Mr Hyde

Mr. Hyde is the dark destructive lunatic in the back of all our minds, these alchemists use their science to try and become powerfully destructive creatures.  Though they lack the overall damaging potential of a fighter or barbarian they are devastating when they have their mutagens in effect and have a round or two to self buff.

Mutagen

Mutagens are a cornerstone of your power.  Start out with the strength mutagen to maximize your power.  Ss soon as you can get it greater mutagen take it and if it will help your armor class take dexterity otherwise grab the constitution bonus.  Take grand mutagen as soon as it’s available as well.  The beauty of these is they stack with all other ability enhancements in the game.

Races

Human – Extra feat, flexible stat boost, a good base.

Half Orc – Ferocity gives you a nice buffer to take that healing potion before you drop.  The Falchion is a great weapon for Mr. Hyde in melee when he’s not under the effects of his mutagen or to bypass DR.  Darkvision means you can scout.

Dwarf – Mr. Hyde likes the wisdom and constitution are stat to boosts, consider taking medium armor proficiency so you can keep a low dexterity.  The bonus versus spells, and spell-like abilities helps alot since alchemists have low will saves.

Elf – Take toughness and use your favored class bonus to boost hit points.  Longbow and longsword proficiency are a very nice addition for Mr. Hyde.  The save versus enchantment spells and effects is also good against a lot of will based effects.  A bonus to perception is always well received.

Half Elf – You inherit the save bonus and perception bonus from your elves but lack their frailty which is quite nice. Skill focus (UMD) is a nice little bonus to make up for your low charisma.

Halfling, Gnome - It’s really difficult to make a melee thug with a strength penalty and small weapons.

Abilities

Strength – As important as intelligence for Mr Hyde.

Dexterity – You are still going to use bombs and dexterity is important for

Constitution – You have decent hit dice, no reason to be in melee, and a good fort save.  Use your favored class bonus to bump HP.

Intelligence – Bombs effectiveness, extracts and plenty of other class abilities rely on this.

Wisdom – Important to boost your bad will save and helpful for some important skills.

Charisma – You aren’t the party face and you don’t have any charisma based skills so feel free to dump charisma.

As you can see Mr Hyde is a lot more attribute dependent than the Bomber.  Fortunately the magic of alchemy helps considerably.

Sample 15 point buy (before racial modifiers)

Human/ Elf/ Half Orc/ Half Elf STR: 14  DEX: 12  CON: 14  INT: 13  WIS: 12  CHA: 8  (bump INT to 15)

Dwarf STR: 14  DEX: 12  CON: 13  INT: 15  WIS: 10  CHA: 8 (if

Discoveries

For the bomb related ones read more details above, I’ve just listed the bits about why these are good or bad for Mr. Hyde.

Combine extracts – Take two extracts in a round.  This is like quicken for extracts but at lower levels.  Enlarge person plus shield; cure moderate wounds plus bear’s endurance.  Lots of great combos.

Concentrate poison – If you take sticky poison you should seriously consider this, adding 2 to the DC for double the cost is a bargain.

Dilution – Slightly better for My Hyde, in particular if you like crafting. Consider this for things like good hope and greater magic fang.

Elixer of life – Yes,  when you are 16 level you almost certainly will use this.

Eternal potion – This is even better for Mr Hyde, you will need to plan ahead because the high level discoveries are great.  Good hope and haste are good choices for eternal potions.

Explosive bomb – Downgraded because you won’t be doing near as many bombs and your damage will be lower.

Extend potion – Sadly required to qualify for eternal potion.  This is a delayed gratification discovery.

Feral mutagen – 3 attacks per round at full BAB while under the mutagen?  Heck yes, this will make the two weapon fighter and monk in your party cry at low levels.  At mid to higher levels strength boosts, power attack, and better mutagens helps keep this relevant. Use an amulet of mighty fists to extend the usefulness of this. You will need a backup weapon or two to help with damage resistance.

Force bomb – A good options against incorporeal creatures.

Grand mutagen – You had me at “Grand”.  If dexterity will bump your AC significantly then take this at 16th level, otherwise take Elixer of Life first.

Greater mutagen – Absolutely yes. Your best bet is to boost strength and constitution.

Infuse mutagen – Keep a dexterity mutagen if you need to go on the defensive.

