Help me create a Zen Archer prestige class?

[Buttercup]

I have a player who wants to be a Zen Archer. I've looked around on the net and none of the prestige classes I've found are quite what the player and I have in mind. Arcane archer isn't quite it either. Can any of you fabulous, experienced people help me create this prestige class? I've never even contemplated creating my own before, so I'm clueless, I'm afraid.

The player is starting the game as a sorcerer (game doesn't start until next month), who has been forced by circumstance to learn the arts of combat. He'll be taking some fighter levels as well as more sorcerer levels, but we're not sure how much of each would be good. To make matters more complicated, he has chosen to take Improved Unarmed Strike as a starting feat, along with Martial Weapon Proficiency--Composite Longbow. It all fits in with his bio, since he's playing it that his father taught him martial arts before his sorcerous powers manifested. As you can see, this is a player who is really into the role playing.

Any ideas or suggestions?

 

[KDLadage]

I do not mean to toot my own horn, but have you looked at the YEOMAN class that I did? Check out ASGARD magazine #3 (I believe it is #3) -- you should find it there.

 

[hong]

There are a number of published archer prestige classes around, besides the arcane archer in the DMG. Here are some of them:

• Sword & Fist - order of the bow initiate. Quite powerful, but suffers from a horribly cheesy backstory.
• Masters of the Wild - deepwood sniper. Great long-range combatant, which fits ideally with the zen archery concept. It's a bit underpowered IMO (not something you see often with a WOTC prestige class). I have a bunch of powerups in mind; ask for details if you're interested.
• Rokugan, from AEG - Wasp bounty hunter. Very nice class, and with a pseudo-Japanese backstory to boot. Spending extra for the Rokugan book may not be worth it, though.

 

[Morrus]

Moved to House Rules.

 

[FireLance]

Do you have Sword and Fist? The Order of the Bow Initiate seems to be a fairly Zen Archer-like PrC.

 

[Buttercup]

Hong, I'd love to see your ideas on powering up the Deepwood Sniper.

KD, I'll go and find that Asgard issue and look at the Yeoman.

Thanks, everyone. I'll look at those sources tonight, except for Rokugan, which I don't have. I'll report back tonight or tomorrow on whether any of these will work.

 

[hong]

Hong, I'd love to see your ideas on powering up the Deepwood Sniper.

1) Replace the magic weapon ability at 2nd level with greater magic weapon 1/day, as cleric 2 levels higher than deepwood sniper level, usable only on projectile weapons and ammo;

2) Allow the true strike ability at 10th level to be usable at will, instead of 1/day (it still takes a standard action to activate, so in effect it's usable every other round at most);

3) Give a good Fort save as well as a good Ref save.

Given that your PC is taking a level of sorc, the true strike ability may be superfluous anyway, but there it is.

 

[Buttercup]

Haven't gotten around to the Yeoman in Asgard yet, and although I ordered Rokugon from my local game store, it won't be in until tomorrow. But the other suggestions all look to me to be cleric/fighter or cleric/ranger fusions. I and my player were thinking more of a sorcerer/fighter fusion.

For example, the Zen Archery feat in sword and fist allows you to use your WIS instead of DEX. Heh. That will do my player exactly no good, since his dex is 14 and his WIS 11. I was thinking of changing it to CHA, since his is 16. That's easy enough.

Perhaps I'll use the Arcane Archer after all.