So I had an interesting idea for a player character in a friends game, I want to give it a shot but I am unsure if it will be viable at later levels of gameplay.
I want to play a Paladin/Alchemist with the Ragechemist archtype... (AKA Hulk Smite)
Do you guys think this could be a viable play combo, I love the idea of it, righteous rage, aided by the chemical concoctions of the church's providence.
Question:
Did you decide to do this (or at least decide to ask about it) because:
A) you think these two classes have mutually complementary abilities that would mesh well together, or at least well enough to make a fun and playable character
or
B) you think "Hulk Smite!" is cool and want to be able to say it in every fight this character get into?
Compared to what? As in, whats the rest of the party like?
The major problem is the ability scores you would need. Everything except dex, but you want at least 10 dex for AC concerns. You could make it work, but it wouldn't be the greatest thing. However, if the rest of the party isn't fully 100% the best they can be, then go for it.
Ragechemist is quite "un-viable" as you're going to knock yourself out pretty easily.
If it is gestalt and at least 20 point buy it is probably doable. Adding CHR and WIS to your will save can make the DC managable for when you get hit.
It certainly isn't probably the most powerful thing you can make, but you should be able to manage pretty good melee, especially against evil opponents. As long as you aren't expecting something super-optimised it could be fun to play.
If it isn't gestalt, I think you could do a whole lot better some other way. Even just a mutagen fighter would probably be a lot more effective, and you could still be lawful good and use your chemicals to fight evil.
Compared to what? As in, whats the rest of the party like?
The major problem is the ability scores you would need. Everything except dex, but you want at least 10 dex for AC concerns. You could make it work, but it wouldn't be the greatest thing. However, if the rest of the party isn't fully 100% the best they can be, then go for it.
It came about during a discussion about "super strong" paladins, and how you so often see sword and board and so rarely see the Greatsword archtype, that lead me to joke about a Throw Anything Paladin, who lobs things, which inevitable lead to a Hulk joke...
Logic lead me to think on how I could get the Throw Anything for free and it lead to the idea of Hulk Smite, which was too great a joke to give up...
So yes, column B, more then A,
Paladin/Alchemist will be excruciatingly MAD, but potentially workable.
Ragechemist is disgustingly bad. You'll probably get smacked a couple of time early on, become unable ti use Extracts, and then pass out in the middle of the day. And it just gets WORSE as you level up.
If you just want to "Rage Smite" I suggest taking Bloodrager levels instead. Celestial Bloodline ties in flavor-wise quite well.
Compared to what? As in, whats the rest of the party like?
The major problem is the ability scores you would need. Everything except dex, but you want at least 10 dex for AC concerns. You could make it work, but it wouldn't be the greatest thing. However, if the rest of the party isn't fully 100% the best they can be, then go for it.
If he takes the Warrior of the Holy Light archetype, he doesn't have to worry about Wisdom. Using an archetype that drops being able to use bombs for something else and focuses only on extracts meant to buff/heal himself/the party means a higher Int mod isn't as important, either.
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If he takes the Warrior of the Holy Light archetype, he doesn't have to worry about Wisdom. Using an archetype that drops being able to use bombs for something else and focuses only on extracts meant to buff/heal himself/the party means a higher Int mod isn't as important, either.Compared to what? As in, whats the rest of the party like?
The major problem is the ability scores you would need. Everything except dex, but you want at least 10 dex for AC concerns. You could make it work, but it wouldn't be the greatest thing. However, if the rest of the party isn't fully 100% the best they can be, then go for it.
He wouldn't need wisdom anyway. Pathfinder changed the Paladin casting stat to CHA.
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While it would be more MAD than it probably should be, the intelligent use of mutagens would definitely help alleviate that, especially seeing how intelligence probably doesn't need to be higher than 12 for extracts, though that would depend on how many levels of Alchemist you plan to take.
I agree with most other posters in that the Ragechemist is... problematic. Having to make increasingly difficult saves to avoid losing intelligence just because you got hit is a very bitter pill, especially since you don't really get anything of note in return.
With the paladin's excellent Will saves, the Ragechemist penalties might not be so bad - assuming you can get high enough Wisdom and Charisma - which will probably require you to sacrifice Strength, cancelling out the main advantage of the Ragechemist.