Best Archer Build?

mattcolville

Adventurer

• Aug 14, 2006

• #1

Using 12 levels and 88k in cash, what's the nastiest archer I can make? All the PrCs seem kinda ass. It feels like a very gear-based road to go down.

It seems like both pure Fighter and pure Thief would be viable, since you get so many feats with the first, and sneak attack with the second.

 

log in or register to remove this ad

starwed

First Post

• Aug 14, 2006

• #2

If you want a middle way, you could take scout. (CompAdv) It offers a few bonus feats and the skirmish ability... plus quite a few nice extras. Making a 10th level human scout I was able to pick up all the archer feats I wanted. (Although I suppose a dip in fighter for Ranged Weaon Mastery might be worth it now that the PHB2 is out.)

 

Patlin

Explorer

• Aug 14, 2006

• #3

A build I'm playing with is actually more of a candidate for *worst* archer build, but it's sort of fun anyway so I'll share it in case some of the pieces are usefull to you.

T'Ranis the Githzerai Archer
Level Adjustment +2 (That's a large part of why he sucks.)
Divine Mind 1/Psychic Warrior2/Monk 4/Psionic Fist X
The resulting BAB is the other reason he sucks. He's ECL 5 when he gets his first point of BAB!

The fun bits:
1 -- He's a Githzerai, which I've never tried before.
2 -- Psionics offer a bunch of usefull archery related powers, including perfect archery
3 -- He runs really fast and tumbles well, which could be good for hit and run tactics. (Downside: I've never had a whole party that wanted to fight that way.)
4 -- His feet are weapons, so he can threaten an area while holding a longbow and arrow.

 

I

Iku Rex

Explorer

• Aug 15, 2006

• #4

Which books can you use?

The basic "archer prestige classes" are Deepwood Sniper (Masters of the Wild), Peerless Archer (Silver Marches) and Justice of Weald and Woe (Champions of Ruin). A straight fighter can work too, but depending on the books you have available there are some very nice ranger spells for archers. Another variant is the "cleric archer", using buffs and possibly the Divine Might (CW) feat to improve your archery. Rogue isn't ideal IMO, at least if you start at lower levels, but by 12th level a rogue with a ring of blinking could be pretty effective. (Possibly using a crossbow and the Rapid Relaod and Crossbow Sniper [PHBII] feats.)

 

mattcolville

Adventurer

• Aug 15, 2006

• #5

I am more and more becoming convinced that the best build for a 12th level archer is Fighter 12, or Ranger 2/fighter 10. PrCs and stuff doesn't seem to be worth it. And access to all the archery feats seems like a must.

 

Mistwell

Crusty Old Meatwad (he/him)

• Aug 15, 2006

• #6

Usually I see this as an elven Cleric build, with I believe Elf and Time domains. That way you can true-strike, greater magic weapon, divine favor, etc...

 

G

green slime

First Post

• Aug 15, 2006

• #7

mattcolville said:

I am more and more becoming convinced that the best build for a 12th level archer is Fighter 12, or Ranger 2/fighter 10. PrCs and stuff doesn't seem to be worth it. And access to all the archery feats seems like a must.

Click to expand...

What "all" feats?

Improved Precise Shot, Far Shot, and Shot on the Run are only nice, hardly necessary. Improved Critical doesn't stack with Keen.

Weapon Focus is good, of course, but is Weapon specialisation as good as or better than +2d6 from sneak attack? That question is campaign specific.

So with only four or five feats being "necessary", human anything will do it for you.

I think I'd go Ranger 2, Fighter 4, Rogue X. This means you'd get to pick up a few of the "nice" feats as well.

 

Nonlethal Force

First Post

• Aug 15, 2006

• #8

Patlin said:

Level Adjustment +2 (That's a large part of why he sucks.)

Click to expand...

Not allowed to buy off your LA via the UA variant rules, huh?

 

R

Rkhet

First Post

• Aug 15, 2006

• #9

Here's some more of my Polymorph-related twinkage:

Aasimar. Scroll of Polymorph Any Object. MMIII's Arrow Demon. Done and done!

You will want at least one level of Cleric. The turning attempts and domain abilities are too good to pass up.

 

mattcolville

Adventurer

• Aug 15, 2006

• #10

green slime said:

What "all" feats?

Improved Precise Shot, Far Shot, and Shot on the Run are only nice, hardly necessary. Improved Critical doesn't stack with Keen.

Weapon Focus is good, of course, but is Weapon specialisation as good as or better than +2d6 from sneak attack? That question is campaign specific.

So with only four or five feats being "necessary", human anything will do it for you.

I think I'd go Ranger 2, Fighter 4, Rogue X. This means you'd get to pick up a few of the "nice" feats as well.

Click to expand...

Right now all feats are

Point Blank
Precise
Improved Precise
Manyshot
Rapid Shot (from Ranger 2)
Improved Rapid Shot
Weapon Focus
Imp. Weapon Focus
Weapon Spec.
Imp. Weapon Spec.

Got two feats left. I know there's a feat that lets you fire while in combat without provoking AoO. Considering Improved Initiative.