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So, like so many others, I am slightly disappointed by the Alchemist. Sure, the bomber is decent in later play, but early on its rough, and the other two, bleh. My group did a quick fix of a few things, to help our bomber feel more impactful. These were:
-Allowing the alchemist to use Int for throwing bombs.
-Anything the alchemist made using Advanced Alchemy or Quick Alchemy used the Alchemist class DC.
-Making the proficiency with thrown bombs scale with the Alchemist class DC (so he can have master proficiency with something offensive).
These changes definitely helped, but the Alchemist just doesn't feel like a complete class. It doesn't get legendary in anything. It doesn't use it's main stat for much. Most of the feats are math bumps (which is boring). Not that it isn't functional as is, it's just clunky and meh. I have been working on some stuff. This is just rough ideas, but let me know what you think.
Alchemist-
Trained in Perception
Expert in Fortitude
Expert in Reflex
Trained in Will
Trained in Crafting
Trained in skills equal to 3 plus you Intelligence modifier
Trained in simple weapons and alchemical bombs
Trained in unarmed attacks
Trained in medium armor
Trained in light armor
Trained in unarmored defense
Trained in alchemist class DC
Alchemy- You understand the complex interactions of natural and unnatural substances and can concoct alchemical items to meet your needs. You can do this using normal reagents and the Craft activity, or you can use special infused reagents that allow you to craft temporary items quickly and at no cost. Over time, you can create more and more alchemical items for free, and since each of them becomes more and more powerful, you advance in power dramatically, leaving behind those who don’t understand your strange science. You gain the Alchemical Crafting feat (page 258), even if you don’t meet that feat’s prerequisites, and you gain the four common 1st-level alchemical formulas granted by that feat.
Advanced Alchemy- During your daily preparations, after producing new infused reagents, you can spend batches of those infused reagents to create infused alchemical items. You don't need to attempt a Crafting check to do this, and you ignore both the number of days typically required to create the items and any alchemical reagent requirements. Your advanced alchemy level is equal to your level. For each batch of infused reagents you spend, you make an item of your advanced alchemy item or lower that's in your formula book.
Infused Reagents- You infuse reagents with your own alchemical essence, allowing you to create alchemical items at no cost. Each day during your daily preparations, you gain a number of batches of infused reagents equal to your twice your level + twice you Intelligence modifier. You can use these reagents for either advanced alchemy or Quick Alchemy. Together, these infused reagents have a light Bulk. As soon as you make your next daily preparations, your infused reagents from the previous day's preparations are instantly destroyed, and nonpermanent effects of your previous day's infused items immediately end. While infused reagents are phusical objects, they can't be duplicated, preserved, or created in any way other than your daily preparations. Any such artificial reagents lack the infusion and are usless for advanced alchemy or Quick Alchemy.
Quick Alchemy- Alchemist, Manipulate; Cost- 1 batch of infused reagents; Requirements- You have alchemist's tools, the formula for the alchemical item you're creating, and a free hand. You swifly mix up a short-lived alchemical item to use at a moment's notice. You create a single alchemical item of your advanced alchemy level or lower that's in your formula book without having to spend the normal monetary cost in alchemical reagents or needing to attempt a Crafting check. The item has the infused trait, but it remains potent only until the end of your next turn.
Formula Book- An alchemist keeps meticulous records of the formulas for every item they can create. You start with a standard formula book worth 10 sp or less for free. The formula book contains the formulas for two common 1st-level alchemical items of you choice, in addition to those you gained from Alchemical Crafting and your research field. Each time you gain a level, you can add the formulas for two common alchemical items to your formula book. These new formulas can be for any level of item you can create. You learn these formulas automatically, but it's also possible to find or buy additional formulas in settlements or from other alchemists, or to invent them with the Inventor feat.
Research Field-
Bomber- You specialize in explosions and other violent alchemical reactions. Your Advanced Alchemy level is considered 2 higher for the purpose of learning and creating infused bombs. You start with the formulas for two 1st-level alchemical bombs in your formula book, in addition to your other formulas. When throwing an alchemical bomb with the splash trait, you can deal splash damage to only your primary target instead of the usual splash area.