Infusion – Some of your self only buffs are great for sharing around the party. Shield is an early option also, you are the only one who can share polymorph spells until higher level.

Poison bomb – You can walk in this cloud which damages almost everyone but you.  Seriously consider this and stink bomb.

Precise bomb – Not as critical as for bombers but still useful,

Smoke bomb – Nice gateway discovery and a decent effect

Sticky poison – Poisoners are kind of a sub-build of Mr. Hyde. After 10th level you can poison your claws and even teeth without worrying about the effects on yourself.

Stink bomb – Nauseated is one of the best status effects to inflict on someone. Bomb the enemy to nauseate then move in, lots of uses here.

Feats

Recommended feats for Mr Hyde are generally the same as they are for any melee character.  Power attack, vital strike, etc.

Extra traits – If your GM doesn’t let you take traits beg him to allow you to use this feat to get accelerated drinker.

Iron will – Your weak will save and powerful attacks makes you a prime target for domination, confusion, and will based spells.  Iron will is almost a requirement past 6th level or so.

Improved iron will – You have good fortitude and reflex saves and amazing constitution and dexterity at higher levels, shore up your will save to match.

Lunge – Highly underrated feat.  Full attack someone 5′ away then 5′ step so they have to spend a move action to attack you.  Repeat.

Nimble moves – Five foot step when others can’t.

Power attack –  Natural weapons take full advantage of power attack so all three attacks get -1/+2 while using feral mutagen.

Improved initiative – Not as great for you as the bomber but still good.

Quick draw – Get that backup weapon out or use this for non-bomb thrown weapons.

Far shot – Keep hitting reliably even at your 3rd or 4th range increment.  Requires point blank or it would be blue.

Improvised weapon mastery – Beer mugs are deadly weapons in my hand.  Can you get a +1 frost beer mug?  Since you have throw anything this is a great feat for follow up.  Seriously a fun and kind cool feat.

Vital strike and improved vital strike – Improved damage on your standard action attack.

Weapon focus (claws) – +1 to your most common attack.

Magical aptitude or skill focus (use magic device) – If you are the skills guy.

Point blank shot – Required for precise shot.

Precise shot – You are most likely bombing before melee so not as useful.

Toughness – You need hit points to stay in the fight.  Particularly good for elves.

Non core/ APG feats and Traits (Limited to PfRPG sources)

Accelerated drinker trait (Cheliax Companion) – Mr Hyde loves the potions and extracts.

Reactionary (Trait Suppliment) – Stacks with improved initiative, a nice goto trait.

Indomitable Faith (Trait Suppliment), Animal Friend (Gnomes), Carefully Hidden (Taldor:EoG), Legacy of Sand (Legacy of Fire), Perseverance (Dwarves) – Traits that bump your will save are very helpful and stack with Iron Will.

Splash weapon mastery – Not quite as useful as it is for the bombers but doesn’t require point blank like far shot does.

Gear

Amulet of Mighty Fists – A must if Mr. Hyde is relying on feral mutagen.  Treantmonk also has some great advice in his Guide for Monks ”One thing to note regarding this item is that unlike weapons, it does not need a minimum +1 enchantment to gain other weapon properties.  Holy is the obvious go-to enchantment to get, as DR /good is common with evil outsiders.  Damage enhancers (remember our question) of any kind are going to be good though.  Besides, the imagery of shocking or flaming fists is pretty cool too.  If you are unable to get Greater Magic Fang or Greater Magic Weapon cast on you regularly, then the enhancement bonus is needed for the + to hit as well as damage.  Go with Holy + whatever enhancement bonus you can afford.”

Belt of giant strength or Belt of strength + constitution – Stacks with alchemical bonus so this is an excellent choice.  Boost your strength and constitution first then get the dexterity belt when you can afford all three.

Headband of vast intellect – Extracts and bombs are still important, consider picking up one of these as soon as possible.

Goggles of Night – If you don’t have darkvision naturally, then these are a good investment.

Boots of Speed – You will likely have haste as an extract or from other spellcasters but these get you haste when you need it, hugely important.

How I learned to lob the bomb

The 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.

Mutagen

Tossing bombs into combat your mutagen of choice is probably going to be dexterity at low levels.  When you get higher level and touch ACs become easy to hit you might consider switching to boosting constitution for the extra hit points, in particular since dexterity puts a wisdom penalty hitting your already weak will save.  If you do take greater mutagen you will want to boost constitution and dexterity.

