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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Elder-Basilisk" data-source="post: 354598" data-attributes="member: 3146">IMO Rapid shot is definitely better than TWF. No bones about it.It's much easier to be in a position to rapid shot (full round action) than to fight with two weapons (also a full round action).Rapid shot allows your full strength bonus (up to +4) to apply to the damage. Two weapon fighting allows only half the strength bonus for the extra attack (this becomes more advantageous than rapid shot if the character's strength reaches 26+ but most characters don't get that strong).Rapid shot requires only one magic weapon and gives you full bonusses from it. Two weapon fighting requires a second weapon which will almost always have a lower bonus than the primary weapon.Rapid shot is usually done with a composite longbow--a d8 weapon. The off hand attack from TWF has to be a light weapon so unless the character wields a bashing shield, double sword, or double axe, rapid shot will deal more damage just from dice.By itself, rapid shot is definitely a more powerful feat.Two weapon fighting has other things going for it though:Rapid shot leads nowhere. Two weapon fighting opens up the full use of the shield expert feat. Two weapon fighting also opens up the improved two weapon fighting feat (theres' no improved rapid shot feat), Off hand parry, Pin Shield, and Supreme Two Weapon Fighting feat (or something like that) from MotW. It also leads to the Tempest prestige class.Consequently, I think that two weapon fighting is a viable option vis a vis archery as far as damage production and AC go even though the Two Weapon Fighting feat is individually inferior to rapid shot.Regarding switching the ranger virtual feats for archery ones, I wouldn't allow it at all as a DM. If you want bonus feats at first level, play a fighter. (If the ranger bonus feats are infinitely exchangeable (or even finitely exchangable but can be changed for combat feats you want), he becomes a strictly superior version of the fighter class with the same saves, 4 skill points and a better skill list, Track, possibly two bonus feats (instead of one) and the ability to use wands of Cure Light Wounds or entangle). If you want to have more useful feats, that's what fighters are there for. If you want to make retroactive changes to the character, see about changing some ranger levels for fighter levels.</blockquote>

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