Kobold Alchemist

[sekira]

Ok, so I have an idea for a new build.

The kobold alchemist.

Here are some ideas I have...

1. Use daggers with big poison brands in melee. Lots of strikes, big brand damage.

2. Use 1 AP in the Rogue's poison weapon ability, and at least 1 AP in Enchanter's Essence Transfer ability. This will be a good way to get unlimited poison based potions. Brand a weapon, Essence Transfer that to a potion, wash rinse repeat.
-To max out my poison resist via alchemic resistance (now I can heal myself with magic returning bosses
-To see if essence transferring a 200 brand to a potion will then let me make much bigger brands with my alchemy skill. I have a feeling it will.

3. brand casting with those poison brands I'm getting. wooya!

The build plan itself will involve ignoring str with both level gains and crafting tweaking (for the most part... maybe a couple points so I can carry a few things) I'll use my level stat gains in dex because of the racial bonus (to hit and extra blows). I won't need any skill in daggers, because that boosts the base damage, not the brand damage... maybe 5 pts at the most, for the to_h feat bonus, but that would be it. My tweak points will be going to con and speed, also magic defense, defense, agility. I might even do a couple APs in fighters critical hits ability. I don't need a really strong critical hits power if I get 20 or more blows. Only one has to work... and then I get a round or two to run or wail on them.

the only weakness I'll have is 100% poison resist or magic immune monsters... especially magic immune physical returning. Ick. I could just smack them over and over with my daggers (unless they are physical returning) but I'm thinking that some skill in firearms or throwing will serve me much better, especially with my uber dex. I guess I'll cross the bridge when I get there.

[Variaz]

Having played a Kobold Poison Lord recently, I definitly recommend the Piercing Spells ability. Poison is a frequently resisted element. All undeads, jellies, golems and enemy kobolds resists it, and a few others too. So Piercing Spells will definitly come in handy. With 5 points only, it worked most of the time, so I think it's worth it.

[sekira]

Quick question.

Does the Kobold's +50% to poison damage affect absolutely all forms of poison damage? From the help files, I know that the bonus applies to elemental spells, class abilities that do direct poison damage (elemental strike, elemental wave, brand casting), and also the rogue's venemous shots ability extra poison damage. I'm assuming it also affects the rogue's poison trap ability, correct?

I don't ever remember hearing if the bonus affects weapon brands or weapons with base damage type poison though. Does it affect those?

EDIT: Also, how does the Elemental Lord's Elemental Mastery abilty affect all the above?

I have a suggestion, too. Let the rogue's poison trap ability let you create traps from poison potions. A trap with a radius effect! woo!

[Variaz]

Yes, the Kobolds bonus applies to everything!

For the trap, it's definitly a good idea!

[sekira]

Status update on my kobold alchemist, Ping

character level 12, Enchanter class level 4 (also has rogue class lvl 4)
str 4
int 6
wis 5
dex 33
con 17
chr 4
~620 hp, ~230 ac
~900 to hit, ~150 to dam
skills: 25 alchemy (31 w/bonus)
30 crafting (37 w/ bonus)
APs spent: 1 poison weapon, 1 essence transfer

so far, every single level stat point has gone to dex, with crafting tweak pts filling in for con, and letting me get the int to switch to enchanter. I also have 14 tweak pts in magic defense, but I've put only 3 tweak pts so far in defense and 0 in agility, as I try to kill stuff before it has a chance to attck, rather than rely on ac.

I dual wield daggers with brands, one poison brand, and one acid brand. With my dex, I get 19 attacks with main hand and 9 with my off hand. I also have 2 daggers in my inventory with plusses to throwing, and carry a poison branded boomerang.

I now plan to go into warrior and then elemental lord (poison of course) to get some piercing spells, then back to enchanter and get to class level 10 for improved enchanting.

I also plan to put my next 30 level skill pts into agility, to get the instant swap feat. a good move also because of the kobold racial bonus to agility. Then, get alchemy
up to 36 (45 w/ bonus) so I can make the depth 15 potions, then the rest in crafting.

I thought this build would be more risky relying on brands (no magic, very little base melee or ranged damage), but so far I've had few problems (ran away from the sewers Q once - killed him 2nd time, and a boss physical immune vapor rat, when I only had poison brands - they are 100% poison resist, and ran from a lesser ghost befor I had the acid brand too). Only death was an unlucky teleport in the destruction of Udor. All in all it has been quite fun.