Has anyone built an Alchemist that takes uses the Opening Volley feat with his bombs and then goes into melee?
Because you're aiming for touch AC and do splash damage, it's basically guaranteed that you get the +4 bonus to hit. It might go well with Tanglefoot Bombs to make sure your enemy stays where he is long enough for you to hit him.
Any ways to make this more effective?
I personally would be hesitant to throw exploding bombs at someone who happened to be standing right next to me.
I personally would be hesitant to throw exploding bombs at someone who happened to be standing right next to me.
Never done it with a bomb alchemist, but I had a knifemaster rogue/vivisectionist alchemist who used opening volley in conjunction with close quarters thrower, twf and false opening. Basically you choose to provoke, take the AoO (which you get a +4 dodge bonus against) and then your target is considered flat-footed. Then your throw happens (add sneak attack dice), then your second attack gets the +4 from opening volley (and more sneak attack dice). Not optimal but fun.
Not sure that works well with bombs/splash weapons, but unless I'm mistaken the bonus from opening volley extends to your next turn. You should be able to throw and then close on the next turn. Don't see why it wouldn't work.
|
That sounds like it would go good turning into a master chymist. I would go with a morningstar as your choice weapon, although claws and bite are also an option. Mutagen and Opening Volley would make you quite good in melee, and you could fall back on your bombs if things got too heated. Fast Bombs at level 8 and then going into the prestige class would allow you to (if I'm not mistaken), throw a bomb at a target and then 5-foot step in and attack with iterative attacks or natural attacks, although you would want Precise Bombs for that so as to not be in the splash radius.