Alchemist Grenadier Feats and Discoveries

[Crexis]

My character is a tiefling grenadier alchemist

My allies are 1 Fighter, 1 Paladin and 1 debuff Witch

Stats at 20 point buy:

Str 7
Dex 16 -> 18
Con 12
Int 17 -> 19
Cha 9 -> 7

I'm unsure in which order I should be taking my feats and discoveries.

FEATS:

Level 1: Improved Initiative, Long Bow proficiency
Level 3: Extra Discovery
Level 5: Extra Bombs
Level 7: Point Blank Shot (+1/+1 w ranged weapons/bombs)
Level 9: Precise Shot (avoid -4 attack roll)
Level 11: Splash Weapon Mastery

DISCOVERIES

Level 2: Precise Bombs (int mod squares not affected by splash)

Smoke Bomb (twice bomb splash radius – fog cloud) No Saving throw

Level 3: (extra discovery) Stink Bomb (nauseated effect) – stinking cloud – lasts 1d4+1 rds Creatures unable to attack, case spells, concentrate on spells or anything requiring attention. He may take single move action per turn. Fortitude save negates

Level 4: Frost bomb – Cold dmg and staggered if fail fort save – may take only move action or standard action but not both

Level 6: Tanglefoot bomb – save vs bombs DC or entangled. If save nothing happens. Entangled creature moves half speed, cant run/charge. -2 penalty attack rolls and -4 to dex. If attempt at spell must make concentration check (DC 15 + spell level) or lose the spell.

Level 8: Fast Bombs – Can throw multiple bombs – whichever is allowed by BAB

Level 10: Void Bomb – 1d4 bludgeoning dmg, 1d4 dmg for every 2 levels beyond 1st. Reflex save vs bombs DC. If fails, knocked prone and cant get up for 1 round. If save succeeds reduced to 5 ft movement 1 round. Other creatures within 5 ft of bomb take no dmg but must succeed reflex save against bombs DC or have all movement reduced to 5 ft for 1 round.

Level 12: Blinding Bomb – blinded (-2 AC, loses dex bonus to AC, -4 penalty to str/dex skill checks) 1 minute unless successful fort save. Creatures in splash area are dazzled(-1 attack rolls) for 1 min if failed save

OR

Combine extracts – He can place 2 formula into 1 extract

Level 14: Infusion (****): Infusion can be the crux of your secondary role. This very handy discovery allows you to use your extracts on others.

Level 16: Inferno Bomb (****): For when you just want to damage a lot of enemies. The key here is that Inferno bombs first deal normal bomb and splash damage, and then deals 6d6 fire damage to all creatures within double splash radius. So essentially, it's a simple way of pouring an extra 21 damage onto all of your bombs. Is it as good as a debuff? Maybe not. But it's really great against groups of enemies. (16th Level, pre req - Smoke Bomb)

I've read guides giving Void Bomb a 'purple' rating meaning highest rating but I feel tanglefoot bomb would be better - Would really like some advice as to why or why not to take void bomb at level 6 as opposed to later.

One more thing for clarification - If my bomb hits the target via Touch AC - that target also is automatically hit by the status effect. The only people that roll a save to negate its effects is the ones in the splash area.

Thanks in Advance

[avr]

You want PBS and precise shot as soon as you can. Levels 1 & 3. With a fighter and a paladin who will probably be in melee ASAP this really isn't negotiable. Extra discovery and extra bomb, then improved initiative & finally splash weapon mastery would be how I'd do the rest, but that order is more debatable.

For discoveries I'd get tanglefoot bomb first (yes, it's good), then smoke & stink. Fast bombs will always be your level 8 discovery for a bomber. After that though you might consider explosive missile, if range is ever an issue. Infusion is useful to have but I'd get another damage type before that - probably not cold as it's the next most commonly resisted after fire. Void could work, or acid, or force. Combine extracts is not one I'd get.

& sorry the direct target of a bomb also gets a save.

[Nixitur]

Yeah, I agree, Point-Blank Shot and Precise Shot are non-negotiable at early levels.
I would absolutely take Rapid Shot at some point. I would take it over Extra Bombs personally, but that depends on how many fights per day your GM does.
Void Bomb is "available to Drow alchemists", so I don't think you're allowed to take it. I'd recommend Sticky Bomb instead as it seriously increases your damage output as a bomber. If you hit an enemy with four bombs in a round, that's another about 4*splash damage on the round after which is pretty huge.
Blinding Bomb is brutal, Combine Extracts can essentially be bought for 5000 gp. Yes, the latter is only once a day, but still.
I would take Tumor Familiar over Improved Initiative. A Compsognathus or Greensting Scorpion gives you +4 to Intiative as well and if you get the Protector archetype, you effectively multiply your HP by 1.5 from level 5 onward. A Protector with fast healing 5 is also just absurdly good. It also allows you to seriously screw with the action economy once you get Infusions and Touch Injection.

Frost Bomb is a great level 4 bomb. Yes, it's almost as often resisted as fire, but it does full damage and has a pretty great side effect. Acid Bomb's effect is much worse, but it's less resisted. Your choice, I'd say.
You really, really want to fit in Force Bomb at some point. It depends on the campaign, of course, but there's quite a few monsters that have resistances against both Fire and Cold damage and Force damage just hits for full every time, even against incorporeal opponents. It has quite a nice side effect, too. I'd take it at level 11 (Extra Discovery) and Splash Weapon Mastery at level 13. The other way around might be fine, too.

It doesn't look like you'll be able to fit in Madness Bomb or Cursed Bomb, but if you can, that seems like an extremely brutal combination. You're essentially throwing out multiple Bestow Curse castings in a round, at range, and even if it doesn't stick, you reduce your opponent's Will save, making it easier for the next one to stick.

For Smoke Bomb and related Discoveries, I don't think you can choose which squares to affect as with Precise Bombs. 'cause it's not just doing splash damage, it's a spell effect simply related to your splash radius, so Precise Bombs doesn't work. So, you're going to be nauseating and inferno-ing your teammates as well. A fine bomb to throw out when you're going first, but that's only one round per battle where you can realistically use them unless you want your party to hate you.

[Scott Wilhelm]

It seems like the whole point of being a Grenadier Alchemist is to be able to put Alchemical weapons on your missiles and shoot them. Put them on your longbow. Put them on your Gun. Take Explosive Missile, and put Alchemal Weapons AND Alchemal Bombs on your arrows!

It seems like the cool thing about being a Tiefling is your Energy Resistance. Take like Point Blank Shot and Close Quarters Thrower, stuffing Bombs right in their faces while you don't take any damage.

There are melee Feats that seem to be just made for Tieflings: Moonlight Stalker and Moonlight Stalker Feint, you get bonuses against opponents you have Concealment from, such as from Smoke Bombs. I was thinking Moonlight Stalker Feint would be really good if you were doing Sneak Attack Damage, but that would mean being a Vivisectionist instead or multiclassing into Rogue or something.

[Backlash3906]

For action economy on a one-handed firearm, Explosive Missile is GREAT. Lets you BYPASS Rapid Reload, and Dead Eye is still eligible if you dip Gunslinger or take the Amateur G feat.