My friend wants his Archer build improved...

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Omegaxicor

First Post

• Aug 13, 2012

• #1

My friend has a build for an archer:

Level 1 Human Fighter
Items: Long-bladed Bow (Quarterstaff+Longbow, 100Gp, Long-bladed Bow ) + Studded Leather (will upgrade later)

He is curious what the are downside of wearing full-plate armour as an Archer. He also wonders if he takes the feat "Weapon Focus" does it include ranged as well as melee or does he need to take the feat twice (I think he gets both but I don't know)

His feats at the moment are Exotic Weapon Proficiency, Point Blank Shot and Rapid Shot

I know there are lots of pages on Archer builds but many are contradictory and don't give reasons why it is a good idea (and none seem to use the Long-Blade Bow that he has chosen)

 

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Dandu

First Post

• Aug 13, 2012

• #2

No one uses the long blade bow because it is useless. You spend a feat on a weapon that can be wielded as a weapon in melee, but if the archer is in melee, then something has gone horribly, horribly wrong and the bow will not save you since your archer's low strength score means he will have trouble hitting whatever is attacking him.

Tell him to ditch the bow and use a Bone Bow (250 gp) [Frost Pg. 76], which is also an Exotic Weapon, but automatically adjusts to the user's strength score. Enchantments he should watch out for are Splitting (+3 price) [CoR Pg. 42], Force (+2 price) [MIC Pg. 35], Seeking (+1 price) [PHB], Holy/Unholy (+2 price) [PHB], and Collision [XPH]

Recommended feats are Exotic Weapon Proficiency Bone Bow, Point Blank Shot, Rapid Shot, Weapon Focus: Bone Bow, Weapon Specialization (Bone Bow), Woodland Archer, Improved Precise Shot, Ranged Weapon Mastery, Greater Weapon Focus: Bone Bow, Greater Weapon Specialization: Bone Bow

Try the Hit-and-Run Fighter from Drow of the Underdark. It loses heavy armor and tower shield proficiencies for untyped +2 initiative and Dexterity modifier to damage against flatfooted targets.

As an archer, you want to make sure each arrow has a lot of damage behind it, otherwise you become irrelevant when facing creatures with Damage Reduction.

Here's the obligatory link to the Archery Handbook for more information.

 

Last edited: Aug 13, 2012

Jimlock

Adventurer

• Aug 13, 2012

• #3

Good advice, except for the Bone Bow which is equally useless.
Any feat spent on an exotic bow (and in our case for 1 extra point of damage/hit) is useless.
Moreover, any decent DM will not allow the use of this bow everywhere (see text about the spikes)
Any other feat is better spent.

 

O

Omegaxicor

First Post

• Aug 13, 2012

• #4

He has a high Strength score because when he gets a Composite bow he can add his Strength modifier to damage.

I don't have the book "Frost" (I think you mean Frostburn but I don't have that either) so the Bone Bow is out and don't have the Drow of the Underdark

The Archery handbook is incomplete and s/he regularly admits using 3.0 or Pathfinder Material

 

Sekhmet

First Post

• Aug 13, 2012

• #5

[MENTION=6674931]Jimlock[/MENTION] I disagree with your statement. Having a big Greatbow can considerably increase your base damage and range increment, which could end up being a boon to consider worthy of a feat.
[MENTION=95351]Omegaxicor[/MENTION] The real penalty to wearing Full Plate is the movement speed decrease. As an Archer, you need to be able to keep at a obtain and maintain distance from your opponents, which means you need to be able to move freely.
Bone Bows are great, but Energy Bows are better. Ask Wizards: 12/27/2006
Especially if your DM allows you to put Splitting on it.

 

O

Omegaxicor

First Post

• Aug 13, 2012

• #6

He asked me about Psionic feats, Psionic Shot and Fell Shot can they be used together (can you expend your psionic focus to deal +2d6 on a Touch attack)

Movement penalty yea, I will mention that to him, we were just wondering. I have seen the Energy bow and enhancing it should be doable but is there a Great-Bladed Energy Bow? (wow that's a thought full) Greatbow+Bastard Sword+Energy ability :F

 

Nezkrul

First Post

• Aug 13, 2012

• #7

don't forget Exit Wound from Complete Warrior, turns every shot into a line attack, essentially, and the various weapon augment crystals from the MIC.

 

Sekhmet

First Post

• Aug 13, 2012

• #8

[MENTION=95351]Omegaxicor[/MENTION] I never understood the desire to have a melee weapon tied into your bow. If you need to threaten nearby squares or make attacks of opportunity, you just put your bow into your Quiver of Elhonna and pull out your sword. It's a free action (as part of a move) after level 2 for all classes, or in place of your move action. Either way, you don't take an Attack of Opportunity, so there really is no downside.

 

Grogg of the North

Adventurer

• Aug 13, 2012

• #9

As an archer, you are going to have a high dex. Which is going to go to your AC. Full-plate only allows a +1 dex to AC. So the question is do you gain more defense limiting yourself to heavy armor or are you better off being lightly armored and nimble? Clerics can get away with full-plate by using zen archery.

I'm not familiar with the bladed bow but it sounds like it's just an exotic weapon. I imagine that you'd only need to take weapon focus once. At least that's how I'd rule it. YMMV.

Seriously consider picking up Precise Shot or the Precise enhancement on your weapon. Some DMs may rule that if you miss, you risk hitting your allies.

Explosive and Exit Wound weapon enhancements can be fun. Be sure to go with your gut on what you want your bow to do.

 

O

Omegaxicor

First Post

• Aug 13, 2012

• #10

I think he wants to balance Armour Bonus for when he is Flatfooted and Attribute Bonus for Touch attacks so Mithril Full-Plate gives him more Attribute bonus and some Armour bonus.

[MENTION=97602]Sekhmet[/MENTION] slight problem with drawing your weapon, the bow deals MUCH more damage and has MUCH more chance to hit due to feats invested in it, one weapon over two weapons and he won't invest in a sword heavily in case he doesn't need it, like [MENTION=85158]Dandu[/MENTION] said "If he is in melee he has screwed up" but he wants to be effective WHEN he screws up...

[MENTION=36016]Grogg in the North[/MENTION] The bladed bows are long and short bows that deal damage in melee (I did link the Large one in my OP) dealing damage equal to a Longbow in ranged and a Longsword in Melee (1d8/1d8) with 2WF feats you COULD treat it as a double weapon which is why he wants it I think, options

I will look at Complete Warrior, I have never seen Exit Wounds before