[忍]

Elemental Body acts "like Elemental Strike with a DV of MagicX2 and AP of -(MagicX0.5). How and when is this damage applied? Does this replace an unarmed attack damage? Is it in a addition to? For the example of cold damage, could the armor break before or after the unarmed attack provided that it's still applied.

[cbsmith]

As per the rule book, it is applied with a touch attack (so not stacking on unarmed attack damage), but also when you are touched on defense.

[Reaver]

Unofficially, there has been a long standing rule of "no double dipping" damage. Meaning damage from one source per attack roll. This is why many compounds (toxins) start the damage either in the next IP, or the next combat turn.

And yes, this is an argument that has gone on for a long time (like, YEARS), and no, you won't find it in any books.  But, your table is free to change it (as I know several tables have, for better or worse) if you choose to.

But cbsmith is correct, its a touch attack, or a defense attack (you are attacked with a melee attack/touch attack). Which has the advantages of +2 dice and considered a success on a tie.

[忍]

If there is no double dipping, how would alchemical arrows work?

[Dwagonzhan]

If there is no double dipping, how would alchemical arrows work?

Short answer: They don't; at least, not for direct damage applications.

Long answer: Comes down to what your GM says, and prepare for arguments upon arguments, wheedling and whining about balance (only for the same people to post their equally broken OHKO combat guru with 20+ dice...)

I rule that they will work circumstantially just to allow the concept to exist; like Silence Arrows to muffle impact sounds/death screams, or special damage attacks where the arrow's damage is negligible anyway.
(Death Touch arrows vs Astral Forms or its specialized variants like Magebolt/Shattershield/Insect Bane...the arrow is doing virtually no physical damage in the majority of those instances anyway)

In fact, I have an Alchemy archer concept I was going to post here, but decided against it because I knew it'd just degenerate into meaningless arguments about balance vs concept and didn't care for the added drama.

[Reaver]

If you really eant to start that argument again(please, Please, PLEASE say 'NO!')

I Would direct you to threads of by gone days. There are at least a half dozen threads many of them in the double page count (and just as many locked by Admins) that talk about this... I would encourage you to look to those threads for you answers.

[Dwagonzhan]

If you really eant to start that argument again(please, Please, PLEASE say 'NO!')

I Would direct you to threads of by gone days. There are at least a half dozen threads many of them in the double page count (and just as many locked by Admins) that talk about this... I would encourage you to look to those threads for you answers.

Indeed. I've read those old threads since joining, and it's why I didn't bother posting that character or bring that thread up.
In fact, you won't see any of my character concepts in the character critique section for similar reasons; that and having read what's been posted since joining, I'll just receive the same laundry list of optimizations everyone suggests for every character already. There's virtually no creative space left to explore outside of fluff characters, so small wonder this place is virtually dead.

The only comment I'll leave on the Alchemical-Archer itself: I find it incredibly ironic how two skills considered so bad that they're borderline useless, are considered "broken" and taboo as soon as they're put together to give them any meaning. It's design logic so self defeating in its stupidity I can't help but laugh at the absurdity of it all.

[Reaver]

I admit the character creation forums are pretty stale....

But then again, most people that post there seem to want a Min/Max'd character... so.. yea...