Whenever I have a player joining mid-game that isn't sure what they want to play, whether it's due to party composition or just not knowing what sort of play-style they'd like, I always recommend the Alchemist first. At low levels the Alchemist can float any party roll pretty well, able to fill in a spot if one character goes down or special in one area while still maintaining some flexibility.
-No boom-boom sorcerer? Alchemist bombs aren't spells and don't have to deal with SR, hit very reliably, and can be upgraded with discoveries to become more versatile.
-The Meatshield goes down? An alchemist can survive fairly well as a dodge tank with his Dex mutagen and other defensive extracts, but since he doesn't deal with arcane spell failure, he can take medium armor proficiency and become a hulking metal mass of questionable scientific ethics.
-No sneaky bastard in the party? He may not have Stealth as a class skill, but with reduce person, disguise self, invisibility, and Dex mutagens, does he really need it?
-Cleric's gone down? Don't worry, he's got a few extracts and fresh potions as backups.
I love Alchemist. I haven't played one or run a game with one at very high levels, but I'm not worried.
Alchemist is a nice class.
It does have its weaknesses, like not having access to the vast array of divine and arcane spells, only a subset of it. And thus not having access to pearls of power and so on.
Bombs require attack rolls, so they can be countered similarly to other ranged attacks. You are also quite limited in their number and thus can run out of them comparatively quickly.
The mutagen needs to be prepared in advance, so you have to decide right from the start if you want to deal damage or be more nimble.
Metamagic feats aren't available, so buffing takes quite some time.
But yeah, it can do a lot of stuff fairly well. I liked my internal alchemist doctor ;-)
Guys I was playing an alchemist but the forums told me that I should be playing a paladin because, you know...paladins.
Should I go back to Alchemist?
Cast Wish/Miracle is one of the big ones I have heard my Caster only (former) player say. He refuses to play a Magus and Such for that reason. Heaven forbid someone mentions Bards around him.
I've never played at a high enough level to cast Wish (and am not particularly interested in doing so) so that's never been a problem for me.
Ours normally once you get wish you never get the chance to use it. Heck, one of the campaigns I Co-GM'd the Party went from Level 19 to Level 20 in the room right before the Final Boss fight against the BBEG.
Alchemist is a nice class.
It does have its weaknesses, like not having access to the vast array of divine and arcane spells, only a subset of it. And thus not having access to pearls of power and so on.
BORO BEAD PRICE
VARIES1st level extracts 1,000 GP
2nd level extracts 4,000 GP
3rd level extracts 9,000 GP
4th level extracts 16,000 GP
5th level extracts 25,000 GP
6th level extracts 36,000 GP
AURA strong transmutation CL 16th WEIGHT —
This multicolored, sturdy glass bead is an aid to members
of the alchemist class. Once per day on command, a boro
bead enables the bearer to recharge any one extract that he
had mixed and then consumed that day. The extract is then
reconstituted and usable again, just as if it had not been
drank. The extract must be of a particular level, depending
on the bead. Different beads exist for recalling one extract
per day of each level from 1st through 6th. A bead works
on an infusion, but not a potion, elixir, bomb, mutagen, or
nonmagical alchemical material such as antitoxin.
CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS COST varies
1st-level extracts 500 GP
2nd-level extracts 2,000 GP
3rd-level extracts 4,500 GP
4th-level extracts 8,000 GP
5th-level extracts 12,500 GP
6th-level extracts 18,000 GP
Craft Wondrous Item, creator must be able to prepare extracts of
the extract level to be recalled
This Copy form Umlitmate Equmiment guid page 284
It cost the same as pearl of power I changed it in my game so you use pearl for Wizard, Witch, Cleric, Druid, Ranger, Palidian, Magus, and Alchemists. Let give treasue out easyer as GM.
To say that pearls of power dose not work alchemist but then to make magic item that dose same thing and cost the same and take up same slot Pathfinder dumm.
Alchemist is a nice class.
It does have its weaknesses, like not having access to the vast array of divine and arcane spells, only a subset of it. And thus not having access to pearls of power and so on.
