(No Spoilers) Playing an Alchemist in Hell's Rebels, looking for some advice

[Xhavius]

We did our first session of Hell's Rebels last night, and got into the Livery. We've got a pretty solid lineup, with a Swashbuckler (who is intending to go Investigator..maybe), an Arcanist, a Monk, an Oracle of Battles and me, a tiefling Alchemist. That's where I need some support.

I've always loved the Alchemist class. I like mad science, I like bombs, I like playing precise, intelligent characters. But I don't have a lot of experience playing casters of any kind. I've been branching out in Pathfinder recently, but I'm not sure if I'll be able to be useful in both combat situations and the non-combat situations that I know will be part of Hell's Rebels. After playing a witch in Jade Regent and really suffering in combat, I want to get ahead of the problem of ending up as mainly not useful in the Adventure path.

My alchemist is currently specced as a grenadier and skill monkey, I've got 18 int and 16 dex, with nothing really notable as far as ability scores otherwise. I went with the mindchemist archetype, on suggestion and figuring that I wouldn't have much need of my Mutagen as I have very little wish to be in close combat. I'm not sure how to upload a character sheet, but mainly I want to know if I can remain viable in combat in Hell's Rebels throughout the AP, and if there is any good way to contribute to the very social-heavy game that the Player's Guide discusses. Because I love that stuff.

[zimmerwald1915]

Alchemists are perfectly combat-viable, and the AP is generous enough with spellbooks and scrolls you can use to fill out your formula book. Because you're a mindchemist and don't get a mutagen, you'll be sitting in the back tossing bombs and spells, but that sounds like what you want to do anyway, so just take the archery feats and be happy in your role. If you want more in-depth advice, I like N.Jolly's guide for the presentation.

For the social side of things, consider grabbing Ironclad Logic or Orator, depending on where you want to put your skill points (Diplomacy or Linguistics respectively) and whether your GM is using the social combat rules in Ultimate Intrigue.

[rkotitan]

I would suggest shock bombs. No further elaboration. Just shock bombs.

[Tarik Blackhands]

As long as your sole damage output isn't some stripe of fire bomb, you should be fine in combat (I doubt it's a spoiler to note that HELL'S Rebels features significant amounts of Devils on the evil side). Taking shock, frost, or force bombs works fine in that regard.

[Xhavius]

Tarik Blackhands wrote:

As long as your sole damage output isn't some stripe of fire bomb, you should be fine in combat (I doubt it's a spoiler to note that HELL'S Rebels features significant amounts of Devils on the evil side). Taking shock, frost, or force bombs works fine in that regard.

That's actually part of what prompted this thread. I'd love to bomb those devils back to Hell, but I know they are pretty fireproof. What does an alchemist who does bombs do after they run out in a dungeon or something? Just rely on their ranged feats and crossbows and things? I'll probably ask this elsewhere on the forum as well.

[Tarik Blackhands]

Due to your archtype? More or less. Acquiring longbow proficiency and packing some ranged feats is probably a solid idea if you don't want to use your extracts to buff up to beat stuff up in melee.

[PCScipio]

If your GM will allow you to put extracts in a sipping jacket, get one when you can afford it and fill it with Targeted Bomb Admixture.

[roguerouge]

You buff the party with your infusions. You use your skills as an INT-based class. And, of course, you're better with acids and tanglefoot bags than a lot of people.

[Elegos]

My hells rebels game has an alchemist with the vivisectionist, beastmorph and mindchemist archetypes. He turns into a horrifying tentacled bird monster that vomits out a tumour cat as a flanking partner before sneak attacking everything. Now he has access to caustic blood so if you cut him he does a xenomorph impression.

Asmodeus chose a mace as his holy weapon that if his followerers might stand a chance against the wall crawling horror of kintargo

[DBH]

Tailor your bombs to the opposition. Concussive bombs are murder on spellcasters. As others have pointed out, different elemental types are needed for the immunities some creatures have.

Keep pumping up Craft alchemy, take the Concentrate poison discovery along with some ranged feats and have a poison to ruin anyone's day.

The Explosive missile discovery also goes well with a ranged character, have your crossbow bolts exploding in your enemy.

The Holy bomb discovery will be very effective against a lot of the enemies in your game.

The Infusion and Precise bombs discoveries are pretty much required for any Alchemist.

Alchemist is a very versatile class and can be extremely dangerous with a little planning, look at the list of Discoveries and plot a path rather than picking what sounds good at the level you're own. Some discoveries have prerequisites after all.

And finally the Extra discovery feat is your friend.