Bardic Longbow Implement?

[rowport]

I am building a Longbow Bard using the Prescient Bard from Arcane Power. He is a Half-Elf, taking Ranger Twin Strike as his Dilantte power. I plan to take additional Ranger powers using multiclass feats, along with Combat Virtuoso to replace all the Dex attacks with Cha instead.

But!

I am stuck on the implement. I want to use his longbow as his implement, so he can use it with either his Ranged Weapon powers and his other ranged arcane powers. Is there a rules-legal way to do that before getting the "Bow Implement" ability with the Euphonic Bow paragon path?

The Arcane Implement Proficiency feat seems to only let an arcane caster use another casting class's implement, so I could let him use an Orb but not a Bow (is this correct?). The Songblade magic item type would let him use a longsword as a bardic implement, but not a longbow (again, you cannot swap item types to other items, correct?).

I am stuck! Help!

 

[lukelightning]

I don't think that this allows you to pick a longbow as an implement with implement proficiency. The paragon path lets the character use a bow as an implement but bows themselves aren't implements (hopefully my wording isn't too confusing).

 

[tanj]

Use a harp and fire arrows from the strings.

 

[LightPhoenix]

I can't think of a rules-legal way to do it off the top of my head. Any sort of rules-legal way would probably involve AIP, but there aren't any classes that can use longbows (or as far as I can tell any ranged weapon) as an implement.

 

[DragoonLance]

I've got the same problem for a character of mine. I'm just going to go ahead and create a new implement/weapon based on a songblade, but as a songbow instead. Sadly Wizards didn't include any such items in the Arcane book, so you will either have to deal with swapping out a bow with a wand until paragon, or talk your DM into something similar.

 

[rowport]

OK, thanks, guys! I guess I am glad that I did not miss an obvious solution. (Although, I do like the idea of plinking arrows from a harp... ) I agree with Dragonlance's idea to just create a "Songbow" modelled after the "Songblade" and, in fact, really wonder why Arcane Power did not already do that. It just seems odd to create a ranged-weapon Bard build but not have an item property equivalent to the melee-weapon builds.

That said, I plan to still do a little more digging on roundabout solutions. I am virtually certain that there is a "Pact Bow" out there somewhere as an item property for Warlock implements. If so, then maybe a Bard could use Arcane Implement Proficiency to backdoor the use of that item. Hmm.

(FWIW, I was really confused by using AIP with various swords until I remembered that Swordmages get them as Implements. Aha!)

 

[rowport]

BTW, I am sure this is already obvious, but just because I was thinking about it... You could certainly do a ranged Bard using daggers and have it rules-legal. Bards are proficient with daggers, and they have the light thrown property to count as ranged weapons for such powers. Bards can use Songblades, that work on light blades. Hmm.

I may look at that now. Maybe I could even multiclass into Daggermaster instead of Euphonic Bow. But, I was thinking more "Arcane Archer" than "Arcane Trickster." Meh.

 

[interwyrm]

You're an elf. Take AIP to use a pact bow.

 

[rowport]

You're an elf. Take AIP to use a pact bow.

LOL Dude! Where were you a few hours back!

JK. I *thought* there was a Pact Bow, but then thought I imagined it when I could not find it in Adventurer's Vault. (It is in Dragon 369 for all you playing at home.)

Thanks, Interwyrm!

 

[mach1.9pants]

You're an elf. Take AIP to use a pact bow.

Mmm doesn't work in the Char Builder. It is not a class implement (although it is an implement usable by a class) so it doesn't count for AIP. IMO though, CustServ it; just for a laugh