Help with Arcane Archer

[kengar]

One of my player's (who is also my wife) Moon Elf is closing in on fulfilling her prereqs for ArcArch. She just took a level of wizard (Now a Rgr6/Wiz1) and has been doing an outstanding job of keeping it all consistent with her character and backstory.

Now she comes to me with the question of "Why does Imbue Arrow use area spells instead of touch? What good area spells can I use this with that don't already have a decent range?"

What should I tell her? What good/clever uses of Imbue Arrow have you seen in play? Bering in mind we're not talking high-level wizard spells.

 

[AuraSeer]

A quick glance at the Wiz1 spell list shows me:
Burning Hands
Grease
Obscuring Mist
Hypnotism
Color Spray

IMO though, Imbue Arrow is not one of the Arcane Archer's more important powers. It's good for the occasional special effect, but isn't much of a combat mainstay. (Unless you manage a lot more wizard levels, that is. A ranged Antimagic Field would be a neat thing to have.)

 

[Rackhir]

Basically, Imbue arrow is an ability that sounds like it should be really cool and useful, but in practice is almost next to useless. Actually that pretty much describes the AA class in my opinion, unless you've done something to nerf or outlaw GMW.

The basic problem is that nearly all effective area effect spells have sufficient range that the ability to put them on an arrow doesn't help. Making things worse is the fact that you have to take at least 5-6 caster levels to get much of any useful area effect spells.

The only spell I've seen used with imbue arrow that was effective was Glitterdust (Mind you the char had the devil's own luck with NPC's failing their save vs the blindness). Other Line of Sight blocking spells (can't think of any at the moment) could be effective.

The suggestions I've seen in the past are to either permit other spells to be imbued (Think carefully first though) or to modify how imbued spells function. Such as not permitting a saving throw to the target of an imbued arrow if they are actually hit by the arrow. IE If you have an arrow with fireball imbued in it and it is sticking through you, you don't get a save to dodge the effects.

One last suggestion. I don't know anything obviously about the character's background, but Sorcerer is generally a much better choice for an AA than wizard, unless you plan to make the character more of a Mage w/t bow than a Archer w/t magic. Sorcs get fewer spells known, but you are unlikely to be using many different ones with only 1-2 caster levels and they have greater flexibilty in casting and a larger number of spells to cast per day.

 

[Celebrim]

Well, I think the principal advantage is the ability to do both the damage of the arrow and the spells special effects at the same time. Think of it as a free standard attack with every spell casting.

However, I think the ability to 'throw' effects that normally center on the spell caster is potentially abusable if you hold to the letter of the rule and are looking for munchkiny things to do.

I'd seriously be considering whether you could imbue anti-magic field and fling it around another spell caster using imbue arrow.

Unfortunately, most of the good centered on caster effects are clerical.

Some arcane ones I noticed though: antimagic field(!!!), burning hands, circle of death(!), color spray, cone of cold, and wail of the banshee(!). Most of these though are well above the level of spell that an arcane archer can expect to have available. Still, ranged burning hands and color spray could be fun.

 

[Celebrim]

Celebrim notes to Rackhir that sorcerer is not however the favored class of elves.

 

[Zad]

Now she comes to me with the question of "Why does Imbue Arrow use area spells instead of touch? What good area spells can I use this with that don't already have a decent range?"

Ah the hidden little gotcha with the arcane archer. The real honest to god answer is this: there are none. There are almost no spells that you'd want to imbue that you couldn't just cast at their listed range. Furthermore, there are even fewer that your wife would actually have access to given her limited spellcasting abilities.

Therefore some suggestions, based on my personal experience with the class:

1. You, the DM, may want to consider a more liberal interpretation of what spells are allowable for an imbue. Some touch spells are obvious choices. The archer is giving up a full attack opportunity for that round - a touch spell delivery is not out of line. This could be more unbalanced for clerics taking this path but for arcane casters it should be ok.

2. Consider removing many of the special AA abilities (imbue, phase, etc) and sprinkling a few levels of "+1 spellcasting level of existing class". This is a more radical alteration but may have been a better way to go for the AA.


In short, realize that it's probably not working as intended and be flexible as a DM to make this have a bit more flavor.

The only spell I've seen used with imbue arrow that was effective was Glitterdust (Mind you the char had the devil's own luck with NPC's failing their save vs the blindness).

That'd be me. However I'll note that I could just have cast the glitterdust straight, and often don't bother with the imbue.

Great spell to have around tho.

 

[wolff96]

Furthermore, there are even fewer that your wife would actually have access to given her limited spellcasting abilities.

That's the big "gotcha" of the Arcane Archer. It works better if the character is more Arcane than Archer. The stacking of bow enhancements plus arrow enhancements actually makes up for the horribly weak BAB of a mostly wizard character.

Therefore some suggestions, based on my personal experience with the class:

1. You, the DM, may want to consider a more liberal interpretation of what spells are allowable for an imbue. Some touch spells are obvious choices. The archer is giving up a full attack opportunity for that round - a touch spell delivery is not out of line. This could be more unbalanced for clerics taking this path but for arcane casters it should be ok.

2. Consider removing many of the special AA abilities (imbue, phase, etc) and sprinkling a few levels of "+1 spellcasting level of existing class". This is a more radical alteration but may have been a better way to go for the AA.

I would like to add a third option, that worked remarkably well in the campaign I played an AA in.

The DM said that all area of effect spells with "Reflex for 1/2" saves had NO saving throw for the target actually hit by the arrow. The area of effect then radiated from that spot, with all other people in range making saving throws as normal.

Upshot: Nail a rogue with a Fireball-arrow and he gets no evasion.

Downside: Once a day ability and if you miss, the spell is pretty much wasted.

--------------------------------

My character ended up being a Wizard 11/Fighter 1/AA 9 at the end of that campaign.

And people in my group still chuckle about how overpowered he was, even with the low stats in that campaign.

By the way: Putting four arrows followed by a set of five magic missiles (Quickened) into one target and then disintegrating someone else on your haste action is a sure-fire way to get respect.

 

[kengar]

A quick glance at the Wiz1 spell list shows me:
Burning Hands
Grease
Obscuring Mist
Hypnotism
Color Spray

How would the underlined spells work when imbued on an arrow? Would they burst out in front of where the arrow struck? I had a different interpretation of "Area Spells" in mind that didn't even include these.

 

[Storminator]

What about Darkness or Light? It's area is technically the object touched, but it radiates an affect from there. Sort of murky, but potentially very cool.

PS