So I've hit the damage roadblock on an Archer

[Aidan Milvus]

I'd like to also throw my vote in for the Force enhancement...

If your DM will go for it, the Quiver of Plenty out of Dragon #328 is a great item for archers. Unlimited MW (cold iron, steel, wood, silver) tipped arrows, and 5/day adamantine arrows. And the arrows disappear after use, so no need to hunt down ones that missed...

 

[HeavenShallBurn]

Also get the Splitting enchantment at the earliest opportunity.

There's at least one Archer thread on the WoTC CO boards that could help, am searching for them right now.

 

[szilard]

They also give a +2 bonus to attack rolls. That means the character can afford to put more +'s into things other than to hit bonuses without having to worry as much.

Right. So a +1 flaming longbow with a +1 bane arrow used against the bane-creature will be +3 to hit and +3d6 damage. Not bad, particularly when you can use them only when they'll be effective...

-Stuart

 

[Herzog]

There's a ranger spell 'Foebane' in the Spell Compendium, that lets you have +2 on attack and +2d6 damage against favored enemies. You might need to get that on scrolls/magic items however, since (IIRC) it's 4th level...

Herzog

 

[Rackhir]

The greatbow's an exotic weapon, in Complete Warrior.

I read over the section that it appears in. It's not an exotic weapon like the Spiked Chain or Goliath Greathammer. Both of those sorts of weapons offer significant and substantial advantages that can not be easily replicated any other way. The weapons in the section where the Greatbow appears, are ones that it is possible to treat as martial weapons. Much as how a dwarven waraxe is considered a martial weapon for dwarves and I don't see why it couldn't be. It doesn't offer that much in the way of an advantage (d10 vs d8), which is reasonably countered by the inability to use it mounted.

 

[sukael]

I read over the section that it appears in. It's not an exotic weapon like the Spiked Chain or Goliath Greathammer. Both of those sorts of weapons offer significant and substantial advantages that can not be easily replicated any other way. The weapons in the section where the Greatbow appears, are ones that it is possible to treat as martial weapons. Much as how a dwarven waraxe is considered a martial weapon for dwarves and I don't see why it couldn't be. It doesn't offer that much in the way of an advantage (d10 vs d8), which is reasonably countered by the inability to use it mounted.

You make good points, though I'd be wary, given that it would basically become the default choice of any bowman not mounted (that is, most or many PCs who take that style of combat). Also (though this is less important in most campaigns), Large or effectively Large characters (like goliaths) would get more extra damage out of the 1d10->2d8 increase rather than the 1d8->2d6 increase (3.5 instead of 2.5 points, respectively).

4.5 -> 7, 5.5 -> 9

 

[Rackhir]

You make good points, though I'd be wary, given that it would basically become the default choice of any bowman not mounted (that is, most or many PCs who take that style of combat). Also (though this is less important in most campaigns), Large or effectively Large characters (like goliaths) would get more extra damage out of the 1d10->2d8 increase rather than the 1d8->2d6 increase (3.5 instead of 2.5 points, respectively).

4.5 -> 7, 5.5 -> 9

Treating it as a martial weapon is at the DMs discretion. Most things that are large or bigger are going to be NPCs anyway. So it's not really that much of a player abuse-able item as a DM abuseable item and the DM can just give them the extra feat if they really feel like it.

Don't underestimate the deadliness of mounted archery. It can give a character a full move and a full attack that takes place at the mid point of the movement, letting the archer get into the 30' optimal range and then away. Of course you can move even farther if you don't mind the penalties or have the feats to reduce them.

Most fighter types do have ride as one of their class skills and not too much to spend their skill points on. So most of them will be at least decent riders (especially since archers are going to have good dex's), letting them make the required checks with ease (especially since you can't auto fail skill checks).

So given the amount of traveling characters do before Teleport and the big movement spells, start kicking in. Mounted archery is not something to be lightly surrendered.

 

[shilsen]

I read over the section that it appears in. It's not an exotic weapon like the Spiked Chain or Goliath Greathammer. Both of those sorts of weapons offer significant and substantial advantages that can not be easily replicated any other way.

You cna make an argument that it's not good enough to warrant being an exotic weapon, but Complete Warrior definitely presents it as an exotic weapon. It's listed on the table for "New Exotic Weapons" and the description is also under "Exotic Weapon Descriptions."

The weapons in the section where the Greatbow appears, are ones that it is possible to treat as martial weapons. Much as how a dwarven waraxe is considered a martial weapon for dwarves and I don't see why it couldn't be.

Only a few of them are listed as available for treatment as martial weapons, namely the ones which have some sort of a race listed (gnome tortoise blade, elven thinblade, etc). The greatbow isn't one of them. A DM could definitely make it so, but that would be a house rule.

It doesn't offer that much in the way of an advantage (d10 vs d8), which is reasonably countered by the inability to use it mounted.

Personally, I agree that it's not that much better than a longbow, but the inability to use it mounted isn't a big factor. Remember, you can't use a longbow while mounted either (you can use a composite one), and it's not as if mounted archery shows up much for either PCs or NPCs in games not involving fighting the Mongols (damn, now I want to put them in the game).

 

[Inconsequenti-AL]

Like others have said, arrows made from fancy materials is a must. And not even expensive?

Potionwise from the DMG:

Oil of Bless weapon (100g) works to bypass /good DR and auto confirms crits on evil targets. If you put this on the bow it should affect all arrows fired from it.

Enlarge effects trade some to hit for damage. Potions of Enlarge person are listed as 250g - presumably 5th caster level version. 5 mins of -2 to hit, but converting your base damage from D8 > 2D6.

Flame arrow oil (750gp) - bit pricey, but another bit of damage.

All of these are cheaper if you can buy a scroll and/or persuade a friendly caster to use them on your behalf?

If you can afford 4500gp a wand of align weapon could be nice if your cleric has it on his spell list. Only lasts 3 mins per casting, but hits 50 arrows - bypassing much DR neatly? Perhaps buy a partially charged one if your DM will let you.



In my current played game, the party Bard regularly turns the Archer into a horrible machine gun of death.

 

[szilard]

Oil of Bless weapon (100g) works to bypass /good DR and auto confirms crits on evil targets. If you put this on the bow it should affect all arrows fired from it.

It would be nice, but the spell description for bless weapon says that it doesn't confer the benefits to projectiles when used on a bow/sling/whatever.

-Stuart