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So I've hit the damage roadblock on an Archer

StreamOfTheSky

Adventurer
ShadowX said:
You want the force enchantment for your bow from MIC.

Seconded. Same cost as Holy, but will work on so much more...

(And, if you want good aligned w/o the full +2 of Holy, consider Sacred from MIC. Only a +1, gives the good aligned boost and you get some/all the bonus damage back against undead and evil outsiders.)
 

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Arkhandus

First Post
Hrm. You could just take the Wild Talent feat to become psionic, then the Align Weapon psionic feat. Provided you have enough ranks in Concentration (or can get them in a level or two) to achieve psionic focus after each battle with a Concentration check.

Or take Leadership and seek out a cleric for your cohort? :heh:

Otherwise, I'd just suggest finding someplace to buy or commission a set of magic arrows with the needed properties. A small handful (10-20, maybe 50) of +1 holy cold iron arrows, a small handful of +1 holy silver arrows, and a small handful of +1 axiomatic adamantine arrows perhaps (if you ever expect you're gonna have trouble with slaadi, perhaps; otherwise don't bother; and this is assuming you're lawful good, anyway, if not just don't bother with those).
 

szilard

First Post
Where is your current damage coming from? Knowing that would help us come up with alternate sources. What sort of bow are you currently using?

Remember that energy damage (flaming, cold, acid, sonic, etc.) bypasses DR.

-Stuart
 

thompgc

First Post
Scout

As mentioned above Scout/Ranger w/the feat the allows the levels to stack for skirmish and favored enemy is nice. Then you get improved skirmish for more skirmish damage.
Then take multishot and greater multishot (which for some reason is hidden in the XPH - check out the srd if you don't have the XPH)
The greater multishot will let you get your skirmish on all the arrows (vs only 1 of the arrows w/multishot)

Thus using greater many shot + improved skirmish could move 20' shoot 2 arrows and do
1d8 + 5d6 per arrow (+ other bonused, such as point blank shot, str from composite bow, magical effects, favored enemy)
 

Elder-Basilisk

First Post
At 12.5 damage per hit, assuming a longbow, that would imply that you're +8 on the damage rolls from the combination of all factors. That's not bad, but as you get to level 10 or so you can be doing better than that.

A. Weapon Specialization and ranged weapon mastery. This will take four levels of fighter or three levels of pious templar, but that adds +4 damage to the top of what you're doing. If you're willing to put 12 levels into fighter, greater weapon specialization will kick the damage bonus up to +6 per arrow.

If you have cleric or paladin levels and a decent charisma bonus, divine might is a good feat for this purpose too.

B. Belt of Giant strength and a higher strength bow. A lot of archers are hesitant to increase their strength because that would require selling their old strength bow and buying a new one. Suck up the cost and do it now and, in the future you will be glad you did. The 2-3 points of damage from a belt of giant strength is damage you can't get from anywhere else and it will add up quickly.

C. Favored enemy (if you have ranger levels)

D. Buffs. Greater Magic weapon is pretty standard in 3.x D&D. Flame arrow and, situationally, sonic weapon also help a lot. If you are a cleric (which I'm guessing you're not, but you didn't say), quickened divine favor helps a lot.

E. Convince someone to play a bard/get a bard cohort. (or a nobility domain cleric). Some masterwork drums and Inspirational Boost and +3 to hit/+4 damage will see exponential improvements in your party's damage output.

Now that's a separate question from defeating DR. A +1 holy bow is almost certainly your best bet on that department. (A +1 sacred bow, however, is cheaper and works almost as well--if your DM allows them, you could also go for a fiendslayer weapon augment crystal from the MIC). Get a quiver of Ehlonna and fill it with cold iron and silver arrows (and a few adamantine ones too just in case) and you're good to go.

Other possibilities:
Skirmish and favored enemy as others have mentioned.
If you go the Pious Tempar route, Divine Sacrifice.

C. Just crank your ordinary per hit damage up there. In the age of worms game I'm playing right now, our archer has a 20 strength, weapon specialization, greater weapon specialization, and ranged weapon mastery. With the usual +4 greater magic weapon from our favored soul, that's 1d8+15 per hit. If he has to work past DR, it hurts, but he's still dealing noticable damage.

D. Carry a greatsword. Most classes that make good archers also get martial weapon proficiency. And archers should have good strengths every bit as much as melee fighters. So, pack a worthwhile melee weapon and when you can't get the job done with your bow, pull out the greatsword and get swinging. Spending a feat on Power Attack and/or Quickdraw can be very handy in this regard too.
 

Will

First Post
Monkeygrip and an oversized bow.

No, seriously... you swap +2 attack for +2 damage, effectively. It's not as good as power attack, and it's certainly not as good as a flat +2 damage, but if you don't have those choices...

If you find attack bonuses plentiful and aren't having a lot of trouble hitting targets, generally, this might be for you.
 


MithrasRahl

First Post
I'm using a +2 Composite (+5) at the moment because our DM wouldn't let us use the MIC. The next bow I get will be a +1 Force Comp. Long bow (+5). Currently have 16 Str, so a +4 Str belt will be very efficient.

I have Weapon Spec, and will be getting ranged combat mastery in 2 levels. By that point I should have the bow, so it'll be 1d8+5 (str) + 1 (bow) +2 (weapon spec) +2 (rangedombat) +1 (PBS), aka average of 15.5 per hit, ignoring DR. Thanks guys!
 


Twinswords

First Post
Well you could a level of an arcane class. (warmage of beguiler even let`s you keep light armour.) and then go abjurant champion. You`ll get some spells, and the arcane boost special ability. With that you can lose a spell and gain 2 x spelllevel on damage.
 

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