Feedback on Bombardier - CASTER DPS ALCH IS GOD AWFUL

[tinyelvis]

I will say this, I have been unimpressed with Alchemist so far, but I am still below level 8 and doing it on Khyber.

What I can say, is that the Borderlands are NOT level 1 material v. Korthos. I stepped out into Borderlands on level 1 on the HC and almost immediately died and went back to Korthos on my Rogue (was going to farm a horse). You have to be a "strong" class at level 1 or wait to 3 or so to be out there. Whereas with Korthos you can be level 1 and any class and survive easily. Grab a hire and they can solo all Korthos for you with a little guidance.

To me Borderlands is really for vets with past lives to do something different. I think new characters and new players may struggle out there and if take new player + new character it may well = real struggle without help and guidance.

I have to disagree. I take a gnome. I run the borderland slayer area first in hardcore (bring a healer hireling). This gives you lots of needed loot like ff item and ingots for elemental weapons (not to mention a horse). At level 1 start with maximize and with second enhancement point get that amazing SLA in bombadier. All enhancements to bombadier. Make sure you use fox cunning pots (you can also buy element buffing pots but I dont). I cycle thru multiple (up to three) elements vial tossing at closest targets (literally as fast as I can press the buttons). Only apply meta magic to SLA. Stay in Pyrite reaction. You will melt everything you encounter at very low spell point cost. For long range targets you can throw three potions in the air and all will land on head of target (killing pretty much anything even possibly bosses) before they move. I personally mix in a healing admixture (full meta) and toss it when needed (which is rarely).

I run through to hit all the bosses. With a horse I run directly to boss and fight. At second level, I go do korthos, then come back to borderlands to run the 1's there. I solo it all on elite. Cannith crystral was only quest that caused me issues and had to run twice. Targets just melt to the machine gun like barrage of vials of elemental damage. Leveling occurs very fast. Once you hit 3rd level you can get even more fancy with spell and or defense buffs.

[Memnir]

It's a weird class. I'm not sure I enjoy it - but I don't really hate it anymore. Which is either progress or Stockholm Syndrome, I'm not sure which.

[SilentRunning]

Possibly both Memnir

[Hafeal]

I appreciate that worked for you, tiny. I believe it reinforces the point that vets, with meta game knowledge, strong builds, strong build knowledge is what this area is for. I find the area a challenge with weaker early level characters - with my rogue for example - at level 1. The entangle and trips make death very easy, not to mention the caster trogs.

I think new players, with new characters (regardless of class) will struggle, which is what I think happened to the OP.

I have to disagree. I take a gnome. I run the borderland slayer area first in hardcore (bring a healer hireling). This gives you lots of needed loot like ff item and ingots for elemental weapons (not to mention a horse). At level 1 start with maximize and with second enhancement point get that amazing SLA in bombadier. All enhancements to bombadier. Make sure you use fox cunning pots (you can also buy element buffing pots but I dont). I cycle thru multiple (up to three) elements vial tossing at closest targets (literally as fast as I can press the buttons). Only apply meta magic to SLA. Stay in Pyrite reaction. You will melt everything you encounter at very low spell point cost. For long range targets you can throw three potions in the air and all will land on head of target (killing pretty much anything even possibly bosses) before they move. I personally mix in a healing admixture (full meta) and toss it when needed (which is rarely).

I run through to hit all the bosses. With a horse I run directly to boss and fight. At second level, I go do korthos, then come back to borderlands to run the 1's there. I solo it all on elite. Cannith crystral was only quest that caused me issues and had to run twice. Targets just melt to the machine gun like barrage of vials of elemental damage. Leveling occurs very fast. Once you hit 3rd level you can get even more fancy with spell and or defense buffs.

[scut207]

I just hit 15, experience so far:
Early leveling slower than sorc faster than some other classes up to about lvl12
then it turned on for me.

Largest complaint is I am mana starved on some quests if I try to solo, but when with a group I feel that the class really shines.

Single spread out targets like static archers are a real pain /mana sink if they absolutely need to be killed, otherwise ignore and run past em.

[Bluenoser]

I do think there's something off about the DCs. I was spamming Conjuration attacks with 3 Cleric PLs and the best gear possible from lvl 10 until 15 (rloft Summoner's Spectacles) with the most Int, insightful Int, and quality Int you can have and still seeing a LOT of saves on R1 solo. I eventually took the poison imbue that lowers reflex by 1 on every hit (higher versions stack to 3, then 5) as I was playing Inquisitive, mostly for champs and orange-names. My experience was that the casting got really fun and powerful from 10 to about 14, then started to drop off again; maps like the lvl 13 Amrath ones and Memories of Illusory Larcener were...unpleasant. The reflex saves in there (abishai, elven archers) are off the chart. There's a reason I eventually just went Inq + Vile Chemist with a dash of Bomb

While I do generally go the route of max/emp SLAs on arcane casters, that doesn't do a lot of good if most stuff makes its reflex save, as the OP experienced. And, as they said, the Bomb tree is really pretty terrible for DPS SLAs from levels 1 to 11. You only get a second one, finally an AOE, at lvl 12, and the third as the lvl 20 capstone. That's not good by comparison to really any other casting class.

[mikarddo]

I find the Bombardier to be working quite well. I am playing it as a Thiefling for a bit more power in the early levels. With enough Racial points you can have the Ash SLA right off the bat thus making the start much smoother.

Now, at 15, it seems to work really well. I soloed RL chain 3 with zero issues and in groups the build works very well - both for dps and a bit of healing.

I do miss DDoor and Teleport though and will miss Mass Hold compared to a sorc but its holding up decently.

I am less certain the Bombardier will hold up at end game though - without Reaper CC.