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How does the Professional trait interact with Area Fire? The professional trait lists a cap of up to your simple weapon proficiency, but Area Fire goes off of class DC, which is a seperate value from weapon proficiency.

Two scenerios where this gets a little weird:

A Rythem Mystic takes a Singing Coil because dope flavor. Is it supposed to be intended for them to be able to "cheat" around only getting trained class DC (since they can go up to expert in simple weapons), or is it intended to cap out at the class DC (in which case, sad mystic noises)

Conversely, a soldier only goes up to master proficiency in weapons, but Legendary class DC. Do they just suck more with the singing coil than any other area weapon, or are they supposed to be just as good with them as any other area weapon?

Reading the feat, you spend an action to give you allies the ability to make an extra Transfer action or reaction, but as far as I can tell, every action and reaction with the Transfer trait are only usable by the mystic themselves

Is this feat just here to help out other mystics, or am I missing something?

The book describes the Shirren as being natural diplomats and mediators, but their stat spread makes quite bad at it!

Is this intended, or is there some trick I'm missing?

I'm like, 99% sure that it's only because refocusing feats dont need playtesting and thus didn't make it into the book, but please give the exemplar the "get all your points back on a refocus" feat in the final book!

When I was making my playtest exemplar; I found that the focus spells were actually really valuable! Protector's Sacrifice is really nice alongside Scar of the Survivor; and Scholarly Recollection plus Improved Improvisation offers up some Recall Knowledge ability around the level of an Enigma muse, sans the know it all/true hypercognition stuff. I can see myself wanting to run an exemplar that leans pretty heavy into their focus points, so recharge support would be great

Is there a reason parry wasn't included along with bucklers to get the +2 AC? It's very weird to me since parrying provides functionally the same benefits, but without having access to Shield Block, and the trait is weighted pretty heavily in weapon design, so I don't really see how it would be any more OP than just using a buckler

I know a few have mentioned the very little support for thrown ikons, but I've also noticed that theres also straight up nothing for weapons that need to reload. Setting aside pop culture icons (no pun intended) and Greco-Roman demigods; one of my first thoughts for what an exemplar might be in irl myth is David; but there really not any form of support to make reload weapons worth using

Is there any reason to exclude these weapons?

Now dont get me wrong here, I love the archetypes and new classes coming out in each new book we get, but I can't help but be disappointed that we haven't gotten many new feats for already existing classes since the APG. While archetypes do help to an extent, it makes it harder for older classes to engage with some of the newer content.

I feel this issue is especially noticable with guns and gears. Thematically, fighters and rangers especially feel like they should have gotten some gun related feats, and gun magus really suffers compared to bow magi due to the action economy of reloading; especially since the starlit span conflux spell relies on striking (a simple Recharging Reload that recharged spellstrike and reloads for an action would have probably been all that was needed).

Additionally, firework technician having poor synergy with the actual alchemist class and the alchemist being passed over for being able to use Alchemical Shot (a feat which seems to be the spiritual successor to Explosive Missile) is a massive flavor fail.

I do like seeing more classes, but I would also very much like to see existing ones get more love and support as well

First off, I actually love this archetype so much. The spells being innate lets me play out so many concepts now (namely, a desna cleric that has dreamweaving powers and manifesys dreams via illusions and a fey druid with a wider breadth of trickery powers), but tge basic casting feat being level 4 makes me think the dedication also being 4 is a typo?

Unless it was for free archetype being allowed to take the two feats in parallel or something

Is there a reason Fling Magic is restricted to only 3 choices and a reflex save, even though the class is technically dabbling in all four traditions? Electric, Fire, and Cold are nice for arcane or primal, but it leaves out all occult and divine feeling stuff. Would it be overpowered to add Acid, Mental, Positive, Negative, and possibly Poison and Alignment damage to the list?

I feel Mental damage would probably have to be a Will save, Poison, Positive and Negative would be fort saves, and alignment damage kinda flipflops. If using Esoteric Antithesis is too strong for an ability that always hits, I feel the ability to target weak saves would actually be an intereating way to still have the implement tie into the class' shtick of finding weaknesses without making it grant an automatic huge damage spike

I really like amps on a conceptual level, and they are an interesting an unique option, but compared to other classes and what they give up, they feel underwhelming.

At 2 spells per level, I feel amps should make their target cantrips about as good as a level appropriate focus spell, since they are supposed to be your main thing, but many of them fall short of that.

I really like Mental Scan and Message's amps, but like, Daze doesn't get anything cool unless they fail the save, and even then, the penalty is fairly small, and the damage is still the same. An amped telekinetic projectile should really be doing 1d10/level or so if I'm trading out a significant amount of spell slots to be able to boost my cantrips, etc.

