How well can an alchemist stand in for a rogue? The only thing the class seems to lack is a way of dealing with magical traps, and is that really a big deal?
Secondly, I am not very clear on how their extracts work. Is there a chance for spell failure when using them? Is the whole "potion" treated like a spell component, and you just drink it, or is it a little more involved than that? Do you have to decide in advance what spell it is, or do you decide that at the moment of "casting"?
What do alchemists typically do when they aren't flinging bombs? That is, as a class, by themselves.
What other uses are there for the "Throw Anything" feat? What if I threw a chair at someone? Or a tindertwig? Or a halfling?
I think an alchemist can fill a rogue's shoes well enough.
Extracts are sort of like potions that the alchemist prepares each day, except they only take a standard action to draw and drink. They must be prepared in advance and they have no spell failure.
Alchemists that focus on bombing do little else, though they can use poison effectively. So one option could be to start throwing poisoned weapons. Other alchemists focus on their mutagen and get all smashy.
Throw Anything grants a little bonus to an alchemist's bombs and other splash weapons (like holy water). You'd have to look up the improvised weapon rules to see what else your could do with it.
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The alchemist can also get Sneak Attack instead of bombs, as well as some rogue talents.
Vivisectionist
If anything, the rogue's shoes might be a bit small for an alchemist. You might want to add two or three levels of rogue to gain access to rogue talents and trapfinding.
How well can an alchemist stand in for a rogue? The only thing the class seems to lack is a way of dealing with magical traps, and is that really a big deal?
It depends in which regards you want an alchemist to stand in for a rogue. It's entirely possible to play a party without an uber-trapfinder, easier locks are handled by anyone with decent dex (even without disable device as a class skill), and there are always spells.
Am I correct in reading that if I crit with a bomb, only the first 1d6 (+Int Modifier) of damage is considered? x2 I assume?
Can you crit with a flask of Alchemist's Fire/Acid/etc? If so, what happens?
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Am I correct in reading that if I crit with a bomb, only the first 1d6 (+Int Modifier) of damage is considered? x2 I assume?
Can you crit with a flask of Alchemist's Fire/Acid/etc? If so, what happens?
If you crit with a bomb, you crit with the whole slew of damage, so 5d6 becomes 10d6, 8d6 becomes 16d6, etc. Same thing as with evocation spells that include attack rolls. In fact, you can crit with anything that has an attack roll. Splash weapon, ray of frost, your mom, etc. When critting with a splash weapon, roll the damage dice two times and add any miscellaneous bonuses, like the Int bonus alchemists have or Point-Blank Shot, twice.
As to whether alchemists can work as substitute rogues, yes they can. They have a decent amount of skill points, a reason to keep increasing their intelligence scores and spells to boost roguish capabilities, such as Keen Senses, Darkvision and Cat's Grace. Add in Skill Focus(perception) and you are good to go. For instance, My rogue1/alchy 4(played as a mix of tanking and skillmonkeying) has a disable device bonus of +13 vs traps. It's been enough for the moment. It's finding the damn things that is sometimes difficult.
If you crit with a bomb, you crit with the whole slew of damage, so 5d6 becomes 10d6, 8d6 becomes 16d6, etc. Same thing as with evocation spells that include attack rolls. In fact, you can crit with anything that has an attack roll. Splash weapon, ray of frost, your mom, etc. When critting with a splash weapon, roll the damage dice two times and add any miscellaneous bonuses, like the Int bonus alchemists have or Point-Blank Shot, twice.
You're wrong. Read the Alchemist description, which I've pasted the revelant portion of for your convenience:
** spoiler omitted **
Rubia
So, supposing I have a level 3 Alchemist with an 18 intelligence. My bombs would do 2d6+4 damage, and on a crit, I would do 3d6+8?
Check the errata:
"An alchemist can draw and drink an extract as a standard action."
Check the errata:
"An alchemist can draw and drink an extract as a standard action."
Essentially drawing an extract is treated more like a spell component than drinking a potion, at least that's how I'm reading it.
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By the way, the elf archer build is quite effective. Note the feat Focused Shot.
As a standard action, you may make an attack with a bow or crossbow and add your Intelligence modifier on the damage roll.
I think he can hit something like 34 DPR on a full attack (at level 10), which is not bad considering he is a caster and can do that ALL of the time AND can switch to bombs to hit well over 100.
You can't use focused shot with a full attack action, it's a standard action. A feat that lets you get 6-8 points of bonus damage on a single shot? Eh... no thanks.
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To be honest I kind of like the alchemist best as a crossover melee character, or even leaning more towards the melee side. The vivisectionist looks really intriguing. Particularly considering you get beast shape I at 7th level and can transform into some fun forms that get you strength bonuses that stack with your mutagen plus lots of attack and special abilities.
For that matter beast shape is a great extract to share around the party. Both the vivisectionist and the parties rogue would certainly appreciate getting 60' movement and 4 attacks per round at their full attack bonus. (deinonychus FTW).
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poop! throught I had a clever plan there! ah well. thanks for the correction!By the way, the elf archer build is quite effective. Note the feat Focused Shot.As a standard action, you may make an attack with a bow or crossbow and add your Intelligence modifier on the damage roll.I think he can hit something like 34 DPR on a full attack (at level 10), which is not bad considering he is a caster and can do that ALL of the time AND can switch to bombs to hit well over 100.You can't use focused shot with a full attack action, it's a standard action.
Oh trust me... I was quite bummed out too. I have a 7th level elf alchemist who would love that little trick to work.
So wait... does this mean I don't have to cast on the defensive when using an extract?
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So wait... does this mean I don't have to cast on the defensive when using an extract?
I am *certain* of the following:
I'm 95% sure of this stuff: (Based on the whole drinking aspect)
So the bad news is you are going to take that attack. The good news you don't have to deal with concentration.
To be honest I kind of like the alchemist best as a crossover melee character, or even leaning more towards the melee side. The vivisectionist looks really intriguing. Particularly considering you get beast shape I at 7th level and can transform into some fun forms that get you strength bonuses that stack with your mutagen plus lots of attack and special abilities.
For that matter beast shape is a great extract to share around the party. Both the vivisectionist and the parties rogue would certainly appreciate getting 60' movement and 4 attacks per round at their full attack bonus. (deinonychus FTW).
Where do you see that they get beast shape? They get Anthropomorphic Animal at level 7, but I don't see Beast Shape.
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Where do you see that they get beast shape? They get Anthropomorphic Animal at level 7, but I don't see Beast Shape.To be honest I kind of like the alchemist best as a crossover melee character, or even leaning more towards the melee side. The vivisectionist looks really intriguing. Particularly considering you get beast shape I at 7th level and can transform into some fun forms that get you strength bonuses that stack with your mutagen plus lots of attack and special abilities.
For that matter beast shape is a great extract to share around the party. Both the vivisectionist and the parties rogue would certainly appreciate getting 60' movement and 4 attacks per round at their full attack bonus. (deinonychus FTW).
Beast Shape is an extract