombs rather than sneaking up from behind and dealing damage.
Yes this archetype is a hybrid of the alchemist archetypes Grenadier and Trap Breaker.
But I wanted to combine them in a way that would be more effective overall. (Also if everyone is going to keep stealing from the Rogue, I thought it was time Rogues had an archetype that stole some stuff back)
Anyway, enjoy the archetype, tell me what you think.
AK-
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Simple and fairly well done. Added to my list of homebrew I like.
If you want to flex those design muscles some more, consider what you would need to do to remove the bombs per day limit.
Simple and fairly well done. Added to my list of homebrew I like.
If you want to flex those design muscles some more, consider what you would need to do to remove the bombs per day limit.
I'm glad that you like it Cheapy. Its funny how you always seem to be the first to notice my posted stuff.
You could just removed the bombs per day limit if you really wanted to. The Warlock in D&D had an at will spell like ability and with the right Dark Invocation he could turn it into an area of effect ability.
I prefer keeping the limit on the number of bombs per day, because then it "seems" more balanced to DMs and players. People tend to freak out over an unlimited Xd6 area of effect ability, as if its over powered. Its a rookie mistake. Meteor Swarm while a powerful spell pales in comparison to Summon Monster IX, which pales in comparison to "Wish".
But any DM with experience in high level play would laughing allow you unlimited uses with bombs because ultimately, damage is not as big a factor at higher levels.
I really like the concept, but only criticism is helpful, so here goes.
I don't like how you've turned each +1 of Trap Sense into a class feature. Each +1 is not worth a class feature. Also, I think that keeping Trap Sense would be thematically appropriate.
What I would do is create a list of Demolitionist Talents (or whatever name you like) that is comprised Rogue Talents and Alchemist Discoveries of your choice, plus several new ones of your design. If there are abilities you think are so important to the class that you don't want choosing them to be a talent tax, then put those in place of Trapfinding, Evasion, Uncanny Dodge, and Improved Uncanny Dodge. I would keep Trap Sense.
Just my opinion.
I really like the concept, but only criticism is helpful, so here goes.
I don't like how you've turned each +1 of Trap Sense into a class feature. Each +1 is not worth a class feature. Also, I think that keeping Trap Sense would be thematically appropriate.
What I would do is create a list of Demolitionist Talents (or whatever name you like) that is comprised Rogue Talents and Alchemist Discoveries of your choice, plus several new ones of your design. If there are abilities you think are so important to the class that you don't want choosing them to be a talent tax, then put those in place of Trapfinding, Evasion, Uncanny Dodge, and Improved Uncanny Dodge. I would keep Trap Sense.
Just my opinion.
I can see where you are coming from with this. The issue ultimately stems from the Rogue's Lack of Class Features, and this is an issue with D&D 3.0 thru Pathfinder.
-But lets for a moment look at another class that has replaced a similar ability with class features: The Alchemist. Several of the archetypes fully replace Poison Resistance with either 1 ability or several.
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/alchemist
-One could argue that most of the abilities here, barring the replacement of sneak attack with the bombs class feature could all be rolled into Rogue Talents and picked ala-carte. But the same could be argued for just about any of the classes with Rogue Talent, Discoveries, Hexes, ect...
So when I designed these class abilities to replace Trap Sense, I tried to make them so that they would scale up already existing abilities that the archetype gave it. Especially once I got beyond 10th level. So while it looks like I gave out a lot for a simple scaling ability, all I've really done is made that ability more powerful as the archetype advanced. So beyond Level 10 the class really gains nothing new that it can do, it just gets better at what it already can do.
And I do see your point about traps sense fitting thematically. From my perspective the Demolitionist, while capable of disarming traps by hand, prefers to blow them up instead. Thus he never really develops that up close and personal relationship that more "Hands on" Rogues nurture. And the uncanny dodge abilities seemed inappropriate because a Demolitionist is more likely to lob bombs from a distance at his attackers rather than close in for flanking maneuvers in melee.