We aren't, say, a sorcerer, where we have a ton slots and the focus spells are just gravy; these amps represent our defining feature, and they should be powerful enough to reflect that

As someone who like making characters who's gear is a part of their legend and collcts all sorts of weird knickknacks, I reall like that this feat lets me invest up to 20 (!) items, but I have a few concerns about the logistics.

-To my understanding, you can't wear multiple items in the same spot, and many invested items do have a specific location they are worn. With these limitations in play, it's unlikely I'll get even close to the max, unless the idea was that I'm supposed to change out of items mid sessions, like pack multiple cloaks of elvenkind to get more uses of invisibility; which of thats the case, it's is kinda weird since most of the time, you're better off just getting a big ol stack of wands or scrolls from a cost standpoint

-In order to actually use all of these slots, you'll have to be wearing a range of low level to high level gear. The issue it that low level items often have trivial DCs because they dont scale up

Would it be too much to give this ability to use thaumaturge DC and/or double up on worn item locations?

A major feature of psionics in many forms of media is that they can be used subtlety (stranger things comes to mind, with El's powers not having any manifestations at all), so it seems strange to me that the psychic doesn't have access to conceal/silent spell or a similar metamagic feat. I know I could multiclass to wizard or witch, but this feels like something that should be available without multiclassing

So first off, I positively LOVE the fantasy this class offers. Something I find odd though that the implements, which seem to be a core part of the class' identity, dont work with Esoteric Antithesis. Weapon obviously does, but I think it would be cool to add in some feats that expand the uses of implements that allow the thaumatugist to use them to combat foes they created an antithesis against. A couple examples of my thoughts:

-Amulets granting an sanctuary like effect for a turn if you spend an action to raise it against you antithesis

-Wands being able to activate the weakness with fling magic

-Lanturns having an activation that lets you blind and/or dazzle your antithesis

In general, I think allowing feats to expand implements also opens up more character concepts and makes them a little cooler for people who want to invest feats into them

After running my second session at level 10, I've noticed a few things about the inventor in terms of their combat capabilities:

1) Against enemies with resistances to specific physical damage types, the construct and weapon inventors did pretty well, since it is extremely easy for them to be able to switch their type to whatever the monster does not resist. Against enemies that resist all physical damage types, or enemies who's defense is a fat pool of hp, they have issues in terms of damage, since their passive damage increases aren't as high.

Since inventors are supposed to be the "make a gadget to solve issues on the fly" class, I think this issue can mostly be addressed by giving the inventor a feat similar to the metamagic feats that lower resistance, and allow them to apply it to both unstable abilities and weapon strikes. I'm actually okay with inventors not being as good against hp sponges as other martials, expecially because I found out they are amazing against golems compared to other martials, since their AoE effects bypass golem anti magic

3) When the armor inventor is fighting something they resist, the resistance makes a noticable and significant impact. However, when they dont have an applicable resistance, they really suffer, since they don't get their special combat enhancer, on top of not having high numerical boosts to damage and lacking their other two inventor counterpart's ability to adapt their weaponry.

This will probably change though if paizo goes through with making unstable's penalty for failure just damage, since the armor user will still be able to use their unstables while resisting the failure damage.

4) All three of my inventors tended to forget they had overdrive due to just how many class features they were given.

I wonder if it would be better to roll offensive boost and overdrive into one ability, and have level 7 increase the boost from overdrive and turn the damage into a physical or elemental damage type.

While the construct companion's explode hurting their master is a known issue, I'd also like to point out that the weapon and construct innovation's 18th level feat also has no friendly fire check.

Now, I know it's totally possible this is on purpose, but given how huge the range of the ability, and the fact that it's an emanation makes it really hard to use these abilities without blasting you allies (and in the case of construct innovations, potentially blasting yourself!). I would thing making these abilities be a ranged burst or leave the area alone, but allow the inventor to exclude allies would be a good idea. I mean heck, the mandolorian's whistling birds and Yondu's arrow superficially resemble this ability, and both had friendly fire checkers

Back in pathfinder 1e, one of my favorite characters was a grenadier alchemist who used a bunch of those neat special arrows from the alchemy manual, and I'd love to see those make a return.

At first, I kind of imagined it would work like the 1e explosive missile feat, but after seeing alchemical shot (a feat I absolutely hope to see make it to the alchemist as well as the gunslinger) provide a really neat way of handling the mixing of bombs and strikes on the fly, I think making alchemical bomb ammo as actual gear that anyone can use would actually be a cool addition to the equipment section, not to mention a really cool new tool for alchemists.