Races

Elf – Ability boosts are a perfect fit.  The constitution penalty hurts but alchemists have a good fortitude save and toughness helps with lower hit points.  The bonus versus enchantment is good since the alchemist’s will save is low.  A bonus to perception is always well received.

Human – A bonus feat is always welcome.  Point blank and Precise shot at first level work work well. Add the precise bomb discovery at second level and you can bomb into melee with impunity.

Halfling – Dexterity bonus and small size are a perfect fit for Dr. Strangelob.  The save bonuses are particularly welcome and good perception is nice.

Half Orc – Ferocity gives you a nice buffer to slip that potion of cure light wounds before you drop.

Half Elf – You inherit the save bonus and perception bonus from elves but lack their frailty.

Dwarf – Dwarves are a solid base.  The bonus versus spells, and spell-like abilities helps alot since alchemists have low will saves.

Gnome – The extra constitution, craft bonus, and the size bonuses are all nice but otherwise gnomes are a very challenging choice.

Abilities

Strength – Not very useful to Strangelob since his primary attack is not affected by strength.  Be careful not to dump this too low though because alchemists need a lot of gear.

Dexterity – Particularly important at lower levels when you have a bit more trouble hitting.

Constitution – You have decent hit dice, no reason to be in melee, and a good fort save.  Use your favored class bonus and possibly toughness to bump HP.

Intelligence – Number of bombs per day, damage modifier, and extracts are all based on intelligence. Strangelob’s prime attribute.

Wisdom – Important to boost your bad will save.  Keep a positive bonus in Wisdom.

Charisma – Strangelob’s only possible dump stat.

Sample 15 point buy (before racial modifiers)

If you want to dump charisma below 8 consider putting the points into an extra point of dexterity or bumping your constitution by 2.

Human/ Half Orc/ Half Elf STR: 10  DEX: 14  CON: 10  INT: 16  WIS: 12  CHA: 8  (bump INT to 18)

Elf STR: 10  DEX: 12  CON: 12  INT: 16  WIS: 12  CHA: 8

Dwarf STR: 10  DEX: 14  CON: 8  INT: 17  WIS: 10  CHA: 9

Gnome/ Halfling STR: 12  DEX: 12  CON: 10  INT: 17  WIS: 12  CHA: 7

Put your stat boosts into intelligence, most likely your dexterity will boosted enough by your mutagen and less important over time.

Discoveries

Acid bomb – Acid resistance is pretty unusual and the delayed damage bump can force an extra concentration check for casters.

Combine extracts – This is good but you will probably want to spend most of your discoveries on your bombs.

Concussive bomb – The low damage is partly offset by the fact that almost nothing is resistant to sonic damage.  More important spellcasters have a 20% chance of spell failure while deaf which is a nice debuff for enemy casters.  In particular arcane casters with weak fortitude saves.

Delayed bomb – For most groups this is underwhelming but I’ve seen some creative applications.  For example making a trap or using sleight of hands to plant a bomb in a pocket as a subtle method of initiating combat.

Dilution – This is essentially discounted potion crafting.  Not great for a bomber who won’t be relying on potions much.

Elixer of life – Contingent resurrection on death, or true resurrection.  It’s expensive life insurance or equivalent to a 9th level cleric spell.

Enhance potion – You don’t rely on buffs much and can most likely just use an extract regardless.

Eternal potion – This is quite good but requires a mediocre extract.  Probably not worth losing 2 discoveries over since 16th level discoveries are quite excellent.  Good hope and haste are good choices for eternal potions.

Explosive bomb – Double the splash radius is nice if there are a lot of low level enemies.  Lighting spellcasters on fire forces concentration checks or makes them lose a full round or more.

Extend potion – Mostly harmless, use this to qualify for eternal potion.

Feral mutagen – Great for the Melee Build below, pretty much useless for a Strangelob.

Force bomb – Reduced damage hurts but no one is immune to force damage and its the only attack you have that does full damage to incorporeal creatures.  Alternately it’s useful for knocking prone a target that has a low reflex save.

Frost bomb – If you are fighting something vulnerable to cold this is good but otherwise there are better choices.

Grand mutagen – Leave this for your melee slugging brethren.

Greater mutagen – If you are having trouble hitting consider taking this so you can boost dexterity and constitution.

