Strafe Bomb (Discovery)

Ability Type: Su

Prerequisites: -

Benefit: The alchemist can throw bombs that splash in a 20-foot line beyond the primary target, instead of splashing in a radius around the primary target. This means that, if the bomb hits, it targets the primary target and splashes four additional squares beyond the target.

To determine which creatures are splashed by the line attack, the alchemist counts out four squares beyond their primary target. The path can turn, go diagonally, and even come back toward the alchemist. However, the path can never pass through the same square more than once, nor can it pass through the primary target's space, nor can the path skip any squares — it must be contiguous. Any creature whose space is included in the path (or any portion of their space, if they are sized-large or larger) is splashed by the bomb, suffering half damage as though they succeeded on a Reflex saving throw for half damage.

Unlike other areas of effect, lines are not big cubes, but instead create a path of 5-foot cubes that meander across the battlefield, like a very large snake, as directed by the alchemist. The path of the splash effect can go vertically into the air above the primary target, or move through three-dimensional space as the alchemist chooses. It is not restricted to following a path along the ground.

If the bomb misses the primary target, this discovery has no effect. Instead, the bomb scatters and explodes in its normal 3x3 square radius, dealing only splash damage to all targets in the affected area.

Special: The length of strafe bomb's line effect is increased by 20 feet if the alchemist has either the Explosive Bomb (Discovery) or the Carpet Bomber (Grand Discovery). That is, if the alchemist has one of these, strafe bomb's line effect is increased by 20 feet (to a total of 40 feet), and if they alchemist has both, the line effect is increased by 40 feet (to a total of 60 feet).