best archer build

[Numion]

You could blow feats on the proficiency, but that suddenly makes the whole idea less efficient. If you're a human, you could spend your 2 feats on Martial Prof and PBS, delaying the others in turn. That's fairly inefficient.

You could also go Ftr 1/Clr X, giving you prof in bows and another pair of feats to devote to the cause. Your spells are slower, but its still workable.

Yes, thats workable, to take 1 ftr level to begin with. I'd rather go with elf, because the net effect because of caster levels is +X to hit and damage for X levels.. (+1/3 / level from GMW on bow, same for GMW on arrows +1/3 / level from divine favor) .. so youäd actually lose efficiency with that level.

It should be noted that while playing archer cleric is fun at all levels, it only takes off at level 7 and starts to really shine at level 9. I'm now at level 10 with my build, and it's pretty fun now. It'd be overkill if bows and arrows stacked in our campaign. 1d8 + 16 per arrow, three / round, not too bad! Thats much more than our resident tank with a 2h sword! We use 30 pt characters, but you can build a decent archer cleric with 28, IMO. He isn't going to be a good in turning with CHA 8, though. Endurance, Bull's Strength and Cat's Grace go a long way, especially when empowering them.

 

[Cespinar]

no no no

If you do cleric archer the whole point is the spellcasting. Why delay your spellcaster levels? You are effectively losing on one level of magic arrows, luck bonus to hit, persistent divine power, extended buff spells if not empowered. Always make sure you have max spellcaster levels with a cleric archer.

 

[Storminator]

no no no

If you do cleric archer the whole point is the spellcasting. Why delay your spellcaster levels? You are effectively losing on one level of magic arrows, luck bonus to hit, persistent divine power, extended buff spells if not empowered. Always make sure you have max spellcaster levels with a cleric archer.

Even if you aren't an elf?

PS

 

[Numion]

no no no

If you do cleric archer the whole point is the spellcasting. Why delay your spellcaster levels? You are effectively losing on one level of magic arrows, luck bonus to hit, persistent divine power, extended buff spells if not empowered. Always make sure you have max spellcaster levels with a cleric archer.

I don't know why I wrote that.. I meant to say that if you're a non-elf and don't have war domain (with bow preferred weapon), then take the fighter level. Otherwise don't take the fighter level in any circumstances.

 

[Andion Isurand]

Good Cleric Archer Domains.....

The 'Elf Domain' grants the 'Point Blank Shot' feat

The 'Planning Domain' grants the 'Extend Spell' feat

The 'Fate Domain' grants the 'Uncanny Dodge' ability of a 3rd level rogue (counts as 3 levels for stacking uncanny dodge)

The 'Time Domain' grants the 'Improved Initative' feat

The 'Metal Domain' grants....
'Martial Weapon Proficiency' (or) 'Exotic Weapon Proficiency'
& Weapon Focus with your choice of hammer.

The 'War domain' grants 'Martial Weapon Proficiency' (if nessecary) & Weapon Focus with deity's favored weapon
(pick a diety that uses a bow)

 

[0-hr]

By 10th level, you could get the Power Shot ability from the Peerless Archer PrC (Silver Marches FRCS book). That's Power Attack with a bow, which combined with Hunter's Mercy does pretty decent damage.

If you aren't into the whole cleric thing, look at a wood elf
1 Ranger
4 Fighter
2 Deepwoods Sniper
3 Peerless Archer

So by 10th level you have the keen arrows and crit increase, a wand of Hunter's Mercy, and the Power Shot ability. Thow in some potions of True Strike and Assassin's Sense and you are good to go.

And at 11th level you could even go into Order of the Bow Initiate if you want.

As another alternative, you can do the above as a Hobgoblin: favored class Fighter as opposed to the Wood Elf Ranger, and still get's the all-important +2 DEX.

 

[Chun-tzu]

The 'Time Domain' grants the 'Improved Initative' feat

The Time domain is particularly munchkin, I mean, popular because it has True Strike and Haste as domain spells.

 

[krunchyfrogg]

It might, but usually good archer builds depend on the Elf domain from FRCS, and I don't see a way for a non-elves to get it. Non-elf will also have to get the war domain, because they won't be proficient with bows without it. (IMO war domain is good for elves too, but not necessary since they might want time domain instead.)

Exactly, and this is an important thing to note: This build can only be done in the Forgotten Realms setting.

I meant to say that if you're a non-elf and don't have war domain (with bow preferred weapon), then take the fighter level. Otherwise don't take the fighter level in any circumstances.

The only gods that offer the bow as a preferred weapon and have the War domain are the Elven gods.


If you don't want to use someone else's build (the reason I dropped the Cleric archer idea in my latest game), just go with Fighter (or Fighter/Ranger -- sneak & spot skills) levels, and pick either the Order of the Bow Initiate (Sword and Fist) or the Deepwood Sniper (Masters of the Wild) PrC. Or pick both.

 

[Numion]

The Time domain is particularly munchkin, I mean, popular because it has True Strike and Haste as domain spells.

True Strike does not a domain break. Neither does haste, since everyone just buys Boots of Speed ("haste boots") anyway...

True strike isn't any good for archer types anyway. The attack bonuses are pretty high all the same, and the spell wastes an action. It's more useful shooting two arrows than one with true strike. Look it like this: isn't there any spell that is more useful than the one that makes your next arrow hit? Like Divine Power, Divine Favor.. even Flame Strike at higher levels..

 

[Numion]

Exactly, and this is an important thing to note: This build can only be done in the Forgotten Realms setting.

It could be argued though that the Elf domain be available to elven clerics of other settings, but it's up to DM. You're right in that regard... I still maintain though that you could build it without the Elf domain. One feat less and no cat's grace. Buying gloves of dex is no big deal though, because otherwise clerics don't need much magic items...

The only gods that offer the bow as a preferred weapon and have the War domain are the Elven gods.

If you choose to serve an alignment rather than a single god, you could choose your domains and weapons.