While the techniques of destruction are most useful for doing injury to one’s opponents, they can nonetheless be used in ways that don’t involve hurting anyone—probably. Explosions can really solve far more problems than they will ever create.
Empowered Bombs
Starting at 2nd level when you choose this science, you learn how to craft bombs that tap into your repertoire of magical power. When you are creating a basic bomb, you can expend an alchemist spell slot as a bonus action to instead create an empowered bomb. A 1st-level spell slot increases the damage your bomb does to 3d8, and the bomb does your choice of acid, fire, lightning, or poison damage. This damage increases by 2d8 for each spell slot level above 1st.
Discoveries of Destruction
At 6th, 10th, and 14th level, your studies of the Science of Destruction reveal secrets which can enhance and augment your bombs. You can also select one of these discoveries instead of a regular discovery. You cannot apply multiple discoveries to the same bomb.
Destructive Arcana. Choose two evocation spells from any class’s spell list. They now count as alchemist spells for you. This discovery can be chosen twice.
Delay Bomb. Instead of immediately affecting the target, you can cause a bomb to explode on your turn up to 10 rounds later.
Mind Bomb. You can choose to have your bombs inflict psychic damage instead of the standard types of damage your bombs can inflict.
Snare Bomb. In addition to doing damage, you can cause your bomb to force the target to make a Strength saving throw or be restrained until it is freed by another creature using an action to free it, or until it succeeds in a Strength check. A snare bomb does not affect formless creatures or those capable of incorporeal movement. You can use this feature three times. You regain all expended uses when you finish a short or long rest.
Emperor Bomb
In the end, your studies lead to the perfection of destruction. Starting at 14th level, you gain the ability to create the ultimate explosive. As an action, you can expend a spell slot to craft and throw an emperor bomb. When thrown, this bomb has a short range of 40 feet and a long range of 120 feet. All creatures within a 60-foot radius of the bomb must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failure, the target is stunned until the end of its next turn and takes 4d6 damage per level of the spell slot expended to craft this bomb. On a successful save, the target takes half damage and is not stunned. You can choose for the emperor bomb to deal acid, fire, lightning, or poison damage. Finally, you can use any number of bomb-related discoveries you possess on an emperor bomb unless one discovery contradicts another.