War Chemist

War chemists train to exercise their talents in the thick of battle, even when not under the influence of their mutagens. They learn methods of combining weapon attacks with their alchemical magic, and sacrifice skill with poisons in order to become more adept at using alchemical bombs or using alchemical items in conjunction with their martial skills. As an unusual side effect of their skill at handling bombs and alchemical items with increased speed, war chemists master the ability to drink potions, elixirs, and mutagens quickly and safely, without exposing themselves to peril while doing so.

A war chemist has the following class features.

Martial Weapon Proficiency

At 1st level, a war chemist gains proficiency in all martial weapons.

This ability replaces Brew Potion.

Alchemical Weapon (Ex)

At 2nd level, a war chemist can infuse a weapon or piece of ammunition with a single harmful alchemical liquid or powder, such as alchemist’s fire or sneezing powder, as a move action. This action consumes the alchemical item, but transfers its effect to the weapon in question.

The alchemical item takes full effect on the next creature struck by the weapon, but does not splash, spread, or otherwise affect additional targets. Any extra damage added is treated like bonus dice of damage, and is not doubled on a critical hit. The alchemical treatment causes no harm to the weapon treated, and wears off 1 minute after application if no blow is struck. At 6th level, a war chemist can use her alchemical weapon ability as a swift action. At 15th level, this ability becomes a free action.

This ability replaces poison resistance.

Precise Bombs (Ex)

At 2nd level, a war chemist gains the precise bombs alchemist discovery as a bonus discovery.

This ability replaces poison use.

Directed Blast (Ex)

At 6th level, a war chemist can detonate a bomb so that it splashes in a 20-foot cone rather than affecting a radius. The cone starts at the alchemist and extends away from her in the direction she chooses. The alchemist designates one creature in the squares affected by the cone to be the target of the bomb and makes her attack roll against that creature; all other squares in the cone take splash damage. If the alchemist has the explosive bomb discovery and throws an explosive directed blast, the cone of splash damage is 30 feet long instead of 20 feet.

This ability replaces swift poisoning.

Grenade Launch (Ex)

At 8th level, a war chemist can use her Alchemical Weapon ability to infuse a weapon or piece of ammunition with one of her bombs. Unlike the normal effect of Alchemical Weapon, the bomb does deal splash damage, albeit half as much as normal.

This ability replaces the discovery gained at 8th level.

Staggering Blast (Ex)

At 10th level, a war chemist’s bombs become particularly overwhelming when they explode. Whenever a war chemist scores a successful critical hit with a bomb, the creature directly struck by that bomb is staggered for 1d4+1 rounds. A successful Fortitude save (DC equals the bomb’s Reflex save DC to avoid splash damage) reduces the duration to 1 round. The effects of this ability do not stack with other effects that inflict stagger on a hit or critical hit (such as frost bombs or staggering critical). Additional hits from a staggering blast add to the effect’s overall duration.

This ability replaces poison immunity.