Talk:Alchemist: Difference between revisions

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  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.
  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.


===bombs===
===bombs===

Revision as of 12:11, 20 July 2018

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.
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.

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?


  • 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)
  • if currency, may need to look at how many they get, and either increase or decrease it, as necessary.
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? 
  • bombs should do more status conditions and be very good at them (it's fine if this requires discoveries).
  • with restriction on monsters having no stackable conditions, this doesn't break anything.
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.