Infuse mutagen – Leave this for your melee slugging brethren.

Inferno bomb – By the time you can get this it’s not very useful.  Only useful if you’ve taken smoke bomb already to get access to stink bomb.

Infusion – Many (most) extracts are buffing spells which Strangelob will only be able to get limited value of.  Use this discovery to share those with people who will get vastly larger benefit from them.  Extracts that come from self only spells are usually particularly good and no other casters can grant the effect.  Finally, you don’t cast infusions in combat EVER, people using your buffs or healing are using their own actions to do it.  This means the rogue sneak into a place, use true strike to sneak attack someone, make himself gaseous and get away.

Madness bomb – This seems a bit underwhelming, the diminishing returns nature of this means you are probably not going to blast a cleric into not being able to cast.  Non wisdom based casters get a hit to their will saves but not a huge one.

Poison bomb – This is arguably much better than inferno bomb.  All creatures in the area take 1-4 points of CON damage, even if they save 1-2 points of CON damage per round means no one is going to want to camp there so it’s great for battle field control.  Even better you are immune to poison so you can hang on in the fumes without harm.   Requires smoke bomb so I bumped it to blue.

Potent bomb – The extra 1d6 doesn’t sound too exciting but it adds up and stacks well with fast bomb.

Precise bomb – Keep bombing while your teammates melee, invaluable for most alchemists.  Alternately get energy resistance for your allies or only fight with people who have high reflex saves (and evasion).

Shock Bomb – Lightning plus dazzled just not very exciting.

Smoke bomb – Nice gateway discovery and a decent effect

Sticky bomb – A bit of extra damage is particularly good for forcing concentration checks against ongoing damage.  The wording implies it can be combined with other bombs.

Sticky poison – Bombers are not going to be attacking with weapons often enough to make this useful.

Stink bomb – Nauseated is one of the best status effects to inflict on someone.  The fact that the DC scales makes this bomb a great tool.  The fact that the cloud only lasts for 1 round makes this more a debuff than battlefield control but it’s potentially a good one.  Hit the enemy spellcaster with this every round to keep them out of the picture.

Feats

Defensive combat training – Help defend against grappling.

Extra bombs – Mostly useful at low levels when you might run out of bombs (I’m just guessing this will be an option)

Extra traits – If your GM doesn’t let you take traits your GM might allow you to use this to get accelerated drinker

Far shot – 20′ range increment really hurts.  This won’t extend your total range but will help with the range penalty.  Take this if Splash Weapon Mastery isn’t available.

Iron will – Your weak will save and powerful attacks makes you a prime target for domination, confusion, and will based spells.  Iron will is almost a requirement past 6th level or so.

Improved iron will – For all the reasons outlined on Iron Will

Improved initiative – Area effect spells are often best dropped before everyone scrambles and gets into melee.  For the cloud bombers this is even more important so you can use them for battle field control.

Improved precise shot – Ignore blur, clouds, and displacement when targeting.  Very nice but steep requirements.

Magical aptitude – Makes UMD much more useful for you and spellcraft is a useful class skill.

Point blank shot – Required for precise shot.

Precise shot – Combined with precise bombs you can bomb into melee at will.

Skill focus (use magic device) - Makes UMD much more useful for you.

Non core/ APG feats and Traits (Limited to PfRPG sources)

Accelerated drinker trait (Cheliax Companion) – This trait is better than most feats for an alchemist, it’s in the Pathfinder Cheliax Companion, take this if it’s an option.

Reactionary (Trait Suppliment) – Stacks with improved initiative, a nice goto trait

Indomitable faith (Trait Suppliment), animal friend (Gnomes), carefully hidden (Taldor:EoG), legacy of sand (Legacy of Fire), perseverance (Dwarves)- Traits that bump your will save are very helpful and stack with Iron Will.

Splash weapon mastery (Adventurers Armory) – Far shot for bombs and splash weapons and steers misses away from allies.  If it’s available take this at 1st level.

Gear

Headband of vast intellect – Intelligence is your bread and butter, these are almost mandatory, in particular if you are tossing saving throw based effects.

Handy haversack – Strangelob is a gear hungry guy, this is where all your extracts and mutagens go.

Portable hole – For most folks this is a bit pricey but Strangelob uses it as a portable lab.

