Inner Sea Magic's Crypt Breaker and Alkahest Bombs

[mobro]

I have some questions regarding the Alchemist Archetype Crypt Breaker from the book Inner Sea Magic.

For standard Alchemists, the regular Bomb "On a direct hit, an alchemist’s bomb inflicts 1d6 points of fire damage + additional damage equal to the alchemist’s Intelligence modifier."

The alkahest bombs are said to "deal acid damage instead of fire damage." Further quotes: "Against constructs and corporeal undead, alkahest bombs deal 1d8 points of damage, plus 1d8 points of damage for every odd-numbered level instead of 1d6."

"Against all other creatures, alkahest bombs deal 1d4 points of damage, plus 1d4 points of force damage for every odd-numbered level."

"This ability otherwise functions as and replaces the standard alchemist bomb class feature."

I read this as, the alkahest bombs only inflict acid damage vs. corporeal undead and constructs. Against everyone and everything else, it's 1d4 points of force damage, plus an additional 1d4 points of force damage for every odd-numbered level. Does this seem correct?

Further, the "otherwise functions as and replaces" makes me think that the additional damage equal to the Alchemist's Intelligence modifier is added in for alkahest bombs but again, is that right?

Finally - I am pretty new to Pathfinder and just now considering the Pathfinder Society organized play. Is this archetype a legal character class for Pathfinder Society play?

Thanks!

[James Jacobs]

Mostly correct. Alkahest is in fact based on an imaginary substance from real-world alchemy—it's a hypothetical universal solvent.

Unfortunately... the "force" damage was a fragment that, I believe, was left in there from the archetype's original turnover—they should do acid damage to all targets, just more against constructs and corporeal undead. Now, as presented, and since alkahest is an imaginary substance anyway, the concept that it cause force damage against other creatures isn't particularly game breaking, I suppose (force damage is better than fire damage since there's not as many creatures immune to it, but it overall does less damage anyway), from a rules standpoint it still works fine, I suppose. It's just a weird bit of flavor disconnect that the stuff changes what it does depending on what it hits.

Regardless, the alchemist does get to add its Intelligence modifier to alkahest bombs as normal for alchemist bombs.

As for what archetypes are legal and what ones are not, that information should be listed in the PFS guidebook, I believe... I'm pretty sure most of the options in the Field Guide are legal, though.

[mobro]

Thanks a lot!!