Arcane Archer's Imbue Arrow ability...

[Zimbel]

Not an area spell. Mass Heal (or for that matter most other Mass spells) is a targeted spell.

Not an area spell. Summon X spells are effect spells.

Effect spell.

Targeted spell.
-Hyp.

Imbue Arrow (Sp)

At 2nd level, an arcane archer gains the ability to place an area spell upon an arrow.

I conceed the points; I missed the phrase "area spell" in the text.

 

[Zimbel]

Is Summon Monster a valid spell to use with Imbue Arrow? That would be nice if it was.

Sound Burst would be nice too (one of my fav low level spells)...

Apparently not; See my most recent post (or Hypersmurf's).

Sound Burst is fine, though

 

[Zimbel]

Casting Fireball, all by itself, is a standard action.

Casting Fireball into your arrow and shooting someone is also a standard action.

So, if you're going to cast Fireball, you might as well hit the guy with your +3 arrows coming from your Composite Flaming Shocking Longbow +1 and still blow him up.

I agree; I'm more referring to what you have to sacrifice to get there (like at least 2 caster levels) rather than as a tactical choice. I'd rather either:
1) Be attacking with an extra +3 to my BAB with my Composite Flaming Shocking Longbow +1 (i.e. not take the 5 levels of Wiz)
OR
2) Be Fireballing at 2 CL higher (if I care about range, I can use Extend spell)

Than this choice.

 

[Zad]

I've been playing an arcane archer for years. Imbue Arrow looks useful, but then you learn it's not. Why imbue a fireball when you could just have cast the fireball? For the most part, there's not a lot of spells you'd bother to imbue.

The AA PrC as a whole is not very good and got worse with 3.5 - it was like they didn't update it to keep pace with the rule changes. I highly suggest you search around for Nifft's variant AA class - it does a much better job of putting the "arcane" back in "arcane archer."

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

I've been playing an arcane archer for years. Imbue Arrow looks useful, but then you learn it's not. Why imbue a fireball when you could just have cast the fireball?

Because ...

Casting Fireball, all by itself, is a standard action.

Casting Fireball into your arrow and shooting someone is also a standard action.

So, if you're going to cast Fireball, you might as well hit the guy with your +3 arrows coming from your Composite Flaming Shocking Longbow +1 and still blow him up.

EDIT:

Although, I do think the AA would be a little bit better if it gave spellcaster levels, as well as a couple special abilities. The later one - especially the slaying arrow - just aren't really worth much.

 

[RigaMortus2]

And what happens when you miss with that arrow? Whose to say how far off track the arrow flies?

And what if you come across a 1st level Monk with Deflect Arrows? What happens then?

 

[Lobo Lurker]

HMM, If you centered a fireball on the arrow, then planted it in someone's chest, I'd think they'd need a higher reflex save, though the rules prolly don't state that it would be so.

This is where DM judgements come in. If the arrow HIT it's target, I would rule that as NO SAVE POSSIBLE. I know it's a game, but logic has a place within the game.

The arrow hit you. It's in you. It then explodes. I'm sorry, but you're not dodging that.

 

[Lord Pendragon]

And what if you come across a 1st level Monk with Deflect Arrows? What happens then?

Oooooooooooh boy.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

And what happens when you miss with that arrow? Whose to say how far off track the arrow flies?

Did you succeed at a touch attack? Then it blows up on target, and you've lost nothing.

Did you manage to hit the ground (at AC 5)? If so, then it blows up on target, and you've lost nothing.

And what if you come across a 1st level Monk with Deflect Arrows? What happens then?

He deflects the arrow - which doesn't do any damage to him, but still blows up. Of course, he's got Evasion, so it's unlikely that your normally-targeted fireball would have affected him anyway, so you've lost nothing.

 

[Lord Pendragon]

Did you succeed at a touch attack? Then it blows up on target, and you've lost nothing.

Did you manage to hit the ground (at AC 5)? If so, then it blows up on target, and you've lost nothing.

The touch attack I agree with. I'd probably rule against the "I beat AC 5 so I must have hit the ground right where I was aiming!" Either you aim at the ground (AC5) and forgo the chance to do damage. Or you aim at the foe, against his AC, and risk the arrow going off-course and blowing up somewhere else.