Bubble Bomb — Lvl 6
Four directions for the L6 picks. All four keep Bomber field, Quick Bomber + Powerful Alchemy, and the existing crafting kit (Snare Crafting, Magical Crafting). They diverge on what Bubble does next.
Current state (L1–L5 actual): Quick Bomber, Junk Tinker, Burn It!, Specialty Crafting, Improvise Tool, Snare Crafting, Magical Crafting, Efficient Alchemy, Twitchy. Field Discovery + Powerful Alchemy. Alchemist's Fire (Lesser) +12 / 1d8+1d4+1 fire + 2 persistent. INT +4.
Feat-level verification (2026-05-06 audit): All L6 picks are level-legal (feat level ≤ 6). Earlier draft errors corrected — Expanded Splash is Alch 10, not Alch 6. Sticky Bomb is Alch 8, not Alch 4. Debilitating Bomb / Combine Elixirs / Directional Bombs are all Alch 6. Greater Field Discovery is a class feature (L13), not a feat. Sources in
~/claude/pathfinder/feats/alchemist.md.
Show L1–L5 detail (already played)
| Lvl | Class feat | Skill feat | Anc / Gen / Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Quick Bomber (1-action draw + Strike) | Specialty Crafting + Snare Crafting (bg) | Burn It! (anc); Bomber field, Alchemical Crafting, Infused Reagents, Powerful Alchemy |
| 2 | Calculated Splash (splash = INT mod) or Smoke Bomb | Magical Crafting | — |
| 3 | — | Improvise Tool | Junk Tinker (anc); Alchemical Alacrity, ability boosts |
| 4 | Smoke Bomb or Calculated Splash (the other one) | Efficient Alchemy | — |
| 5 | — | (skill increase to Crafting Expert) | Twitchy (L5 anc); Field Discovery (extra Bomber Research Field item) |
Class features L1–L5: Bomber field bonus (+ splash damage = INT), Alchemical Alacrity (L3 — Quick Alchemy makes 3 items), Field Discovery (L5). Charhide Goblin = fire resist 1 + +2 to recover from persistent fire.
A · Damage Bomber Highest DPS
Pure damage uplift. Push the bomb numbers as high as they go. Accept friendly-fire risk with 10 ft splash.
L6 Picks
| Slot | Pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Class feat | Directional Bombs (Alch 6, Bomber) | Splash becomes a 15-ft cone — concentrates damage forward, dodges friendly fire. Highest-impact L6-legal Bomber damage feat. Note: Expanded Splash is Alch 10, not available here. |
| Skill feat | Snare Specialist (L4 skill feat, Expert Crafting) | 4 free prepared snares per day at Expert (8 at Master). Crafting investment finally pays off. |
| Skill increase | Society → Expert | +14 Society = party-best Recall Knowledge for Varisian/Thassilonian content in RotR. |
Pros
- Cone splash = no more friendly fire on adjacent allies
- Splash damage hits on a miss too — higher floor
- 15-ft cone catches multiple foes when angled right
- Snare Specialist is essentially free reagents
Cons
- Cone has a back arc that's safe — angling matters
- No condition rider (Build B has Off-Guard)
- Pure damage — won't enable Sneaky's sneak attack
Full L6–L10 Progression
| Lvl | Class feat | Skill feat | Skill increase | Anc / Gen / Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | Directional Bombs (Alch 6, Bomber) | Snare Specialist (L4, Expert Crafting) | Society → Expert | — |
| 7 | — | Quick Snares (L6, Master Crafting) | Crafting → Master | Toughness (gen); Master Stealth in Light Armor (alch class) |
| 8 | Sticky Bomb (Alch 8, Additive — persistent damage rider) | Alchemical Crafting (already have, swap to Magical Shorthand L2) | Crafting → Master (carryover) | — |
| 9 | — | Plentiful Snares (L7, Master Crafting) | Society → Master | Cave Climber (L9 goblin) |
| 10 | Expanded Splash (Alch 10 — +INT splash, 10-ft splash; finally legal) | Specialty Crafting (already L1) → Inventor (L7) | Crafting → Legendary* | Ability boosts (INT, DEX, CON) |
* Legendary at L15 only — at L10 Crafting stays Master. The "Legendary" cell is a placeholder showing the Master plateau holds.
