[PFS] Underwater combat for alchemist


Advice

RPG Superstar 2014 Top 16, RPG Superstar 2013 Top 16

My bomb-throwing alchemist recently hit level 9, and I'm getting him ready for GenCon. He's pretty good overall, but I'm worried that I'll run into underwater combat and be totally screwed over. So now I'm looking for ideas on what he can do in combat underwater. He already has water breathing as an extract, so he can survive just fine. Here are my thoughts:

-My trap breaker archetype allows me to plant land mines with my bombs. This gets past the restriction on thrown weapons, but it would be difficult to force it to trigger.
-defensive shock extract in a potion sponge, so I just tank and try to bait enemies into attacking me. On that subject, I could have sworn I saw a rule that electric and sonic effects were somehow boosted underwater, but I can't find it now; did I imagine it?
-Underwater crossbow. Cheap, but abyssmal damage
-Staff of Entwined Serpents. Slightly better damage than the crossbow and an auto-hit, plus useful on land if I want to save bombs, but it costs a bit over 5000 gp and I'm hosed against SR.
-Wait until level 10 and keep a beast shape II extract on hand to turn into a giant crab and try to grapple people. Any other ideas on what to polymorph into?
-Get a wand of one of my defensive buffs (probably blur) and just concentrate on supporting the people who CAN attack.

Any other ideas?

Scarab Sages

Underwater crossbow + explosive missile discovery?

RPG Superstar 2014 Top 16, RPG Superstar 2013 Top 16

I was hoping not to spend a whole discovery on it. There's too much other stuff I want.

Scarab Sages

You could take the extra discovery feat to get it, but feats are precious too.

Polymorph could work. Before Beast Shape, you can Alter Self into a lizardfolk. Swim Speed + three natural attacks.

Grand Lodge

I have to assume you are not a Grippli and therefore don't have access to the Discovery to allow bombs to work underwater. Even if so, you sounded reticent to waste a discovery on this goal.

What is your race and do you have any archetypes?

Edited to add: A level 3 extract that would likely replace your need to prep water breathing and improve a few things underwater would be Monstrous Physique I, morphing into a sahuagin, sea hag, or skum.

RPG Superstar 2014 Top 16, RPG Superstar 2013 Top 16

He's a human with the Trap Breaker archetype. He's also got 14 Strength, so if I know to expect underwater encounters, I can prep a Strength mutagen and bull's strength extracts to get up to 22 Strength when I need it.

Still, that's not great at this level, and I would need more than a couple of natural attacks (for instance, grab) to be any good in combat.

Grand Lodge

Im currently gm'ing a campaign based underwater. Im planning on allowing our alchemist to make a launcher akin to the goblin bomb thrower. It would launch conical shaped bombs allowing for movement through the water. May help you think of something. If the rules don't allow something, just look at the craft skills and creativity.

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