Hexbow? Duskbow?

[Kwitchit]

I've just realised that the Hexblade/Duskblade are the quickest ways into Arcane Archer (and the only reasonable way to do it without multiclassing). Has anyone tried this? Does it work well?

 

[pawsplay]

I've just realised that the Hexblade/Duskblade are the quickest ways into Arcane Archer (and the only reasonable way to do it without multiclassing). Has anyone tried this? Does it work well?

What's unreasonable about Wizard 10?

 

[Goblyn]

What's unreasonable about Wizard 10?

Just try having an argument with a wizard 10. All that arcane study gives them mighty big egos.

Alos wiz10 ain't that quick.

 

[pawsplay]

Just try having an argument with a wizard 10. All that arcane study gives them mighty big egos.

Alos wiz10 ain't that quick.

But you get 5th level spells, making the AA's ability to shoot spells actually useful.

 

[Goblyn]

But you get 5th level spells, making the AA's ability to shoot spells actually useful.

I won't say that it is not a viable, or even quite effective build. But 10th level may be quite a long time to wait.

 

[Klaus]

Both classes have precious few spells that can be used with Imbue Arrow, and the Duskblade's spell channeling is melee-only.

If anything, a Battle Sorcerer is the best way to enter Arcane Archer. With medium BAB, you get there by 7th-level. You'll have decent spells to Imbue, you'll be able to use light armor and you'll have 7d8 for HD.

The big problem with the Arcane Archer is that it still confers the nigh-useless Enchant Arrow ability (really, once it's Magic, it bypasses DR, and arrows and bows don't stack their plusses) and no Spell Progression.

 

[Aust Diamondew]

The big problem with the Arcane Archer is that it still confers the nigh-useless Enchant Arrow ability (really, once it's Magic, it bypasses DR, and arrows and bows don't stack their plusses) and no Spell Progression.

Which is why you don't get a bow higher than +1. You just get a +1 bow with a bunch of other stuff, flaming, distance, shocking etc.

 

[starwed]

Both classes have precious few spells that can be used with Imbue Arrow, and the Duskblade's spell channeling is melee-only.

If anything, a Battle Sorcerer is the best way to enter Arcane Archer. With medium BAB, you get there by 7th-level. You'll have decent spells to Imbue, you'll be able to use light armor and you'll have 7d8 for HD.

The big problem with the Arcane Archer is that it still confers the nigh-useless Enchant Arrow ability (really, once it's Magic, it bypasses DR, and arrows and bows don't stack their plusses) and no Spell Progression.

I'd look at it the other way around: Enchant Arrow ability is one of the better things about the class, whereas Imbue Arrow is fairly useless. As mentioned above, it lets you stack abilities on your bow while still getting a decent bonus to attack/damage.

 

[Darklone]

Seconded. BTW: I'd go the EK route towards the class, gives you nice spells like Flame Arrow. Allows you to get a shocking frost +1 bow pretty quick, use it with +X arrows from the class and you can still add the flaming property via the spell