After looking through through the inventor, the weapon and construct ally have a lot of really cool, really unique abilities, but almost all of the armor options are mostly based on just giving resistances. Pretty darn good resistances, mind you, but they just don't have as much flair.

Here's a couple of ideas I liked, many of which are either taken from or inspired by other posters, and totally feel free to pitch mores stuff:

-a piston fist or pile bunker type weapon that gives a strong unarmed attack.

-an unarmed ranged attack, like an iron man style palm laser or rocket punch. Or maybe rocket punching can be an upgrade to the first idea

-build in shield or force shield that be deployed with Raise a shield for an ac bonus, and shield blocked with. Imo, it should probably work kinda like the shield cantrip where hardness levels up with you, and a shield block disables the shield until to recalibrate it's unstable value or something. Upgrade paths might let you give the shield effects like the spellbreaker or let you use your explosion ability when you block to represent those more volatile barriers

-movement speed enhancements, because your power armor has servos that aid your running and such

-item boosts to skills; strong servos for athletics, built in camouflage systems for stealth, etc. Possible upgrade paths might be a weaker version of explosive leap (or one that lets you use it without risking unstable), getting concealment, and later hidden for the camo system, etc

Now, I know back in the pathfinder 1e days, the magus was considered an arcane caster, but given how sorcerers, witches, and the bew summoner broke out of this mold in 2e by getting to choose their casting list, I have to wonder why the magus is still locked in to being arcane only.

The concept of a magic knight in fiction and character concepts is not limited to "wizardly" magic, and a lot previous character options from 1e can be replicated well by a magus with different list. Playing something like the puppetmaster would really be best done with the occult list, and someone looking to get the feel of the hexcrafter might also enjoy occult magic. Someone seeking the feel of the elemental knight and nature bonded magus would definitely be benefitted by having the ability to choose the primal list. And for those of us (like myself) who really enjoyed the playstyle of the 1e warpriest, holy vindicator, or simply desire a more magically inclined champion could achieve that with a divine list magus.

Imo, it was a huge win for character concept variety and flavor to decouple the sorcerer, witch, and summoner from specific lists in favor of allowing them to access a list the messes best with their concept, and I think the same is true for the magus

I know the "can small pcs ride their eidolons" is a somewhat frequent question, but the question I find myself asking is why do eidolons have the riding restriction in the first place?

My assumption would be game balance, since I could theoretically ferry around a teammate using my eidolon, but a beastmaster, druid, or ranger can already do this; the rules explicitly allow allies to ride your companions, and nothing says a wild shape druid can't let the fighter ride them after turning into a dragon or what have you.

Admittedly, part of my query is because I've always wanted to play a tag team synthesist/fighter duo, where the synthesist acts as the fighter's mount, but the limitation imo just seems a bit arbitrary since other classes can already use pets to transport their teammates

Greetings, Alchemists! We've all seen the many threads addressing the issues that face us (and by all means, please contribute on them!), but why dont we take another look at our powers?

What are some fun, creative, and awesome ways you or your teammates used alchemical items? Some examples on my end:

Attached bombs to crossbow bolt/arrows. Gives you a -2 improvised penalty, but now you have a ye olde RPG grenade for an attack that does arrow damage with a little kick

Now that familiars can have hands, you get a lot of neat tricks: adminster elixirs to distant allies, draw/administer an elixir to you using only one command an animal action, strike up a smokestick from a distance, hand off items to people, earn more money at downtime, set up a delayed bomb stealthily, or even craft their own stuff

Poisoned caltrops

What kinda stuff are y'all doing?

Sorry in advance for the wall of text. My idea here takes inspiration from a lot of suggestions I've seen on the forums, along with some personal ideas. The goal here is to help ease the RP cost burden on the alchemist, in order to let them actually keep up with their comrades, and to give them their own unique niche as a gadgeteer master. I also listed 4 specialties for the alchemist, mimicking how the druid and bard are set up, to allow individual alchemists to choose what to focus on. My ideas are:

Change infused trait to negate the RP cost of activating the item, period.

[1st] Advanced Alchemy:
Change the bit about spending RP to make half batches of items to:
By spending 10 minutes, an alchemist can create a number of alchemical items equal to their Int modifier (minimum 1 item), ignoring the usual crafting time and material cost. An alchemist may have only up to their int modifier crafted this way at a time, but can otherwise use this ability as many times a day as they like. An alchemist is free to render any unused items they craft with this ability inert as a free action; making the item useless and freeing up space from their limit.

Quick alchemy is fine as is, RP cost and all.

