Poor confused archer needs feat help.

[drunkadelic]

I'm playing my first 3.5 fighter, and went for the PrC Order of the Bow initiate.

The question i'm about to ask is concerning the following feats/abilities

Rapid Shot (w/improved rapidshot from CW)
Manyshot
Ranged Precision (the level one ability of OotBI)
Point Blank Shot

Alright, I've never claimed to have a high INT score personally, but I'm pretty sure that I can use the following in tandem as a full attack:

Point Blank Shot + Rapid Shot (as long as i'm within 30ft)

That would give me, including the improved rapidshot, an overall +1 to hit/dmg on however many attacks (-2 rapid shot, +2 improved rapid shot, +1/+1 PBS) I hope.

Now for the questions.

1. The way I read it, I *think* i can apply my ranged precision damage to one of those attacks using rapidshot. The way I read it, it says i can apply this damage to a "single ranged attack" - since at my current level i'm making three, I would delegate this to be the attack with the highest to hit bonus, and that's how i've been playing it. Is this correct?

2. Can manyshot be used in tandem with Rapid shot (and perhaps PBS) on a full attack designation to fire 2 arrows, per attack? This seems unlikely, but my curiosity is what brought me here.

3. One of my friends in our group says there is an improved manyshot feat in some book that allows a person to roll the multiple arrows of a single attack seperately. Does this mean that If I were high enough level to shoot the maximum 4 arrows, that I can change up my single attack, for four attacks (albeit horrible minuses to hit) that has the chance to confer sneak attack damage on every arrow? If manyshot *can* be combined with Rapid shot, this could potentially give a character 16 attacks, all sneak attacked. (4 base attacks at high levels, 4 arrows/base attack) This also seems highly unlikely, and lends to my personal feeling that manyshot is an ability that can not be used on full attack in tandem with rapidshot. (But is still wicked good in tandem with shot on the move and boots of striding and springing)

4. One final similar, but unrelated question. Our artificer friend improved my bow to be a bow of distance. I don't have the 3.5 dmg with the new explanation of that ability, but he thinks it would allow my point blank shot and ranged precision abilities to function at 60ft instead of 30, due to the enchantment doubling bow ranges. This seems a little off to me, because it would be emulating my 10th level PrC feature if that worked on my ranged precision attacks/sneak attacks. It may, however work on PBS.

Thanks for bearing with me!

 

[Liquidsabre]

I'm playing my first 3.5 fighter, and went for the PrC Order of the Bow initiate.

Yup, fun way to go, definately a neat PrC (I have a PC IMC that has gone ranger-fighter-OotBI).

That would give me, including the improved rapidshot, an overall +1 to hit/dmg on however many attacks (-2 rapid shot, +2 improved rapid shot, +1/+1 PBS) I hope.

Correct, looks good, as long as your target is within 30ft for Point Blank Shot. And keep in mind that PBS is +1 to-hit AND +1 damage to the target.

1. The way I read it, I *think* i can apply my ranged precision damage to one of those attacks using rapidshot. The way I read it, it says i can apply this damage to a "single ranged attack" - since at my current level i'm making three, I would delegate this to be the attack with the highest to hit bonus, and that's how i've been playing it. Is this correct?

Whoa, hold on there, I'm afraid it doesn't work this way. A ranged precision shot requires the expenditure of a standard action to make. So an OotBI either makes a full-round of attacks OR takes a standard action to make a ranged precision shot (1 attack at your highest BAB) and still has a move action left.

2. Can manyshot be used in tandem with Rapid shot (and perhaps PBS) on a full attack designation to fire 2 arrows, per attack? This seems unlikely, but my curiosity is what brought me here.

Many Shot also requires a standard action to use, so no other attacks can be made and the OotBI still has a move action to use for the round. Both descriptions for Many Shot and Rnged Precision state a standard action is used to do these actions.

3. One of my friends in our group says there is an improved manyshot feat in some book that allows a person to roll the multiple arrows of a single attack seperately. Does this mean that If I were high enough level to shoot the maximum 4 arrows, that I can change up my single attack, for four attacks (albeit horrible minuses to hit) that has the chance to confer sneak attack damage on every arrow?

A ranged precision attack isn't a sneak attack, completely different beast, unless you also have levels in rogue perhaps? Greater Manyshot can be found in the Expanded Psionics Handbook (what it's doing there I have no idea).

4. One final similar, but unrelated question. Our artificer friend improved my bow to be a bow of distance. I don't have the 3.5 dmg with the new explanation of that ability, but he thinks it would allow my point blank shot and ranged precision abilities to function at 60ft instead of 30, due to the enchantment doubling bow ranges. This seems a little off to me, because it would be emulating my 10th level PrC feature if that worked on my ranged precision attacks/sneak attacks. It may, however work on PBS.

The Distance special ability only doubles the range increment of the weapon, nothing else is changes.

 

[drunkadelic]

Alright, thanks for the clarification. So essentially - ranged precision gives me manyshot without the penalty.... kinda. I don't get to add any special magic effects of the second arrow (bane, thundering) - but i also don't have to take a -4 penalty.

Seems as if then there's two distinctive paths. The stand still and be a machine gun path of rapid shot, and the move, shot on the run, extra damage fun of ranged precision.

Still a might cool character, thanks for the help.

 

[Egres]

Alright, thanks for the clarification. So essentially - ranged precision gives me manyshot without the penalty.... kinda. I don't get to add any special magic effects of the second arrow (bane, thundering) - but i also don't have to take a -4 penalty.

Ranged Preciosion is more useful than Manyshot against high DR foes.

Firing 3 +2 non-adamantine arrows against an Iron Golem(DR 15 Adamantine) wouldn't be effective as firing a single Arrow that deals +4d8 bonus damage.

 

[3d6]

3. One of my friends in our group says there is an improved manyshot feat in some book that allows a person to roll the multiple arrows of a single attack seperately. Does this mean that If I were high enough level to shoot the maximum 4 arrows, that I can change up my single attack, for four attacks (albeit horrible minuses to hit) that has the chance to confer sneak attack damage on every arrow? If manyshot *can* be combined with Rapid shot, this could potentially give a character 16 attacks, all sneak attacked. (4 base attacks at high levels, 4 arrows/base attack) This also seems highly unlikely, and lends to my personal feeling that manyshot is an ability that can not be used on full attack in tandem with rapidshot. (But is still wicked good in tandem with shot on the move and boots of striding and springing)

The Greater Manyshot feat is in the Expanded Psionics Handbook, and also in the PsionicsFeats.rtf section of the SRD.

GREATER MANYSHOT [GENERAL]
You are skilled at firing many arrows at once, even at different opponents.
Prerequisites: Dex 17, Manyshot, Point Blank Shot, Rapid Shot, base attack bonus +6.
Benefit: When you use the Manyshot feat, you can fire each arrow at a different target instead of firing all of them at the same target. You make a separate attack roll for each arrow, regardless of whether you fire them at separate targets or the same target. Your precision-based damage applies to each arrow fired, and, if you score a critical hit with more than one of the arrows, each critical hit deals critical damage.
Special: A fighter may select this feat as one of his fighter bonus feats.

Also, Manyshot cannot be used with Shot on the Run because using Manyshot is a standard action, and Shot on the Run only allows you to use the attack action.

 

[dpmcalister]

Glad of these answers... my 3rd-level fighter in LG is heading towards OotBI and I was wondering about those combinations myself