B · Support Bomber Best paired with Sneaky
Lower personal damage, higher party damage. Off-Guard riders set up Sneaky's sneak attacks at range — Bubble plays support striker.
L6 Picks
| Slot | Pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Class feat | Debilitating Bomb (Alch 6, Additive) | Free action on bomb hit: target gets Dazzled / Deafened / Off-Guard until your next turn. Ranged sneak-attack setup for Sneaky. |
| Skill feat | Snare Specialist | Same logic as Build A. |
| Skill increase | Society → Expert | Same logic as Build A. |
Pros
- Off-Guard rider = Sneaky gets sneak attack at range — ranged bombing-team play
- Free action — no cost beyond the bomb itself
- Dazzled / Deafened give flexible debuff per fight (anti-caster, anti-archer)
- Scales: enables Greater Debilitating Bomb at L10
Cons
- Lower direct damage than Build A (no +INT splash)
- Single-target rider — splash victims don't get the condition
- Dependent on Sneaky's positioning to capitalize
Full L6–L10 Progression
| Lvl | Class feat | Skill feat | Skill increase | Anc / Gen / Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | Debilitating Bomb (Alch 6, Additive — Off-Guard / Dazzled / Deafened) | Snare Specialist (L4, Expert Crafting) | Society → Expert | — |
| 7 | — | Quick Snares (L6, Master Crafting) | Crafting → Master | Toughness (gen); Master Stealth in Light Armor (alch class) |
| 8 | Sticky Bomb (Alch 8, Additive — persistent damage rider, stacks with Debilitating Bomb) | Magical Shorthand (L2, Expert Arcana — for scroll learning) | Arcana → Expert | — |
| 9 | — | Plentiful Snares (L7, Master Crafting) | Medicine → Expert | Cave Climber (L9 goblin) |
| 10 | Greater Debilitating Bomb (Alch 10 — adds Clumsy / Enfeebled / Stupefied / Sickened) | Robust Recovery (L2, Expert Medicine) | Crafting → Master (carryover) | Ability boosts (INT, DEX, CON) |
C · Snare Tinkerer Pre-deploy battlefield
Lean hard into snares. Fewer combat bombs, more pre-positioned traps. Best in dungeons, chokepoints, ambush prep.
L6 Picks
| Slot | Pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Class feat | Directional Bombs (Alch 6) or Combine Elixirs (Alch 6) | Sticky Bomb is Alch 8 — not available at L6. Pick Directional Bombs for cone splash (safer with snare-deployed allies in front), or Combine Elixirs to fuse Mutagen+Healing potion for Sneaky-and-Wee-Goo support during traps. |
| Skill feat | Snare Specialist (L4, Expert Crafting) | The cornerstone — 4 free snares/day at Expert, 8 at Master. |
| Skill increase | Society → Expert | Crafting Master is L7 prof tier (Master prereq = L7+). At L6 push Society to Expert; promote Crafting → Master at L7. |
Note: Crafting Master needs character level 7 (proficiency tier rule). At L6 only Trained→Expert promotions are legal. Crafting is already Expert. So at L6 take Society → Expert, plan Crafting → Master at L7 to unlock Quick Snares.
