Yeah, I really wanna try out the Master Chymist prestige class, as it sounds interesting. But I've had the experience of seeing interesting class options that...only sound interesting (I'm looking at you, Titan Mauler).
So...best options?
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First of all, only up to 3rd level of MC is valid, but everything interesting is obtained at early levels, so you're not missing much. I'd say going into it as a beastmorph vivi is your best call, MC likes melee attacks, and the brutality feature will only apply to said natural attacks.
Really Alch X/MC 2-3 isn't bad at all, up close and personal is your preferred style of play, beast vivi will give you the best bang for your buck, although if your table power level is on the lower end, I'd just go vivi since beastmorph really explodes at 12th level thanks to pounce allowing you to consistently get all of your natural attacks, especially if you end up taking another form (4 armed gargoyle is a fave of mine), making you a force of nature.
First of all, only up to 3rd level of MC is valid, but everything interesting is obtained at early levels, so you're not missing much. I'd say going into it as a beastmorph vivi is your best call, MC likes melee attacks, and the brutality feature will only apply to said natural attacks.
Really Alch X/MC 2-3 isn't bad at all, up close and personal is your preferred style of play, beast vivi will give you the best bang for your buck, although if your table power level is on the lower end, I'd just go vivi since beastmorph really explodes at 12th level thanks to pounce allowing you to consistently get all of your natural attacks, especially if you end up taking another form (4 armed gargoyle is a fave of mine), making you a force of nature.
...By "vivi" do you mean the vivisectionist archetype?
Yes he does =)
Ah. Alright then.
I was looking over the Master Chymist, and one option that seems interesting is the draconic mutagen from the advanced mutagen options. I would like this idea due to its obvious themes, as well as an idea that...my half-elf's character has a smidgen of dragon ancestry from his dad's side (he obviously wouldn't know this).
Yeah...my half-elf could be N (he's not necessarily good, but he does have respect for both freedom and law, and he will help those who need it). But his mutagenic form (which will looks something like a humanoid red dragon the size of the half elf) would be CN-the mutagenic form would do what he wants for his sake, even though he's not selfish, but a wild spirit that refuses to be tamed.
...This sound good for a character?
Take a level of Vigilante, from the Ultimate Intrigue Playtest. Then you'll have three identities! (Or four if you play up your racial duality.)
Take a level of Vigilante, from the Ultimate Intrigue Playtest. Then you'll have three identities! (Or four if you play up your racial duality.)
...Vigilante? Ultimate Intrigue Playtest? I have...no idea what those are...
Well, due to mechanical and accidental thematic reasons, going as a dual minded half elf would be great.
Mostly because it covers up your will save. And luckily, that alternate racial trait is not a very hard choice, since your other options there are mostly the default skill focus (which is 'meh') and ancestral arms (which could be nice for giving you an exotic weapon... but master chymist gives bonuses to simple weapons).
So yeah...half elves are great for will saves. +2 straight for all saves, +2 vs enchantment effects due to elven immunity. So it is hard for anyone to get you to kill your friends. Heck, pulled off right, and you can make the clerics jealous early on when it comes to saves.
Well, due to mechanical and accidental thematic reasons, going as a dual minded half elf would be great.
Mostly because it covers up your will save. And luckily, that alternate racial trait is not a very hard choice, since your other options there are mostly the default skill focus (which is 'meh') and ancestral arms (which could be nice for giving you an exotic weapon... but master chymist gives bonuses to simple weapons).
So yeah...half elves are great for will saves. +2 straight for all saves, +2 vs enchantment effects due to elven immunity. So it is hard for anyone to get you to kill your friends. Heck, pulled off right, and you can make the clerics jealous early on when it comes to saves.
Huh. That sounds pretty amazing! Thanks!
Huh. That sounds pretty amazing! Thanks!Well, due to mechanical and accidental thematic reasons, going as a dual minded half elf would be great.
Mostly because it covers up your will save. And luckily, that alternate racial trait is not a very hard choice, since your other options there are mostly the default skill focus (which is 'meh') and ancestral arms (which could be nice for giving you an exotic weapon... but master chymist gives bonuses to simple weapons).