BORO BEAD PRICE
VARIES
1st level extracts 1,000 GP
2nd level extracts 4,000 GP
3rd level extracts 9,000 GP
4th level extracts 16,000 GP
5th level extracts 25,000 GP
6th level extracts 36,000 GP
AURA strong transmutation CL 16th WEIGHT —This multicolored, sturdy glass bead is an aid to members
of the alchemist class. Once per day on command, a boro
bead enables the bearer to recharge any one extract that he
had mixed and then consumed that day. The extract is then
reconstituted and usable again, just as if it had not been
drank. The extract must be of a particular level, depending
on the bead. Different beads exist for recalling one extract
per day of each level from 1st through 6th. A bead works
on an infusion, but not a potion, elixir, bomb, mutagen, or
nonmagical alchemical material such as antitoxin.
CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS COST varies
1st-level extracts 500 GP
2nd-level extracts 2,000 GP
3rd-level extracts 4,500 GP
4th-level extracts 8,000 GP
5th-level extracts 12,500 GP
6th-level extracts 18,000 GP
Craft Wondrous Item, creator must be able to prepare extracts of
the extract level to be recalledThis Copy form Umlitmate Equmiment guid page 284
It cost the same as pearl of power I changed it in my game so you use pearl for Wizard, Witch, Cleric, Druid, Ranger, Palidian, Magus, and Alchemists. Let give treasue out easyer as GM.
Nice I didn't know this item. If the OP has UE available, that certainly helps. Though it does not address the other point I made about the spells available.
To say that pearls of power dose not work alchemist but then to make magic item that dose same thing and cost the same and take up same slot Pathfinder dumm.
I am not sure what you mean with that paragraph. Pearls of power still do not work with alchemist, that is obviously why they made another item. If you have UE available - we don't in two groups as it has not yet been translated - that is fine.
Who is that directed at or is it a general statement or what...?
I am not sure what you mean...To say that pearls of power dose not work alchemist but then to make magic item that dose same thing and cost the same and take up same slot Pathfinder dumm.
I think he thinks that creating an item that is exactly the same as a pearl of power except alchemist-flavored is bad game design or something.
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I have to say imo the best discovery combo has to be Enhance Potion, Extend Potion, and Eternal Potion. It give the alchemist the ability to have ay potion's level work at his and as long as its not an instantaneous duration have it become permanent and if he already has a pema potion going have 1 that last double as long. Think about it. Meat shield went down pop a perma displacement potion with a pot of mage armor that's duration is doubled and use an extract of shield. U r now the new meat shield. Bombs run out go feral mutagen with a pot of Greater Magic Fang have it be perma and caster level b ur level or if u already have a GMF item use a pot of Enlarge Person and make that perma.
Infuse Extract & Combine Extract are my personal favorites.
Infuse Extract & Combine Extract are my personal favorites.
What are your favorite combos with Combine Extract?
Taking into account items from Ultimate Equipment:
-For my Archers I prefer Bull's Strength and Cat's Grace.
-For my Melees I prefer Bull's Strength and Bear's Endurance.
-Healing and Defensive Extracts are always good for when you need a last resort.
Why the Bump?
Oh! What are your favorite Situational Combinations?
My number one is Water Breathing+Touch of the Sea.
Guys I was playing an alchemist but the forums told me that I should be playing a paladin because, you know...paladins.Should I go back to Alchemist?
Paladins are good, but I can't see what they have in common with alchemists... why not play a wizard then? because, you know... wizards.
I love a grenadier alchemist with all sorts of bomb discoveries. Use your single martial weapon proficiency to get a bow, and build tons and tons of offensive alchemical items. Now make sure you take explosive missile at 4th level. You should never fire an arrow that doesn't have an explosive strappde to it. Usually your bombs, when not those, all of your acid flasks, alchemist's fire, and related items. The Bomber Archer.
@LazarX: just had to reference that commercial didn't you...
@Jackissocool: that is one of the funnest builds I have ever played. And van be even more effective as an Elf for the proficiency. Now the question is can you stack the Grenadier's ability to add Alchemical Weapons and Explosive Missile?