Belt of incredible dexterity or Belt of CON + DEX - Even though touch attacks become easier at high levels these are still useful.  Probably a better idea to get a CON + DEX belt when you can afford it rather than spend the money on higher cost Dexterity only belts.

To keep things simple I’ve put all the extracts into one section.  If the rating is different for the two builds I put a second rating for Dr. Strangelob in parens after since Strangelob is likely much less reliant on extracts.

1st-Level Alchemist Formulae

Comprehend Languages –

Cure Light Wounds – Good low level healing and gets the alchemist access to the wand of cure light wounds.

Detect Secret Doors – Short duration means this only helps if the alchemist already knows a secret door is nearby.

Detect Undead – Short range, short duration.

Disguise Self – Lots of uses for this outside of combat.  This is why you don’t prep all your slots in the morning.

Endure Elements – For those campaigns where extreme weather is a routine issue.

Enlarge Person (DS) - A great buff for any melee character.  If you are Mr. Hyde that’s you, if you are Dr. Strangelob you need the infusion discovery for this to be useful.

Expeditious Retreat – Short duration means this is usually only good for a single encounter you know is coming.

Identify -This is your lowest level detect magic spell spell and helps you identify items.  It’s a must have spell but you won’t prepare it most of the time.

Jump – Vastly situational.  If the duration were longer it might be interesting.

Reduce Person – Pretty situational all around.  Strangelob’s damage isn’t size dependent which makes it a touch better for him.

Shield (DS) – Duration is short but it’s a good spell if Mr. Hyde is going to tank.  Strangelob is probably using other defenses.

True Strike (DS) – This is ideal for poisoner builds to ensure delivery.  Decent for Dr. Hyde but Strangelob is all about touch attacks so he won’t need this.

2nd-Level Alchemist Formulae

Aid – Short term buff to get hit points and a small attack bonus.

Alter Self (DS) – A decent short term strength buff that stacks.  More important you can use it to get  scent, darkvision, or swim (including water breathing)

Barkskin (DS) – A nice duration AC buff that stacks with Mutagens.

Bear’s Endurance – A short term hit point buff until you get an item that boosts  constitution.

Blur (DS) – A miss chance turns every attack into double jeopardy.

Bull’s Strength (DS) – This is a good low level strength buff but it’s only useful for a few levels until strength boosting items are common.

Cat’s Grace – Doesn’t stack with magic item bonuses.  Somewhat useful before you get a dexterity belt.

Cure Moderate Wounds – Situationally effective for in combat healing.

Darkvision – The hours/ level duration makes this a good spell if you are the party scout.

Delay Poison – Immunity for poison for hours/ level, stop an active poison for a similar amount of time.  Very good as an Infusion.

Detect Thoughts – You can detect thoughts of creatures you can’t see or even through walls so this can be extremely useful for scouting or possibly interrogation.

Eagle’s Splendor – A short term buff to a stat you don’t use.

False Life (DS) – Pre-healing,  all the benefits of in-combat healing but cast in advance to avoid lost actions.  Longer duration makes this better than Aid.

Fox’s Cunning – +2 damage on bombs and higher DCs for 1 min/ level.  The downside is it doesn’t stack with magic items

Invisibility – The ultimate scouting spell.  Not quite as useful for Dr. Strangelove but as an infusion it’s better than the spell by the same name.

Levitate (DS) – A great defensive spell for Strangelob, levitate up and nuke them from orbit.

Owl’s Wisdom – Sine you are likely not getting a wisdom boosting item for a while this could be useful for a bit longer.  Quaff it when you are fighting a spellcaster to get a +2 on Will Saves.

Protection from Arrows – Protection from non-magical ranged attacks.  The value of this tapers off but it’s still useful against giants stones and maticore spikes.

Resist Energy – Excellent protection from energy damage.

Restoration, Lesser – Ability damage is common enough this is a goto spell.  The wand is the ability score equivalent of CLW.

See Invisibility – An alchemist’s defense against invisible foes.  In campaigns where invisibility is uncommon consider crafting a few potions instead.

Spider Climb – See levitation above for a better option.

Undetectable Alignment – This is essentially an NPC spell.  If you stumble across it put in your formula book but chances are you will never need it.

3rd-Level Alchemist Formulae

Arcane Sight – Not a lot of oomph here for a third level divination.

