Pathfinder 1E Alchemist Bomber Build: Feats, Strategies, & Archetypes Explained

The Art of the Perfect Bomb

Ask any Pathfinder 1E veteran and they'll tell you: a great Alchemist isn't just a damage dealer.

The class rewards smart prep, quick thinking, and a touch of controlled mayhem. Building a true bomber means optimizing every choice—from ability scores to archetypes—so your explosives hit hard and land exactly where you want them.

Core Ability Priorities

A bomber lives and dies by Intelligence and Dexterity.

• Intelligence (Int) boosts bomb damage, increases daily bomb count, and raises the save DC for discoveries.
• Dexterity (Dex) ensures accuracy on ranged attack rolls.
• Constitution (Con) keeps you standing long enough to throw another round.

Together, these stats form the backbone of an efficient demolition expert.

Race Options Worth Considering

Certain ancestries give the bomber a sharper edge:

• Gnome: Pyromaniac Alchemists deal extra fire damage and gain bonus bombs every two levels.
• Half-Orc: Also grants additional bombs per two levels—ideal for raw output.
• Human: The bonus feat and extra skill points make this race a versatile pick for experimentation.

Archetypes That Amplify Damage

While the base Alchemist is flexible, some archetypes refine the bomber's craft.

• Grenadier: Exchanges poison tricks for stronger bomb abilities and gains Precise Bombs early, allowing safe explosions near allies.
• Mindchemist: Focuses on mental power, using a Cognatogen that increases Intelligence and Will saves for higher accuracy and survivability.

According to TRPG experts at Stellar Dragon Games, both archetypes remain popular choices among players who want consistent, high-impact performance across encounters.

Feats and Discoveries That Define the Build

The right feat chain transforms your Alchemist from tinkerer to artillery unit:

• Point-Blank Shot and Precise Shot form the essential foundation for ranged accuracy.
• Rapid Shot and Two-Weapon Fighting combine with Fast Bombs to increase attacks per round.

Key discoveries turn good builds into great ones:

• Fast Bombs (level 8) lets you throw multiple bombs per full-round action.
• Precise Bombs protects allies from splash damage.
• Cognatogen / Mutagen adds crucial ability bonuses.
• Explosive Bombs expands radius and inflicts lingering fire damage.
• Extra Bombs provides much-needed endurance for long dungeons.

"Fast Bombs is the moment everything changes," notes the Stellar Dragon Games team. "It's where the bomber's action economy finally catches up to its damage potential."

Strategy and Playstyle

Preparation is half the battle. Before combat, drink your extracts and activate your mutagen or cognatogen. Maintain distance, pick clusters of enemies, and use splash damage for control. Discoveries such as Explosive Bombs or Frost Bombs allow area denial or crowd slow, turning each encounter into a controlled experiment in chaos.

Strengths, Challenges & Consensus

Strengths:

• Excellent battlefield control and reliable AoE damage.
• High hit chance thanks to targeting touch AC.
• Strong mid-to-high-level scaling once Fast Bombs unlocks.
• Adaptable support through extracts and Infusion sharing.

Challenges:

• Low-level limitations on bomb supply.
• High feat investment and resource management.
• Limited single-target scaling compared with crit-focused builds.

Community consensus sees the bomber as both powerful and satisfying—if you respect its quirks. Mastering positioning, timing, and bomb economy turns the Alchemist into one of Pathfinder 1E's most dynamic classes.

If you'd like to explore full build breakdowns and expert insights on bomb mechanics, online resources like the "Pathfinder 1E Alchemist: Mix & Match Guide" offer detailed comparisons of feats, discoveries, and archetypes to help every player find their perfect explosive formula.

Your Alchemist build doesn't need to be perfect to be effective—it just needs the right balance between science and mayhem.