Arcane Archer w/ Spellcasting focus - feedback please

[jaults]

    I am looking at modifiying the AA so as to make it more focused on the spellcasting aspects and less focused on the martial aspects. Balance is important to me, but the people I play with are a mature group, and I would rather the player gets get what he wants at the cost of a little balance if necessary.
    My ideas are this:
        * Wizard BAB instead of Fighter BAB
        * one good save instead of two (Will or Reflex - maybe your choice)
        * d6 hit die instead of d8
        * 2 skill points per level instead of 4
        * +1 spellcasting level every even level, starting at level 2
        * keep the special ability progression and the class skill list

    Anyone have any suggestions, comments, etc?

Thanks,
    Jason

 

[Crothian]

I think your giving up too much for 5 spellcaster levels. I'd keep the skill points at 4 per level. I'd make the good save Will. And I'd go with cleric attack progression.

 

[Chun-tzu]

Have you heard of the Heartseeker PrC? It's from a fairly recent issue of Dragon that featured dragonslayers, and had 4 dragonslaying PrCs. One was the Heartseeker, which is a basically an Arcane Archer with a bit more spellcasting ability and some abilities that are useful against dragons, instead of the enchanted arrows.

Kin to the mystical archers that protect and defend elven communities, heartseekers (or the quelaenvyn, as the elves name them in their ancient language) defend the hidden enclaves of their people from draconic invasion through the skillful blending of physical prowess and arcane might. Masters of the traditional elven art of archery and devotees of magic, heartseekers specialize in delivering ranged attacks designed to pierce the physical and magical defenses that make dragons and their kin such feared adversaries. They are often the elves' first line of defense against the depredations of a dragon.

Heartseekers have the rogue BAB, 2 good saves, d6, 2 skill points per level, and +1 spellcasting level every even level (not too far from your suggestions!). The Heartseeker's other special abilities aren't quite as good as the Arcane Archer's, though. Also, the Heartseeker's skill list isn't as good as the Arcane Archer's, but instead looks more like a spellcaster's list with a couple fighter skills thrown in.

 

[the Jester]

If you're going to add more spellcasting to them, some of there special abilities should prolly be toned down. A character whose every arrow is +5 and who can cast 6th-level spells is pretty outrageous.

 

[drowdude]

Arcane Archers IMC get +1 to there spellcasting levels at 1st, 5th, & 9th level. This came about mainly because my wife complained that her character had this nifty power (imbue arrow) that she was never going to get any real use out of. It turned out pretty well actually, and now she can drop fireballs with her arrows and such, which is nifty.

Now that you have gotten me to thinking about it... if I were to do it over though I would probably reduce the BAB progression to the one Monte used on a handful of the PRCs in Dragon mag (the only example that pops into mind is the Gnomish Trickster from the annual) to compensate for the slightly increased spell capacity though... (heh, changing her sheet right now actually )

 

[jaults]

    Thanks all for your suggestions and comments.

Heartseekers have the rogue BAB, 2 good saves, d6, 2 skill points per level, and +1 spellcasting level every even level (not too far from your suggestions!). The Heartseeker's other special abilities aren't quite as good as the Arcane Archer's, though. Also, the Heartseeker's skill list isn't as good as the Arcane Archer's, but instead looks more like a spellcaster's list with a couple fighter skills thrown in.

    I will be sure to take a look at this PrC. Sounds pretty much like what I'm goin' for. Maybe I'll go with Wizard BAB to compensate for the better special abilities, one good save (Will or Reflex), d6 HD, 4 skill points, +1 spellcasting level every even level...
    Anyone else have anything to add?

Thanks,
    Jason

 

[van-cur]

I think your giving up too much for 5 spellcaster levels. I'd keep the skill points at 4 per level. I'd make the good save Will. And I'd go with cleric attack progression.

Of course, I like what Crothian suggests.

 

[jaults]

Of course, I like what Crothian suggests.

    *sigh* I should have known better than to give you the URL...
    Everyone, meet Van-Cur/Huron/Mike, the player of the soon to be Arcane Archer...

    Jason

 

[van-cur]

Just offering my opinion... though I suppose I'm a little biased...

 

[Crothian]

Another thing you might want to do is make Crafts arms and Armor feat a prerequite.