Zyraphyn's page

So to be honest using Explosive Missile every round would probably be less damage than just full-attacking with either your crossbow or your bombs at high level, but it is cool.

If you wanted to go Bolt Ace 5/Alchemist X, you could still make use of a conductive weapon for the best of both worlds. Full attack with your crossbow, and one hit per round also explodes with your bomb damage. Because of the way Conductive Weapon is worded, you don't have to decide to use the bomb until the hit is confirmed, so you never waste those bombs. I haven't checked this, but the wording also makes me think the bombs can't crit (It's probably worth checking these in the forums and FAQ's before you play, and more importantly with your GM).

At 6th level the grenadier can also attach an alchemical item (tanglefoot bag anyone?) once per round as a swift action.

So if you went Bolt Ace 5/Alchemist 8, you'd have +11 BAB, you should have 8+INT bombs per day.

I'd go something like: (Light Crossbow) 1. Point Blank Shot, 3. Precise Shot, 4. Rapid Reload, 5. Rapid Shot, 7. Weapon Focus, 9. Snap Shot, 11. Improved Critical, 13. Improved Snap Shot.

For alchemist discoveries you've got: DARKNESS BOMB (seems useful for someone with light blindness), VOID BOMB and maybe BLACKSTAR BOMB. If you're willing to spend your level 13 feat on an alchemist discovery you could also get ALCHEMICAL ZOMBIE and BONESHARD...

The description for bombs (simplified) says that only the initial 1d6 is multiplied on a crit. So bombs do crit, it's just not very much. Conductive should stack with Explosive Missle, making a single attack for the round but doing two bombs (at the cost of three uses) worth of damage + any other enchantments the ammo has + base damage from the ammo itself on a successful hit.

I'd probably forgo the undead-making discoveries as the Grave Knight tends to take control of any undead we encounter. We've completely bypassed fights by him either taking control of them or sending them in to take out, weaken, or distract an enemy group.

The Darkness Bomb might not be that useful for me, as Drow Nobles can use Deeper Darkness at will, but the Void and Blackstar bombs are amazing. It's been a while since I've taken a good hard look at the Alchemist, and it's obvious I've miss some great additions to the class.

I like (Bolt Ace) Gunslinger 1/(Grenadier) Alchemist X.

Grab yourself a Heavy Crossbow for that 120' range increment (which can be Touch AC for a Bolt Ace), Take the EXPLOSIVE MISSILE discovery and you can fire 1 explosive bolt per round.

Upgrade to a CONDUCTIVE crossbow when you find you have more bombs/day than you can use, and if you want you can upgrade to a DISTANCE crossbow if 120' vs touch AC doesn't seem long enough (or if you really have to shoot something 2400 feet away).

Of course if you want to do more with the actual crossbow damage then Bolt Ace 5 is better (and probably Eldritch Archer Magus is better than Alchemist).

I overlooked that archetype for Alchemist, I had thought it was only available with guns. But the Explosive Missile and Conductive are dead useful for any Alchemist that has bombs.

I've been trying to build a crossbow user as a backup for my Serpet's Skull game, but I and fellow players aren't sure what the best way to do so would be.

I have been looking at the Bolt Ace Gunslinger, and planned on taking at least five levels in order to get crossbow training. We have been debating on what to do past that. There are arguments both for and against multiclassing into fighter to unlock Point Blank Mastery, but as a gunslinger there are Deeds to do similar actions (though they do cost Grit) and I would be out of melee range as long as things went our way. Are there any other suggestions for multiclassing, any Prestige Classes I should look into, or should I go fully Gunslinger? Anything by Paizo is allowed, but 3rd party is not.

We are currently level 13, will be starting book five next session, and I have been given permission to make a Drow Noble without the level adjustment (due to party power level). Our party leans heavily towards Lawful Evil.

Party Makeup:
Half-Fiend Wizard
Grave Knight Cavalier (Sister-at-Arms)
Kineticist (Kinetic Chirurgeon)
Rogue/Bloodrager(three levels, no spellcasting)