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View Full Version : Vivisectionist using Rogue Talents



Pikel351
2014-02-03, 11:37 PM
I am currently working on a Vivisectionist build that focuses on poison use to make up for lack of bombs. As I read through the Discoveries list I realize that forgoing bombs cuts me off from using roughly 50%(47.5%) of Discoveries. This gives the Alchemist considerably less variety in damage types and adaptability.

An easy solution to this would be give the Vivisectionist wider access to rogue talents that pertain to sneak attack enhancement. While Crippling Strike and Bleeding attack are nice, I feel my damage potential as a Vivisectionist falls far short of a vanilla Alchemist using augmented bombs.

My question is, do you think that wider access to sneak attack enhancing Rogue Talents would be overpowered?

Are there any Rogue Talents that should be out and out barred?

Thanks for your input.

ZardozSpeaks
2014-02-03, 11:48 PM
I'd avoid making that house rule, it's a slippery slope. Take a look at the Hexcrafter Magus archetype. They get Witch's Hexes and Magus Arcana, and can pick freely between them. Hexcrafter is a very powerful archetype for this reason. While I've never seen a Hexcrafter in play, it raises alarms for me. Any new book that offers a new Witch Hex is one more chance for an unexpected interaction with the Magus Class.

Now I do think there are a lack of non-bomb discoveries, good ones at least. You could probably still fill out 20 levels of discoveries without too much trouble. I think the trick to a high damage Vivisectionist is too not think about him as if he is a sneaky type, but a front-line bruiser, taking advantage of all the transmutation, polymorphing and healing spells on your extract list. I highly suggest taking all the Mutagen discoveries. That alchemical bonus to ability scores is one of a kind, and reaches pretty high duration. I fully expect that a Vivisectionist 20 could out damage a Rogue 20.

Also, if you're looking for a vivisectionist alternative, the Advanced Class Playtest has the Investigator, an extract using sneak attack hybrid class.