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Hey All Making a Grenadier Alchemist and would like you all to help critique it for me with any ideas you think will improve my gameplay. I am gonna really play up the whole Mad Scientist loves explosions in my RP so i am taking the Grenadier Archetype to assist me with that. here is my Breakdown:
Name Pending
Half-Elf (Grenadier) Alchemist
PFS Character so 20-Point buy
STR: 12
DEX: 16
CON: 10
INT: 17 (15+2)
WIS: 14
CHA: 7
Alternate Racial Traits:
Arcane Training (Replaces Multitalented)
Dual-Minded (Replaces Adaptability) *Might change this so i can get bombs as a skill focus first level but still working on it*
Feats:
Martial Weapon Proficiency (Longbow)
Point Blank Shot
Traits:
Armor Expert (-1 to armor check)
Warrior of Old (+2 to Initiative)
Weapons:
Longbow
20 Arrows
Armor:
Studded Leather +3 to AC Max Dex +5
Gear:
Alchemists Crafting Kit
Formula Book: (2 + INT Mod 3)
Bomber's Eye
Cure Light Wounds
Endure Elements
Shield
Targeted Bomb Admixture
I am kinda upset i can't get Precise shot till lvl 3 but Precise Bomb at lvl 2 for the Grenadier Archetype helps that a bit. I did not add the normal stuff you get from being an alchemist in the feats and stuff since most know them but any help with my lvl 1 build and my future feats/discoveries would be appreciated. This is my first steps towards a caster since i have mostly played weapon damage dealers (Rogue, Zen Archer, Barb) so any advice for my extracts would be appreciated, i mostly went healing and defense based for my lvl 1 stuff. Thanks for your assistance!
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Seems pretty solid to me, although the trait is weak. What plans are you going for with this build? Planning on making SUPER arrows (Explosive Missile + alchemical items?) I sure hope you have either the Alchemist Handbook (or whatever the supplement is that lets you be hype with arrows) and Ultimate Equipment, as those two sources give you SO MUCH to work with.
Also don't think you can take crafting feats in PFS sadly.
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my build is going to mostly be bombs with arrows as a backup due to limitations of daily use of said bombs. as for the pragmatic activator trait. i did not own ultimate campaign so had to look it up and will definitely be getting that book and using that trait. i will change it in the main post thanks gene
You want Crafter's Fortune in your formulae book. It never needs to be used in the adventure, but you can get a +5 bonus on your day job checks. Basically an auto pick for Alchemists, Arcanists, Investigators and Wizards.
If you are going for Explosive Missile, you don't even really want a bow as a heavy crossbow has better range and base damage. This would let you dump strength, without sacrificing damage. 10 constitution is considered low in point buy, I would raise that up.
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You want Crafter's Fortune in your formulae book. It never needs to be used in the adventure, but you can get a +5 bonus on your day job checks. Basically an auto pick for Alchemists, Arcanists, Investigators and Wizards.
If you are going for Explosive Missile, you don't even really want a bow as a heavy crossbow has better range and base damage. This would let you dump strength, without sacrificing damage. 10 constitution is considered low in point buy, I would raise that up.
How much crafting is allowed in PFS? I'm not too familiar with it myself.
And as for Explosive Missile, the biggest bonus the Longbow has over the Heavy Crossbow (aside from GREATLY REDUCED reload time) is the variety of arrows that you can use. Tanglefoot arrows, dye arrows, raining arrows, all of these are beautiful. Tangleshots are especially useful for Explosive Missile, since you're turning your shot back into a touch attack, it's auto entangling a target, and you can throw another debuff onto it like Frost Bomb.
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what i love about the alchemist and wizard in PFS play is we get to switch out the (personally) useless stuff (at least stuff you cant use) for stuff like an alchemist gets the extra Bombs feat for free by switching out the brew potion ability :D wich helps using bombs alot, lol something i would recomend is sort of balancing your stats a bit raiseing stg a bit and con by reducing int, bombs are awesome, but from personal experiance it can get dangerous, especially in close areas like dungeons, cuase you wont be able to use them once melee breaks out around you wich from what i hear is most pfs missions, cuase you'll be hitting your allies with your bombs and thats not good at all, being able to sway into melee and have a ranged option is great for a alchemist, the mutagen is your friend, and it wants down your throat ;3 lol XD
Edit: a good balance stat array before racials would be personally something like
stg:14
dex:14
con:13
Int:14
Wis:12
Cha:10
this is really nice and bbalance, then you can add the +2 from being half-elf to int, this lets you use either range or melee very nicely with the use of your mutagen, especially since it last for a hour per level lol and its a good boost combined with your extracts and such, eventually getting combine extracts :)
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Precise bomb helps when your fellow murder hobos wade into melee. However, that is a discovery, and you do not get those quickly.
