Archery feats

[comareddin]

I am designing an arcane archer. He will be quite high level and be automatically shooting +5 arrows. My questions are,

What magic items and feats should I take to maximize his BAB?

What enchantments should I put on my bow?

Com

 

[comareddin]

Can I use a speed bow with Imp Rapid shot?

Com

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Feats:

There's a really well-defined set of archery feats that any serious archer is automatically going to take (Point Blank, Precise, Rapid). Beyond that, things like Manyshot will help with occasions when you can't full attack, Mounted Combat / Archery can improve your mobility ...

Speed bows stack with [Imp.] Rapid Shot, but not with Haste.

 

[Enamel_32]

Greater Manyshot: the prereqs are the same as manyshot, plus manyshot. It lets a character select mutiple targets with each arrows, and make separate attacks with them. Precision-based damage is applied to each arrow, also. I think it's in the XPH (dont know why).

 

[Thanee]

Point Blank Shot
Precise Shot
Rapid Shot
Weapon Focus: Longbow (also counts for Composite Longbow)
Improved Rapid Shot
Improved Precise Shot

+1 holy mighty composite longbow
greater bracers of archery
glove(s) of storing
bracers of dexterity (if you can change the type, otherwise gloves and no storing)
amulet of health
belt of giant strength
quiver of Ehlonna (or that nice one from the wizards website, which I couldn't find )
heward's handy haversack
boots of speed
wings of flying

Bye
Thanee

P.S. You cannot improve your BAB, other than by gaining levels (and some short-lived magical effects, like the Divine Power cleric spell). You can only improve your attack bonus.

 

[Patlin]

This isn't directly on topic, and feel free to ignore it, but for what it's worth...

My first character in 3.0 D&D was an arcane archer. It looked really cool to me at first, but when I more fully understood the D&D system I was a bit dismayed by Greater Magic Weapon. As a 3rd level spell that lasts for hours, it renders the AA's main ability largely irrelevant in my opinion.

Perhaps you might benefit from considering some alternatives. Cleric 16/Fighter 4 with the practiced spellcaster feat gains those same +5 arrows and 8th level cleric spells, with a BAB of 16. Divine Power and Divine Favor can be very usefull to an archer, and who deosn't like to be able to drop a full heal now and then? Alternatively, check out Eldritch Knight for a way to get a decent BAB and sorceror/wizard spells.

Also check out some spells in complete adventure. Arrow Storm duplicates another of the Arcane Archer's best abilities, and it's cheep.

Hope this was helpfull, I intended it to be.

 

[comareddin]

P.S. You cannot improve your BAB, other than by gaining levels (and some short-lived magical effects, like the Divine Power cleric spell). You can only improve your attack bonus.

I meant to hit bonus but looking at the items you provided I see you understood it just fine. Thinking I haven't slept in more than 40 hours I am still doing quite fine.

Com

 

[comareddin]

Perhaps you might benefit from considering some alternatives. Cleric 16/Fighter 4 with the practiced spellcaster feat gains those same +5 arrows and 8th level cleric spells, with a BAB of 16. Divine Power and Divine Favor can be very usefull to an archer, and who deosn't like to be able to drop a full heal now and then? Alternatively, check out Eldritch Knight for a way to get a decent BAB and sorceror/wizard spells.



Hope this was helpfull, I intended it to be.

Thank you for the nice suggestions. But as the player is gestalt(gain the best things of 2 classes with each level), I do not have a BAB problem. I will get a +1 bow and fill it with other nice "+" equivelant abilities which I am hoping some board members will supply.

Com

 

[Kapalen]

A way to improve your BAB would be to have your arcane caster class be the battle sorcerer variant from Unearthed arcana. It loses some spells but hit die is a d8 and it uses the cleric BAB.

 

[Cabral]

The elemental properties are always a favorite for me
Helps with damage resistant monsters.
Also if True striking has been updated to 3.5 that's a good one too.