Ultimately what you could do is separate these abilities into Rogue Talents. The Alchemist does this with nearly every single class feature. Simply make Uncanny Dodge and Improved Uncanny dodge Rogue talents, the latter of which requires you to have the Uncanny dodge ability. Same with Trap Sense.
I hope this explanation has given you insight into my thought process :)
AK-
I like it. I see unlimited nukes/spells as an issue because it means it denies the GM the ability to use attrition, so I'm glad the bombs have limited use.
I agree with Ciaran Barnes that I would like to see demolitionist talents. In particular, I see very few abilities here that involve actually blowing up structures, despite the name of the class. When running a game with an alchemist, we always have the conversation of wishing the alchemist could do things like rig explosives to blow up structures, like a wall or something. We ultimately decide against homebrewing some solution because the alchemist's bombs are basically glorified molotov cocktails. With an archetype called "the demolitionist" I'm expecting something more than the bombs class feature imported to another class. The archetype does deliver (I love mines and explosive disarm), but I actually want to see more.
Perhaps a talent that enables the rogue to spend 5 minutes planting a bomb on a structure that enables him to break the object with a successful engineering check?
I like it. I see unlimited nukes/spells as an issue because it means it denies the GM the ability to use attrition, so I'm glad the bombs have limited use.
I agree with Ciaran Barnes that I would like to see demolitionist talents. In particular, I see very few abilities here that involve actually blowing up structures, despite the name of the class. When running a game with an alchemist, we always have the conversation of wishing the alchemist could do things like rig explosives to blow up structures, like a wall or something. We ultimately decide against homebrewing some solution because the alchemist's bombs are basically glorified molotov cocktails. With an archetype called "the demolitionist" I'm expecting something more than the bombs class feature imported to another class. The archetype does deliver (I love mines and explosive disarm), but I actually want to see more.
Perhaps a talent that enables the rogue to spend 5 minutes planting a bomb on a structure that enables him to break the object with a successful engineering check?
Weapons/Spells and abilities that deal damage can still deal damage directly to objects right? You just need to overcome their hardness and still deal enough damage to brink the object to 0 Hit Points.
I guess I just imagined at lower levels he'd be using most of his bombs to blast through doors, set up traps, and towards higher levels when he starts ignoring hardness then he'd start attacking large scale structures...
but here's an idea for you.
Simply replace Precise Bombs (Ex)
At 3rd level, a demolitionist gains the precise bombs alchemist discovery as a bonus discovery.
This ability replaces Trap Sense +1
WITH...
Delayed Bomb (Ex)
At 3rd level, a demolitionist gains the Delayed Bomb alchemist discovery even if he does not meet the prerequisites.
Benefit: The alchemist can place a bomb so that it explodes a number of rounds after the alchemist ceases contact with the bomb. This delay can be any number of rounds as chosen by the alchemist, up to a number of rounds equal to his level. If at any point the alchemist reclaims possession of the delayed bomb, he can end the timer and prevent the bomb’s detonation. A delayed bomb detonates immediately if any other creature attempts to touch or move it, or if the bomb’s contents are removed from the vial (such as if the vial breaks). The bomb deals damage as if it scored a direct hit to any creature in the square with the bomb when it detonates, and splash damage (see Throw Splash Weapon) to all adjacent creatures as normal. An alchemist cannot have more than one delayed bomb at one time. If he creates another delayed bomb, the previous bomb becomes inert. Dispel magic can neutralize a delayed bomb, as can a successful Disable Device check (DC equals 10 + the alchemist’s level + the alchemist’s Intelligence modifier).
This ability replaces Trap Sense +1.
Also people have been checking the D20PFSRD right?
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/alchemist/discoveries
Because there are a lot more discoveries (Paizo Published) than what is listed in the Advanced Class Guide, Ultimate Magic and Ultimate Combat. And also I hope everyone read that last part under Bomb that Demolitionist can use Rogue Talents to take Bomb related discoveries and they treat their Demolitionist Class Level as their Alchemist level for the purposes of qualifying for those discoveries...
Anyway hope this helps
