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Alkahest Bombs (Su) A crypt breaker’s bombs are specially designed to work best against constructs and corporeal undead—two foes commonly encountered in ancient tombs. Known as alkahest bombs, these bombs deal acid damage instead of fire damage. Alkahest is an alchemical fluid that eats away unliving flesh and animated constructs, but it doesn’t work as well against other targets. 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 acid damage for every odd-numbered level. This ability otherwise functions as and replaces the standard alchemist bomb class feature.
I'm interested in playing a Crypt Breaker Alchemist for Pathfinder Society Organized Play and am considering discoveries. Something that is not clear to me is the Crypt Breaker's Alkahest Bombs and how they are modified, if at all, by discoveries such as Dispelling Bomb, Force Bomb, Acid Bomb, and Concussive Bomb. Each discovery is explicit in what it does, so it leads me to believe that while a Crypt Breaker wouldn't make a simple fire-based bomb like most alchemists, but that these mentioned bomb discoveries would expand the kinds of bombs that the Crypt Breaker can create, allowing for more versatility against non-construct and non-corporeal undead. Does this sound like it would hold up at PFS tables?
Its funny, i initially thought it would be straight forward. But i guess PFS can be wierd about things that wouldnt even ruffle a home game. Anhow initially I assumed you would just adjust the discoveries accordingly based on the alkahest bomb's die shift.
However, re reading alkahest bombs I honestly think all the Discoveries that modify bombs would in fact work.. exactly as normal. The power makes no changes to anything other than itself and makes no suggestions that it changes other discoveries.
However, re reading alkahest bombs I honestly think all the Discoveries that modify bombs would in fact work.. exactly as normal. The power makes no changes to anything other than itself and makes no suggestions that it changes other discoveries.
The problem here is that you don't get another bomb feature other than Alkahest Bombs, so you have to modify them with your discoveries.
Something that is not clear to me is the Crypt Breaker's Alkahest Bombs and how they are modified, if at all, by discoveries such as Dispelling Bomb,
You'd have an Alkahest Bomb that dealt zero damage and instead created a dispel magic effect. Hint: Dispelling Bombs are pretty lousy.
Force Bomb
You'd have an Alkahest Bomb that deals d6s of Force damage to constructs and corporeal undead, but d3s to everything else. They'd still have a chance to be knocked prone regardless.
Acid Bomb
You'd have practically wasted a Discovery because your bombs already do Acid--the only difference is that these would also deal 1d6 acid damage next turn.
and Concussive Bomb.
Basically exactly the same as the Force bomb except with Sonic damage and a chance to deafen.
The end result is that, unless you're playing Carrion Crown, Cryptbreaker is pretty crappy for a bomb-focused character.
Thd way I read it the Force and Concussive bombs would deal what the Discoveries say which is D4s.
Which book is this out of BTW?
What do you mean dont get another bomb feature other than alkahest bombs? Im pretty sure discoveries is the only way normal alchemists modify bombs unless i misunderstood something.
But the last line about otherwise working like normal bombs is what tells you discovieries apply as normal.
I think its from inner sea magic.
Discoveries modify whatever bomb feature you have.
Amusingly, this means that, RAW, the explosive bomb discovery deals acid/alkali/whatever damage like an alkahest bomb (with an increased radius) but creatures hit directly by the bomb catch fire and take fire damage over time.
What do you mean dont get another bomb feature other than alkahest bombs? Im pretty sure discoveries is the only way normal alchemists modify bombs unless i misunderstood something.
But the last line about otherwise working like normal bombs is what tells you discovieries apply as normal.
Of course discoveries apply as normal. However, the Alkahest Bomb becomes the "baseline" bomb, so you modify those, not the d6 damage fire bomb. In other words, you don't get to use an Acid Bomb that deals d6s of damage to every kind of creature because your Acid Bomb discovery would modify the Alkahest d8/d4 damage bombs instead.
Of course discoveries apply as normal. However, the Alkahest Bomb becomes the "baseline" bomb, so you modify those, not the d6 damage fire bomb. In other words, you don't get to use an Acid Bomb that deals d6s of damage to every kind of creature because your Acid Bomb discovery would modify the Alkahest d8/d4 damage bombs instead.What do you mean dont get another bomb feature other than alkahest bombs? Im pretty sure discoveries is the only way normal alchemists modify bombs unless i misunderstood something.
But the last line about otherwise working like normal bombs is what tells you discovieries apply as normal.
Right, that is what i thought. It also may have been the intent. However, that is not what alkahest bomb says. It basically gives specific dice changes ie it says d8 rather than " increases 1 step" it might in a normal game be easy to deduce. But pfs doesnt leave wiggle room. Alkahest bombs dont imply they change discoveries at all. So i would assume that is how it woyld be read for pfs.
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Right, that is what i thought. It also may have been the intent. However, that is not what alkahest bomb says. It basically gives specific dice changes ie it says d8 rather than " increases 1 step" it might in a normal game be easy to deduce. But pfs doesnt leave wiggle room. Alkahest bombs dont imply they change discoveries at all. So i would assume that is how it woyld be read for pfs.
I'm inclined to agree with this. If bomb related discoveries can be taken with Alkahest Bomb then interpreting their adjustment up and down doesn't seem to be supported by the wording.
The end result is that, unless you're playing Carrion Crown, Cryptbreaker is pretty crappy for a bomb-focused character.
Considering some of the information about the upcoming Mummy's Mask AP, a cryptbreaker might be a pretty good choice. Not to mention very well suited from a background/story standpoint.
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Alkahest Bombs (Su): A crypt breaker’s bombs are specially designed to work best against constructs and corporeal undead—two foes commonly encountered in ancient tombs. Known as alkahest bombs, these bombs deal acid damage instead of fire damage. Alkahest is an alchemical fluid that eats away unliving flesh and animated constructs, but it doesn’t work as well against other targets. 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.
After reading through several messageboard posts I feel that Alkahest Bombs, an ability of the alchemist crypt breaker archetype (Inner Sea Magic 33) needs a ruling by Paizo staff.
Assuming a crypt breaker can take acid bomb, anarchic bombs, axiomatic bombs, concussive bomb, force bomb, frost bomb, holy bombs, shock bomb, and similar discoveries, what would this look like? For example, a crypt breaker that selects the force bomb discovery and throws a force bomb would do the listed damage dice or modified damage dice based on the kind of target (construct, corporeal undead, everything else)? If modified, this would be 1d6 against constructs and corporeal undead and 1d3 against all other creatures?
This is especially important for Pathfinder Society Organized Play, where a lack of consensus will have an effect on how the character is played, especially if taking other kinds of bombs is not supported by the archetype.
Force bomb*: When the alchemist creates a bomb, he can choose to have it inflict force damage. Force bombs deal 1d4 points of force damage, plus 1d4 points of force damage for every odd-numbered level, instead of 1d6. Creatures that take a direct hit from a force bomb are knocked prone unless they succeed on a Reflex save. An alchemist must be at least 8th level before selecting this discovery.