//This solves the sustainability issue with the alchemist by simply giving them an out of combat way to keep on manufacturing items. Alchemists will still want to put some thought into how they use their items, but they will find themselves with a respectable amount of options in encounter and exploration mode, and can restock their goods by using a turn in exploration mode. It lends a feel to a gadgeteer who uses good prediction and problem solving to help their team.

[1st] Alchemical Resonance (replaces Studied Resonance):
You gain a pool of resonance points equal you int modifier plus half your alchemist level (rounded down). These points can only be used for Quick Alchemy. This is in addition to your normal RP pool.

//Some may not like this, as cha is no longer true a dump stat, but this ability should really be thought as a pool of "spell points" to fuel Quick Alchemy rather than a resonance pool. Furthermore, both Goblins and Gnomes, arguably two on the most alchemy friendly races, flavor-wise, boost cha, so may as well let them see some small boon for that.

Change Precise Bomb to a 1st level alchemist feat

//friendly fire negation is extremely important to how an alchemist functions, and it's unfair to punish them by making them wait until 6th level before they can actually use their main tool

[3rd] Research Field (replaces Empower Bombs)
At third level, an alchemist chooses a specialty field of alchemy to pursue. Each research fields gives the alchemist a free alchemist feat at 3rd, 7th, 11th, 15th, and 19th level, ignoring their usual level prerequisites, based on their chosen focus. The level a specialist gains the feat is listed in parenthesis, the level any other alchemist can select it is listed in brackets. The available fields are:

Demolitions - A field that specializes in explosive alchemical reactions. Demolitions focused alchemists lob devastating bombs in combat to inflict great damage to their foes. The feats they get are:

(3rd) -[4th] Empower bombs +1:
Bombs created by the alchemist get a +1 item bonus on attack rolls, and one bonus damage die. Bombs that do not have a base damage, but still inflict persistent damage (such as Acid Flasks) instead have the bonus damage die added to their persistent damage (so an acid flask would deal 2d4 acid damage per cycle). Bombs that do not deal damage at all still get an item bonus on attack rolls, but do not benefit from damage enhancement. The alchemist gains Expert proficiency in Alchemical Bombs. Bombs created by the alchemist that benefit from this feat are considered to have a crafting level equal to the alchemist's level.

(7th) -[8th] Empower Bombs +2:
Requires Empower Bombs +1
As Empower Bombs +1, but the item bonus is increased to +2, and adds 2 bonus damage dice. At level 8, the alchemist may add the lesser version one of the following of the following property runes to their bombs: Corrosive, Flaming, Frost, or Shocking. At 14th level, they may add the greater version on these runes instead.

(11th) -[12th] Empower Bombs +3:
Requires Empower Bombs +2
As Empower Bombs +2, but the item bonus is increased to +3, and adds 3 bonus damage dice. The alchemist adds Anarchanic, Axiomatic, Holy, or Unholy to the list of runes they may apply to their bombs. The alchemist gains Master Proficiency with Alchemical Bombs.

(15th) -[16th] Empower Bombs +4:
Requires Empower Bombs +4
As Empower Bombs +3, but the item bonus is increased to +4, and adds 4 bonus damage dice. The alchemist may add 2 property runes, and adds Speed to the list of runes they can add.

(19th) -[20th] Supreme Bombs:
Requires Empower Bombs +4
As Empower Bombs +4, but the item bonus is increased to +5, and adds 5 bonus damage dice. The alchemist may add 3 property runes to their bombs and gains Legendary proficiency with alchemical bombs.

//the idea here is to make bomb damage and accuracy scale the same way an enchanted item does, to keep a bomber's damage on the same track with a martial's attack. The reason being is that while the alchemist may be more versatile, the fact that they are limited to, at most, 10 or so "free" bombs (and this includes the alchemist maxing out the next proposed feat list using class feat selections) without using quick alchemy, balances them to the more focused martial. The idea of alchemists being able to make bombs that ignore energy resistance via greater elemental runes is also really cool and unique, and emphasizes the gadgeteer motif

Apothecary- Alchemists who follow this field are experts at crafting a diverse array of items to solves problems. While not as flashy as the other fields, apothecaries are welcomed in most towns and adventuring parties due to their helpful talents. The feats they gain are:

(3rd)- [4th] Alchemical Expertise +1:
The alchemist increases the item bonus provided by any set of Alchemist's tools they use by +1. The alchemist also treats their int modifier as 1 higher for the purpose of Advanced Alchemy.

(7th)- [8th] Alchemical Expertise +2:
Requires Alchemical Expertise +1
The alchemist increases the item bonus provided by any set of Alchemist's tools they use by +2. The alchemist also treats their int modifier as 2 higher for the purpose of Advanced Alchemy.

