Alchemist breath weapon and sticky bomb


Rules Questions


Do they work together? will the breath weapon deal splash damage next round?


Only one discovery can be applied to a given bomb.
To be precise, only one *asterisked discovery can be applied to a bomb, and Breath Weapon Bomb is one such discovery.
Bit since Sticky Bomb is not, there's no reason to believe they won't work together.


Klorox wrote:
there's no reason to believe they won't work together.

...apart from the fact that the breath weapon isn't actually a bomb any more.


I feel that the breath weapon is more akin to a flame thrower spewing napalm than to a dragon's elemental breath... so I'd allow it, if only as a boon for being creative and not going completely against the rules.

Of course, it is always possible to take a narrower interpretation of the rules.


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VRMH wrote:
Klorox wrote:
there's no reason to believe they won't work together.
...apart from the fact that the breath weapon isn't actually a bomb any more.

Where does it cease being a bomb for rules purposes?


thorin001 wrote:
VRMH wrote:
Klorox wrote:
there's no reason to believe they won't work together.
...apart from the fact that the breath weapon isn't actually a bomb any more.
Where does it cease being a bomb for rules purposes?

It's kind of does in the description. "Instead of drawing the components of, creating, and throwing a bomb, the alchemist can draw the components, drink them, mix them within his body, and then expel them as a breath weapon as a standard action." But again only kind of. I would probably allow it personally.


Faran wrote:
Do they work together? will the breath weapon deal splash damage next round?

I don't think so.

You have to take a direct hit from a Bomb to be subject to Sticky Bomb.

Sticky Bomb wrote:
Creatures that take a direct hit from a sticky bomb take the splash damage 1 round later.

Nobody is directly being directly hit by an Alchemal Bomb when you use the Breath Weapon Bomb Discovery.

Breath Weapon Bomb wrote:
Instead of drawing the components of, creating, and throwing a bomb, the alchemist can draw the components, drink them, mix them within his body, and then expel them as a breath weapon... This breath weapon is a 15-foot cone

Nobody is being directly targeted by a Bomb. It's a Breath Weapon Attack that affects everyone in a 15-foot cone. One might argue

Breath Weapon Bomb wrote:
Each creature within the cone takes damage as if it had suffered a direct hit from the alchemist’s bomb,

But "takes damage as if" is not the same thing as if that thing actually happened. Breath Weapon Bomb has a lot in common with with a regular Bomb Attack, but I think it is too different to benefit from Sticky Bomb, especially in that one is an area effect attack, and the other requires that you be directly hit.

Klorox wrote:
I feel that the breath weapon is more akin to a flame thrower spewing napalm than to a dragon's elemental breath... so I'd allow it,

Conceptually, your interpretation is far from outlandish. Per RAW, I don't endorse it.

Klorox wrote:
if only as a boon for being creative and not going completely against the rules.

And it does sound like a clever trick to play in adversity, it might be well-allowed by some GMs some times. But building a character with the idea that these Discoveries go together? No.

Klorox wrote:
Of course, it is always possible to take a narrower interpretation of the rules.

Indeed! Through examination of the rules, I did come to the belief that in this case the narrower version is the more correct.


Thx guys, my first thought was that it did not combine, but I thought it might be possible combo...

looking for a way to make my limited arsenal of bombs last a bit longer during a dungeon run. Will try out a two handed weapon with swift poison alchemist clas ability. The damage from the weapon itself is sucky, hence the idea with poison to get a different result and a kind of debuff on mobs.... Anyone ever tried using poison in combat??? never done it in our group, so any tip???


Faran wrote:

Thx guys, my first thought was that it did not combine, but I thought it might be possible combo...

looking for a way to make my limited arsenal of bombs last a bit longer during a dungeon run. Will try out a two handed weapon with swift poison alchemist clas ability. The damage from the weapon itself is sucky, hence the idea with poison to get a different result and a kind of debuff on mobs.... Anyone ever tried using poison in combat??? never done it in our group, so any tip???

So, this is more advice for your character now and no longer a rules question, but since you broached the subject of what to do withyour character knowing that your little plan won't work...

You could just supplement your arsenal of Bombs with more Alchemal weapons. Acid and Alchemist Fire are expensive, but Lamp Oil is Cheap. You can throw a lot of vials of Lamp Oil, then throw 1 vial of Alchemist Fire or a Bomb, and that will set all that Lamp Oil on fire. Another option is to use Keros Oil, the game term for what firebreathers use. And again, throw some lamp oil on your victims, then breathe fire on them that way.

How about being a Grenadier? That will let you put alchemal weapons on your bow and shoot them that way. That will stack with the Explosive Missile Alchemal Discovery. Attaching the vial of Lamp Oil is a Move Action, attaching the Bomb and shooting the Arrow is a Standard Action. Dip a level or 2 into Ranger so you can use Wands of Gravity Bow, so your base Arrow Damage is 2d6, or use Marker Dye Arrows: Ranged Touch Attack. Marker Dye Arrows themselves do no damage, but you are putting vials of Lamp Oil and Alchemal Bombs on them, they'll do damage that way!

There is the Extra Bombs Feat.


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The grenadier archetype gets Directed Blast at 6th level, which offers a cone attack that *would* combine with sticky bombs - but of course, only one target is going to be getting stuck, same as a regular bomb.

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