Help me with my archer build?

[Corlon]

Okay, I was thinking of making a mounted archer, and was wondering if any of you guys that like to make archers had any input.

First of all: what race? Currently I'm thinking between humans and halflings (I have something against elves, I don't know why). Halfings have to go with the smaller bows and less strength, but they get more dex and can ride 5ft/5ft riding dogs, which make better mounts for enclosed spaces and are just more aesthetically pleasing to me than the 5ft./10ft. rectangle *shrug*.

The humans on the other hand get the larger and more powerful bows, and they get that extra feat!

Second: What class(es)? Ranger/Fighter, Fighter, Ranger, something else, or some prestige class? (another problem with the halfling, I couldn't just milk the weapon spec out of the fighter and then move on with the ranger without talking cc penalties).


Third: What feats? Which feats are good to get and in what order?


I've never really built any archers, thanks in advance for your input.

-Corlon

 

[F.C.Desoya]

Check out Three Arrows for the King at RPGNow.com it has a Archer class and an Archer / Ranger class. Besides the classes, it goes into detail about different archery styles, magic items, etc.

 

[Black Knight]

Do you have a level you're looking for? Are your merely going for the metamonster archer, or do you want some unique flavor too?

 

[Corlon]

not really much flavor, just a general mounted archer. I think the halfling on a dog would be cool if it's not too much a sacrifice for the archer.


I'm just looking for some good archer builds I could possibly use.

 

[terrainmonkey]

human fighter feat progression for mounted archer:
level 1: 3 feats-- Weapon focus longbow, mounted combat, and either skill focus (ride) or point blank shot. max out ride skill.
lev 2: mounted archery
lev 3: far shot
lev 4: weapon specialization long bow
lev 6: precise shot, rapid shot
lev 8: greater weapon focus (long bow)
lev 9: improved critical
lev 10: manyshot if you have the req. or dodge
lev 12: shot on the run, mobility
lev 14: greater weapon spec (long bow)
lev 15: improved precise shot

this is just an idea, that's all. it pretty much specializes you in mounted archery, so that's all you're good at. If you want to make a general all around fighter with sword and bow on a horse, you can take weapon focus in a melee weapon instead of dodge and mobility. Just my two cents. hope this helps. the ranger gets some feats automatically, but the human fighter is just too good to pass up with the feat progression and extras they get. just max out ride at every level and by 15th level you should have a guy who can stand back and shoot a lot, fall back, shoot, and never get attacked because he is firing from so far a way. of course, in a dungeon you are pretty well screwed so it's good to take a few feats for melee weapons, or weapon finesse with a sabre or rapier. the trick here is dexterity, as that should be your dominant ability. i wouldn't even think of doing this if you had less than a 17 dex, which is not always easy to roll. hope this helps

 

[Nifft]

Halfling Ranger all the way. Animal Companion -> your riding dog.

Your Feats are going to be an issue, though.

1: Mounted Combat
2: [Rapid Shot]
3: Mounted Archery
6: Ride-By Attack, [Manyshot]
9: Spirited Charge
11: [Improved Precise Shot]
12: Power Attack

or

1: Mounted Combat, [Track]
2: [Rapid Shot]
3: Mounted Archery
6: Point-Blank Shot, [Manyshot]
9: Far Shot
11: [Improved Precise Shot]
12: Weapon Focus: Composite Shortbow


The other way you could go is Fighter/Rogue.

1: Rog1, Point-Blank Shot
2: Rog2
3: Rog3, Rapid Shot
4: Ftr1, Weapon Focus (Bow)
5: Ftr2, Far Shot, Precise Shot
6: Ftr3
7: Ftr4, Weapon Spec (Bow)
8: Rog4
9: OoBI1, Improved Critical (Bow)
...
12: OoBI4, Improved Precise Shot
...
15: OoBI7, Improved Initiative


Anyway... hope this helps a little.

-- N

 

[Corlon]

yeah, the straight ranger poses a problem with the feats as you said, not getting precise shot until 9th level .


If only halflings didn't have rogue as their favorite class, should I play a midget human perhaps

 

[Nifft]

yeah, the straight ranger poses a problem with the feats as you said, not getting precise shot until 9th level .

See, if you ignore Precise Shot, you get free Improved Precise Shot at 11th level... which is really nice!

-- N

 

[Corlon]

uhhh, I don't believe IPC takes away the -4 penalty to firing in melee, which would allow you to choose which person you wanted to hit in a grapple, but hitting a guy fighting with your ally, well that's just a toss up .

 

[Nifft]

Benefit: Your ranged attacks ignore the AC bonus granted to targets by anything less than total cover, and the miss chance granted to targets by anything less than total concealment. Total cover and total concealment provide their normal benefits against your ranged attacks.

In addition, when you shoot or throw ranged weapons at a grappling opponent, you automatically strike at the opponent you have chosen.

To determine whether your target has cover from your ranged attack, choose a corner of your square. If any line from this corner to any corner of the target's square passes through a square or border that blocks line of effect or provides cover, or through a square occupied by a creature, the target has cover (+4 to AC).

So: that "-4 for being in Melee" is a cover bonus, and IPS allows you to ignore cover.

HTH, HAND, -- N