ProudGrognard
2013-12-23, 10:28 AM
The alchemist is one of my favorite classes but I always thought it lacks a dedicated thrown weapon archetype, which is strange, since this is part of his package. The grenadier is very badly put together, so I thought I would give it a shot.
Basically, what I have come with is an archetype that trades his mutagen ability and his poison specialty for more thrown weapon capabilities. Baked into the mix are some fixes that I think every alchemist should get, mainly the ability to create alchemical items fast enough for them to be useable and the infusion discovery as standard.
Bombardier (human)
The bombardier is an alchemist who has focused on developing his bomb-throwing abilities. A distinctly human specialty, bombardiers are more often found working on the field rather than in secluded laboratories.
1st ) Alchemy, bomb 1d6, infusion, throw anything, precise throw, ranged specialization
2nd ) Discovery, fast alchemy, precise bomb, brew potion
3rd) Bomb 2d6, extra bomb
4th) Discovery
5th) Bomb 3d6,
6th) Discovery, Improved precise throw
7th) Bomb 4d6
8th) Discovery,
9th) Bomb 5d6
10th) Discovery, perfect throw
11th) Bomb 6d6
12th) Discovery
13th) Bomb 7d6
14th) Discovery, maximum damage
15th) Bomb 8d6
16th) Discovery
17th) Bomb 9d6
18th) Discovery, instant alchemy
19th) Bomb 10d6
20th) Grand Discovery
Infusion (Su)
As the discovery of the same name.
(I always thought that this should be part of the standard package of the alchemist. As it stands now, it more or less means that all alchemists start with one feat less, since everyone takes it)
Precise throw (Ex)
The bombardier can throw any thrown weapon at an opponent engaged in melee without taking the -4 penalty. The bombardier is also treated as having the Point Blank Shot and Precise Shot feats, for the purposes of qualifying for feats that can be applied to thrown weapons.
(More or less, Precise Shot for thrown weapons only)
Ranged Specialization (Ex)
The bombardier is an expert in using splash weapons. He can thus ready and draw any splash weapon as a swift action. If he has two hands fre, he can draw and ready two such items. This benefit does not extend to bombs, infusions, potions or wands.
However, the bombardier has not studied the creation of mutagens or cognatogens. Even if he acquires the ability to create them via his discovery ability, the benefits he gains from them are only half normal. The penalties, however, remain unchanged.
(This has a twofold purpose: The first to sidestep the peculiar way PF and 3.5 deals with splash weapons. It seems that drawing a knife and throwing it is easier than drawing an oil specially prepared for throwing. Strange. Secondly, it is to signify that the bombardier really cannot use mutagens and cognatogens. This is his big trade-off, so he or she shouldn't just spend a discovery and acquire them)
Fast alchemy (Ex)
Whenever the bombardier makes alchemical items or poisons using Craft (alchemy), he or she uses the item’s gp value as its sp value when determining your progress (do not multiply the item’s gp cost by 10 to determine its sp cost). Note that this does not change the cost to create it, only the time required.
(This is another ability that I think should be integrated to the main alchemist package. It is the Master Alchemist feat cut in half. As it stands, no adventuring alchemist ever has the time to create his own alchemical items, mainly because the craft rules are broken as hell)
Precise Bomb (Su)
As the discovery of the same name.
Extra bomb (Ex)
The bombardier is much more efficient in creating bombs than most alchemists. He creates one more bomb for every level past the second. He thus hets one more at 3rd level, two more at 4th, 3 at 5th etc.
(As an archetype specializing in bombs, he should be able to make more.)
Improved Precise Throw (Ex)
Your ranged attacks with thrown weapons ignore the AC bonus granted to targets by anything less than total cover, and the miss chance granted to targets by anything less than total concealment. Total cover and total concealment provide their normal benefits against your thrown weapons.
Also, you are treated as having the Improved Precise Shot feat for the purposes of qualifying for any feat applied to thrown weapons.
(Again, basically Improved Precise Shot for thrown weapons)
Perfect Throw (Ex)
You must declare that you are using this feat before you make your attack roll (thus a failed attack roll ruins the attempt). When attacking with a thrown weapon, you can roll your attack roll twice and take the higher result. If one of these rolls is a critical threat, the other roll is used as your confirmation roll (your choice if they are both critical threats). You may attempt a perfect throw once per day for every bombardier level you have attained , and no more than once per round.
(More or less, perfect strike for bombardiers, zen archer style)
Maximum damage (Su)
Once per day per two levels, your bomb deals maximum damage if it hits. You must declare that you are using this ability before rolling the attack roll.
What do you think?
EDIT: Cleared some typos and made changes to Ranged specialization. It seems that part of the 3.5 legacy is making splash weapons as awkward to use as say crossbows. This is just plain silly. Thus, I added as part of the package the idea that splash weapons can be drawn as swift actions.
Also, after dwelling closer to some of the non-standard races, I decided to remove the human specialty. Ratfolks and tieflings would make great bombardiers!