So yeah...half elves are great for will saves. +2 straight for all saves, +2 vs enchantment effects due to elven immunity. So it is hard for anyone to get you to kill your friends. Heck, pulled off right, and you can make the clerics jealous early on when it comes to saves.
Ah, I realize I mispoke. I meant staight to all will saves (incomparison to the +2 to the specialized, if rather vital, saves of elven immunities). Not quite as amazing.
Half orcs get +1 luck to all three saves (fort, reflex, will), which can be brought to +2 with fate's favored. Still, as an alchemist, your fort and reflex are not really problems- you will is. So getting up to a +4 on the saves that matter the most... It is a fair deal. (especially since it can stack with a luck stone, which half orcs cannot do)
And just for discussion's sake- dwarves get the hardy race trait, which is +2 against all saves vs spells/slas, and tht can be brought to +4 with steel soul feat. I tend to avoid this since this doesn't cover supernatural abilities (such as a charm from a vampire, which is fairly basic for BBEGs; half elves get a real bonus to will, and even their immunities would work since it is against enchantment 'effects')
So overall half elf is generally my go to when I have a class with a good fort and poor will (I can stand with poor reflex, although it is nice to have too). They get the job done, I don't have to invest anything other than my race stuff (even half orc needs a trait). It is just some small thing you grab and you do not have to worry about about until you get into mid levels or so.
Huh. That sounds pretty amazing! Thanks!Well, due to mechanical and accidental thematic reasons, going as a dual minded half elf would be great.
Mostly because it covers up your will save. And luckily, that alternate racial trait is not a very hard choice, since your other options there are mostly the default skill focus (which is 'meh') and ancestral arms (which could be nice for giving you an exotic weapon... but master chymist gives bonuses to simple weapons).
So yeah...half elves are great for will saves. +2 straight for all saves, +2 vs enchantment effects due to elven immunity. So it is hard for anyone to get you to kill your friends. Heck, pulled off right, and you can make the clerics jealous early on when it comes to saves.
Ah, I realize I mispoke. I meant staight to all will saves (incomparison to the +2 to the specialized, if rather vital, saves of elven immunities). Not quite as amazing.
Half orcs get +1 luck to all three saves (fort, reflex, will), which can be brought to +2 with fate's favored. Still, as an alchemist, your fort and reflex are not really problems- you will is. So getting up to a +4 on the saves that matter the most... It is a fair deal. (especially since it can stack with a luck stone, which half orcs cannot do)
And just for discussion's sake- dwarves get the hardy race trait, which is +2 against all saves vs spells/slas, and tht can be brought to +4 with steel soul feat. I tend to avoid this since this doesn't cover supernatural abilities (such as a charm from a vampire, which is fairly basic for BBEGs; half elves get a real bonus to will, and even their immunities would work since it is against enchantment 'effects')
So overall half elf is generally my go to when I have a class with a good fort and poor will (I can stand with poor reflex, although it is nice to have too). They get the job done, I don't have to invest anything other than my race stuff (even half orc needs a trait). It is just some...
Wait...the +1 luck save is from halflings, not half orcs, right? XD
Nope- half orcs have an alternate trait, called sacred tattoo, which trades out orc ferocity. In return, they get a +1 luck bonus to all saves. A fair enough trade, especially since saves come up way more often than 0 hp, and you can get the basic effects with diehard (which is actually rather easy for them to pick up since there is another alt trait that gives them the prerequisite- endurance)
Halflings have a +1 to saves, but the truth behind it is much, much more confusing. While it is called 'halfling luck', it is actually a competence bonus (which could be a nice little joke- no luck except that which you make yourself kinda thing; I imagine that people call it luck because halflings are often underestimated...and that view is not entirely something halflings want to dispel).
As such, they cannot use fate's favored, but they can use a luck stone (since the boosts are from different types)
This is really picking nits, but the Halfling Luck bonus was a racial bonus the last time I checked. Means that you can get competence boni without a hitch, and since racial boni stack, if you manage to get more of those, they'd stack as well.