Category / Build Guides
There is some really nice stuff for the alchemist in Ultimate Magic (and I think a bug or two). Overall I think it’s a great follow up to a really fun class. I’m not going to dig into every single new option but these are the bits that stand out the most to me as interesting.
Wily alchemists work long hours trying to create an alchemical solution that releases the most primal, powerful untapped potential which they claim exists in all of us. These alchemist generally disdain the use of bombs and ranged weapons and relish in the fury of engaging the enemy with tooth and claw.
Mr. Hyde, AKA the Feral Alchemist, is a strength based character that uses Mutagens and Extracts to maximize their melee potential. Feral Mutagen and the Strength Mutagen are the cornerstones of this class. Beyond those two choices there are lots of ways to make this character work.
This guide is designed to help build either a straight Alchemist or an Alchemist/ Master Chymst as a melee killing machine.
This is the last in a series of four guides on the Alchemist. Here are the other three:
Introduction
Alchemists Extracts – All about the extracts alchemists drink to get their power.
Dr. Strangelob – How I learned to Stop Worrying and Lob The Bomb.
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Dr. Strangelob’s primary focus is ranged bombing. You are capable of doing more elemental damage in a game session than any other character. There is no save and no SR to block the primary damage you do and your secondary damage is respectable.
Equivalent to spells in most ways extracts give alchemists a tremendous amount of versatility and power.
This is the second of four parts to the Alchemist Guide, the other three are:
Introduction
Dr. Strangelob – How I learned to Lob The Bomb.
Mr. Hyde – Strangelob’s (more?) demented alter ego
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The alchemist is a strange creature, choice of discoveries and which mutagen you use can greatly alter what role you take in the party. The obvious niche alchemists fit into is the proverbial glass canon, primarily just blasting with damage but with lots of interesting debuffing options. A little less obviously the alchemist can also serve as a backup melee slugger for the party by using mutagens and extracts to self buff himself into true Jekyll and Hyde a monster. This guide separates the two into two separate ‘builds’ and gives recommendations for feats and discoveries for each.
This guide is styled similarly to Treantmonk’s guides (though I am less humorous). It’s a bit lengthy and much of it should be treated as a reference work rather than an article you read all the way through. Items that are omitted are not recommended.
There are 4 parts to this guide, the other three are:
Alchemists Extracts – All about the extracts alchemists drink to get their power.
Dr. Strangelob – How I learned to Lob The Bomb.
Mr. Hyde – Strangelob’s (more?) demented alter ego.
Ultimate Alchemist – My general thoughts on the alchemist in Ultimate Magic.
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