Archer build

Zardnaar

Legend
You really want to get to Fighter 5/Rogue 3 with this build ASAP because that's where it all comes together. Then go from there.

Strongly disagree with picking Champion for this build. Better chance at criticals doesn't often translate to criticals when you need them the most. That extra crit is pretty much a waste if you get it in Round 4 instead of Round 1. Battle Master is definitely the superior choice, with Precision Attack adding more to your damage than extra 5% crit chance ever will, and when you actually need it.

Ding ding, Battlemaster can also give up attacks and if that attack deals more damage than your bow why not?

Not technically an archer a fiendpact eldritch blast+ hex warlock s an archer in all but name, but you can lob fireballs later on. Battlemaster fighter, Hunter ranger are your other best bets.
 

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ClaytonCross

Kinder reader Inflection wanted
The Key is how your GM handles searching for traps.

If your GM allows perception for checking for traps:
Then elf Keen Senses gets you proficiency with perception and sub races to get proficiency with a ranged weapon:
Drow: Drow Weapon Training = Hand crossbow
Sea Elf: Sea Elf Training = Light crossbow
Eladrin (Variant), High Elf, and Wood Elf: Elf Weapon Training = shortbow and longbow
Elves of Valenar: Valenar Elf = shortbow and longbow
Human (Variant) - Select perception as the skill and feat Weapon Master Hand Crossbow, Heavy Crossbow, Shortbow, and longbow

If your GM uses investigation for checking for traps:
Human (Variant) - Select investigation as the skill and feat Weapon Master Hand Crossbow, Heavy Crossbow, Shortbow, and longbow

Then to be sneaky you can use:
The urchin (PHB) and Urban Bounty Hunter (Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide) will give you stealth for the sneaky part.

Then you just need a class that is functional with ranged weapons. …. But that often becomes redundant.
We don't care about heavy armor or shields because you need to hands and your going dexterity.
Barbarian = Light + Medium Armor, Simple + Martial - No relevant Archery ability I can think of
Bard = Light Armor, Simple (Light Crossbow, Shortbow) + Hand Crossbows - No relevant Archery ability I can think of
Cleric = Light + Medium Armor, Simple + Martial - No relevant Archery ability I can think of
Druids = Light armor - No relevant Archery ability I can think of
Fighter = Light + Medium Armor, Simple (Light Crossbow, Shortbow) + Martial (Hand Crossbow, Heavy Crossbow, & longbow) and allows for archery fighting style as well as then enhanced extra attack.
Monk = Simple (Light Crossbow, Shortbow), Unarmored Defenese voids the need for armor , Kensei lets you use Light Crossbows, Shortbows, longbows, hand crossbows and blowguns as a monk weapon benefiting from martial arts die.
Paladin = Light + Medium Armor, Simple + Martial - No relevant Archery ability I can think of
Ranger = Light + Medium Armor, Simple + Martial , archery fighting style + Archer magic!!! If your primary goal is archery <-This.
Rogue = Light , Simple + hand crossbows, expertise and reliable talent if you want to be board and waste the tables time and annoy your GM by not being able to fail to spot or disarm traps with DC27 or less... (kind of boring if you aske me). … oh and backstab incase you want to do way too much damage that is almost unrelated to your attack, if you don't believe me attack a second time.
Hexblade Warlocks (ignore the rest) = Light + Medium Armor, Simple + Martial -Eldritch smite with a bow... worth it? eh...
Sorcerers and Wizards have Darts, daggers, and slings... I mean it not archery technically but you could... I mean I would … but normal people are going to say no.

Typical Waste Example: A Drow Rogue can get expertise with perception and stealth (+investigation and either athletics or slight of hand), thieves tool proficancy and both rogues and Drow have Hand Crossbow Proficiancy… so super redundant. It works but its very typical Drow. If you want to play that go for it.

More efficient slightly more interesting build: Wood Elf rogue gets a longbow which is not a normal rogue weapon. They are likely to be mistaken as rangers but still have perception (elf), investigation, stealth, slight of hand, and maybe actobatics + thievies tools for traps. Then something like the soldier background (athletics and intimidation) for some interesting "why do have these skills" background.

Overly optimized build: Human variant Rogue with survival and crossbow expert, hand crossbow as a main weapon lets you attack again as a bonus action for another chance at backstab if you miss or use cunning action if you hit. Rogue skills investigation, perception, slight of hand, stealth and thieves skills. Backgound soldier for the same reasons.

More interesting build to defy expectation: Bugbear (+2 str, +1 Dex, Darkvison, stealth proficiency, and +2d6 on surprise hit) Kensei Monk with a blow gun and Acrobatics and Athletics. Take Uthgardt Tribe Member background for Thieves tools, survival skill, and since you already have athletics you are allowed to change if for one other skill of your choice and you take perception or investigation... which ever your gm uses for traps. At level 4, take prodigy for expertise in your trap finding skill and the other skill. Then your set. If your not sure you can succeed in a disarming a trap, just throw things at it, pull on it with robes around the corner and block it with the party tanks shield.

Sure you could go Fighter or Ranger with urchin instead... maybe even Warlock Pact of the blade enhanced pact weapon, but does really have the bow before level 3, until you change one of your invocations (unless you grab race bonus as above). The Bugbear monk can fire a shortbow at level 1-2 then switch to blowgun at level 3. I mean who wouldn't want to play a bugbear using a blowgun with extra attack and monk weapon damage of 1d6+dex+1d4 (Kensei’s Shot) + 1d6 Deft Strike (with use of Ki) x2 each maybe a little poison and a 2d6 ambush bonus from bugbear?!??!
 

Jacob Lewis

Ye Olde GM
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Dausuul

Legend
Another possibility is gloom stalker ranger/assassin rogue. The gloom stalker brings an extra attack on the first round of combat, hunter's mark, and pass without trace to set up surprise. The assassin brings Sneak Attack and automatic crits against surprised foes. Stack all that up, and you can lay waste to your enemies on the first round, then be a quite credible archer for the rest of the fight.

I would go rogue 1 (for the skills), then ranger 5 (for Extra Attack), then two more levels of rogue to get to assassin. After that, you could continue to advance in either class, depending on how you prefer to specialize.
 

Zardnaar

Legend
It's basically this.
Hunter or Gloom stalker ranger
Battlemaster fighter (champion is OK BM better)
Both take sharpshooter perhaps crossbow expert.

Assassin Rogue using crossbow expert.

Eldritch Blast+hex warlock+agonising blast. Conceptually you're an archer.

Overall I would be looking at rangers fighter maybe for Handcross bows as the bonus asi at level 6 gives you 20 Dex and two feats with variant human.
 
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