As the title asks, what are your favorite Alchemist class discoveries? Since there are many different ways to focus an alchemist (bombs, mutagen, healing, etc...) please note as such when posting your favorite alchemist discovery as well as why it is your favorite.
I'm currently building up a "Hyde" alchemist and thus will be getting the feral mutagen immediately at 2nd. However, the one I'm actually really looking forwards to besides the feral mutagen is the Spontaneous Healing discovery. Being able to pull yourself from near death or keeping yourself healthy mid battle seems amazing.
I'm basically making this thread to help others (including myself admittedly) to find out more about discoveries with great potential, are just plain fun or are just that good.
Scrap Bomb though its only available to Goblins. Bleed Damage is great for taking out those fools who flee!
Stink Bombs are an encounter-ender.
Doppelganger Simulacrum - Who needs a life? Some of us have several!
I played a bomber alchemist and got a lot of use out of Tanglefoot Bomb, Stink Bomb, and Scrap Bomb. Power-wise Flight is crazy good, as is Feral Mutagen.
Wings is good for any any build.
Precise Bombs, Force Bombs, and probably Fast Bombs are practically required for bomber alchemists.
Thirded Stink Bomb. It's soooo good.
Dispelling Bomb ain't bad either. Use it on traps, use it on smug casters ("Hah! Take 5d6 fire damage and f%#@ yo buffs!"), use it on your dog! It slices, it dices, I like it.
The Extend/Eternal Potion ones (though they're late game if they show up at all) are pretty boss too. The first makes potions better. The second makes potions REALLY good. Grab a high CL potion for a good chunk of cash, and chug it with Alchemical Allocation, and hey presto, you've got a high level buff that lasts FOREVER (or at least until you get Dispelled, in which case...chug it again.)
Permanent Barkskin! Permanent Mage Armor (never wear armor again!)! Permanent Mirror Image, Blur, See Invisibility!
It's like Permanency, but for a second level spell slot.
Sadly, I have yet to actually see it in play, but it's fun to think about.
Dispelling Bomb ain't bad either. Use it on traps, use it on smug casters ("Hah! Take 5d6 fire damage and f@%# yo buffs!"), use it on your dog! It slices, it dices, I like it.
Better read that one again; it dispells instead of dealing damage.
Ah, my bad. I haven't read that one in a while so I figured it worked like the others (Smoke/Stink Bomb still deal damage and so on).
Still good.
Ah, my bad. I haven't read that one in a while so I figured it worked like the others (Smoke/Stink Bomb still deal damage and so on).
Still good.
It's not as good as a regular caster using Dispel Magic (and that's not that great to start with), because you have to hit with an attack roll before you even get to try the caster level check. Now, if you used the result of your attack roll AS the caster level check, then we'd be talking!
It has the advantage of being cast from a much more bountiful source, however. =)
Rynjin,
I've built the extend/alchemal allocation alchemist. It works pretty well. He uses claws, so it's a greater magic fang about every other day (20 c.l.). Heroism entering the dungeon, as well as barkskin. He even uses some of his 3rd level spell slots for alchemal allocation.
I second the healing discoveries. 5 hp per round as a swift action can help a lot. Maybe not so much for ranged attack, but front line it helps.
I've found it difficult to get the sneak attack damage (vivsectionist), and dr has been an issue for me. If I had to do it over again, I'd go the bomber route. That's just me though. He's still fun to play.
I'm currently building up a "Hyde" alchemist and thus will be getting the feral mutagen immediately at 2nd. However, the one I'm actually really looking forwards to besides the feral mutagen is the Spontaneous Healing discovery. Being able to pull yourself from near death or keeping yourself healthy mid battle seems amazing.
Oh yes. It basically gives you an additional 2.5 hit points per level. That is enough that you start to en crouch on the barbarian for the most hitpoints.
Healing touch is also great, since it gives you the ability to share that fast healing with your teammates.....and then you hoard all those precious, precious hitpoints that have been doubled to 5 hit points per level. Mwhahahahahahahahaha! ...What? Why yes I do love playing vivisectionists. Why do you ask?
I like lingering spirit. With Ferocity or Diehard, just never die , ever...
My Alchemist [Beastmorph/Vivisectionist] 12 is a badA$$.
Spontaneous healing is great. Of course feral is beautiful (full BaB), and preserve organs 2 or 3 times is a relief.