Stuff to Help Archers?

[Ogrork the Mighty]

I'm looking for magic items or spells that will assist an elven wizard who uses a bow.

So far I have cat's grace, greater magic weapon, and arrow mind (Spell Compendium p. 15; allows you to threaten with a ranged weapon and not provoke AoO).

Anything else?

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

1) Investment in the archery Feat chain- PBS and PrecShot would seem to be a minimum, and can also be applied to orb, ray, and other ranged touch spells.

2) Flame Arrow will boost your damage output.

Flame Arrow :: d20srd.org

3) Any spell that can be targeted onto an item- Light, Darkness, Silence (yes, I know its not a Sorc/Wiz spell), etc.- can make an arrow into a tactical weapon.

4) Quiver of Ehlonna is indispensably useful.

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

Haste. As an archer, you should be getting full attacks almost every round.

Not a wizard spell, but Blessed Aim is Cleric 1, from Spell Compendium. Similar to Bless, but for ranged attacks only, and a +2 bonus.

Any spell that adds energy damage to your attacks. I think Sonic Weapon from Spell Compendium works on bows, for +1d6 sonic damage per shot.

Greater Invisibility: Best with SA dice, but even w/o, good to-hit benefits.

Targetting Ray, Spell Compendium Wiz 1. To both make it easier to hit, and know where the foe is at all times if he goes invisible or something. Obviously, does not combine well with invisibility spells of your own (as the light shines between you and the target as a line).


Flame Arrow was already mentioned, but also remember you can combine that spell, since it has an energy subtype, with Energy Substitution, to get Cold, Acid, or Electric arrows, depending on which feat version you take.

EDIT: Can't believe I forgot Guided Arrow, also level 1 SpC.
And I notice you mentioned items. The Force enhancement for bows at +2 price is a very good deal, IMO (from MIC). Strong Arm Bracers (MIC again) let you use the next size bow, which means you'd go from d8 base damage to 2d6 (longbow, I assume), and only cost 6000 gp, eventually becoming a steal. On that note, Enlarge Person is a worthwhile spell. Reduces your attack bonus, but if hitting isn't the problem as much as damage (IME, that's the case for archers) you should keep scrolls/wand of it handy. Weapon crystals (MIC once more) should be lookd into. Finally, I can't recall the name or precisely what it did, but i recall a ~10,000 gp quiver in MIC that let you draw various kinds of arrows. Might be too much money for what it offers, though.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Flame Arrow was already mentioned, but also remember you can combine that spell, since it has an energy subtype, with Energy Substitution, to get Cold, Acid, or Electric arrows, depending on which feat version you take.

Yep! Yep!

In addition, there is True Strike in the PHB, as well as several related spells in the Spell Compendium.

 

[dingle]

My archer just invested in a +1 bow of seeking. Negates all miss chances, so no more trouble from incorpreal, invisible, and heads peeping over walls.

 

[Ogrork the Mighty]

Thanks guys! Some great tips above.

My only dilemma is whether to take the bracers of archery from the DMG or the strongarm bracers. Both are good.

There's also the burning sword spell from Spell Compendium that, strangely, isn't restricted to melee weapons specifically so arguably it works (if you accept that the name of the spell is just flavour, which it must be since it's not limited to swords either). The spell does the same thing as flame arrow and also grants the flaming burst ability on crits but with a shorter duration.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Its expensive, but the Brilliant Energy enchantment has 2 major bonuses:

1) It negates a LOT of bonuses "hard" targets get to their AC,

2) You get to make D&D animated series "Ranger" jokes any time you want.

 

[Nebten]

My archer just invested in a +1 bow of seeking. Negates all miss chances, so no more trouble from incorpreal, invisible, and heads peeping over walls.

Seeking only negates miss chances to hit. Incorpreal creatures ignore damage 50% of the time (unless positive & negative energy, force effects & ghost touch). Otherwise Ghost Touch would be useless.
I hope you weren't planning on hunting ghosts with that bow.

Otherwise, I'm a huge fan of haste, flame arrow & sonic weapon combo.

 

[dingle]

Seeking only negates miss chances to hit. Incorpreal creatures ignore damage 50% of the time (unless positive & negative energy, force effects & ghost touch). Otherwise Ghost Touch would be useless.
I hope you weren't planning on hunting ghosts with that bow.

Otherwise, I'm a huge fan of haste, flame arrow & sonic weapon combo.

Rats! you are right, I can't afford Ghost Touch as well. I think i'll keep away from grave yards for a while.

 

[Alzrius]

If you don't mind third-party products, check out Octavirate Expansions: Trick Arrows. The book has a number of different non-magical arrows that you can use, as well as the Bowfighter feat which lets you use your bow as a melee weapon.