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Pathfinder Adventure, Adventure Path, Rulebook Subscriber
Hello,
I've never actually played an alchemist before, so I wanted some input from more experiences people. I'm going mostly for versatility here. This is the planned progression up to 20.
LE Half-Elf Alchemist (Bramble Brewer, Grenadier)
Str 10, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 20, Wis 10, Cha 7
1) Martial Weapon Proficiency (Longbow), Throw Anything, Point-blank Shot
2) Tanglefoot Bomb, Precise Bombs
3) Precise Shot
4) Infusion
5) Rapid Shot
6) Frost Bomb
7) Smoke Bomb
8) Confusion Bomb
9) Stink Bomb
10) Force Bomb
11) Fast Bombs
12) Preserve Organs
13) Mummification
14) Greater Mutagen
15) Combine Extracts
16) Eternal Potion
17) Grand Mutagen
18)
19)
20)
I'm torn heavily on the order to get things sans ditching Bramble Brewer and taking Precise Shot at 1. Also don't know/care about the last three. Maybe more preserve organs or simulacrums?
If you plan to take martial weapon proficiency, just take the alternate racial trait "Ancestral Arms". It will save you a feat. Beyond that I won't be much help, don't really play alchemists much.
Pathfinder Adventure, Adventure Path, Rulebook Subscriber
CampinCarl9127 wrote: If you plan to take martial weapon proficiency, just take the alternate racial trait "Ancestral Arms". It will save you a feat. Beyond that I won't be much help, don't really play alchemists much. It's part of the Grenadier archetype
Oh, you're saying you get it for free! That's what I get for not doing all the research first haha. Oh well, at least I bumped your question to the top ;)
Personally, I would add alchemical simulacrum as soon as possible. If you can add Drow Blooded as an alternate racial trait, you should consider it so you can add Arcane Strike.
Some Other Guy,
It's worth pointing out that rapid shot won't be usable with bombs until level 8 when the Fast Bombs discovery becomes available. So personally I would move things around and take rapid shot at level 7 in readiness for Fast Bombs at 8.
Also, it's somewhat risky but since you're going to be throwing at touch AC your entire career you could omit Precise Shot altogether. This is what I've done but I admit you become heavily reliant on bombs and when you run out it's a real drag. My bomber is a Gnome and this problem is somewhat mitigated by the favoured class bonus of that race which grants an extra bomb every 2 levels and even then having a load of Alchemist Fire on hand will mean you likely do more damage than you could with a longbow anyway although at a much reduced range.
It's also worth trying to factor in Splash Weapon Mastery which is just excellent for bombers.
Finally, discoveries are so good I always try to get as many as possible with the Extra Discovery Feat which I think you are too.
My own bomber is a Gnome, but that aside he is:
1) PBS
2) Precise Bombs
3) Splash Weapon Mastery
4) Tanglefoot Bomb
5) Extra Discovery (Acid or Frost Bomb - whichever you prefer)
6) Infusion
7) Rapid Shot
8) Fast Bombs
9) Extra Discovery (Confusion Bomb)
10) Dispelling Bomb
11) Force Bomb
12) Not sure after this point
Smoke Bomb and Stink Bomb are fantastic and I can certainly see an argument for cramming them in somewhere but I just ran out of feats and discoveries until it was too late in the game for them to be truly effective (at higher levels Fort saves are generally huge and lots of things become immune to poison). I also think in the long run you will get more use out of Tanglefoot Bomb as a means of battlefield control.
Pathfinder Adventure, Adventure Path, Rulebook Subscriber
GM-JZ wrote: Some Other Guy,
It's worth pointing out that rapid shot won't be usable with bombs until level 8 when the Fast Bombs discovery becomes available. So personally I would move things around and take rapid shot at level 7 in readiness for Fast Bombs at 8.
Also, it's somewhat risky but since you're going to be throwing at touch AC your entire career you could omit Precise Shot altogether. This is what I've done but I admit you become heavily reliant on bombs and when you run out it's a real drag. My bomber is a Gnome and this problem is somewhat mitigated by the favoured class bonus of that race which grants an extra bomb every 2 levels and even then having a load of Alchemist Fire on hand will mean you likely do more damage than you could with a longbow anyway although at a much reduced range.
It's also worth trying to factor in Splash Weapon Mastery which is just excellent for bombers.
Finally, discoveries are so good I always try to get as many as possible with the Extra Discovery Feat which I think you are too.
My own bomber is a Gnome, but that aside he is:
1) PBS
2) Precise Bombs
3) Splash Weapon Mastery
4) Tanglefoot Bomb
5) Extra Discovery (Acid or Frost Bomb - whichever you prefer)
6) Infusion
7) Rapid Shot
8) Fast Bombs
9) Extra Discovery (Confusion Bomb)
10) Dispelling Bomb
11) Force Bomb
12) Not sure after this point
Smoke Bomb and Stink Bomb are fantastic and I can certainly see an argument for cramming them in somewhere but I just ran out of feats and discoveries until it was too late in the game for them to be truly effective (at higher levels Fort saves are generally huge and lots of things become immune to poison). I also think in the long run you will get more use out of Tanglefoot Bomb as a means of battlefield control.
I would love to play a gnome, but those stat adjustments just don't sit well with me.
I don't want to have to rely on bombs and precise shot is just a necessity for bow attacks, as is rapid shot, but you're right. I don't really need rapid shot until later since attack bonuses will be pretty low at level 5. I also have to take tanglefoot bomb at 2 with the bramble brewer archetype. This is actually for Way of the Wicked, and very few good outsiders are immune to poison so I'm think I'm ok there, but it's mostly for the smoke effect. I may not even take stink bomb and just leave it at smoke.
Pathfinder Adventure, Adventure Path, Rulebook Subscriber
Eponine Lokrien Savet wrote: Personally, I would add alchemical simulacrum as soon as possible. If you can add Drow Blooded as an alternate racial trait, you should consider it so you can add Arcane Strike. I won't be taking any Drow things for reasons. As for simulacrum, I think it's cool, but how useful is a half HD non-magical thing going to be?
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