D&D 5E More Interesting Archers (+thread)

[doctorbadwolf]

The Archer is an iconic archetype with vastly more examples than half the PHB base classes have, and yet not only does it barely get any subclasses dedicated to it (Arcane Archer, and Hunter which is really an archer sub that gives nods to melee because they felt like they had to for some reason), it has vanishingly few interesting options.

Archers are so boring for anyone that isn’t really excited by being blandly effective or that isn’t into combat improv or has a DM that isn’t, that my wife multiclassed her archer ranger Druid just to have more things to do. Some non-concentration archery friendly spells would have helped too, but the ranger Spellcasting is pretty frustrating. But mostly, it was harder for her to improv with arrows than it is for her to improv with her axe and sword Paladin.

Anyway, what if we pretend Sharpshooter doesn’t exist, ignore any and all “this thing already fills that narrative role” issues for the moment, and talk about slicing up Archers in 5e?

Firstly, I’d drop the power attack mechanic from Sharpshooter and replace it with a bonus action attack limited to short range.

Second, I’d look for somewhere to add some trick shots. Here are some rough ideas for those:

1. Deflect Attacks. Reaction, someone makes a weapon attack within your short range. You shoot the weapon, deflecting the attack. Make it different from monks deflect missiles mechanically, but make it effective.
2. Pinning Shot. Look, not everyone plays a game of murder-dice. It’s often useful to not kill people. It’s also a classic move.
3. Ricochet shot. Oh you got cover? Lol
4. Hobble shot. Like pinning shot, but much less friendly. possibly an upgrade or class/feat feature.
5. Blinding shot. Cut a forehead, eyes get covered. Non lethal, classic, very mean.
6. Split the Tree. Two arrows at once, against two targets. Limited range, maybe less damage, but iconic and cool as hell.
   
   
   
   

Now I know I’ll be a minority here, but I’ve come to the conclusion that the fighter should be split, and Archer should be its own class.

Barring that, a subclass. Barring that, a lot more BM manuvers that focus on archery. Also mounted combat. Mounted archers are such a big deal all over the world and it is very cool to drop over to the side of your horse, swing round below, back up, and shoot a confused combatant that thought you’d fallen off.

Special arrows, more magic bows and arrows, more archer friendly spells, and a sniper subclass for rogues, all also welcome, but what do y’all think? What archer stuff would you see added to the game, and remember, it’s a + thread, so don’t derail us with “your premise is bad” posts.

 

[Ancalagon]

A portion of what you seek can be done by the Kensei Monk, especially with the tweaks from Tasha's.

I'm playing one and I have been having a blast. I'm basically Legolas, but instead of daggers I fight with a battle axe made with a giant sharktooth

 

[Raith5]

I agree with the OP. There is so much good space here to create some tactical choices for the archer and divide the archer/hunter/mobile warrior from the fighter. I love playing archer rangers in both 5e and 4e but I do miss the disruptive strike and combined fire abilities in 4e.

 

[Charlaquin]

I would love to see a horse archer Barbarian subclass. Give them a mechanic where they can use Strength instead of Dex for attacks with bows, or let them apply their Rage benefits to bow attacks even though they’re Dex based. Throw in some mounted combat benefits, and you’ve got a pretty good start.

 

[Horwath]

check the Biting Zephyr maneuvers in A5E section;

https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5f30140933f50e61c794e1a3/t/606de45cfb455850f025ba43/1617814631246/enp_level_up_playtest_16_combat_maneuvers.pdf

 

[CubicsRube]

I've always liked the idea of special arrows like the Thief pc game series.

You could have broadheads that do more damage with an accuracy penalty, armor piercing that is the opposite, water arrows to douse torches, sparking arrows that can blind foes, bola arrows that can trip or disarm from afar, etc.

I've never put any real work into it, but I think there's a lot you could do in that design space.

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

This thread kinda makes me miss the 4e spell-less ranger: an unashamed archer/light fighter class. Finally the ranger 1) had a better raison d'être 2) a mechanical niche were they shined.

So my take: make the Ranger the ranged class. Take the stuff from the Arcane Archer and refluff it as trick shots Prof/Short rest.

Look at the old Mystic disciplines: Nomadic Arrows, Precognition, Nomadic Step (with AoO-less movement instead of teleport), Third Eye, etc. Those could all be great Ranger features if refluffed as non-magical.

Or hell, let it all be magical, its not like the Ranger would be OP if you gave it a huge Archer theme + a better list of spells and trick shots.

 

[Ancalagon]

I would love to see a horse archer Barbarian subclass. Give them a mechanic where they can use Strength instead of Dex for attacks with bows, or let them apply their Rage benefits to bow attacks even though they’re Dex based. Throw in some mounted combat benefits, and you’ve got a pretty good start.

An interesting concept but.... why?

Horse archery is a very demanding pursuit - you have to thinks about so many things at once. If you go bezerk, your horse is going to freak out for one. Why would a horse archer be a barbarian? Is it because they are "barbarians" in the cultural sense? (as in the Greeks, who called barbarian anyone who wasn't Greek...)

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

An interesting concept but.... why?

Horse archery is a very demanding pursuit - you have to thinks about so many things at once. If you go bezerk, your horse is going to freak out for one. Why would a horse archer be a barbarian? Is it because they are "barbarians" in the cultural sense? (as in the Greeks, who called barbarian anyone who wasn't Greek...)

it would be way more awesome if your mount entered battle-frenzy with you, no?

Like, charging at incredible speed across the battlefield, raining arrows, you and your mighty steed ignoring pain and fear.

Anyway, I myself love that aesthetic, but YMMV.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

I agree with the OP. There is so much good space here to create some tactical choices for the archer and divide the archer/hunter/mobile warrior from the fighter. I love playing archer rangers in both 5e and 4e but I do miss the disruptive strike and combined fire abilities in 4e.

Yeah I’d love to port over that class, just wouldn’t call it a ranger.

I would love to see a horse archer Barbarian subclass. Give them a mechanic where they can use Strength instead of Dex for attacks with bows, or let them apply their Rage benefits to bow attacks even though they’re Dex based. Throw in some mounted combat benefits, and you’ve got a pretty good start.

I’ve come to think this concept is better as either a fighter or ranger subclass, and not just mechanically, but the game is definitely missing support for mounted archers.

I've always liked the idea of special arrows like the Thief pc game series.

You could have broadheads that do more damage with an accuracy penalty, armor piercing that is the opposite, water arrows to douse torches, sparking arrows that can blind foes, bola arrows that can trip or disarm from afar, etc.

I've never put any real work into it, but I think there's a lot you could do in that design space.

Definitely!

This thread kinda makes me miss the 4e spell-less ranger: an unashamed archer/light fighter class. Finally the ranger 1) had a better raison d'être 2) a mechanical niche were they shined.

Ranger didn’t need a reinvention, and they still don’t. I enjoyed playing the 4e ranger, but it didn’t feel half right until essentials added some magical utility powers. Even then, it was still too mundane and I hacked Seeker powers onto it to make it feel more like a ranger.

So my take: make the Ranger the ranged class. Take the stuff from the Arcane Archer and refluff it as trick shots Prof/Short rest.

Look at the old Mystic disciplines: Nomadic Arrows, Precognition, Nomadic Step (with AoO-less movement instead of teleport), Third Eye, etc. Those could all be great Ranger features if refluffed as non-magical.

Or hell, let it all be magical, its not like the Ranger would be OP if you gave it a huge Archer theme + a better list of spells and trick shots.

I wouldn’t ever call that a Ranger, but spells and trick shots definitely make sense.