Finally, I would want to also use these with any alchemist. (http://tinyurl.com/mbre3fo)
Basically, what I have come with is an archetype that trades his mutagen ability and his poison specialty for more thrown weapon capabilities. Baked into the mix are some fixes that I think every alchemist should get, mainly the ability to create alchemical items fast enough for them to be useable and the infusion discovery as standard.
Bombardier (human)
The bombardier is an alchemist who has focused on developing his bomb-throwing abilities. A distinctly human specialty, bombardiers are more often found working on the field rather than in secluded laboratories.
1st ) Alchemy, bomb 1d6, infusion, throw anything, precise throw, ranged specialization
2nd ) Discovery, fast alchemy, precise bomb, brew potion
3rd) Bomb 2d6, extra bomb
4th) Discovery
5th) Bomb 3d6,
6th) Discovery, Improved precise throw
7th) Bomb 4d6
8th) Discovery,
9th) Bomb 5d6
10th) Discovery, perfect throw
11th) Bomb 6d6
12th) Discovery
13th) Bomb 7d6
14th) Discovery, maximum damage
15th) Bomb 8d6
16th) Discovery
17th) Bomb 9d6
18th) Discovery, instant alchemy
19th) Bomb 10d6
20th) Grand Discovery
Infusion (Su)
As the discovery of the same name.
(I always thought that this should be part of the standard package of the alchemist. As it stands now, it more or less means that all alchemists start with one feat less, since everyone takes it)
Precise throw (Ex)
The bombardier can throw any thrown weapon at an opponent engaged in melee without taking the -4 penalty. The bombardier is also treated as having the Point Blank Shot and Precise Shot feats, for the purposes of qualifying for feats that can be applied to thrown weapons.
(More or less, Precise Shot for thrown weapons only)
Ranged Specialization (Ex)
The bombardier is an expert in using splash weapons. He can thus ready and draw any splash weapon as a swift action. If he has two hands fre, he can draw and ready two such items. This benefit does not extend to bombs, infusions, potions or wands.
However, the bombardier has not studied the creation of mutagens or cognatogens. Even if he acquires the ability to create them via his discovery ability, the benefits he gains from them are only half normal. The penalties, however, remain unchanged.
(This has a twofold purpose: The first to sidestep the peculiar way PF and 3.5 deals with splash weapons. It seems that drawing a knife and throwing it is easier than drawing an oil specially prepared for throwing. Strange. Secondly, it is to signify that the bombardier really cannot use mutagens and cognatogens. This is his big trade-off, so he or she shouldn't just spend a discovery and acquire them)
Fast alchemy (Ex)
Whenever the bombardier makes alchemical items or poisons using Craft (alchemy), he or she uses the item’s gp value as its sp value when determining your progress (do not multiply the item’s gp cost by 10 to determine its sp cost). Note that this does not change the cost to create it, only the time required.
(This is another ability that I think should be integrated to the main alchemist package. It is the Master Alchemist feat cut in half. As it stands, no adventuring alchemist ever has the time to create his own alchemical items, mainly because the craft rules are broken as hell)
Precise Bomb (Su)
As the discovery of the same name.
Extra bomb (Ex)
The bombardier is much more efficient in creating bombs than most alchemists. He creates one more bomb for every level past the second. He thus hets one more at 3rd level, two more at 4th, 3 at 5th etc.
(As an archetype specializing in bombs, he should be able to make more.)
Improved Precise Throw (Ex)
Your ranged attacks with thrown weapons ignore the AC bonus granted to targets by anything less than total cover, and the miss chance granted to targets by anything less than total concealment. Total cover and total concealment provide their normal benefits against your thrown weapons.
Also, you are treated as having the Improved Precise Shot feat for the purposes of qualifying for any feat applied to thrown weapons.
(Again, basically Improved Precise Shot for thrown weapons)
Perfect Throw (Ex)
You must declare that you are using this feat before you make your attack roll (thus a failed attack roll ruins the attempt). When attacking with a thrown weapon, you can roll your attack roll twice and take the higher result. If one of these rolls is a critical threat, the other roll is used as your confirmation roll (your choice if they are both critical threats). You may attempt a perfect throw once per day for every bombardier level you have attained , and no more than once per round.
(More or less, perfect strike for bombardiers, zen archer style)
Maximum damage (Su)
Once per day per two levels, your bomb deals maximum damage if it hits. You must declare that you are using this ability before rolling the attack roll.
What do you think?
EDIT: Cleared some typos and made changes to Ranged specialization. It seems that part of the 3.5 legacy is making splash weapons as awkward to use as say crossbows. This is just plain silly. Thus, I added as part of the package the idea that splash weapons can be drawn as swift actions.
Also, after dwelling closer to some of the non-standard races, I decided to remove the human specialty. Ratfolks and tieflings would make great bombardiers!
Finally, I would want to also use these with any alchemist. (http://tinyurl.com/mbre3fo)