Ranged Char build?

delph · Jun 13, 2019

I want some weapon ranged char, but no single strong nova dmg is needed. I think :erm:

Base idea is heavy crossbow with crossbow master feat, to be able fight in close combat (not everyone situaton is optimal, and I do'nt want to be glass cannon)
It be settled by the sea, so i wanna be something like sailor/pirat

And I have some ways to do in my mind:

Half-elf
start dex 17

Fighter (6) / Ranger (revised-hunter) (2) / Rogue (12)
- 6 ASi (Crossbow master, Elven accuracy, sharp shooter, +1 dex bonus, not sure, not sure)

Fighter
+ Fighting style Archery- +2 to attack
- action surge
- extra attack

/Arcane archer (can be with corssbow?)
- some nice arcane shots

/Eldritch knight
- some 1st spells and slots (not neccesary battle spells)
- can teleport weapon

Ranger Hunter(revised)
- defensive style +1 AC
- hunters mark
- cure wounds
- favoured enemy (+2 dmg)

Rogue
- 6d6 sneak
- uncany dodge
- evasinon
- expertise
______________________________________________________________________________________

Fighter (8) / Rogue (12)
- 8 ASi (Crossbow master, Elven accuracy, sharp shooter, +1 dex bonus, not sure, not sure, not sure)

Fighter
+ Fighting style Archery- +2 to attack
- action surge
- extra attack

Arcane archer (can be with corssbow?)
- some more nice arcane shots
- arrows are counted as magical

Eldritch knight
- some 2nd spells and slots (not neccesary battle spells)
- can teleport weapon

Rogue
- 6d6 sneak
- uncany dodge
- evasinon
- expertise
____________________________________________________________________________________

Ranger (8 revised hunter) / Rogue (12)
- 6 ASi (Crossbow master, Elven accuracy, sharp shooter, +1 dex bonus, not sure, not sure)
Ranger Hunter(revised)
+ Fighting style Archery- +2 to attack
- extra attack
- hunters mark
- 2nd spells and slots
- favoured enemy (+4 dmg)
- horde breaker or colossus slayer
- multiattack defense (+4 AC tu multiattacks)

Rogue
- 6d6 sneak
- uncany dodge
- evasinon
- expertise
____________________________________________________________________________________

Ranger (11 revised hunter) / Rogue (5) / Fighter (4)
- 4 ASi (Crossbow master, Elven accuracy, sharp shooter, +1 dex bonus)
Ranger Hunter (revised)
+ Fighting style Archery- +2 to attack
- extra attack
- hunters mark
- 3nd spells and slots
- favoured enemy (+4 dmg)
- horde breaker or colossus slayer
- multiattack defense (+4 AC tu multiattacks)
- Volley (with action surge I'll be like machine gun in first round

)

Rogue
- 3d6 sneak
- uncany dodge
- expertise

Fighter
- Fighting style defensive +1 AC
- Action Surge
- Second wind

and please help with select subclass of Rogue. At first I was thinking about Assasin, but he have tu suprise enemy, not just be first in strike. Maybe mistermind with giving advantage to friends.

delph · Jun 17, 2019

add last combo...

Kobold Stew · Jun 22, 2019

This has been sitting here for a while, so I will offer a few thoughts.

A crossbow build is fun, and wanting to be capable in melee is a good limit on yourself. You're plotting out to level 20, but the reality is you won't be playing at 20 for most of the game. Are you starting at 1? Do you know how high the campaign is likely to go? Sometimes a great level-20 build means a dull level 5-10, and that's where most of the game might take place. So my advice is to thing about what you really want.

So: Do you really want spells? Spending a feat for Magic Initiate is usually all I really want in these sorts of builds.

Crossbow: if you are investing in Rogue levels, then you want to get sneak attack damage; that's your payoff. If so, then using Hand Crossbow is best, since it lets you make two attacks, once you have Crossbow Expert. Alternately, get Extra Attack.

My advice, then would be to look at Rouge and Fighter only. I'm playing a Fighter (Samurai) archer now, and its great. Three levels of Fighter means I can give myself advantage at the start of a combat, and with Sharpshooter that can be a lot of damage.

Alternately, i would look at Rogue (Skirmisher). [Both classes are in XGTE]. Unless you are using a Hand Crossbow, you'll need a level of fighter for proficiency.

The problem is both of these classes play really well as Archers.

For the Fighter, there are reasons to take 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 levels (all are good departure points); for the Rogue, 1, 2, 3, 5, and 7 are all good jumping-off points).

Choosing where to start, and where to start multiclassing, really depends on you -- there's no right answer.

If I started Rogue, I would get to uncanny dodge at 5 quickly (for survivability in combat). Then at least 2 in fighter, and then decide how I wanted to continue.

