Wandering Chef or just take Alchemist and pick the alchemical food recipes?

[wheatleymr]

I like the idea of the Wandering Chef archetype, but I suspect I'd be better off just taking the Alchemist archetype and learning the Alchemical Food recipes first?

I think it boils down to:
is Pack With Flavour [https://2e.aonprd.com/Feats.aspx?ID=7058] sufficiently better than Alchemical Power [https://2e.aonprd.com/Feats.aspx?ID=6189] as to be worth the loss of flexibility?

Or are there some other benefits that only the Wandering Chef archetype has?

[QuidEst]

wheatleymr wrote:

I like the idea of the Wandering Chef archetype, but I suspect I'd be better off just taking the Alchemist archetype and learning the Alchemical Food recipes first?

I think it boils down to:
is Pack With Flavour [https://2e.aonprd.com/Feats.aspx?ID=7058] sufficiently better than Alchemical Power [https://2e.aonprd.com/Feats.aspx?ID=6189] as to be worth the loss of flexibility?

Or are there some other benefits that only the Wandering Chef archetype has?

The main benefit of Wandering Chef is not having a +2 Int requirement. If you're taking the archetype on an Int-based class, it's hard to argue with Alchemist.

[Hilary Moon Murphy]

For me, the primary benefit of Wandering Chef for my cook character was that it had only the alchemical foods to look at, instead of the entire list of alchemical items. It has reduced my cognitive load, and just made it a fun addition that I could dive into for roleplay purposes.

If you don't have the same mindset that I do, take the alchemist archetype.

[Tridus]

wheatleymr wrote:

I like the idea of the Wandering Chef archetype, but I suspect I'd be better off just taking the Alchemist archetype and learning the Alchemical Food recipes first?

I think it boils down to:
is Pack With Flavour [https://2e.aonprd.com/Feats.aspx?ID=7058] sufficiently better than Alchemical Power [https://2e.aonprd.com/Feats.aspx?ID=6189] as to be worth the loss of flexibility?

Or are there some other benefits that only the Wandering Chef archetype has?

It's been summed up pretty well already, but to answer this question specifically: Pack With Flavour uses your own class/spell DC when its relevant and gives extra THP, so it's definitely stronger at what it does.

If that's worth the loss of flexibility... I mean, in terms of "power", the answer is no. Versatility is power and Alchemist has massive versatility. Wandering Chef is better at it's narrow niche, and if that's all you want to do, then take it (or if you don't have the INT).

But if you're basing this on mechanical power, Alchemist wins because it has an answer for so many different situations.