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The more I read over Alakablam, the more confused I get. At first blush, it seems straightforward, but as written, it’s missing key things and is not so straightforward. What it seems to do is to boost the next shot from a reloadable gun with damage of the same type as a recently cast spell from a spell gem. But let’s go through it line by line, because that’s not all that it says, and that’s not really what it says.
Requirements You are holding a weapon and your last action was to Cast a Spell from a spell gem or spell chip.
There’s already some issues with this, but we’ll come back to it.
You can use the delicate remains of a consumed spell gem or spell chip as ammunition by firing it before the last of its magic fades away.
And here’s the first problem, and this is more of an implicit thing. If you use a spell chip, what happens to it? It says the “remains”, so is this only usable if you’ve just destroyed a spell chip? If you use a spell chip that isn’t destroyed, does it become destroyed?
You Reload a ranged weapon using the consumed item and Overclock Gear.
Problem number two and three. You aren’t required to be wielding a ranged weapon, just a weapon. So can you reload a non-wielded ranged weapon? If you need to be wielding the ranged weapon that is being loaded (I presume this is the case, because this whole thing doesn't make sense otherwise), then the requirement should reflect that.
This sentence lists three things, of which you can only wield two: the ranged weapon, the consumed item (a spell gem you just used, or the device a spell chip is/was installed in) and the Overclock Gear. “Overclock Gear” is a bit confusing, because that’s an action, not equipment. Is it referring to the gear you have Overclocked, or the Overclock Boost that is affecting your gear? I assume the latter (for multiple reasons, not least of which is that you don't have a third hand to wield things in), but again, it’s unclear. Also, assuming that it is referring to the overclock boost, does that eat your overclock boost, or do you just need to have an overclocked item to use this? That presents problems for Viper because you would then need a third hand to have a second gem/chip because if you just used your overclocked gem it is gone and presumably no longer overclocked.If the spell was not damaging, the weapon deals an extra 1d6 force damage and gains the arcane and magical traits.
Pretty straightforward, but how long does this last?
If the spell dealt damage, the Strike deals this type of damage instead (or one type of your choice if the spell could deal multiple types of damage).
Okay, hold up. Does this action give you a free Strike?? Is it for the next Strike with this weapon? What Strike is it referring to??? The tags are only Manipulate and Technomancer, so I would assume it’s not giving a free Strike, but it doesn’t say how long this damage lasts. Is it the next Strike you make this turn, until the end of your next turn, all Strikes for the next round? What’s the duration on this thing? When is it consumed?
As I said, the longer I try to parse this feat, the more confused I get.
As far as duration, I assume it lasts as long as you’re overclocked. It’s like the similar one round feats in PF2, but with the spell gem expenditure getting the extra duration makes sense.
1d6 for the entire duration of overclock is a problem if overclock is available via the archetype. Sure Strike spell gem eventually become pocket change, and being able to turn it into an encountwr length buff afterwords is a bit much.
End of your next turn sounds fair to me, but this is one of those things we really need dev commentary on.
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Another thing I just noticed, the last sentence's structure implies that if you cast a damaging spell to activate this, then you don't actually get a damage bonus, just a damage type change.
If the spell was not damaging, the weapon deals an extra 1d6 force damage and gains the arcane and magical traits.
So the weapon gains two tags and a bonus die.
If the spell dealt damage, the Strike deals this type of damage instead[].
New qualifier that is mutually exclusive witht the previous indicates a separation in effects, not a continuation. The effect stated does not reference the extra die, nor does it add one of its own, it simply changes the damage type of the attack. It also does not add the Arcane or Magical traits.
The way I understood it is that you're loading the spell gem as ammunition, and the bonus damage lasts as long as that clip is in the magazine. Which I suppose just causes more problems and makes it functionally permanent with some tedious maintenance so maybe that's not how it's supposed to work.
I am just sad this cool feature/Feat is locked at expert weapons as I don't get ?Heroism because Arcane Spelllist...I am kinda sad, would be nice if Technomancer was either Arcane or Occult bcause why does it get locked to a single spell tradition well Mystic and WitchWarper doesn't!?