How many grenade-like weapons to keep on hand?

[Coidzor]

And at what level should one just stop bothering with them?

I've never quite gotten a good feel for how many vials of alchemists' fire or acid or the other elemental flavored grenade weapons to keep on hand, having mostly defaulted to whatever was left over of my wealth at 1st level and then 5 of each energy damage for lack of a better grasp on the subject once money became less tight.

When I've been playing casters I've pretty much forgotten about them after 5th level except as a desperate source of energy damage.

I know they're supposed to be a bit more valuable to skillful/sneaky/plotty characters (well, players, really, especially when they get to enact plans which involve utilizing a whole lot of them being dropped on enemies in an ambush or trap), such as rogues who can use them as a means of making a ranged touch attack for sneak attack purposes.

I'm currently stuck contemplating how to kit out a 1st level bard for a PF-only game and was wondering if these are the right answer, since it looks like being competent in a fight is out of the grasp of a bard that wants to be a team player as well. That and if it's worth it to take the trait for 900 starting gp over any of the other traits...

What are your thoughts on the subject?

[Gwendol]

Tanglefoot bag, dust of sneezing and choking are among your best choices.

I usually stock up on 2 alchemists fire and two holy water. Acid is cheap, but never carry more than one.

Then pray the opposition doesn't cast shatter...

[mikau013]

It really depends on how many you'd want to use.
In pf they are pretty much useless since you can't quick draw them anymore, but in 3.5 if you use two-weapon fighting, rapid shot, haste etc. you can really go through a lot of them per round.