Pathfinder: Wrath Of The Righteous – How To Build An Alchemist

One of the features that sets the Pathfinder universe apart in a sea of tabletop RPG choices is the vast array of classes available. The sheer variety of possible character builds includes Backgrounds, Racial Heritage, and a choice of diety on top of a myriad of other options related to specific abilities. The video games that are part of the Pathfinder franchise follow the same template, although some of the details are slightly different in digital form.

Wrath of the Righteous, the second installment in the relatively new video game section of the Pathfinder franchise, has similar choices when it comes to a wide variety of classes. One of the unique ones is the Alchemist. As the name suggests, this is a class that discovers, mixes, and uses an array of concoctions, tinctures, and potions. Depending on the type of build your Alchemist has, their collection of vials and bottles can be used to harm, heal, protect, and enhance.

Even though the class seems exotic and even limited, there are a lot of creative choices that both novice and experienced players can make when building an Alchemist in Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous. When creating a character in Pathfinder: WotR, players choose their class first and build from there, and we’ll follow the same pattern.

The Alchemist – Character Creation

Ability Scores

• Intelligence: This is the Alchemist’s most important ability, connecting the class to crucial skills like Arcane Knowledge and Perception. Other skills can vary in importance depending on the build, but Intelligence is always the Alchemist’s highest ability score.
• Dexterity: The second most important ability score for Alchemists. Whether the build is melee or ranged, hit rating is an important factor to consider for the class.
• Consitution: A few extra hit points are always nice, especially if you’re building an Alchemist with martial abilities.
• Strength: This stat should only be a priority for melee builds, and even then it’s optional depending on your character’s Perception, AC, and dodge rating.
• Wisdom: Not entirely a dump stat, but bear in mind this is the ability score used for Will saves.
• Charisma: Optional depending on the build, but totally unnecessary for the Alchemist’s most effective abilities.

Party Roles

Part of the draw of the Alchemist class is their flexibility when it comes to assuming a party role. They can take on anything with the exception of Defense, and that’s solely due to their limited armor capacity. Players can use their choice of a subclass, also known as an Archtype, to develop their character further in their chosen role.

• Healer: An Alchemist can be a doctor who heals wounds and can protect and revitalize their allies with potions as opposed to spells. It’s an interesting choice for those that would prefer to play a more science-based healer like an Apothecary or Doctor.
• Striker/Damage: This type of Alchemist would specialize in bombs, timed explosives, and other types of pyrotechnics. They might also have martial skills in order to be equally dangerous at close range.
• Support: Potions come in several benevolent forms, and that’s the specialty of the Support Alchemist. There are tinctures that can protect characters from harm, oils that can be applied to weapons to increase their powers, and helpful incense that can cover whole areas.

Racial Choices

Classes are varied enough in Pathfinder that almost any race combo with an Alchemist can work, but there are still some choices that have inherent bonuses to Intelligence or Dexterity and are better than others. This is also a factor to take into consideration if you plan on multi-classing your character or choosing a Prestige class later.

• Aasimar: Not a great choice, as some of the Heritage choices include bonuses for either Dexterity or Intelligence but not for both.
• Dhampir: Choose the Vetala-Born or Ajibachana Heritage to get a generous +2 bonus to both crucial ability scores. A great choice if you don’t mind playing the unconventional Dhampir.
• Dwarf: Bonuses to Consitution and Wisdom are nice, but not part of the ideal Alchemist build.
• Elf: Bonuses to both Intelligence and Dexterity make this race one of the best choices.
• Gnome: None of the bonuses for this race are a benefit to an Alchemist except for the +2 to Consitution.
• Half-Elf: One of the best possible choices because the player can choose which ability score gets that extra +2. They can also choose to add yet another +2 to any ability.
• Half-Orc: With a handy +2 to any ability score during the character creation process, plus Keen Sense and better than average martial abilities, players that want to build an Alchemist with melee abilities should seriously consider a Half-Orc.
• Halfling: The Dexterity buff is helpful, as are inherent traits like Keen Sense and Halfling Luck, which are great for ranged damage-dealers. It’s not the most obvious choice but it can work.
• Human: An excellent choice as it is for most classes, as no other race is more customizable. Add +2 to any ability score, +2 to any ability, and enjoy those additional skill ranks at every level.
• Kitsune: The Keen Kitsune Heritage put the bonuses in all the right places. Even the general option has a Dexterity buff, making the Kitsune one of the best choices.
• Oread: Lots of great bonuses to Strength and Wisdom, so great for Clerics or Fighters, but very little here for an Alchemist to work with.
• Tiefling: When it comes to customization options, there are few better choices for an Alchemist thanks to the many choices Tieflings have for their Heritage. This race has Dexterity and Intelligence bonuses anyway, but so do the Beastblood and Grimspawn ancestral lines.

The Alchemist Subclasses

Regardless of the Archetype chosen, every Alchemist has the signature ability of Discovery, which means they make a new alchemical discovery every two levels. Other abilities usually connected to the Alchemist, like Poison Resistance, Bomb, and Mutagen, vary depending on the Archetype chosen.