Beast Shape I – Lose access extracts and bombs in exchange for a benefit comparable to enlarge person or alter self.  No.

Cure Serious Wounds – In combat healing.

Displacement (DS) – Nice defensive spell for tanking but duration is limiting.

Fly – Utility, defense, offense, just a great spell.

Gaseous Form -

Haste (DS) – Self only makes this a bit less appealing but it’s still great.

Heroism (DS) – Long duration buff to attacks and saves.  Stacks with most other effects you have to this point.

Nondetection – Duration is good but the benefit is questionable.

Protection from Energy – Questionably better than Resist energy, definitely not worth a higher level slot.

Rage – Heroism is a vastly better buff.

Remove Blindness/Deafness – Consider crafting a potion of this and labeling the stopper in braille.

Remove Curse – Fairly uncommon condition.  Consider crafting a potion of this.

Remove Disease – Slow onset and fairly uncommon condition.  Put this in the formula book and forget about it until you need it.

Tongues – Possible potion.

Water Breathing – If you need it you know.

Good 3rd level Combined Extracts

Shield and enlarge person (DS) – A good combination of defense and offense.  For those unexpected encounters.

Enlarge person and true strike (DS) –  Maybe not worth a third level slot but a good way to start an encounter with a bang.

Shield and reduce person (DS) – A good combination of defense and offense buffs (+6 AC, +2 on attack rolls) for Strangelob.  For those unexpected encounters.

4th-Level Alchemist Formulae

Air Walk

Arcane Eye

Beast Shape II

Cure Critical Wounds

Death Ward

Discern Lies

Elemental Body I

Fire Shield

Freedom of Movement

Invisibility, Greater

Neutralize Poison

Restoration

Spell Immunity

Stoneskin

5th-Level Alchemist Formulae

Beast Shape III

Contact Other Plane

Dream

Elemental Body II

Magic Jar

Nightmare

Overland Flight

Plant Shape I

Polymorph

Sending

Spell Resistance

6th-Level Alchemist Formulae
Analyze Dweomer

Beast Shape IV

Elemental Body III

Eyebite

Form of the Dragon I

Giant Form I

Heal

Mislead

Plant Shape II

Shadow Walk

Statue

Transformation

True Seeing

Wind Walk

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.

General Advice

General tips:

• Only prep a few extracts at the beginning of the day.  At low levels a cure light wounds extract or two might be enough.  Unlike casters most of your extracts are not used in the spur of the moment so only prep what you expect to use in the next combat.
• Favored class bonus – almost always going to be hit points.
• You get to add your INT bonus to all splash weapon damage so alchemists fire, acid flasks, and holy water are particularly potent in your hands.

Skills

Outside combat the Alchemist is a skill monkey, with his high INT alchemists likely have as many skill points as a rogue.  Given the class skills list the alchemist can make a decent stand in for a rogue or works well as a knowledge skills person too.

Acrobatics – This is a dex friendly class, particularly at high levels if you have greater mutagen.  Unfortunately it’s cross class.

Craft(alchemy) – Almost required.  You get some good bonuses in this skill and can use it for crafting a variety of items which are useful for the game.  All alchemists should take at least a few ranks in this, particularly at low levels but it’s not important to keep it maxed out throughout the game unless you are doing a lot of crafting items and poisons.

Disable device – A good skill to have all around, particularly if there is no rogue in the party.

Knowledge (*) – Work with your group to cover the knowledge skills.

Perception – Very important skill and you have it as a class skill and the skill points to cover it.

Spellcraft – Needed to learn new extracts, also useful for spotting spell effects so you can target dispelling bombs.

Stealth – Alchemist is a Dexterity friendly class, and the alchemist can make a decent scout.

Survival – Useful for wilderness campaign, in particular if you party lacks a ranger or druid.

Use magic device – All around a good skill, unfortunately as an alchemist your charisma is likely low.  Still, worth taking since it’s a class skill.  You will likely need to take skill focus to be good a good device monkey before 10th level.

Hopefully this latest journey his lifebonded human was going on would be more fruitful.

—

Scarab could smell the blood all over the sawmill. It’s been days since he’s gotten a fresh kill and when the door was pushed open he was the first through the breach. In no time Scarab was tossing the cultist around like a ragdoll in his mouth. More, I want more blood! Looking around he saw Zeke thrashing a cultist and Nephira had summoned another blasted cat who was stealing his kill. In moments it was over… yet the bloodlust was still thick in Scarab’s veins and when more cultists burst through the door he lept at them with glee.

