Talk:Alchemist

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rebuild ideas

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.
hmmm.  that notion has some merit, but....  the hulkemist form already has a LOT of flexibility and power available to it, with the four bomb support discoveries and the unlimited dips into Rage powers. if you want to specialize in the mutagen, you can get VERY powerful already, a lot of those rage powers are really nice. but i love the idea of the 'brain lottery', and the notions you have laid out below are pretty darn cool.  i think i agree we need to let this lay fallow a bit, i think, while the 'bomber' build gets a test after the rebuild.



bombs

  • we can try out the new damage model
  • need to see if adding x2 crits on direct targets is too much
  • need to see how interactions with certain discoveries (e.g. Mad Bomber) plays with the new damage model.
  • otherwise, I think bombs are probably 'fixed' for now. There may be other discoveries or extracts that need to be revised to reflect changes.

mutagens

  • alchemist activates their mutagen as a swift action, usable only during combat. Lasts until the end of the encounter, free action to maintain.
  • each round, at the start of the alchemist's turn, they roll on a table to see what the mutagen does for them this round, as their body shifts and squirms into new, horrific shapes.
  • each ENCOUNTER, they can modify this die result by +/- a number of pips equal to their INT modifier (half INT mod?); this doesn't affect their INT mod; it's a separate currency.
  • at higher levels, the table expands, or additional tables are added. at higher levels, mutagen grants more than one benefit per round.
  • example abilities granted by the mutagen:
  • your knee joints reverse; gain a vaulting speed equal to your walk speed until start of your next turn.
  • you sprout three more ears; precise hearing until start of your next turn
  • your skin hardens; gain DR x/common until the start of your next turn. (where x equals alchemist level)
  • your flesh writhes; gain ER x/common until the start of your next turn. (where x equals alchemist level)
  • your legs grow two more legs (each!); make a free 5-foot step at any time during your turn. This does not provoke, and does not prevent movement or another 5-foot step this round.
  • you sprout a serrated tentacle that thrashes about; as a swift action, you can make a melee touch attack against any creature within 15 feet. If it hits, you can slide them 2 squares (+1 per 10 alchemist levels)
  • higher level abilities might include:
  • lesser flight equal to your walk speed until start of your next turn.
  • lesser climb
  • tunneling
  • lesser swim
  • ignore miss chance from partial concealment, or ac penalties from partial cover
  • can't be flanked this round
  • darkvison
  • echolocation
  • perfect scent
  • tremorsense (short range; 20 feet?)
  • walk doesn't provoke this round
  • use an extract as a move action this round
  • immediately heal x hit points of damage (where x equals alchemist level)
  • gain temp hit points equal to alchemist level
  • immediately reduce one status condition you are suffering from by 1 step (strong becomes moderate, moderate becomes weak, weak simply clears).
  • all move speeds increase by 10 feet this round (+10 feet per 10 alchemist levels)

etc.

  • the current crop of mutagen discoveries become new abilities that you can use to replace existing abilities on the table, further skewing the odds to things you prefer. Since there's no certainty you will get these new abilities each round, they can be quite good:
  • teleportation
  • blindsense
  • throw a bomb as a move action this round
  • enemies that hit you suffer half bomb damage this round
  • DR x/- (equal to alchemist level)
  • ER x/- (equal to alchemist level)

etc.

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.