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Message: <blockquote data-quote="mneme" data-source="post: 5584472" data-attributes="member: 59248">NO, I think you're just being incorrect.When you use a power from an item, you are still making the attack, not the item.  Anything that boosts your attack rolls will boost your attack rolls on the item; anything that boosts your damage that applies to the item (keeping in mind that it's neither a weapon nor an impliment attack of course).  The reason you don't get half level on the item isn't because your'e not making the attack (you are); it's because only the STAT vs DEFENSE formulation gets half level added into it; +NUM vs DEFENSE does not.So when you use an alchemical item, the +7 to attack and damage rolls you're getting from the friendly Battle Engineer will add +7 to the attack and damage rolls of your item; combat advantage will give you a to-hit bonus with alchemical items, and so on.  It's just that the base to-hit is +N (where N is stated on the tin) rather than Stat+1/2 Level (with, likely, feat and enhancement bonuses added in due to keywords).Also, alchemical items -will- mark, and that's a +4 vs Reflex (which is identical to-hit to that +6 vs AC).I think your arguments about backup weapons breaks down somewhat once you realize you -can- apply most buffs to alchemical items--not that they're a fantasic option, but the "just in case, I want a fireball charm so I can stop a troll from regenerating" thing works fine; in that mode, you don't bother taking alchemy specific buffs at all, but drop in whatever bonuses you need to make sure your clutch attack hits.  Since alchemical items are cheap for an attack of their level if you don't use them (or should be), but expensive if you use them frequently, just investing some money [or not selling off treasure to have an alchemical reserve is a potentially useful gamble.Also, what's your goal here?  I mean, at 26th level, an alchemical item's base to hit is +29.  A level 26 monster seems to average at a 38 reflex.  So, just for buying an item, you're hitting on a 9 before counting for buffs or debuffs -- and that's (with the damage items) damage on a miss.  How much better do you want to get than > 50%?</blockquote>

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