What is your favorite Alchemist archetype and why?

[Merellin]

So, I'm asking out of curiosity, Because I love the alchemist but havent tried its archetypes yet. What is your favorite Alchemist archetype, And why is it your favorite?

[Darigaaz the Igniter]

Unarchetyped. There's just so many good things in the base chassis it's hard to trade them out for often lackluster substitutes.

[supervillan]

I have one alchemist PC. Level 8 (with a level of Unbreakable Fighter on top). He's a beastmorph, because he's a melee alchemist. Beastmorph is a fun archetype, which gives various monster/animal abilities added you your mutagen. The big draw from this is pounce, available at level 10. But wings at level 6 is really good too, and I like that you can describe your mutagen as transforming you into a more monstrous/animalistic form.

Poison use isn't much cop, imho. Whilst poison immunity is nice to have, there are few poisons that are deadly and you have decent fort saves as an alchemist.

I haven't played one, but grenadier looks very decent for a bomber and I think I've played with one or two.

[dwayne germaine]

I agree with supervillan about the Beastmorph alchemist. Poison is not generally very effective to use as a PC, so trading out it's use is no biggie. The loss of bonuses to save vs. poison and eventual immunity are a bit more of downside, but compared to the benefits you gain while in your mutagenic form, I find it to be a good trade off.

For a heavily bomb focused alchemist I wouldn't bother with it, but for most switch hitters and melee alchemists I think Beastmorph is an upgrade.

[Klorox]

I've had great fun with Chirurgeon alchemists... had to take those because the alchie was the party healer, but that's a great archetype anyway, I don't care too much for the features it trades out.

But Darigaaz is right, the basic class is great too.

[Long John]

I love the thought of the Promethean one, with the human looking homunculus familiar.

[Klorox]

Trading in brew potion and throw anything for the homunculus... that's a steep price to pay.

[graystone]

Trap Breaker/Crypt Breaker: when I want to be Mr. Mctrapfinder

Metamorph: Shapechanging fun + Mutagen that doesn't require any Int. [or add Toxicant]

[Darigaaz the Igniter]

The main thing I don't like about the beastmorph is they lose the hours/level mutagen.

[Klorox]

Darigaaz the Igniter wrote:

The main thing I don't like about the beastmorph is they lose the hours/level mutagen.

Beg your pardon? that's not in my book at all, to the contrary, beastform mutagens are more powerful than normal... has it been nerfed in an errata?

[supervillan]

Beastmorph doesn't get persistent mutagen. But that ability comes at Alchemist 14. By that time your mutagen lasts 140 minutes. If you think that's not going to be enough, and you won't be able to find an hour to brew up a new dose, dip Master Chymist for just one level and you'll be able to mutate 3 times per day. My beastmorph alchemist will enter Master Chymist at character level 12, because I want Mummification first.

[graystone]

supervillan wrote:

Beastmorph doesn't get persistent mutagen. But that ability comes at Alchemist 14.

The games I play in rarely get to 14 so it's lose is meaningless to me. ;)

[Klorox]

supervillan wrote:

Beastmorph doesn't get persistent mutagen. But that ability comes at Alchemist 14. By that time your mutagen lasts 140 minutes. If you think that's not going to be enough, and you won't be able to find an hour to brew up a new dose, dip Master Chymist for just one level and you'll be able to mutate 3 times per day. My beastmorph alchemist will enter Master Chymist at character level 12, because I want Mummification first.

d'oh, will teach me to read better... I thought I'd checked all Beastmorph traits for what they replaced, and wait for it, yeah, I hadn't done it properly... now I'll have to reread the mutagen to see if you can brew more than one per day, because if it's only 2hr duration at lvel 12, 3 at lvl 18, you need several doses a day to keep up the good juices flowing.

[supervillan]

You can brew as many as you like, but can only ever have one useable. If you make another one, any you already had become inert and useless. It takes an hour to brew a mutagen dose.

[Eryx_UK]

Grenadier. It seems to be, for me at least, the best way to make use of the character's abilities.

[MageHunter]

I mean, it's not an archetype but master chymist prestige class seems fun.

[Prof. Löwenzahn]

Alchemist is a class that can stack lots of Archetypes together, and I personally would never go without one.

Things I already built:

Vivisectionist/Beastmorph into Master Chymist. I was strong enough with my natural attacks so I did not even opt for sneak attack. Sometimes I was like "Oh, I just did 100 damage but forgot to include sneak attack to every attack".

Chirurgeon/Wasteland Blighter/Sacrament Alchemist to fulfill the Healing Role, combined with the usual Bomb discoveries on a Goblin.

I am currently working on an idea that includes Construct Building, so I'd like to add to the question and ask what archetypes is best suited for a Construct companion build? I think there is Tinkerer, Promethean Alchemist and Construct Rider.

I theorycrafted a Promethean Alchemist combined with Preservationist for a "stay out of combat"-type character that lets his summons and the Homunculus fight for him.

[Darklone]

Crossbow alchemist. Not optimized, but with it's huge INT bonus, even Focused Shot and retreat is an option if there are no bombs left.

Usually he blasts with rockets or explosive bombs... either with cognatogen or DEX mutagen to hit.

Used him twice now against my players... they hate him more than many other stronger builds.