The slaughter of more cultists was quick and brief chase leads to the upper floor of the sawmill. Ahh, this is why I agreed to this life bond with the human.

—

Meg strained to see around the tall human… whoever these idiots were with the masks they are completely incompetent. What kind of story would this make. “Then the adventurers kicked open the door and slaughtered a room full of bumbling idiots.” Obviously some embellishment would be required.

Puppers the Battlemut… gotta work on that name, on the other hand was amazing. He just zips around and has no trouble with stairs. Well there was that time Meg nearly fell off, That wasn’t his fault! Together Meg and Puppers shredded a couple cultists.

The Skinsaw man was a nasty one, now here is a good story. This disturbed freak really managed to scramble Scarab and Nephira’s alien brains. In the end the cat Nephira summoned tripped him up and Talon and Zeke turned him into a pulp in a spectacular fashion.

—

This woman has no fashion sense, how can she be the mastermind of this thing?

Zeke poised waiting for the signal to pounce on the woman who was apparently the source of all this mayhem. A low growl in the back of his throat threatened to give away his presence I’m going to strangle that bitch slowly for what she did to Katrine. Suddenly Meg’s disguise fell apart and the woman sprang into action only to reveal another one of the faceless stalkers. All three of them are these disgusting creatures, we didn’t fool them after all.

Cringing as 2 of them surrounded poor Meg Zeke springs into action. “What out, they can reach clear across the room with those crazy arms!”.

—

This is crazy!. Talon’s arms ached a bit as his hammer struck true on the golems side. This beast is made of iron not flesh. We’ll never kill it.

Just then the scarecrow’s giant scythe snicked out and nearly severed Zeke’s head leaving a 18″ gash just below his throat. Zeke ducked back, as fast as Meg was healing him the creature was tearing him up faster. From behind Scarab’s charged in to help with the fight, but his claws were mostly worthless against the beast.

Talon lets out a surge of healing and moves in to flank foul construct as Nephira uses her magic to enlarge him. The surge of strength and power was tremendous and Talon asked Torag for strength. His hammer struck true and while he was proud Talon felt a bit of fear creep into his heart. The thing was mad now.

** BAMM ** stars reeled across his vision… Talon could barely make out Zeke moving in to flank the creature. Only from pulling from his bestial heritage was Talon able to stay standing. Meg slid in behind and gave him a little strength but he wasn’t able to connect. That scythe was reaching out towards Talon again.

****** DARKNESS ******

—

“What did she mean by only mostly dead? I dreamt of Torag again. It was a beautiful place.”

Meg looks up at Talon “Just don’t start babbling about a holocaust cloak”.

Talon’s reply is interrupted when the party sees an old ‘friend’ waiting for them with his arms crossed in the street….

Trinity blushed, “In the excitement… I kind of well forgot about it.”

Meg’s glare didn’t lessen a bit. “How can I write an poem about the death of Foxglove when I was 4′ under water when all the excitement came down!?”

“It’s cute when you stomp your little foot like that.”

Meg’s glare could cut steel. “That. isn’t. funny. Zeke.”

“Just go for the ‘crazy revenant chick gets her revenge angle, that always works’”

Now, it’s Zeke’s turn to glare “Hey, I finished him off while you were down swimming with the bard.”

—-
Just a quick wrap up, sorry to be so far behind on these.

Fighting the ghouls in the farms and getting to Foxglove Manor netted 2500 exp *I’d previously posted 1600 so if you already recorded the 1600 just bump it by 900 exp

Last weeks session at Foxglove Manor was a monster 10 hour session and we got a ton done. We got a whopping 4800 experience.
—-
After the party killed off most of the ghouls in the farmlands the farmers moved back in, slaughtering the remaining ghouls and burying their dead.

Foxglove manor burned for 3 days with an eerie greenish glow. Travelers along the coast road reported seeing strange shapes in the smoke and one person claims to have brave soul ventured out to the point and seen a massive hole in the ground with a sickly greenish glow pulsing like a heartbeat. He didn’t investigate further because he claims he was attacked by a swarm of odd fungal squirrels.

Letter from Foxglove manor and details on exp below.