Loving bomber alchemist but......

[Swimms]

I am still working out the kinks in terms of SP management and spell rotations. Despite turning off maximize and empower for my non SLA's I still have to be more careful than I like to with SP management than I like. I am blowing through low reaper in the late teens now but want to get a sense of what combos others are using. If I can keep large groups together I usually just sprint up, flesh to gold, elemental combination and then multivial. Still have yet to try poison/gold breath or dust of confusion. What are others using for effective rotations in later heroics, am I wasting SP even trying to CC groups in low reaper heroics?

[Carpone]

You want to constantly be spiking the Pyrite reaction. On changing Reaction, the Alchemist receives a large bonus, for 12 seconds, corresponding to the Reaction they moved to:

Pyrite Reaction: Fire, Cold, Electric, Acid & Poison Spell Power equal to (10 + (Alchemist Level x 6)) and a -50% Enhancement Bonus to Spell Point Cost.

Shrines are so plentiful in heroic content I never turn off Maximize/Empower on R1. Gather mobs, make them helpless, blow them up. Rinse and repeat.

[Xgya]

am I wasting SP even trying to CC groups in low reaper heroics?

Yes.

Just throw the explosives. In low reapers, most groups should fall to a single Multivial, with a slight need to add another spell to the mix.
If that fails, fall back to level 4 spells and Obliteration.

Elemental Combination is useful in the longer fights to proc vulnerability, but you shouldn't need to use it in normal fights. It doesn't scale as well off your main spell power, and the damage it deals isn't that fantastic in the end.

[Carpone]

Xyga is right, no need to CC in heroic/low reapers. I've been so focused on end-game R10s that I forgot CC is complete overkill in easier content.

Raiding is where mana management is a problem for Alchemist. Even with Draconic Hunger and constantly spiking Pyrite, Alchemist is very thirsty for mana pots.

[Swimms]

Excellent, thanks for the advice, I appreciate it.

[Swimms]

You want to constantly be spiking the Pyrite reaction. On changing Reaction, the Alchemist receives a large bonus, for 12 seconds, corresponding to the Reaction they moved to:

Pyrite Reaction: Fire, Cold, Electric, Acid & Poison Spell Power equal to (10 + (Alchemist Level x 6)) and a -50% Enhancement Bonus to Spell Point Cost.

Shrines are so plentiful in heroic content I never turn off Maximize/Empower on R1. Gather mobs, make them helpless, blow them up. Rinse and repeat.

So this brings up a good question, what is a decent Cerulite spell to weave into the mix so I can swap out of Pyrite so that I can then change back to Pyrite for the bonus?

[Xgya]

So this brings up a good question, what is a decent Cerulite spell to weave into the mix so I can swap out of Pyrite so that I can then change back to Pyrite for the bonus?

I personally refresh Displacement before starting a new fight, instead of refreshing only if the spell is about to expire.
There's probably cheaper ways to do it, but that spell is already on my bar, needs refreshing often enough to be worth casting multiple times, and achieves the purpose.

[Swimms]

I personally refresh Displacement before starting a new fight, instead of refreshing only if the spell is about to expire.
There's probably cheaper ways to do it, but that spell is already on my bar, needs refreshing often enough to be worth casting multiple times, and achieves the purpose.

Makes perfect sense and the SP discount you get from swapping to pyrite reaction more than pays for the displacement cast.

[SocratesBastardSon]

I put one point into the Stiffen Skin SLA from Vile Chemist. While that requires 2 APs, it's an incredibly cheap way to activate a Cerulite primer with respect to spell points.

[Swimms]

I put one point into the Stiffen Skin SLA from Vile Chemist. While that requires 2 APs, it's an incredibly cheap way to activate a Cerulite primer with respect to spell points.

Thank you, that's awesome.

[Carpone]

I will use the Spell Power action boost followed by Smoke Bomb SLA. When it's on cooldown, I'll use Frog, Displacement or Glue Bomb (depending on the mobs) followed by Smoke Bomb SLA. Smoke Bomb is by far my favorite Alchemist spell.

[HungarianRhapsody]

I will use the Spell Power action boost followed by Smoke Bomb SLA. When it's on cooldown, I'll use Frog, Displacement or Glue Bomb (depending on the mobs) followed by Smoke Bomb SLA. Smoke Bomb is by far my favorite Alchemist spell.

Displacement and Invisibility both last way longer and you are going to lose the Invisibility in another 1 second when you attack. What's appealing about Smoke Bomb?

I'm not saying you're wrong. I just don't get it.

[kanordog]

So this brings up a good question, what is a decent Cerulite spell to weave into the mix so I can swap out of Pyrite so that I can then change back to Pyrite for the bonus?

Displacement if it is close to expire or stiffen skin sla for 2 sp (costs 4 AP)

[ggmarquez]

What's appealing about Smoke Bomb?

it doesn't break on attack/interact. there's not much else to say. at least 17 ways to use (abuse) should leap to mind.

[HungarianRhapsody]

it doesn't break on attack/interact. there's not much else to say. at least 17 ways to use (abuse) should leap to mind.


!!!

I had no idea. I thought it was just a short Invisibility, but if it's an invisibility that doesn't break on attack or interact, that's amazing and so much better.

[Grace_ana]

When I did my alchemist lives, I found that even though it's counterintuitive, I did better with sp management with my metas always turned on my main damage spells. It appears that the damage you get makes up for not having to cast it as often. I ran R1 in heroics, for reference.