[Pathfinder 2e] Blowgun optimization

[Mergalicious]

I've seen a few threads (even one here) about optimizing the blowgun, but that was for various different rule sets.

My kobold poison & trap alchemist wants to use a blowgun, and I'm trying to find any way possible I can to make it, at the least, semi-scale with everyone else.

Thematically speaking, I don't want to rely on bombs or swap to bows/crossbows as my method of personal poison delivery, so I want to try and exhaust everything I can with bowguns. As of now all I can think of is Rogue Dedication w/sneak attack for an extra +1d6, but that doesn't seem to scale with the dedication.

Any ideas on ways to make the bowgun useable, if not viable?

Edit: Corrected rogue spelling

[Lord Torath]

You'll probably get better replies if you ask a Mod to move this to the D&D 3e/3.5e/d20 (https://forums.giantitp.com/forumdisplay.php?59-D-amp-D-3e-3-5e-d20) sub-forum. Pathfinder is generally considered a d20 game here in the Playground. Just click on the small triangle with an exclamation point in it located below your avatar, then type in that your post needs to be moved.

Best of luck!

[LibraryOgre]

The Mod Ogre: Moved.

[Asmotherion]

I've seen a few threads (even one here) about optimizing the blowgun, but that was for various different rule sets.

My kobold poison & trap alchemist wants to use a blowgun, and I'm trying to find any way possible I can to make it, at the least, semi-scale with everyone else.

Thematically speaking, I don't want to rely on bombs or swap to bows/crossbows as my method of personal poison delivery, so I want to try and exhaust everything I can with bowguns. As of now all I can think of is Rouge Dedication w/sneak attack for an extra +1d6, but that doesn't seem to scale with the dedication.

Any ideas on ways to make the bowgun useable, if not viable?

Please don't spell it rouge. It's Rogue.

This is Rouge:
https://www.inbeautyland.gr/image/cache/catalog/HEAN/-cheek-rouge-102-550x550.jpg
Unless your character is indeed a set of make up cosmetics that somehow gained sentience, in which case, I express my appology.

[stack]

Blowgun, simple 1 piercing damage, 20 ft range, reload 1, agile, nonlethal. One-handed.

Agile is nice. Nonlethal usually neutral or bad. Range is mediocre. Reload time makes maximizing your benefit from agile difficult. Crit effect is 1d6 bleed damage.

Given the terrible base damage, it needs everything you can put on it for riders. Poisons help there, especially if you can take the new toxicologist research field (poison weapon as 1 action, use class DC for poisons). Alchemists max out at expert for attacks, so your accuracy will be low. The ranger dedication appears to not give any way to get a hunter's edge, so the Precision option is out.

Subtle Delivery (https://2e.aonprd.com/Feats.aspx?ID=1593&ArchLevel=4)is intended for the alchemist/blowgun combo.

The ranger Running Reload (https://2e.aonprd.com/Feats.aspx?ID=504)feat would help action economy some. Would require ranger dedication and wouldn't be available until Alchemist 8.

There is a stance for shurikens and lots of support for bows, but blowguns don't get much. Agile would be nice, but I am not aware of a way to reduce the reload time. Dual-Weapon Warrior archetype could leverage the fact that blowguns are 1-handed, but the benefits are thin. Impossible reload lets you reload without a free hand, but you still only reload one weapon per action. With the right feats, opening combat with two poisoned darts as a double-slice would probably be as good as it gets.

Long story short, you will be inaccurate, low-damage, and have poor action economy.

If you go rogue dedication, Pinpoint Poisoner (https://2e.aonprd.com/Feats.aspx?ID=1599)combos well, since you want flat-footed targets anyhow.

[Mergalicious]

Please don't spell it rouge. It's Rogue.

This is Rouge:(link)
Unless your character is indeed a set of make up cosmetics that somehow gained sentience, in which case, I express my appology.


You're right. I'm a bit dyslexic so I can never remember how it's properly spelled.

[Asmotherion]

You're right. I'm a bit dyslexic so I can never remember how it's properly spelled.

No offence, I'm no grammar police... XD It's just the particular mispelling of Rogue that kinda gets me :P

[catagent101]

Disclaimer: I do not have a ton of experience with the PF2e system, and this advice should be taken with a hefty, hefty grain of salt.

What seems to be the main benefit of using a blowgun over any other weapon is Subtle Delivery, which allows you both to more consistently apply poison and to have nastier effects on a critical success. As a result, the general route for optimization here seems to be to increase your to-hit/lower enemy AC and do whatever effects help your poisons be as nasty as possible. If you're going to be doing ambushes often (which sounds the case), Rogue Dedication is a good choice for a source of the flat-footed condition, which also helps the Pin-Point Poisoner Alchemist feat be more effective, and also gives you access to Dread Striker which is useful if you have a buddy who likes to scare people. Ranger Dedication gives you access to the Hunter's Aim and Running Reload feats. Quicksilver Mutagen allows you to stay ahead of item bonuses by 1, though it's debilitating enough that I'm not sure it's a good idea with a weapon that has a 20ft range. Dracomancer can also be useful for true strike, assuming your dragon has it as a spell (a good chunk do). The Keen rune could be useful. Trip Snare and later Nauseating Snare also penalize AC and stack.

Sneak attack damage is nice, but in this case damage is more so that you can have an effect if your enemy succeeds their save. Your main focus should be on poisoning your enemies as much as possible, as that's what blowguns do best. The scaling here is from the increasingly powerful and greater quantity of poisons you gain access to as you level.

Of course, keep something else on hand (maybe some bombs) since you might face an enemy immune to poison or you might just run out at earlier levels.

Or at least that's my take on it anyway. Hope you didn't eat too much salt.