Archer Build

Hi Folks,
I was just wondering what would be a nice 7th level Fighter/Archer type build (i.e. what feats etc). Any WotC book is permitted for the most part. I would more than likely want to do an Elf or Human . . .Thanks!

Someone recently mentioned the Magic of Incarnum book so I had to go out and get it.

Now I really want to play a character with the Vow of Poverty from the Book of Exalted Deeds, Manticore Belt from Magic of Incarnum, Worg Pelt from Magic of Incarnum, and Child of Shadow Stance from Tome of Battle.

At 7th level you could be using a move action to move +15' above your normal movement speed, gain concealment, and then use your standard action to launch 4 spikes which would be doing a lot of damage each. Your hide, move silently, jump, and spot would all be good as well.

It is not using the fighter class though so it probably does not help you much, I just think it looks like a fun archer style build.

Level 7? Too bad. Level 8 is RWM.

If you want to go singleclass ftr archer, you'll have more feats than you can spend on archery.

I'd go ftr4/scout3. Level 8 feat (scout 4 bonus feat) will be RWM, feats so far PBS, Rapid Shot, Precise Shot and ASAP Improved Skirmish.

Ftr/Bard would be nice as well. Heehee.

Ranger with the Archery Style makes a good base for an archer. It gets you much better skills than a fighter and there are some terrific Ranger spells for archers. My fav is "Arrow Mind" (Rngr 1). It lets you threaten a standard area. Thus you can fire in melee with out drawing AoOs. Casting it is a swift action, so you can get it off at almost any time without using an action. So I'd recommend at least 4 levels of ranger so you can cast spells. A pearl of power so you can cast Arrow Mind more than once a day is cheap and very effective.

Scout can synergize well with archer, but one of the main advantages of being an archer is that you can get off full attacks more often which doesn't mix well with having to move to get the skirmish bonus. So there's an either or choice.

If you are in a campaign with a lot of traveling. Mounted Archery is VERY effective, since you can get off a full attack, WHILE your mount gets a full move.

Rackhir said:

Scout can synergize well with archer, but one of the main advantages of being an archer is that you can get off full attacks more often which doesn't mix well with having to move to get the skirmish bonus. So there's an either or choice.

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I don't like Arrow Mind. Too cheesy. If I want cheese, I drive to Switzerland and speak strangely. NiCCCCCHHHt wahr.

Scout archers head for Greater Manyshot, that's right... but with enough strength and a good bow they might easily enjoy Rapid Shot as any other archer. With the additional fun that they can go skirmish as soon as someone tries to close to melee.

I have a hobogobo scout/ranger with Swift Hunter and Imp Skirmish in my pirate game right now and he's doing a lot of dueling... one of the closest victories he had was against an elven archer (variant class from 3 arrows for the king) who did the machinegun stunt (with Rapid Shot and the archer class extra attack) against the hobgoblin who ran along the walls of the 30ft radius pit arena in matrix style to get the best out of his Imp Skirmish.

So: Scout archers (in particular with 4 fighter levels to qualify for RWM and WS) aren't weaker as any other archer build, they have an additional option to cause a lot of damage in the rare cases an archer can't dish out a full attack action.

Ranger

We actually already have a Ranger in the Party so I don't want to go that route. The Scout/Fighter may work although you give up some Hit Points... Hmmm ...

Maybe Rogue 3/Fighter 4, using Sneak Attack +2d6 with each Rapid Shot barrage, every other round..... Between each barrage, use Bluff to create a distraction to hide (standard action), then a Hide check (at -10 unfortunately) with a move action to get yourself hidden (preferably, surprise the enemies first and win initiative, for a free barrage in the first round). 5-foot step out the next round for a full-attack.

Could have 10 ranks each in Bluff and Hide (taking rogue levels at 1st, 4th, and 7th to spread out the skill points)... A Cloak of Elvenkind would help out with the Hide checks, and of course Boots of Elvenkind would be useful for general sneaking. Feats, as a human: point blank shot, precise shot, rapid shot, weapon focus (composite longbow), improved precise shot, weapon specialization (composite longbow), and improved initiative.

Lessee.......14 Str, 18 Dex would be: full attack with +1 flaming composite longbow, within 30 feet with sneak attack and rapid shot: +11/+11/+6 for 1d8+2d6+1d6+6 damage. Some Lesser Bracers of Archery would add another +1 on the attack rolls with your bow, and of course higher Strength or Dexterity would be useful (might go for a +1 composite longbow without the flaming quality, and instead get Gloves of Dexterity +2 and Gauntlets of Ogre Power +2).

Just one idea, of course. Doesn't fit if you expect enemies to be surprising your party more often than the reverse, or if you don't expect to have much to hide behind during combat.

From the ToM, take at least one level in Binder and bind Leraje. She gives a handful of ranged weapon tricks including a free Precise shot feat, +1 to hit with bows and a trick allowing you to shoot 2 targets with one arrow as a standard action. Actually, you could make a decent archer out of a single-classed elven binder.

Also, one additional question - are there any decent Prestige classes? I'm not looking to 'cheese' this guy out (i.e. one level of this; one level of that etc) but I do want him to be able to pack a wallop. Any ideas? Thanks!!

Dax Doomslayer said:

Also, one additional question - are there any decent Prestige classes? I'm not looking to 'cheese' this guy out (i.e. one level of this; one level of that etc) but I do want him to be able to pack a wallop. Any ideas? Thanks!!

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Short answer in 3.5, No. There's really only one the Order of the Bow Initiate and they just suck. The only real benefits from the class are Close combat shot (doesn't draw AoO's, but you don't threaten either, so it's not as good as arrow mind) and the other major ability precise shot doesn't stack with anything or work with much of any other feats. Sorry forgot about arcane Archer, but they also suck and since bow and arrow bonuses don't stack in 3.5 they suck even worse than they did in 3.0. Their imbue arrow ability sounds nice, but good luck finding spells that you can use with it...

Exotic weapon master (3.5) can also offer the close combat shot and a couple of other archery related abilities. Complete Warrior has an exotic greatbow (d10/x3 crit) that can be used to qualify, but it can't be used mounted which sucks.

Deepwoods Sniper from Masters of the Wild 3.0 splat book is pretty good and easily adapted to 3.5. Some people complain it's "overpowered" but I've been running one for a couple of years and they don't know what they're talking about.

If you want a class that IS broken track down Peerless Archer from the 3.0 Forgotten Realms book "The Silver Marches".

EN world Publishing has a book IIRC "Three Arrows for the King" which has a bunch of archery stuff, but I didn't care for it that much. It's also 3.0 and I don't think it received an update though I could be mistaken.