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Since you don't need to invest on Fundamental weapon runes (unless you have a backup weapon you use regularly) and can't invest on armor just yet (it starts at level 5), you should start focusing on items that enhance the skills you like.
After such items, you best bet is to choose all manner of cool items you could find useful. Things like Bag of Holding I, Everburning Torch, Aeon Stone (Dusty Rose Prism), Healer's Gloves (great one-action healing for dire situations).
Another very important item is the Alchemist Goggles, that despite their bonuses not applying to your best bombs (because it's an item bonus) they can still be helpful when you're using lower level items (the cantrip bombs you gain after level 7). One sneaky benefit it gives is this part "You can also ignore lesser cover when making Strikes with alchemical bombs.", because lesser cover is a very prevalent hassle for ranged combatants with several melee teammates, couple that with the class inherently lower bonuses to hit and things can get problematic.
Those are great suggestions, thank you Raven.
I know crossbows get a lot of hate, but I personally don't think it is a bad idea. If you can get bow proficiency somehow, that would be even better. But even if it is one shot from a crossbow during the fight, that is one action of being useful in a round that doesn't cost you a reagent batch. Level 7 is a long way away and even then, you are only throwing out level 1 bombs for free.
And if you do want to spend a reagent batch, you can poison the bolt. Sure, you aren't a toxicologist alchemist, but you can still create and use poisons. At level 5 Powerful Alchemy will let you use your class DC for the save DC on the poison as long as you create it during that turn. So a round of create poison; apply poison; shoot. It won't take out hordes of low level enemies, but it does open up a bunch more flexibility on horrible things to do to a single enemy.
So getting a crossbow and some good runes to go on it may be something to consider.
I know crossbows get a lot of hate, but I personally don't think it is a bad idea.
Yeah, it was my 'out of bombs' option for the levels so far-- and still is, played today and used it several times when I was wanting to conserve resources. I agree it's viable/preferable to chucking gold at a problem with the successive -5, -10, etc.
Thanks!
For low level alchemists, I definitely recommend a crossbow. Imo, the best picks are either the alchemical crossbow (a nice way to get more bang for your buck until you get perma bombs) or the hand crossbow (keeps a hand open so you can still bomb without having to regrip your weapon). If you can get one, a bow is a stronger option; it's not a terrible idea to pick up weapon training or something like elven weapon proficiency and just retrain out of it once you hit level 7, or take archer dedication for a scaling proficiency that will last your whole career
Once you hit level 7, I feel the cantrip bombs are a better use of your time than crossbows most of the time; with calculated splash, they hit for roughly the same damage, with the extra goodies of additives, hit effects, and garanteed damage on a miss. The bow, if you nabbed it from archer dedication, is still nice here, since it's only one action to shoot (vs the one actions to quick alchemy and throw); and thus it comes in handy when you are pressed for actions or the enemy is really distant.
Aa far as non weapon stuff, I'm personally a huge fan of storage stuff, like bags of holding, sleeves of storing (imo better than the BoH for an alchemist; built in familiar haven, the remaining 5 bulk can fit 50 alchemical items, can be drawn as a single interact action, plus you can reskin it as a mad science lab coat with a bajillion pockets), gloves of storing are a neat trick, etc. Healer's gloves are nice if you invest medicine. I'd probably take them over the gloves of storing if you're invested in the medicine skill to any degree since you're in pfs; medicine is skill thats always helpful in a PUG. If you're like me and play your bombers as tricksy, something to boost deception is surprisingly helpful; make a diversion is basically a 1/fight per enemy feint for ranged attacks if you have a bomb in hand or have quick bomber. Stealth will get you similar results if you're able to hide a lot. As far as eyewear, I prefer the crafter's eyepiece to the alchemist's goggles; I'm usually under the effect of quicksilver mutagen so the goggles don't help much, but the eyepiece gives me a bonus to all rolls on top of letting me fix shields and such better during exploration mode. Overall though, I prefer to get item bonuses to skills from my mutagens unless I need to use them in combat frequently and spend my gold on tricksy gadgets
The strength of the alchemist's goggles is the removal of lesser cover. Depending on your GM, it's nearly a + 1 to all attacks. It's a must have for any high Dex Alchemist.
Beside that, you don't need much as an Alchemist. Even if I think having a lot of extra alchemical items for unexpected cases is pretty neat. In PFS, you can Craft them with so many bonuses that you nearly get them for half price. It's a huge asset in my opinion.
The strength of the alchemist's goggles is the removal of lesser cover. Depending on your GM, it's nearly a + 1 to all attacks. It's a must have for any high Dex Alchemist.
Beside that, you don't need much as an Alchemist. Even if I think having a lot of extra alchemical items for unexpected cases is pretty neat. In PFS, you can Craft them with so many bonuses that you nearly get them for half price. It's a huge asset in my opinion.
That is true, the cover negation is pretty helpful if you encounter it a lot. I personally dont, but like you said, that's a table variance thing.
The note on crafting though is why I actually favor the eyepiece; I often find myself magic items like potions and such as well, which the goggles dont boost.
With my Alchemist, I encounter it for more than half of my bomb attacks. If your GM is applying the rules precisely, and unless you run in front line with your Alchemist, it will be hard for you to circumvent it.
But I've seen many GMs either ignoring it or rulling it too lightly. I dislike that, but it's GM dependent to follow the rules on lesser cover. Anyway, as I dislike surprises, it's been my first purchase at level 4.
I typically do a pincer strike and hit-and-run tactics, rather than hiding behind the front liners. That said, I'm at a home game where a lot of the fights are either im cities where its easy for me to climb up to safe places or open wilderness, where I have a lot of space to run and take advantage of my mutagen enhanced speed. My party overall typically engages with similar skirmisher tactics, so that's probably a lot different than most pfs scenarios
All great advice so far, thanks
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In addition to the excellent suggestions above, I advocate buying up a lot of formulas. They're quite cheap if you're looking at Level-minus-3ish prices and some of them are occasionally very useful, which is perfect for spontaneous preparation.
Archer Dedication is fantastic for a toxicologist. Picking up Archer's Aim can help with landing a nice poisoned arrow.
For bomber, you will need to pick up Enduring Alchemy. You run out of actions trying to: craft poison; apply poison; Archer's Aim. You have to split that over two rounds and without Enduring Alchemy the poison loses potency.
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I typically do a pincer strike and hit-and-run tactics, rather than hiding behind the front liners. That said, I'm at a home game where a lot of the fights are either im cities where its easy for me to climb up to safe places or open wilderness, where I have a lot of space to run and take advantage of my mutagen enhanced speed. My party overall typically engages with similar skirmisher tactics, so that's probably a lot different than most pfs scenarios
I agree. In PFS, it's more of a big fest with everyone gathering around the monster and staying there. It's hard to come up with good tactics when the party changes all the time.
With my Alchemist, I encounter it for more than half of my bomb attacks. If your GM is applying the rules precisely, and unless you run in front line with your Alchemist, it will be hard for you to circumvent it.
But I've seen many GMs either ignoring it or rulling it too lightly. I dislike that, but it's GM dependent to follow the rules on lesser cover. Anyway, as I dislike surprises, it's been my first purchase at level 4.
Worst case scenario is the goggles are still useful once you get perpetual bombs so up their accuracy a bit so its not like its money totally wasted you will want them sooner or later may as well get them early.