I feel like making a character focused on using the Launching Crossbow.
It's exotic, takes a full round action to load, and has 30' range. Also, depending on ammo, it targets touch AC and does about 1d6 damage, expensively.
So, I'm going to want the following bits and bobs:
*Proficiency
*Rapid Shot (Point Blank Shot)
*Crossbow Mastery (Point Blank Shot, Rapid Shot, Rapid Reload, Dex 15)
*Concentrated Splash (Throw Anything or Precise Shot)
*Int to damage (Alchemist 1/Underground Chemist 2) OR Focused Shot
*Dex to damage (Bolt Ace 5)
*Basic shoot crossbow good ability.
Class-wise, I'm considering:
*Bolt Ace 1, for proficiency, free MW crossbow. I also get Sharpshoot, Gunslinger's Dodge and Vigilant loading.
*Alchemist 1, for Int-to-damage, Mutagen, spell-trigger items, and a bonus to crafting my own ammo.
*Alchemist 2, to get a Discovery (probably a familiar), Poison Use, and poison Resistance.
*Bolt Ace 2, because I have to. +1 AC from Nimble is not terrible, but not exciting either.
*Bolt Ace 3. Shooter's Resolve is decent, and I'm not doing much else with my Grit. +2 Initiative is always nice, and Crossbow-whip might be fun.
*Bolt Ace 4. Bonus feat.
*Bolt Ace 5. Dex to damage, *3 crits, and we're done with this class.
Feat-wise, I think it's going to be
1: Rapid Reload....Ugh, you can't actually take Rapid Reload (Launching Crossbow). Laaaame.
So, by the rules, I'll be stuck with full-round action loading until level 5. Maybe I should carry multiple loaded crossbows. This blows.
|
Hm, reading over this reminded me of an idea I wanted to mess around with.
I really like Underground Chemist for this for the reasons I'm about to mention.
Reason for this is we're still getting int to splash, but we're also getting the ability to draw alchemical items as weapons just to make sure there's no 'you can't load bombs/alch items into a launching crossbow' talk happening.
We're also taking concentrated splash to
A: make our attacks safer to allies
B: increase our damage. A lot.
Another nice thing is our bonus damage is boosted on crits, which makes our inevitable purchase of 'bracers of falcon's aim' THAT much better.
Sure, Alch 1 gives mutagen and spells so it's better if your GM will always let you draw alchemical items as ammo, but if not underground chemist is a solid call.
Really, this should be used with general purpose alch items (acid, alchemist fire, etc) instead of bombs due to ruling and a lack of concentrated splash working with them. Really once you've got it all set up, you can make a really cool 'grenade laucher' build that does a lot of different types of damage.
Also something that I think is vital to REALLY making this fun is both the hybridization funnel (custom combine alch items for awesome ammo) and the focusing flask (for big booms.) There's technically no rule against combining them (3 hybrid concoctions into one focusing flask makes for a HUGE explosion, especially combined with concentrated splash), although that might be going a bit TOO much with this.
A note that a focusing flask will run you some decent cash, so try and hold off on using them as a main offensive. Plan your hybridization well too, since they only last a day. This is best for when you know you have time to set up for things and want to make one hell of a riot.
You'd have to wonder how the reloading hands spell would work with a launching crossbow. Maybe 'normal for its type' would mean alchemist's fire? An eldritch archer magus could use ranged spell combat, ranged spellstrike etc to useful effect with this I think.
|
|
Thinking about it more, why even bother with Alchemist/Underground Chemist that early? You don't have enough of an intelligence focus to really boost it much above 16/18, so this is 3/4 additional damage, 4/6 with concentrated splash. I mean I guess it is after going BA 5 and making sure you've got CB Master to get some extra stat damage for a dip, but I wouldn't consider going Alch/U. Chemist until 6th level.
It just kind of sucks that the build can't have more intelligence synergy.
Combine Artokus's Fire and an acid flask in the Hybridization Funnel for 3d6 damage.
Human Alchemist 1 / Bolt Ace 5
7 / 20 / 12 / 18 / 7 / 7
1) Quick Draw, Point-Blank Shot [BONUS], Throw Anything [BONUS]
3) Rapid Shot
5) Concentrated Splash
According to WBL guidelines, you have 16K to work with by level 6. As an alchemist you craft alchemical items for 1/3rd price. Initial investment costs are 200 GP (Hybridization Funnel) and, say, 750 GP for 10 Launching Crossbows. Extracts of Ant Haul (and Muleback Cords if needed) negate any concern over weight.
That leaves 14,050 GP to spend on attacking. A Focusing Flask containing three Artokus's Fire/Acid Flasks costs 810 GP; that's ~17 lifetime attacks, or ~127 attacks without Focusing Flasks.
If you Quick Draw preloaded Focusing Flask Launching Crossbows, you'll be doing two shots at 1.5*(6d6 [Fire] + 3d6 [Acid] + 5 [DEX] + 4 [INT] + 1 [PBS]) = ~62.25 damage each.
If you draw preloaded non-Focusing Flask Launching Crossbows, you'll do two shots at 1.5*(2d6 [Fire] + 1d6 [Acid] + 5 [DEX] + 4 [INT] + 1 [PBS]) = ~30.75 damage each.
^ Note that Mutagen bumps these numbers up a bit, if you manage to have it up.
|
|
Is there a list anywhere of splash weapons (besides Alch-bombs) that stay relevant into double digit levels? Tanglefoot bags and other alchemical items lose steam pretty quickly.
Effect wise, you're going to lose steam around 5th level. Thankfully, focusing flask/hybridization funnel help keep things useful up into the 10th and up range. Really, you should be expecting a price hike eventually, and hybrid (which isn't a price hike, just a beautiful item) as well as focusing flask help make sure you can still use items like this.
Really, most casting classes need an hour to prepare spells. In that time, you could hybrid 6 acid/fire, acid/tangleburn, or really whatever else you wanted to have 6 big attacks while the rest were just alch fire/acid/etc. Not to mention the intense damage boost you're getting from concentrated splash, keeping your damage relevant for a long time.