Pros
- 8 free snares/day (Hampering, Spike, Marking, Signaling) — pre-deploy on entrances/choke-points
- L7 Quick Snares turns 1-minute prep into 3 actions in combat
- Plentiful Snares (later) doubles the pool
- Strong synergy with Sneaky's stealth scouting (snare-and-trigger team)
Cons
- Open-field encounters = snares useless
- Sticky Bomb is the weakest of the L4 retro-picks for damage
- Requires session-prep (party scouts, then Bubble plants); not always practical at-table
Full L6–L10 Progression
| Lvl | Class feat | Skill feat | Skill increase | Anc / Gen / Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | Directional Bombs (Alch 6) or Combine Elixirs | Snare Specialist (L4, Expert Crafting) | Society → Expert | — |
| 7 | — | Quick Snares (L6, Master Crafting) | Crafting → Master | Toughness (gen); Master Stealth in Light Armor (alch class) |
| 8 | Sticky Bomb (Alch 8, Additive) | Plentiful Snares (L7, Master Crafting — moved up if pace allows) | Survival → Expert | — |
| 9 | — | Terrain Stalker (L1, Trained Stealth — for scout-and-snare team) | Stealth → Expert | Cave Climber (L9 goblin) |
| 10 | Expanded Splash (Alch 10 — pair with Directional Bombs for +INT cone splash) | Snare Hopping (L7, Master Crafting) | Crafting → Master (carryover) | Ability boosts |
D · Mutagen Hybrid Bomber + Elixir support
Stay Bomber, but use Quick Alchemy / Versatile Vials to feed allies elixirs and mutagens between bombs. Bubble becomes the party's and the bomb thrower.
L6 Picks
| Slot | Pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Class feat | Combine Elixirs (Alch 6, Additive) | Two elixirs in one — drink Bestial Mutagen + Healing Potion as one action. Or hand a fused elixir to Wee Goo / Sneaky for self-administration. |
| Skill feat | Snare Specialist | Always take this; the crafting investment is sunk. |
| Skill increase | Medicine → Expert | Backup Treat Wounds when Rhabähh drops. WIS -1 caps it but Battle Medicine still works (skill prof matters). |
Pros
- Bubble can still bomb 2-3× per round AND feed an ally an elixir
- Healing potion + Mutagen in one action = strong panic button
- Doesn't lose Bomber identity — just adds a layer
- Backup medic role is valuable (Rhabähh frequently the only healer)
Cons
- Quick Alchemy versatile vials are limited per day
- Lower bomb damage than Build A
- Mutagens carry trade-offs (Bestial Mutagen drops AC for damage)
- Requires party buy-in — allies need to drink the goblin's potions
Full L6–L10 Progression
| Lvl | Class feat | Skill feat | Skill increase | Anc / Gen / Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | Combine Elixirs (Alch 6, Additive — fuse two elixirs into one drink) | Snare Specialist (L4, Expert Crafting) | Medicine → Expert | — |
| 7 | — | Battle Medicine (L1, Trained Medicine — backup heal) | Crafting → Master | Toughness (gen); Master Stealth in Light Armor (alch class) |
| 8 | Mutant Physique (Alch 8) or Sticky Bomb (Alch 8, Additive) | Continual Recovery (L2, Expert Medicine) | Medicine → Master | — |
| 9 | — | Robust Recovery (L2, Expert Medicine) | Society → Expert | Cave Climber (L9 goblin) |
| 10 | Expanded Splash (Alch 10 — catch up on Bomber damage) | Ward Medic (L2, Expert Medicine — Treat Wounds 4 targets) | Crafting → Master (carryover) | Ability boosts (INT, CON, DEX) |
Note: Greater Field Discovery is a class feature at L13, not a feat slot — don't budget for it here.
Side-by-side comparison
| Axis | A · Damage | B · Support | C · Snares | D · Mutagen |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bomb damage (per round) | Highest | Mid | Mid-Low | Mid |
| Friendly fire risk | High (10 ft splash) | Low (5 ft splash) | Low | Low |
| Sets up Sneaky? | No | Yes (Off-Guard) | No | Indirectly |
| Pre-fight prep | None | None | Heavy (snares) | Medium (elixirs) |
| Best vs | Cluster mooks, bosses | Single tough target | Dungeons, ambushes | Mixed encounters |
| Continuity with L5 | High | High | Highest (uses snare investment) | Mid |
Anti-recommendation: At L6 the legal Bomber damage feat is Directional Bombs (cone splash) — Expanded Splash (Alch 10) and Sticky Bomb (Alch 8) cannot be taken yet. Save them for L10 / L8 respectively.