I think it would be good idea to have our combat experiences with the alchemist posted on a single page to make it easier for Jason & co to glance over.
Here are some of mine:
Alchemist vs Bandits (humanoid fighters/warriors and rouges):
If you have a decent dexterity then you'll be a nightmare for any rouge that fails his stealth check. At the lower levels I have taken out several of them with nothing but one direct hit from a bomb. The smoke bomb discovery has saved my party from more than one ambush when I target an archers nest with it.
Alchemist vs Mages:
The most important factor here is range. If the Alchemist is 200 ft away from the wizard when combat starts then he'll have a real hard time. If you can get close without them noticing however (Invisibility and greater invisibility extracts comes to mind) they aren't much of a challange. Even without your bombs there are several ways to get rid of them. Even such weird tactics such as sticky poison+grapple has worked for me.
One thing that really worked well every time is the sticky force bomb. Kinda hard to concentrate when you're knocked to the ground and take even more damage the next round.
Alchemist vs Giants:
One thing that you need to keep in mind here is that most giants are either Large or Larger, which means that you won't have to worry about accidentally splashing your allies with your bombs. Unless you have the Explosive bomb discovery at least...
Also; Trolls will HATE you. Unlike mages who has to choose if they want to memorize a fire based spell everyday you are always ready to go.
That's all right now. I'll write some more when I can find the time.
Alchemists vs. Ethereal:
You're bombs are a SU affect and can blow them up! Wheeee. (Came in super handy vs. shadows.)
Also, you're wrong about Giants. If your allies are on the other side attacking and you hit them at the front. Then it would splash all the way around. Splash attacks hit everywhere within 5ft of the target.
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Alchemists vs. Ethereal:
You're bombs are a SU affect and can blow them up! Wheeee. (Came in super handy vs. shadows.)
Also, you're wrong about Giants. If your allies are on the other side attacking and you hit them at the front. Then it would splash all the way around. Splash attacks hit everywhere within 5ft of the target.
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"A hit deals direct hit damage to the target, and splash damage
to all creatures within 5 feet of the target."- The Pathfinder core rulebook, Page 202.
Yes, you're quite right. I misread that paragraph entirely. not that I plan to tell my DM about that, mind you. ;)
So this basicly means that when I use a vial of acid on the Tarasque the acid will splash 5 ft outside on either side of it. What's that, like 50 ft of area covered in total?
Anyway.
Alchemist vs Higher level Demons and Dragons:
I have had a run in with both recently, and the first thing you need to remember is that you're pretty screwed if you don't know a bomb discovery that deals another type of damage than fire. Almost all Demons are either resistant or immune to some kind of energy and you'll do well to have a force bomb handy to take care of them with.
One thing that you don't have to worry about though is SPELL RESISTANCE!
You only have to hit the durned things with a touch attack and you're golden. And considering that these enemies have a pretty poor touch DC and that you have a decent BAB this is no problem. Not with the bombs at least.
My team loved me when I started handing out Extracts of Transformation
and heal just before the battle with an ancient Red Wyrm. I don't think we would have made it without them.
Alchemist vs. swarms = win. The bombs will deal 50% more damage.
Also alchemist vs. high DR creatures or creatures that are vulnerable to fire.
Alchemist vs. creatures with heavy armor or high natural armor. The touch attack should bypass these efficient.
Alchemist vs. High Dex based AC. Usually creatures like this are small and have low hit points but are frustratingly hard to hit ie. quasits and fey. For an Alchemist though you can just aim for the intersection with AC 5 and hit them with their beefy splash damage.