[RPG] Alchemist’s Bombs and Vital Strike: What is “bonus damage?”

alchemistclass-featurefeatspathfinder-1e

Bomb

According to the PRD:

Bomb: On a direct hit, an alchemist's bomb inflicts 1d6 points of fire damage + additional damage equal to the alchemist's Intelligence modifier. The damage of an alchemist's bomb increases by 1d6 points at every odd-numbered alchemist level (this bonus damage is not multiplied on a critical hit or by using feats such as Vital Strike). (Emphasis: Bold)

What exactly is the bonus damage the parenthetical text is referring to?

  • The Intelligence Modifier added to the bomb?
  • The Increase in Damage by die/level?
  • The Splash Damage dealt?

Best Answer

The bomb is a weapon for nearly all feats and abilities that affect weapons, according to the Alchemist class rules.

The alchemist bomb's damage is:

  • 1d6 base damage
  • Int bonus (bonus damage)
  • 1d6 bonus from alchemist levels (gained at even levels and also bonus damage)
  • 1d6+INT+(1d6/2 alchemist level)

Vital Strike increases only the first 1d6 damage (the base damage). Similarly, if you confirm a Critical Hit, you will double only the base damage.

So if anything increases the weapon's damage, treat the first 1d6 damage as the weapon damage, everything else is bonus damage, or precision damage, or fire/cold/eletricity damage, etc.

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