(11th)- [12th] Alchemical Expertise +3:
Requires Alchemical Expertise +2
The alchemist increases the item bonus provided by any set of Alchemist's tools they use by +3. The alchemist also treats their int modifier as 3 higher for the purpose of Advanced Alchemy.

(15th)- [16th] Alchemical Expertise +4:
Requires Alchemical Expertise +3
The alchemist increases the item bonus provided by any set of Alchemist's tools they use by +4. The alchemist also treats their int modifier as 4 higher for the purpose of Advanced Alchemy.

(19th)- [20th] Alchemical Mastery:
Requires Alchemical Expertise +4
The alchemist increases the item bonus provided by any set of Alchemist's tools they use by +5. The alchemist also treats their int modifier as 5 higher for the purpose of Advanced Alchemy.

//This might seem like the boring-but-practical choice, but clever players can find many ways to take advantage of having extra slots. The synergy with Tricky Tinker, and other possible future feats, is very much intended. This is the versatility chain.

Toxicitian - Alchemists who specialize in the study of poisons and venoms. Many treat alchemists of this field with suspicion and fear, though people with more dubious morality often seek their services. The feats they gain are:

(3rd)- [4th] Poison Expertise +1
Poisons created by the alchemist use their class DC as the save DC, if higher than the poison's normal save DC. The alchemist gains a +1 item bonus to their class DC for this purpose when using a poison with the infused trait.

(7th)- [12th] Poison Expertise +2
Requires Poison Expertise +1
As Poison Expertise +1, but the item bonus is increase to +2.

(11th)- [12th] Poison Expertise +3
Requires Poison Expertise +2
As Poison Expertise +2, but the item bonus is increase to +3.

(15th)- [16th] Poison Expertise +4
Requires Poison Expertise +3
As Poison Expertise +3, but the item bonus is increase to +4.

(19th)- [20th] Poison Mastery
Requires Poison Expertise +4
As Poison Expertise +4, but the item bonus is increase to +5.

//simple, but those save DC bonuses can get real nasty. I didn't see much need to buff other aspects, due to the fact that later level poisons can get very nasty, damage and effect wise, and the save DC increases make it really hard to recover, except maybe with the aid of an equally skilled alchemist :)

Mutagenics- Alchemists who follow this field focus on the powerful potential of mutagens. Most of society regard them as mad scientists, but adventurers welcome their unorthodox methods. The feats they get are:

(3rd) -[4th] Lesser Mutagenic Form
When gaining this feat, the alchemist chooses one type of lesser mutagen, and once chosen, cannot be changed, without extensive and difficult retraining. In encounter mode, the alchemist may use an action to gain the benefits and drawbacks of the selected mutagen for three rounds. In exploration mode, this duration is increased to 10 minutes (effectively lasting for the duration of one tactic), but is reduced back to 3 rounds should the alchemist enter combat mode. feats that modify the effects of mutagens (such as feral mutagen) also alter the effect of Mutagenic form, if the alchemist's chosen mutagen is of the corresponding type.

(7th) -[8th] Mutagenic Form
Requires Lesser Mutagenic Form
Same as Lesser Mutagenic Form, but the benefits are increased to the regular version of the chosen mutagen. The drawbacks do not change. Effects in encounter mode last for 4 rounds

(11th) -[12th] Greater Mutagenic Form
Requires Mutagenic Form
Same as Mutagenic Form, but the benefits are increased to the greater version of the chosen mutagen. The drawbacks do not change. Effects in encounter mode increase to 5 rounds, and 20 minutes in exploration mode.

(15th) -[16th] True Mutagenic Form
Requires Greater Mutagenic form
Same as Greater Mutagenic Form, but the benefits are increased to the True version of the chosen mutagen. the drawbacks do not change. Effects in encounter mode last for 6 rounds.

(19th) -[20th] Mutagenic Mastery
Requires True Mutagenic form
The alchemist may change the type of Mutagenic Form they adopt by taking 10 minutes to alter their body's biochemistry. This requires alchemist's tools, and if the process is interrupted, the alchemist must start again from scratch.

//The idea here is to capture the feel of the master chymist from the first pathfinder game, along with iconic characters of a similar nature, such as the Incredible Hulk, or even "smart drug" users, if the mutagen chosen was the cognitive mutagen. The main reasons I made the drawbacks not scale is that for effects like the Bullheaded Mutagen, that costs RP, or Quicksilver, which costs HP would result in unfair punishment on resources compared to the bestial mutagen, which only have a -1 to a handful of skills throughout its entire progression, and would not tax resources at all.