Talk:Alchemist: Difference between revisions

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==rebuild ideas==
* right now, class is just a poor meleer (hulkemist) and poor ranged striker (bombs).  Needs something that it actually excels at on its own.


  rescaled damage, did a quick 'tidy' pass on the bomb discoveries. we'll see how it feels after this, the bomb buff really improves all aspects of this class, even the mutagen if you support it with bomb to hulk discoveries.
  1st [[Selective (Feat)]]
3rd [[Point-Blank Shot (Feat)]]
5th [[Ammo Drop (Feat)]]
7th [[Large Target (Feat)]]
9th [[Splash Weapon Mastery (Feat)]]
11th [[Bomb, Improved (Feat)]]
13th [[Weapon Focus (Feat)]] - Sling
15th [[Prone Slinger (Feat)]]
17th [[Rod Whisperer (Feat)]]
19th [[Dodge (Feat)]]
21st [[Bomb, Mighty (Feat)]]
23rd [[Mobility (Feat)]]
25th [[Shot on the Run (Feat)]]
27th [[Weapon Focus, Greater (Feat)]] - Sling
29th [[Meta-Extract (Feat)]]
31st [[Cataclysm in a Bottle (Feat)]]
33rd [[Annus Mirabilis (Feat)]]
35th [[Empowering Bomb (Feat)]]


idea: perhaps alchemists 'gamble' with their intelligence modifier each round?  Not really sure how this works yet, but I like that they risk madness as par for the course in their adventures.


idea: alchemists may choose to substitute their Int for their Str, Con, and/or Dex when they use a mutagen, at the expense of some essence omission/destruction or something after they drop out of raeg hueg mode.  This ties into the 'gambling' notion above,as they CAN choose to simply use the mutagen stat mods, if they want.


  I want something more interactive than that. Here's a thought: Each round, the alchemist's mutagen provides a random benefit from a list (1d6 effects); roll to see which one you get. Higher levels might have additional charts to provide a second benefit (or third, etc.). Each encounter, the alchemist can alter the die results by a number of pips equal to their INT mod, either up or down. This lets them put their thumb on the scale a bit, or not. Effects can include wacky movement types, wacky senses, a free melee attack with reach, etc. Just weird stuff as their body mutates aggressively during the fight. We completely replace the mutagen's current 'melee monster' effects with this. Discoveries related to improving mutagens would let you replace one of the listed effects in the charts with a new effect (retaining the random possibility of getting it), but these could be really good; there's still no guarantee you'll be able to use it each round, but being able to alter the die result makes it fairly certain you'll get to use it at least some of the time.
  Discoveries
2nd directed bomb
4th element bomb
  6th dispelling bomb
  8th greater mutagen
10th breath weapon bomb
12th rudiment bomb
14th fundament bomb
16th demolition charge
18th lesser infusion
20th explosive bomb
  22nd greater infusion
  24th major infusion
  26th immolation bomb
  28th perfect infusion
  30th mutation mastery
  32nd delayed bomb
  34th vestigial arm


===bombs===
* redo/rescale bomb damage
:* currently, splash damage is way too much dice rolling for way too little effect.
::* splashed creatures get a save to reduce the already minimum damage by half! Annoying!
:::*rescale thoughts: bomb damage scales like spell circles.  no more splash damage, it is a smallish AOE(3x3), can still scatter on a miss, may be targeted at a square (AC5) but then does half damage.  add a Discovery to allow non-creature/sunder damage?


 
  Grand Discoveries
:* perhaps make bombs the class 'currency' the way 'channel divinity' can be repurposed for other things
   
::* other things to include melee damage (poured on hands) or breath weapon (if drunk)
  3rd Infinite Bombs
:::* if currency, may need to look at how many they get, and either increase or decrease it, as necessary.
  8th Hyper Tweaking
 
  13th Mad Bomber
  the above currency idea is already folded into several discoveries, like Alchemical claws, breath potion, and/or sebaceous cyst (bleah).  is that deep enough, or should we think about tying it to their 'weird move' proto-power below?
  18th Persistent Spark
 
  23rd Carpet Bomber
:* bombs should do more status conditions and be very good at them (it's fine if this requires discoveries).
  28th Soulfire
::* with restriction on monsters having no stackable conditions, this doesn't break anything.
  33rd Flesh Warping
 
  33rd Unborn Horror
folded a bunch of this into the recent discovery/damage pass, is it deep enough or do we need to tinker a bit more?
 
:* (Jeff) Case Study - Naja 15th level mostly bomber alchemist
 
blanked this math, which was excellent, and justified the damage boost and bomb rebuild nicely. we'll see how this plays, and look at weird move as a new unique thing. I note there are plenty of dead levels we can pop wacky-fun stuff into :)
 
===mutagens===
* bake mutagen/mutation directly into the class -- they are ALWAYS Mr. Hyde.
:* allow a discovery (or perhaps a class feature?) that allows them to temporarily appear normal.
:* mutagen should do more than just 'make them good at melee'.  Tankiness? Controllery? Leadery?
 
* (Jeff) Idea I just had. Do away with the mutagen. When an alchemist is bloodied, they transform as an immediate action. By default they have no choice, it is automatic. They remain transformed until they are no longer bloodied. Discoveries/feats may enable them to transform at will or resist transforming. This creates a hit point management mini-game that strikes me as appealing. ("Ruin, burn me with your next fireball", "What?!")
* (Jeff) I worked out Naja with all the Mutagen discoveries. Even with True Mutagen (which she can't take until next level), she is largely irrelevant against a generic CR 15 monster. Her to hit is too low (+21), although her AC is adequate (39). Her damage potential is about 2/3 of what she has with bombs (assuming she can hit). It would take several feats, move stats into strength, and a few magic items to make her as effective at melee as she is with bombs. And she really isn't measuring up with bombs.
 
