Arcane Archer Question

[Styracosaurus]

What spells are most useful with the Imbue Arrow class ability?

"Magic Circle of Evil" and "Burning Hands" look like a good selections, but what else?

Most of the other "area spells" have a better range than a bow if you just cast the spell.

Imbue Arrow looks too versatile on paper to be that limited in game play. I have to be missing something in between, but what?

 

[Caliber]

Just off the top of my head, but Anti-Magic Field could be pretty nasty. If it could work that way, that is.

 

[Wippit Guud]

Darkness and silence spells.
Wall spells.
Summon spells.

Wonder if vampiric touch would work...

 

[hammymchamham]

I have a quick Arcane Archer question, if I am a 10th level AA, and I use a +2 Arrow, do my arrows stay +2 or become +5? What if I use a +1 Flamming arrows?

 

[AuraSeer]

I have a quick Arcane Archer question, if I am a 10th level AA, and I use a +2 Arrow, do my arrows stay +2 or become +5? What if I use a +1 Flamming arrows?

The Enchant Arrow ability specifies that it works on nonmagical arrows. If you use arrows that already have magical ability of any kind, your AA powers do not increase that.

 

[hammymchamham]

The Enchant Arrow ability specifies that it works on nonmagical arrows. If you use arrows that already have magical ability of any kind, your AA powers do not increase that.

What I thought. Thanks

 

[Caliber]

While I know this isn't how it works ...

I would probably treat the AA ability the same a GMW. ie, it would replace the plus on a magical arrow if greater.

Course I'm a big softie DM (killed two players last session! Yes!)

 

[bret]

Back to the original question, I believe that Burning Hands works pretty well with the Imbue Arrow ability.

 

[Styracosaurus]

Arcane Archer's have a very limited number of Wizard levels (since you will spend levels on Fighter and Arcane Archer). Most of the useful, short ranged spells are high level arcane spells or are divine spells.

Antimagic Field is 6th level, requiring an 11th level Wizard.

Silence has a range of 400+ feet so why would you use a bow to limit yourself?

Wall of * have ranges of 100+, so that also limits the use of the bow.

Summon Monster and Vampiric Touch are not area spells. The description of Imbue Arrow applies the ability only to area spells. This also negates the rest of the target spells and 99% of the spells with limited range.

Darkness might be an excellent choice since its text presents it as an area spell, although its description presents it as a target spell.

Maybe I should ignore the "area" prerequisite and allow the Arcane Archer to apply Imbue Arrow to touch attacks as well.

 

[Number47]

Part of the advantage, don't forget, is that the arrow also still causes DAMAGE in addition to the spell going off. You get your cake and eat it, too. AMF is the to go (if it's legal, haven't looked it up), but it requires you to be a really high level. Still, nothing says shock to the enemy wizard then being the unwilling recipient of an AMF.

Edit: Also, an arrow does not need line of effect, as a spell does.