New Player, Many Questions

Hi, I'm Rory, a new player that NPC'd for a few days during the week in the life event. I've been super excited since, and I've been looking into making a PC for the next event I can attend. I love the concept of alchemists, and I've been looking at the errata posted for the support classes, and I have a few questions.

First, looking at the new alchemist talent list, there are no longer any bombs that do damage -- would an alchemist instead aim to buff themselves to do more weapon damage? Or rather, can alchemists fend for themselves if needed? I saw that the support classes don't have a listed burst modifier on the errata, as opposed to the caster/warrior/rogue errata, where they do?
Also, I am a little bit confused on bombs being ruled as piercing attacks -- does piercing influence status attacks like rust bomb, or would that just be for damage?
Second, for a crafter class like alchemist, what are the rules for components, and would a starting character have enough gold to purchase appropriate components to make their items?
Are the only things an alchemist can make the items listed under each domain of the alchemist class, or can they make other items? Do the items that an alchemist make scale as they increase in level, or do they stay the same?

Sorry for the slew of questions all at once, but maybe this could be boiled down to a tl;dr of is alchemist a class that a new player would be able to play and have fun with, or is it a bit complex and something I should steer clear of for now?

Hi, Rory!

I'm Jeff, one of your New Player Representatives.

A slew of questions is not only absolutely fine, but it's encouraged. Trust me, we would rather you come play with us not having any lingering confusion about the game, if we can help it.

Right now, I'm on lunch at work, but I will get to answering your questions as soon as I'm able. Although, I will say this: Part of the rules update process was to make the classes more accessible to players who aren't as experienced as others. We'll get you brewing up role-play in no time.

Thank you for coming out to NPC for us! I'm glad you had a good time. If any part of your experience wasn't pleasant, please feel free to message me about it and I'll do my best to resolve it.

Piercing has previously been a trait of abilities that inflicted either damage or status effects. Under the new rules, since the bombs have the piercing trait, the would-be victim would need Dodge in order to dive-roll away unscathed.

Alchemists do have a couple abilities to get them out of dodge (turning invisible, climbing away, or making sure that whatever is threatening them, has trouble giving chase, from what I've seen).

Starting characters, or any other, would not be required to use components.

Talent Slots have been added to Support classes for the following Build costs: Rank I - 1, Rank II - 1, Rank III - 2, Rank IV - 2. Talent Slots may be used for several different effects, as detailed here. Using a talent slot requires five seconds of roleplay appropriate to the class/ability, but does not require any components.
A character may use a Talent Slot to instantly perform a Procedure talent.
A character may use a Talent Slot to instantly Innovate a Crafting (Consumable) talent. The item must be used immediately or immediately applied to a recipient as a Latent effect. The recipient may then invoke the effect at any point before it expires. Innovated Latents expire at the end of the encounter in which they are applied; a character may have no more than one of any Latent effect upon her at a given time.

Anything your alchemist attempts to craft that isn't a recipe in the Rulebook, would be at the discretion of the Storyteller or a Marshal. It's worth asking.

The recipes stay the same as your character levels.

If there is more to the slew, I'll be here to help.

Thank you very much!

As for the slew... maybe just 2 more, for now. Are bombs delivered via spell packet, or some other way? And when I create items, would I need item cards for the things I make during/for an encounter, or only for things that are permanent?

Bombs are delivered via spell packet, yes; there have been skills that allow you to auto-hit with thrown or ranged weapons, though and I will get you that information after a decent night's sleep!

If you make the item without components, no item card is needed because the item is either used within 5 seconds or crumbles to dust, so only for permanent things--as much as anything can be permanent in Travance.

I am so sorry it's taken me so long to return to this thread. Yes, bombs need a spell packet or other similar phys rep to use.