Melee Alchemist [Pathfinder]

[Thefurmonger]

Hey all.

So in the Pathfinder Eberron campaign I am in I play a Level 5 Beguiler and am having a ball with it.

Anywho, My GM has asked us to make and bring a backup character to be used in the event of our PCs death (This is after a near TPK with a Chuul)

This character is to be made the same level as our main PC and as the main levels up we will level up the back-up in case it is needed.

As I enjoy making characters, this sounds like a a lot of fun.

This is a PATHFINDER character NO 3.5


Anyway here is Korgath of the Wolf Tribe, Neutral Half-orc Alchemist.

The GM lets us either use 15pb OR 15,14,13,12,11,10 before racial mods.

I am planning Korgath as a Somewhat Feral witch doctor type alchemist. He is from a tribe of orcs that venerate the wolf spirit and are fairly barbaric.
Korgath's mother from a raid on a human settlement and his father is the tribe witch doctor.
Eventually the tribe is either attacked by, or learns of (not sure witch) a Werewolf. Korgath is curious of what appears to be a halfbreed of man and wolf and starts to experiment on himself with the blood of wolves. (See Feral Mutation below)

I am planning on flavoring the Bombs as Sculls filled with who knows what (Just basic bombs as far as crunch goes).

Korgath is a potion based melee fighter (see below)

here we go.

Str 18 (15 base, +1 level 4, +2 Racial)
Dex 12
Con 13 (will up to 14 at 8th)
Int 14
Wis 11
Cha 10

Feats
Brew Potion (Bonus)
Throw Anything (Bonus)
Toughness (1st) (He is Melee after all)
Power attack (3rd)
Extra discovery, Enhance Potion (5th)

Discoverys
Feral Mutagen (2nd)
Extend Potion (4th)
Enhance Potion (Feat)

For skills I will have 6 to max out, or max a few and drop 1 in all my class skills. Not sure really.
I plan to max out Craft Alch, and Know Nature or Arcane (what covers wearwolves?)

He will mostly fight with a Falchion but once a day can drink a mutagen and go feral (Claw, Claw, Bite)


Here are the questions.

1. What are 2 good potions to take advantage of Enhance/Extend (Remember they will not be used up due to 2nd level elixer)
2. Is it worth taking the extra bomb damage favored class for half-Orc with this build? Or is 1 more HP/lvl better?
3. What other skills are good to take?
4. What other Ideas do you have for me?
5. What traits would be good? I get 2.

Thanks again for reading, and please remember this is pathfinder NOT 3.5.

[Thefurmonger]

Also need some ideas for infusions. I do plan to take the one that lets you combine them. so my 3rd level infusions will more then likley be 2 1sts in one. (shield and enlarge for example)

[Starbuck_II]

What kind of Mutagen are you planning? Str, Dex, or Con?

Issue with Str is it lowers extracts/day and bombs/day (as Int is lowered), but Dex or Con are really nice.

[Thefurmonger]

Well I was planning on Str. yeah it lowers bombs a day and such.

But depending on the DM that can screw you all day or just durring the mutagen.

I have a feeling my DM is the "Just durring the Mutagen" type.

If HP become a HUGE problem, or if I am wrong on his call I will go with Con for the +2 HP/Lvl.

With the Orc Ferocity thing I can drop to negs and still drink a cure elexir. so really I could go either way, Str or Con.

Tentitive Char sheet Here (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=260892)

[Thefurmonger]

Also, what are people's oppinions of the Master Chymist PRC?

Seems to get a few nifty things but really seems to only shine durring the 9-14 range where a straight Alch has 1 mut a day for like an hour vs the MC getting 3.
Once you hit 14 tho, Mut lasts an hour a level so its no biggie.

[Akal Saris]

1. What are 2 good potions to take advantage of Enhance/Extend (Remember they will not be used up due to 2nd level elixer)

Enlarge Person and Shield seem like the best options. Another cool choice: Expeditious Retreat for 60ft movement.

2. Is it worth taking the extra bomb damage favored class for half-Orc with this build? Or is 1 more HP/lvl better?

1 HP/level seems better since you're working with a d8 here.

3. What other skills are good to take?

Perception?

4. What other Ideas do you have for me?

Some barbarian levels might go well with this concept.

5. What traits would be good? I get 2.

+2 to initiative is my default pick, the other trait probably won't matter too much.

