Samurai Archer

[mellored]

Battle master is nice, but as an archer build, Samurai seems significantly better, especially after level 8 when you would easily have a 20 Dex with point buy or standard, and sharpshooter. The elven accuracy attacks and sharpshooter should allow you to consistently out damage a battlemaster 3 rounds a day easily.

Battlemasters Precision strike adds +4.5 to hit (+6.5 at level 15), on any attack you want.
Samurai's advantage adds +4.5 to hit (+7 with elven archery), and takes a bonus action that you need to decide on beforehand. (Plus some nice THP).

 

[FrogReaver]

Samauri is more defensive and well rounded. BattleMaster is more offensive IMO.

A lot depends on your expected number of encounters and short rests when comparing these subclasses.

I would play a samauri over a battleMaster for these reasons:
1. I want more than just offensive power.
2. The offensive power gained through the samurai subclass is solid. It's not the best offense ever (that's the battlemaster), but it definitely enables a few really good alpha strikes in a day. Personally I'm a big fan of alpha strikes.
3. Samauri builds in 15 temp hp per day at level 3 (the temp hp scales too) and Wisdom saving throws at level 7. This really improves his survivability and defenses (especially against control spells).
4. While it's not a lot the samurai does get a boost to persuasion checks. This at least gives him a decent social skill even if doesn't prioritize charisma. Very helpful as Wisdom makes a lot more sense on a samurai. Makes the samurai at least useful in social situations.
5. If you expect few short rests or fewer fights in the day then that favors the samurai a lot.

Honestly, I'm liking him more after this analysis than I did before.

 

[mellored]

Samauri is more defensive and well rounded. BattleMaster is more offensive IMO.

That that applies a lot more to melee builds than ranged ones.
Archers tend not to use THP until their melee guys are already unconscious, and you can't give it away.

A melee samarurai can certainly make use of the THP at level 3. I'd put it on par with battlemaster for that, beating it at 10+.
Unless you have other sources of advantage (friendly sorcerer with twin greater invisibility).

 

[FrogReaver]

That that applies a lot more to melee builds than ranged ones.
Archers tend not to use THP until their melee guys are already unconscious, and you can't give it away.

A melee samarurai can certainly make use of the THP at level 3. I'd put it on par with battlemaster for that, beating it at 10+.
Unless you have other sources of advantage (friendly sorcerer with twin greater invisibility).

Just to be a little over the top...

I didn't realize being an archer made you immune to damage until all melee weapon allies were downed. I'll certainly have to check into that...

 

[mellored]

Samurai12/gloom stalker 4 would be pretty nasty.