I designed a melee-alchemist just to be different from all the bomb-throwers in our local PFS. Haven't played her yet though.
It's not really too hard, either. Just get yourself a decent strength score, and use mutagen to add 4 more to it. Then get a two-handed weapon and power attack and go to town.
You don't need as much INT if you focus on buff spells. You'd want to invest in AC some since you're stuck with light armor, though the Shield spell is useful for that.
I like the Grenadier archetype myself. Works well with Focusing Flasks or a Hybridization Funnel for more damage/debuff effects.
For discoveries, Infusion is a great way to help your party, and can be used with "personal" spells. I also like Combine Extracts for getting two buffs with one action -- think Enlarge Person + Shield or Long Arm. :)
Beastmorph and natural attacks with an amulet of mighty fists. Piece of cake high damage melee alchemist.
Just avoid Ragechemist archetype, it's not worth the small STR bonus.
Have you considered the Investigator?
|
I have a friend who has a VERY strong HALFLING melee investigator (who is str based) so yes, I think it can be done. Also, I have another friend who has a jeckle-and-hyde alchemist who basically turns into a Hezzrah demon (I don't know the specifics)
Start with a High Str and Con. Grab yourself a two-handed weapon (either with the heirloom weapon trait, or be, like, a 1/2 orc and just be proficient with a greataxe and a falchion.) Have something along the following lines for stats:
(15 point build)
Str:18, Dex:10, Con:14, Int:13, Wis:11, Chr:7
Your mutagen will net you 22 Str, (+9 damage with a two-handed weapon at level 1). Your mutagen will also net you +2 natural armor bonus. Pick up the 'armor expert' trait and you can eventually run around in mithral breastplate eventually even if you aren't proficient.
The thing that makes the Melee alchemist beastly is their ability to buff themselves. If you know combat is coming, you can drink extracts of shield, alter self, enlarge person . . . eventually heroism or haste. You can become an unrivaled combat monster if you know it is coming. If not, you are a bit worse than a fighter, but still solvent
|
|
Pre-Battle Buff StuffI totally agree that the alchemist is good at this. I just don't think this is really a role anybody needs in their party. If you get time to set up before a fight, you're going to win it without any trouble.
You might want want to consider aiming for the master chemyst prestige class. It is a full bab prestige class that keeps up with MOST of your alchemist abilites, while giving you a lot of power to wreck face. Look it up.
|
|
Would Master Chymist stack with Investigator levels for extracts?You might want want to consider aiming for the master chemyst prestige class. It is a full bab prestige class that keeps up with MOST of your alchemist abilites, while giving you a lot of power to wreck face. Look it up.Pre-Battle Buff StuffI totally agree that the alchemist is good at this. I just don't think this is really a role anybody needs in their party. If you get time to set up before a fight, you're going to win it without any trouble.
I don't think so. The master chemyst class abilities specifically call out ALCHEMIST levels, so unless it got erratta'd or FAQ'd, no they don't stack.
You don't need to be optimized to the hilt to perform well in Pathfinder unless your playing a particularly deadly game. And in PFS it's generally easy to "over-optimize" and make most scenarios a cakewalk. There are some scenarios on the harder side, but those are the exception.
A 16 STR character with a big weapon and Power Attack will still put out some hurt for the first few levels.
I can't comment too much on the Alchemist since I haven't actually played one, just finally had an idea for one that I kind of liked. Mutagen has a decent duration if I remember correctly, though. And any 6/9 caster is going to have versatility -- which is pretty valuable in general, and especially in PFS.
edit- As far as pre-buffing, it's not always a matter of knowing exactly when a fight's coming. Any effect that's more than 1 min/level can be used before going into a potentially dangerous situation (like investigating a sketchy house/basement, or used quickly when someone finds fresh blood/bodies/etc.) Not to mention that the alchemist mutagen is free, and can be remade with an hour of work, I believe.
|
|
So wait- alchemy between Alchemists and Investigators doesn't stack or even overlap, because it's the same class feature and Alchemist is a parent class of Investigator, but it also doesn't stack with Master Chymist because Alchemist alchemy is not the same class feature as Investigator alchemy. Yes or no?I don't think so. The master chemyst class abilities specifically call out ALCHEMIST levels, so unless it got erratta'd or FAQ'd, no they don't stack.Would Master Chymist stack with Investigator levels for extracts?You might want want to consider aiming for the master chemyst prestige class. It is a full bab prestige class that keeps up with MOST of your alchemist abilites, while giving you a lot of power to wreck face. Look it up.Pre-Battle Buff StuffI totally agree that the alchemist is good at this. I just don't think this is really a role anybody needs in their party. If you get time to set up before a fight, you're going to win it without any trouble.
Alchemist alchemy and investigator alchemy are not the same thing, no. Just like sorcerer and eldrich scion spellcasting doesn't stack, or you can't cast sorcerer spells while blood raging (but you can cast bloodrager spells) effects from different classes don't stack unless they explicitly say so. Heck, alchemist alchemy and investigator alchemy are ACTUALLY different, as alchemists can use wands and scrolls of alchemist formulas, and investigators can't (without UMD anyway.)
|
There is always:
Drunken Brute Barbarian/Alchemist w/ Potion Glutton feat:
Go 2 handed weapon and Build Str. Start with 1 Level Barbarian for full d12 HD at level 1 and then go 4 levels Alchemist for Mutagens and Access to 2nd level Extracts. After that the build is really up to you if you want More barbarian action or Alchemist.
Inspired Blade Swashbuckler/Alchemist:
This is a dex build but is a very strong combo being able to boost up dex to insane numbers with Mutagen+Cat's Grace+Reduce Person. Dex to damage level 1, Parry Riposte, Darring do to keep you combat viable.
Inspired Blade Swashbuckler/Emp. Investigator- A.k.A The Swashigator:
Very Similar to the Above build but is better at skills. Between Inspiration and Daring Do you have good bumps to your skills when you need them. Gets the same combo as above for huge spike to dex but most your Talents end up going to achieve Mutagens and Fast Study.
Then there is always the Natural attack builds...I know they are good...It's just not my style to play them. I prefer manufactured weapons on my characters who do melee. But if it is your style there are LOTS of builds on them.
I have a feral mutagen/grenadier alchemist as well. The best part is being able to adjust to the table. When everyone's a melee person, I can throw bombs and use extracts for utility and buffs.
Mutagen and claw claw bite is quite impressive, if no one is melee.
If I need to be the ranged person, I can do that too.
So, not the MOST damage, but consistently useful, and always fun to play.
I'm thinking a lot of people are setting their "minimum expectation" for what is "viable" way too high.
"Viable" does not mean "the best ever" or "highly optimized."
I agree, and the best yardstick are the adventures. At the end, ask yourself:
Was that fun?
Did I participate fully?
Did we succeed?
Were we ever in danger?
Did the judge softball it to keep us alive?.
And adjust accordingly.