Master Chymist seems like a must-have, it will advance most stuff that you want and you go up to a d10 and full BAB.

[Thefurmonger]

1. What are 2 good potions to take advantage of Enhance/Extend (Remember they will not be used up due to 2nd level elixer)

Enlarge Person and Shield seem like the best options. Another cool choice: Expeditious Retreat for 60ft movement.

2. Is it worth taking the extra bomb damage favored class for half-Orc with this build? Or is 1 more HP/lvl better?

1 HP/level seems better since you're working with a d8 here.

3. What other skills are good to take?

Perception?

4. What other Ideas do you have for me?

Some barbarian levels might go well with this concept.

5. What traits would be good? I get 2.

+2 to initiative is my default pick, the other trait probably won't matter too much.

Master Chymist seems like a must-have, it will advance most stuff that you want and you go up to a d10 and full BAB.

Thanks for the ideas and the read.

Yes the more I think about it the 1 HP a level is sounding better and better, worst case it frees up toughness. best case its 1 more hp/lvl.

Master chymist is great for the HP/BAB, the only issue I have is the loss of the alch capstone. seems odd that "Mr. Mutagen" doesnt get the best mutagen. tho really the HP and BAB make up a lot for the str/con loss.

Not sure how I could fit in Barbarian tho your right it does really fit.

[Akal Saris]

I guess you have to ask yourself if giving up 10 levels of Master Chymist goodies is worth the brief awesomeness that is the level 20 capstone before a new campaign begins. I like the "idea" of capstones, but I've never played a campaign that went to level 20, so generally they don't factor in to my calculations at all. Levels 5-15 are where the vast majority of campaigns tend to take place, so that's the area where you want to be highly effective.

[Thefurmonger]

Ok, you make a really good point.

[Thefurmonger]

So then the level breakdown would be Alch 8/MC 10

Feats
1 Toughness (Might change this if I drop the 1/2 orc FC bomb bonus)
3 Extra Discovery [Enhance Potion]
5 Power Attack
7 [[[Open]]] (Iron will???)
9 Extra Discovery [Fast Bombs]
12 Extra Discovery [Poison Bombs]
15 [[[Open]]]
18 Extra Discovery [Eternal Potion]

Discoverys
2 Feral Mutation
4 Extend Potion
6 Smoke Bombs
8 Combine Extract (Enlarge and Shield will be the goto)
10, MC2 Extended Mutation
12, MC4 Greater Mutagen
14, MC6 Furious Mutagen
16, MC8 Grand Mutagen
18, MC10 [[[Open]]] (perhaps Burly)

Thus far thats what I have.

[Thefurmonger]

Actually, Crap, that wont work.....

Have to drop smoke/poison bombs. with taking MC I don't get Poison Immunity, so no walking through my own clouds...... crap.

so now.

Feats
1 Toughness (Might change this if I drop the 1/2 orc FC bomb bonus)
3 Extra Discovery [Enhance Potion]
5 Power Attack
7 [[[Open]]] (Iron will???)
9 Extra Discovery [Fast Bombs]
12 [[[Open]]]
15 [[[Open]]]
18 Extra Discovery [Eternal Potion]

Discoverys
2 Feral Mutation
4 Extend Potion
6 [[[Open]]]
8 Combine Extract (Enlarge and Shield will be the goto)
10, MC2 Extended Mutation
12, MC4 Greater Mutagen
14, MC6 Furious Mutagen
16, MC8 Grand Mutagen
18, MC10 [[[Open]]] (perhaps Burly)

[Thefurmonger]

Ok, droped the 1/2 Orc bomb bonus and went with 1 hp/lvl

Feats
1 Iron Will (droped toughness so Hp dont change but will sucks less)
3 Extra Discovery [Enhance Potion]
5 Power Attack
7 [[[Open]]]
9 Extra Discovery [Fast Bombs]
12 [[[Open]]]
15 [[[Open]]]
18 Extra Discovery [Eternal Potion]

Discoverys
2 Feral Mutation
4 Extend Potion
6 [[[Open]]]
8 Combine Extract (Enlarge and Shield will be the goto)
10, MC2 Extended Mutation
12, MC4 Greater Mutagen
14, MC6 Furious Mutagen
16, MC8 Grand Mutagen
18, MC10 [[[Open]]] (perhaps Burly)

Anyone have any good combat feats to fill the [[[Open]]] gaps?