Pathfinder 1E Armor choices for Arcane Archers (RotRL)

[Ramaster]

Hi!

I'm playing an elven archer going Arcane Archer (Weapon Master 4, currently. My DEX score is 19) on Rise of the Runelords. We have just completed the fist level of the Thisseltop dungeon (getting that 4th level) and we are ready to make our way into the deep below.

Currently, I'm using the most awesome Kikko Armor (it's an Eastern medium armor with a +5 bonus, +4 max dex, -3 check penalty for only 30gp) BUT, my next level will be my fist Wizard level (Teleporter, specifically). As such, I am in need of an armor with an arcane spell failure of 10% or lower (I will also take Arcane Armor Training next level, to cast in said armor).

Sooo... which armor should I try to get? The DM said that we will soon be traveling to a bigger city, Magnimar, where most things will be available.

Something to consider: Special Materials.

There are two that will help me with this, Mithral and Darkleaf Cloth. Mithral is 1k for light armors and 4k for medium, it reduces the spell failure by 10%, decreases the check penalty by 3, increases the MAX dexterity to AC by 2 and lets me move 30 ft (in the case of the medium armor). I can make Chainshirts and Kikko armors out of Mithral. Darkleaf is cheaper at +750 for light and +1,5k for medium. It has the same properties as Mithral, but in doesn't negate the speed penalty of medium armor and I can only make Studded Leather and Hide armors out of it (both worse than their metal counterparts with the Hide version even worse than a Mithral chainshirt, though studded ends up adding the same AC as it, though).

As I see it, these are my options for armors with 10% or less spell failure:

4- Leather armor (10gp) is dirt cheap. The total armor bonus (AC bonus + max DEX) is 8, doesn't have check penalty and doesn't reduce speed.

3- Darkleaf Studded Leather armor (775gp) is not that expensive either, I could afford it right now. The total AC bonus is 10 (but, since I need a DEX bonus of +7 to get it I won't benefit from it for a few levels) and has no check penalty or speed reduction.

2- Mithral Chainshirt (1.100gp) is the same as the previous one, but the AC bonus is easier to obtain. I could also afford it right now.

1- Mithral Kikko Armor (4.030gp) is the best one; statwise (it is the most expensive, after all). It has the same stats as the chaishirt but the base AC is one higher for a grand total of +11 AC.

So, fellow gamers and role players, what should I do?

Do I go for the Dirt Cheap Tm Leather Armor, the thematically appropriate Darkleaf Armor, the Classic Mithral Chainshirt or the Munchkin-y and cool Mithral Kikko Armor?

Thanks in advance!

TL;DR, which of those 4 choices is the best for an arcane archer?

 

[Systole]

There's another alternative if you didn't dumpstat charisma: Take a level of bard or summoner instead. Yes, those classes are less about casting spells and more about other abilities, so the caster level bump from Arcane Archer levels is less useful. But they cast arcane spells, thus meeting the arcane archer pre-req, but they don't suffer from arcane failure in light armor. If you take summoner, you'd essentially have a "familiar." I'd take a small eidolon with three +8 skill evolutions to whatever skills you need. If you go bard, I'd definitely take Archaeologist, because their 'performance' is always a swift action to start, unlike normal low-level bardic performances.

 

[Ramaster]

Truth be told, I did not think of that at character creation.


My current Charisma score is 7, so both classes are out of the question, but great suggestion nevertheless.


Any other thought?