===more movement===
* grant them an unstoppable movement power: skittering mass, scuttling mass, whatever
:* while active, their movement does not provoke AOO's
:* maybe spend a bomb to trigger it? lasts for any movements made during that turn?
:* at higher level, allows different move types to be employed while active.
:* special effect: they turn into a swarm of bugs until the move is completed (or worms, or something gross)
::* higher level, it could be bees, or some other swarm that has better move types. blink flies.
 
===extracts===
* class should get a 'contagion' feature which lets them spread buffs currently on themselves onto an adjacent ally
:* once per round, during any part of your turn, you can infect an ally adjacent to you with the effects of your current buff.
:* while your buff probably lasts until the end of the encounter, the buff on the infected ally would only last until the start of your next turn.
:* could expand this to do more than just spread buffs/extracts, but on its face, it immediately makes the extracts better.
:* would let us get rid of the 'share extract' discovery (whatever it's called).
 
== Alchemist Example Builds ==
  (not a legal build; needs reviewed)
 
=== Bomb-Throwing Build ===
Human, base stats: Str 16, Dex 14, Con 14, int 18, Wis 10, Chr 8.
 
Example Feats
 
1st Level: Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot.  Lets you put your bombs exactly where you want them
 
3rd Level: Weapon Focus:Bombs.  Still making the bombs better.
 
5th Level: Extra Discovery: Acid Bombs*.  Now that the bombs go where you want them, you start to make them nassssty.
 
7th Level: Dodge.       A point of armor class and unlocks good stuff.
 
9th  Level: Close Quarters Thrower. Throw bombs in melee!
 
11th Level: Charging Hurler. Lets you keep up with the first round rush and still attack.
 
13th Level: Far Shot. Throw bombs waaaay further and still hit.
 
15th Level: Mobility. Avoid those attacks of opportunity.
 
17th Level: Shot on the Run. Pop around a corner, throw a bomb, hide. So awesome.
 
19th Level: Clustered Shots. This lets you punch through DR like crazy.
 
 
Example Discoveries:
 
2nd Level: Precise Bombs
 
4th Level: Explosive Bombs*
 
6th Level: Breath Weapon Bomb
 
8th Level: Fast Bombs
 
10th Level: Force Bomb*
 
12th Level: Demolition Bomb*
 
14th Level: Dispelling Bomb*
 
16th Level: Frost Bomb*
 
18th Level: Elixir of Life
 
20th Level: Fast Healing 5, Smoke Bomb*, Inferno Bomb*.
 
 
 
=== Hulchemist Build ===
Human, base stats: Str 16, Dex 14, Con 14, int 18, Wis 10, Chr 8
 
Example Feats
 
1st Level: Dodge, Mobility. Move around in melee, get hit less, and melee sucks, you want the armor class bad.
 
3rd Level: Weapon Focus: Natural Attacks.  Yeah, you wreck'em in melee, you betcha!
 
5th Level:  Power Attack. Yeah, you wreck'em in melee, you betcha!
 
7th Level: Point Blank Shot. Still gotta work the bombs!
 
9th level: Toughness. Hit points, baby!
 
11th Level: Precise Shot. Workin' the bombs
 
13th level: Shot on the Run. The corner thing, so awesome.
 
15th Level: Rending Claws. Oh, yeah, even more melee damage
 
17th Level: Defensive Combat Training. Stops the bad guys from tackling you all the time
 
19th Level: Advanced Def Combat Training. No, seriously. Getting grappled sucks.
 
 
 
Example Discoveries:
 
2nd Level:  Alchemical Claw
 
4th Level:  Spontaneous Healing
 
6th Level:  Greater Mutagen
 
8th Level:  Vestigial Arm
 
10th Level: Vestigial Arm
 
12th Level: Grand Mutagen
 
14th Level: Tentacle
 
16th Level: True Mutagen
 
18th Level: Nauseating Flesh
 
20th Level: Alchemical Abomination, Improved Alchemical Claw, Preserve Organs.

Latest revision as of 17:52, 17 December 2020


1st	Selective (Feat)
3rd	Point-Blank Shot (Feat) 
5th	Ammo Drop (Feat)
7th	Large Target (Feat)
9th	Splash Weapon Mastery (Feat)
11th	Bomb, Improved (Feat)
13th	Weapon Focus (Feat) - Sling
15th	Prone Slinger (Feat)
17th	Rod Whisperer (Feat)
19th	Dodge (Feat)
21st	Bomb, Mighty (Feat)
23rd	Mobility (Feat)
25th	Shot on the Run (Feat)
27th	Weapon Focus, Greater (Feat) - Sling
29th	Meta-Extract (Feat)
31st	Cataclysm in a Bottle (Feat)
33rd	Annus Mirabilis (Feat)
35th	Empowering Bomb (Feat)


Discoveries 

2nd	directed bomb
4th	element bomb 
6th	dispelling bomb
8th	greater mutagen
10th	breath weapon bomb
12th	rudiment bomb
14th	fundament bomb
16th	demolition charge
18th	lesser infusion
20th	explosive bomb
22nd	greater infusion
24th	major infusion
26th	immolation bomb
28th	perfect infusion
30th	mutation mastery
32nd	delayed bomb
34th	vestigial arm


Grand Discoveries

3rd		Infinite Bombs
8th		Hyper Tweaking
13th		Mad Bomber
18th		Persistent Spark
23rd		Carpet Bomber
28th		Soulfire
33rd 		Flesh Warping
33rd		Unborn Horror