Mutagen, and later crazy feral dragon mutagen is basically your melee option. Works really well if you spend the coin on an Agile Amulet of Mighty Fists.
Grenadier gets Precise Bombs for free, and doesn't get to trade Brew Potions for Extra Bombs, since they trade out Brew Potions for MWP.
I'd consider Explosive Missile with Tangleshot, especially since if you can buy other alchemical items, mixing them all into one hell of a shot that hits on touch can be devastating.
I personally like 14 strength for an Alchemist, as it gives you a decent Strength if you want to Mutagen for Strength. A longspear is a good idea though, it's probably the best melee weapon you can get, although I do agree that daggers are great to have on you as general weapons.
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Full elf gets you Longbow proficiency by default.
Personally I'd stick Half-Elf though.
It gets long bow, but it still doesn't change the Grenadier class feature that replaces Brew Potion for Martial Weapon Prof, making Elf a weak choice. Personally, I'd go Tiefling. That +2 Int/Dex -2 Cha is straight up perfect for a bomber, as is their FCB giving additional bomb damage since that's what you're going for. Prehensile Tail will keep you always able to draw items too, and their energy resistances are nice as well.
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And here I heard that Tieflings were a normal race in society, that's a darn shame. Will save is super important, so Half Elf isn't a bad choice. I'd check with your GM to see if your bombs are considered weapons for the purpose of your Alchemical Weapon class feature from Grenadier, as being able to mix a bomb with a Tanglefoot Bag could be devastating.
It may seem like I'm overhyping Alchemical Weapon, but it's easily one of the best alternative features the Alchemist can get; it's crazy versatile (probably less so in PFS) and gives you loads of extra options to play around with if you're willing to invest some gold in alchemical consumables.
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I would go half orc grenadier who worships Torag.
12 str
14 dex
12 con
17 int (+2)
10 wis
8 cha
Traits: fates favored and defensive strategist
Alt race sacred tattoo - you now have + 2 to all saves and will never be caught flat footed.
Crafters fortune is awesome in PFS.
You can craft alchemical items per the craft skill for alchemists, but the items must have a DC that is set.
Level 1 feat point blank shot
Level 2 bonus feat precise bomb and discovery smoke bomb
Level 3 extra discovery stink bomb
Level 4 tumor familiar green sting scorpion
Level 5 precise shot
Level 6 infusion
Level 7 improved familiar - something that can use wands.
Level 8 confusion bombs
Level 9 improved initiative
Level 10 wings
Level 11 extra discovery explosive bombs
Level 12 madness bombs
Or lose the extra discoveries for rapid shot feats if you love the arrows.
i have new starting stats which i think are good
STR: 14
DEX: 14
CON: 12
INT: 18
WIS: 12
CHA: 7plus with pragmatic activator i use my INT score instead of CHA for UMD. so the dump in CHA does not truly affect me. not going for a face with this guy.
Pragmatic Activator is a good idea. You could also consider Indomitable Faith for the +1 to Will, because my bomber alchemist has invested a lot into shoring up Will saves (eventually taking Tumor Familiar to get a hedgehog is great for that too).
Con 12 is what I have on my alchemist. I'd normally be wary of only 12 Con on a d8 class, but when you start getting second-level extracts, you can keep a false life up for bonus hp, so it works out. I would tone down your Strength to 12 though, then get 13 Con and 15 Str (to go to 16 at level 4). I have 14 Strength on my alchemist, and the only time it came in handy was at level 9 when he got Feebleminded and finished off the boss with boots of speed and a dagger. I envisioned him as a switch-hitter at first, but it just never came up after level 3 or so.
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Familiars grant all sorts of benefits depending on what you want.
Greensting Familiar: +4 Initiative
Donkey Rat: +2 Fort Save
Fox: +2 Reflex Save
Hedgehog: +2 Will Save
There are also familiars that allow +3 to a wide variety of skills,including Perception (sight based), Diplomacy, Linguistics, Climb, Swim, Sense Motive, Sleight of Hand, etc.
There is a trait that can give you the longbow proficiency to free up your feat for something better.
Oops, I didn't realize it was gone.
Crap, I was going to use that for one of my planned PC's.
If you're spending a feat for longbow proficiency and are willing to worship Erastil, check out the Deadeye Bowman trait. It won't eliminate all cover penalties, but it will certainly help.