If I started Fighter, I would go to 5 for Extra Attack, and then I'd want the extra ASI at 6, Then perhaps two levels of Rogue to get to Cunning Action, so I have more to do with by Bonus action. But at the same time, there would be a temptation to push on to 11 in Fighter...

Those're my suggestions. Hope they help. Think of playing through the levels, not the final build. (It's the journey not the destination!).

FrogReaver · Jun 22, 2019

You seem pretty set on the heavy crossbow, so my recommendation.

Be a Fighter 1 Arcane Trickster Rogue X.

#1 Rogues are extremely fun to play
#2 Rogues with haste are one of the most damaging abominations in the game (and they are really good out of combat)

In the meantime you will try to hide and attack or flyby with your owl familiar for advantage. You'll do solid damage. You'll have great mobility and survivability. You'll have great out of combat capabilities. By the time you get evasion, you will be tankier than a fighter. Less Hp but with a lot more damage mitigation abilities. Later, if you feel your damage is good you can always multiclass war wizard for the reaction save bonus and more spell slots.

Oh and just in case there's no ally with haste, at level 14 Cast haste on yourself and attack once on your turn and then once on the turn of the next person that attacks.

delph · Jun 26, 2019

Hi Kobold Stew,
thanks for answer. We are playing longer campaigns, so I hope I get 15+ and thats close to get whole char as I want to have it. And knowing what I want to be give me RP reasons how to play and how to grow up.

Magic Initiate - dosn't give ranger spells -> no hunters mark. One of most usfull spell for weapon using chars.

Hand Crossbow + crossbow expert - it give me free attack with loaded hand crossbow. Good for first round, bad for others (1d6 / 1d10 heavy crossbow)

Rogue - Skirmisher? I found Inquisitiv, Mistermind, Scout and Swashbuckler.

Fighter Samurai - sound nice, but not sure if its better than others (only 3 advantages per long res) Champion give me two-times better chance to crit

delph · Jun 26, 2019

Hi FrogReaver,
It's that glasscannon I dont want be. (and Fighter 2 is better for Action surge)

What about mix it with Hexblade with Pact of Blade (than i can summon heavy crossbow), some hexs and Invocations are pretty nasty

Kobold Stew · Jun 26, 2019

delph said:
Magic Initiate - dosn't give ranger spells -> no hunters mark. One of most usfull spell for weapon using chars.

Sure, it's a great spell. If you want it, though, you commit to at least 2 levels of Ranger (or 6 of Lore Bard). Just that represents a big choice. That damage is the same bonus as two levels of Rogue, assuming you can get Sneak Attack in - so not equal (HM is a bit better), but not a necessary choice, given the defensive abilities Rogues get at 5 and 7 (which are substantial for survivability in melee - using only your reaction).

Hand Crossbow + crossbow expert - it give me free attack with loaded hand crossbow. Good for first round, bad for others (1d6 / 1d10 heavy crossbow)

Agreed, which is why my advice eventually was to "get extra attack" through Fighter.

Rogue - Skirmisher? I found Inquisitiv, Mistermind, Scout and Swashbuckler.

My Bad. Yes, Scout, who gets the Skirmisher feature at level 3.

Fighter Samurai - sound nice, but not sure if its better than others (only 3 advantages per long res) Champion give me two-times better chance to crit

Fair enough. Samurai is what I'm playing right now in a game, and I am loving it.

delph · Jun 26, 2019

I have twist in my mind now. I'v read better Hexblade an invocations and woha... I can imagine Hexblade (10 lvl) crossbow expert. First round? 2 hand crossbows, hang them and than summon heavy crossbow and continue in fight...
dip 2 lvl of fighter - archery style, action surge and second wind
dip 8 lvls in rogue - evasion, uncany dodge, sneak atack.

or
6 lvl of ranger - archery style, greater enemy (+4 dmg, advantage on spells,..), colossus slayer, extra attack,
4 lvl rogue...

aaaaagh too many ways to get awesome ranged char...

FrogReaver · Jun 26, 2019

delph said:
Hi FrogReaver,
It's that glasscannon I dont want be. (and Fighter 2 is better for Action surge)

What about mix it with Hexblade with Pact of Blade (than i can summon heavy crossbow), some hexs and Invocations are pretty nasty

Rogues aren't glass cannons. In all honesty a fighter 1 rogue X is more survivable than a fighter X.

VonDrevon · Jul 23, 2019

Here is a video from Taking20 on an archer build that could be really powerful:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B881kY215CM

It has 10 levels of bard in the College of Valor to obtain the spell Swift Quiver in order to add two extra attacks each round on top of the natural two. There are lots of support aspects to the build as well. Looks pretty fun!