• Chirurgeon: In addition to the Alchemists’ usual abilities, the Chirurgeon can also make an Infused Curative that can be used to cure their companions. This catch is that this costs them their Poison Resistence ability.
• Grenadier: A good choice for those building a melee Alchemist, the Grenadier uses martial abilities and explosives to deal both weapon and chemical damage. However, this choice removes the ability to use poisons.
• Incense Synthesizer: A support class that specializes in AoE abilities, this subclass has a special ability known as Incense Fog but loses the ability to make self-enhancing Mutagen potions.
• Metamorph: These Alchemists can shapeshift using potions and gain a Stealth bonus, which presents some exciting options, but they lose the abilities Throw Anything and Bomb.
• Preservationist: This Alchemist doesn’t have Poison Resistance, but in exchange, they gain a collection of living specimens in glass jars that can be used as combat pets.
• Vivisectionist: A nice choice for an Alchemist with an Evil alignment, this Archetype is a malicious version of the Chirurgeon. They learn the inner workings of the body to better harm as opposed to heal. This is the only class that loses Discovery only to replace it with a more class-appropriate name, Medical Discovery.

Prestige Classes And Multi-Classing Options

When it comes to multi-classing a character, it’s natural to look at those that share the same ability scores. Pathfinder: WotR has two types of classes; the base classes and the Prestige classes. Characters need to advance a few levels before choosing one of the Prestige classes, which are specialized versions of the same class but with heightened powers and special abilities. Players should also consider how their choice of subclasses can also provide the same benefits.

Bear in mind that the D&D concept of “dual classing” in which a character gains levels in both classes early in their development but at one point chooses to level one while the other is essentially halted, doesn’t exist in the Pathfinder universe. Players in WotR who are looking for this option can simply stop leveling one class to the same effect.

There are several more classes to choose from when creating a character than are listed here, as Pathfinder has a reputation to uphold regarding this feature. Creative or experienced players shouldn’t let the following recommendations hold them back from bringing their own personal creation to the game.

Regular Classes

• Bard: The weak point here is the Charisma ability score, which Alchemists don’t prioritize. However, certain races, Heritage choices, or Backgrounds can fill this gap. The result could be a healer or damage dealer depending on the exact build.
• Barbarian: An Alchemist doesn’t wear a lot of armor anyway, and a Barbarian can use Dexterity as their main stat as opposed to Strength. Both classes like some extra Consitution and damage, so it seems odd at first but this build makes perfect sense.
• Cleric: Alchemists that want to specialize in healing or support and have a decent Wisdom score can consider multiclassing into a Cleric to augment and improve their abilities.
• Fighter: Fill that AC gap and give your Alchemist some martial prowess by combining them with a Fighter. The oldest and most versatile class in RPG history can do pretty much anything, so it’s hard to get this combination wrong.
• Kineticist: A complex class to play on their own, they have some common threads with Alchemists that are hard to ignore, especially if you’re the type that likes to explode things.
• Magus: Some nice parallels here when it comes to skills and abilities, including light armor proficiencies along with Arcane and World Knowledge. A decent choice for Alchemists that also want to be casters.
• Rogue: Stealth is nice if you’re handling something volatile, plus there’s the importance of Dexterity, so a Rogue-Alchemist multiclass is an obvious choice. For role players there are some nice overlaps here with poisons or other assassination tools.
• Slayer: A great option for those that want some interesting RP and backstory options, this focused killer could also be an expert in chemical warfare if it means tracking, catching, and killing their target.
• Warpriest: An option for those building a melee Alchemist, this is similar to a Cleric but one that’s focused on damage as opposed to defense. Also a Wisdom-based caster.

Prestige Classes

• Arcane Trickster: Players who don’t want to multiclass into a Rogue or Mage can take on this Prestige class instead, which focuses on both magical and rogue-like abilities. Other common features Alchemists will appreciate include Arcane and World Knowledge, Perception abilities, and the ability to use magical devices like scrolls.
• Assassin: All this class requires is a Stealth level of 5 and an Evil Alignment, so a certain type of sinister Alchemist could do very well here, like a Vivisectionist or a Grenadier with a chip on their shoulder.
• Student of War: Alchemists with some martial skills can become a Student of War. This Prestige Class is about Skill Mastery, which is scaled to a character’s Intelligence, making it a decent fit for an Alchemist.

Examples Of Alchemist Builds

Field Medic

• Party Role: Healer. A build based on the concept of a more realistic expert in battlefield medicine or chemically-based medicine, this character would mainly act as the party healer but they could also concoct potions and tinctures that can be used before and after the battle.
• Ideal Race: Human or Half-Elf, and any heritage for these choices has the same racial bonuses.
• Best Subclass: Chirurgeon
• Important Ability Scores: This build needs to prioritize Constitution along with Dexterity and Intelligence.

Defensive Chemist

• Party Role: Support and Damage
• Ideal Race: Tiefling, with innate bonuses to the class anyway, plus an array of Heritage choices that improve Dexterity and Intelligence. Their abilities focus on dealing damage to opponents and crowd control.
• Best Subclass: Incense Synthesizer or Preservationist
• Important Ability Scores: Strength and Dexterity are the priorities for Alchemists of this persuasion that want to wield certain weapons and take part in melee fighting. Ranged Alchemists should concentrate on Dexterity instead.

Deadly Apothecary

• Party Role: Damage
• Ideal Race: A Dhampir with a Vetala-Born Heritage would be perfect for this build, especially if you’re thinking about RP. This type of Dhampir is often the result of a scientific experiment, so it’s an interesting evolution to an expert in poisons or explosives.
• Best Subclass: Grenadier or Vivisectionist
• Important Ability Scores: Dexterity, not only for the Alchemist class but to augment the Sneak attack ability for the Vivsecionist or the Martial Weapons proficiency of the Grenadier.