Best Archer Build?

[MithrasRahl]

I tried to look through the forum, but I can't seem to find anything apart from the thread on the "one shot to kill a giant".

32 Point Buy system, all book legal (I think), starting level 1, 150 GP starting money.

The Campaign will go to Lvl 20, so I need to think longterm.

Right now I'm trying to decide between Human or Wood Elf as a starting race, and Fighter or Ranger for starting class. Any suggestion on those or starting attributes would be much appreciated.

 

[Kurotowa]

Most archery PrC aren't worth it. IMO you're best sticking with straight Fighter or Ranger.

If you want to be the absolute master of the bow, be a Fighter and draw heavily on the feats from CW and PHBII. Add Improved Rapid Shot and Penetrating Shot to the usual Weapon Focus/Spec series and you'll be dishing out a great deal of hurt.

If you want to be very good with the bow and also good at stealth and travel and mastering animals, be a Ranger. You should still be able to get the important feats, and you'll have a nice list of class features besides. Not quite as much damage potential but good at more than just damage.

 

[MithrasRahl]

So ignore stuff like OofBI, Deepwood, Peerless, etc?

 

[IcyCool]

So ignore stuff like OofBI, Deepwood, Peerless, etc?

If you can get Deepwood Sniper or Peerless archer approved by your GM, then go for it.

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

I think that feats like Ranged Disarm and Ranged Pin have frightening potential in the long term, especially in larger parties. Although one individual attempt is likely to fail, the fact is that archers get full attacks so often that they can afford to burn multiple attempts.

 

[Kurotowa]

So ignore stuff like OofBI, Deepwood, Peerless, etc?

I was in a game with an OofBI. If you've got a good damage bonus plain old Manyshot will do more than Ranged Precision, and without having to worry about it being precision damage. Rapid Shot beats them both, of course, and a good archer should be making a lot of full attacks. Straight Fighter is a better choice.

The others are not 3.5 material, to my knowledge. Consult with your DM.

 

[MithrasRahl]

He said Peerless and Deepwood are fine.

So that said, what should I go for in terms of Race, Abilities, and starting Class?

 

[Paraxis]

I would go with wood elf. First 6 levels a combination of Fighter 2/ Ranger 2/ Duskblade 2 then go to Arcane Archer for 10 levels then even out the base classes with Fighter ending at 4.

You have a Full 1-20 BAB and get the +5 with every arrow, and all the other goodness of Arcane Archer.

I dislike having or allowing multiple Prc's but if you want add a couple levels of one that lets you not need to take a 5' step back in melee.

 

[Abraxas]

Try Here

Using Ranger levels gets you the Arrowmind spell which when cast allows you to threaten and not take AoOs with your bow.

If available and you don't mind a +1 LA catfolk are nice.
40 ' movement
LL vision
+4 Dex, +2 Cha
+1 Natural Armor
+2 Listen, +2 Move Silently

I'm playing a catfolk archer right now - Ranger 6/ Fighter 2/ Deepwood Sniper 2
with the following feats (this isn't exactly the order I took them for campaign reasons - but it is how I would do it if starting over) and abilities

L01: Ranger 1 - Point Blank Shot, Track (b), 1st Favored Enemy
L02: Ranger 2 - Combat Style: Archery (Rapid Shot)
L03: Fighter 1 - Precise Shot, Wpn Focus Longbow
L04: Ranger 3 - Endurance (b)
L05: Fighter 2 - Coordinated Shot
L06: Ranger 4 - Far Shot, Distracting Shot (if the DM allows this variant)
L07: Ranger 5 - 2nd Favored Enemy
L08: Ranger 6 - Improved Combat Style: Archery (Many Shot)
L09: Deepwood Sniper 1 - Imp Rapid Shot, Keen Arrows, Rng Increment Bonus +10'/lvl
L10: Deepwood Sniper 2 - Concealment reduction 10%, Magic Weapon, Projectile Improved Critical +1

For starting stats with 32 Points and point buy I would go

Wood Elf . . Catfolk
Str 16 . . . . 16
Dex 16 . . . . 18
Con 14 . . . . 14
Int 10 . . . . 12
Wis 12 . . . . 12
Cha 08 . . . . 12

As soon as you can get a Magebane or Truebane weapon (if allowed).

 

[Venator]

DWS and Peerless Archer classes are insane.

10 levels of DWS is a good idea, and 3 into peerless Archer is as well.

Start with two levels in ranger for flavor and skill points, then take fighter levels until you can get in to one of the PrC's.

If you do decided to get Power Shot out of Peerless Archer your feats will need lots of planning. Power Shot is insane though... though call.