Chirurgeon- You concentrate on healing others with alchemy. Your Advanced Alchemy level is considered 2 higher for the purpose of learning and creating infused elixirs. You start with the formulas for two 1st-level alchemical elixirs in your formula book, in addition to your other formulas. As long as your proficiency rank in Medicine is trained or better, you can attemt a Crafting check instead of a Medicine check for any of Medicine's untrained and trained uses. Additionally, you can use you Crafting rank as your Medicine rank for the purpose of qualifying for feats.
Mutagenist- You focus on bizarre mutagenic transformations. Your Advanced Alchemy level is considered 2 higher for the purpose of learning and creating infused mutagens. You start with the formulas for two 1st-level mutagens in your formula book, in addition to your other formulas. You can spend an action to end the effects of any mutagen early. Additionally, if you consume a second mutagen while under the effects of another mutagen, you can choose to for the second mutagen to always overcome the first.
Simple Bombs- You can use Quick Alchemy to create simple alchemical bombs. These bombs don't require regeants. They lack the infused trait and can't be altered in any way. Choose two of the following: Simple Acid Flask, Simple Alchemist's Fire, Simple Bottled Lightning, and Simple Liquid Ice. These simple bombs deal 1d6 of the specified type of damage and 1 splash damage. The splash damage only hits the main target.
Additives are added by using the specified number of infused regents instead of the current rule. For example, to use smoke bomb, you add 1 regent to a bomb during quick alchemy.
No Field Discoveries
No Perpetual Infusions
(7th) Improved Simple Bombs- Simple bombs deal 2d6 damage and 2 splash damage. +1 item bonus to attack rolls.
(13th) Greater Simple Bombs- Simple bombs deal 3d6 damage and 3 splash damage. +2 item bonus to attack rolls.
(17th) Alchemical Weapon Mastery- Your proficiency ranks for simple weapons and alchemical bombs increase to expert.
(19th) Major Simple Bombs- Simple bombs deal 4d6 damage and 4 splash damage. +3 item bonus to attack rolls.
Alchemical Item Changes-
Bombs- Minor, Level 1; as Lesser
Lesser, Level 3; as Moderate
Moderate, Level 9; as Greater
Greater, Level 15; as Major
Major, Level 19; continue damage scaling
Mutagens-
Minor Bestial Mutagen, Level 1: Your body mutates, taking on characteristics of an animal. While mutated, you have the animal trait as well as the traits or your ancestry. This is a polymorph effect. Your gear molds into your new form and becomes nonfunctional. You can't use items or weapons. You gain the following statistics:
AC= 16 + your level. Ignore your armor's check penalty and speed reduction.
Low-light vision and imprecise scent 30 feet.
Unarmed melee attacks specific to the form, which are the only attacks you can use. Your attack modifier is 6 + your level and your damage bonus is +4.
Athletics modifier of 6 + your level.
Your size remains the same
The types are:
Ape- Speed 25 feet, Climb 20 feet; fist melee strike, 1d6 bludgeoning.
Bear- Speed 30 feet; jaws melee strike 1d6 piercing, claw melee strike (agile)
1d4 slashing.
Canine- Speed 40 feet; jaws melee strike 1d6 piercing.
Cat- Speed 40 feet; jaws melee strike 1d6 piercing, claw melee strike (agile)
1d4 slashing.
Deer- Speed 40 feet; antler melee stike 1d6 piercing.
Frog- Speed 25 feet, swim 25 feet; tongue melee strike (reach), 1d4
bludgeoning.
Shark- swim speed 35 feet; jaws melee strike 1d6 piercing: breathe underwater
but not in air.
Snake- Speed 20 feet, climb 20 feet, swim 20 feet; fangs melee strike 1d4
piercing.
Lesser Bestial Mutagen, Level 3: Increase damage die by one step (1d4>1d6 and
1d6>1d8). Attack bonus is 7 + your level.
Moderate Bestial Mutagen, Level 9: Stiking damage die (2d6 and 2d8). Your AC =
19 + your level. Ignore your armor's check penalty and speed reduction.
Attack modifier is 10 + your level and your damage bonus is +7.
Greater Bestial Mutagen, Level 15: Greater striking damage die (3d6 and 3d8).
Your AC = 20 + your level. Attack modifier is 11 + your level and your
damage bonus is +7.
Major Bestial Mutagen, Level 19: Major striking damage dice (4d6 and 4d8). Your
AC = 23 + your level. Attack modifier is 14 + your level and your damage
bonus is +9.