To build a Living Greyhawk elven archer

[Bront]

FYI, you can take a pure warrior build with only one level of wizard and still be an Arcane archer. It works well, and only one power doesn't do much (the imbue arrow). You end up with Fighter 9(or Ranger 9, or any combo of those two)/ Wizard 1/Arcane Archer 10. BAB of 19, +5 arrows, All the other Arcane Archer powers, and a couple of extra feats or class abilities (from fighter/ranger). And if you are realy desperate, you can cast a few wizard spells

 

[Gog]

I am well aware of the LG rules (just read the campaing sourcebook cover to cover). What you outline is exactly what I am talking about - the fact that you can buy whatever magic items you want is plenty tailored for me. At least it is tailored relative to the last campaign I played in where we didn't have any magical equipment (we were about 8 levels behind the appropriate wealth rating for our party level) and couldn't buy anything but the most inexpensive of magical items (scrolls and potions with no scroll above 5th level when our party was 13th level). The ability to buy what we want means that I can buy a magical bow for my archer, gloves of dexterity, bracers of archery, wands of cure light wounds, etc.

I'm not sure why you think you can buy whatever you want. +1 weapons sure, wands no, bracers, nope. Some low level things are open, but for most things you need to gain access to buy.

 

[Endur]

You could get pretty much any item you wanted in LG. One way or another. If you played enough games.

Personally, I think pure Ranger is the way to go. 4 levels of fighter, while giving you weapon specialization, won't be as helpful as the greater skill points, better reflex saving throw, and the faster access to Ranger abilities.

Also, I'd dump the Iron Will feat and take Far Shot instead. Although it won't be useful very often, it has far more flavor than a slightly better will save.

I agree with the other poster who recommended for your stats:
28 point buy: Str 16, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 14, Chr 8

While the 18 dex would be a nice +1 to hit on all arrows, there will be times when those hit points are absolutely necessary.

 

[Testament]

Choice of favoured enemy is a big thing if you're taking any ranger levels. What metaregion are you in? That determines things in a big way!

 

[mzsylver]

LG Archer

Check out Wildrunner. If you scream you get a +6 Dex (+3 hit!) and +2 Str (more strength is always good).

Make sure you have at least a 12 Con. My friend's rule for Living characters is you spend 6 points on Con, then build your PC. More than 12 is also fine. You claim you dont need hit points? HA. EVERYONE needs more hit points. Even those with Mettle & Evasion. It may seem trivial at low levels, but once you get to high levels every point counts.

Be a Wood Elf. +2 Str & +2 Dex is good. Start with a 16 Dex and Str. I've seen 20 Str Composite Long Bows... Not sure if 22 Str ones are out there. If you are not a Wood Elf, start with a 14 Str (add a +6 stat item and you got a 20 which you need for damage).

I recommend Fighter 4, but consider starting Ranger for Skills, Track, and Flavor.

What region are you in?

Good luck and let us know what you do! =)

Rydia

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

For stats, I'd go with Str 16, Dex 17, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 8

The 14 wisdom really isn't necessary--you'll be getting a periapt of wisdom anyway if you want bonus spells past 8th level, so just get one slightly earlier and/or get a better one later. The 17 dex will be useful as soon as you hit level 4.

On the fighter/ranger question, my view is that fighter is the way to go if you want to deal damage. The challenge of a pure ranger archery is that when you're not fighting your favored enemy, you're not getting much damage bonus beyond enhancement, prayer, strength, and bardsong and 3/4 times you won't have prayer or bardsong. Weapon specialization (and especially greater weapon specialization) is what will put your damage over the top to where you're always doing at least some damage--even against skeletons, elementals, etc. (Usually the bane of archers).

 

[Gaiden]

FYI, you can take a pure warrior build with only one level of wizard and still be an Arcane archer. It works well, and only one power doesn't do much (the imbue arrow). You end up with Fighter 9(or Ranger 9, or any combo of those two)/ Wizard 1/Arcane Archer 10. BAB of 19, +5 arrows, All the other Arcane Archer powers, and a couple of extra feats or class abilities (from fighter/ranger). And if you are realy desperate, you can cast a few wizard spells

What does the arcane archer really get?

1. GMW with all arrows
2. Imbue Arrow
3. Seeker Arrow
4. Phase Arrow
5. Hail of Arrows
6. Arrow of Death

I'll just buy magical arrows.

Seeker is fairly useless with access to true strike - elimiinates concealment already. Really the only benefit is going around corners. For a 1x/day power and the limited circumstances when I would already have improved precise shot, I can do without it.

Phase Arrow is limited by having to know that the foe is already on the opposite side of the wall. Granted, with a familiar this is a nice benefit, but at 1x/day, again, I just can't see the usefulness.

Hail of Arrows is duplicated by a ranger spell which incidentally can be case multiple times.

Arrow of death can be duplicated by slaying arrows. It is a bit more versatile but in my experience, a DC 20 F save at a minimum of 16th level is fairly easy to beat by all but the arcane casters whom you could probably take out just by damage in a round.

 

[Gaiden]

I'm not sure why you think you can buy whatever you want. +1 weapons sure, wands no, bracers, nope. Some low level things are open, but for most things you need to gain access to buy.

Ok, this is news to me - perhaps I need to go over the LGCS again. I was under the impression that upon gaining treasure from each adventure that after said adventure and the equipment was distributed, you could spend your available gold on whatever you wanted with the only limitation being the standard no equipment costing more than half your net worth for your level. I recall the LGCS explicitly stating that treasure was designed to be open ended so that you could gain a large amount of gold if the items that were given out were not suited to yoru character. In this way you could tailor your character's equipment.

 

[Gaiden]

You could get pretty much any item you wanted in LG. One way or another. If you played enough games.

Personally, I think pure Ranger is the way to go. 4 levels of fighter, while giving you weapon specialization, won't be as helpful as the greater skill points, better reflex saving throw, and the faster access to Ranger abilities.

Also, I'd dump the Iron Will feat and take Far Shot instead. Although it won't be useful very often, it has far more flavor than a slightly better will save.

I agree with the other poster who recommended for your stats:
28 point buy: Str 16, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 14, Chr 8

While the 18 dex would be a nice +1 to hit on all arrows, there will be times when those hit points are absolutely necessary.

I was considering Far Shot, but with the awesome range on the bow and the phenominal spell access rangers get I couldn't see it really being worthwhile. Spells accomplish what the feat does just as well and if they are that far away my character is going to be hiding and with the distance can pretty much do what he wants ahead of time.

Iron will was just to compensate for this character's weakness. He has a decent wisdom but will saves would be his one at-range weak point.

I can see your point about Con and certainly a higher con would make the versatility concept archer more feasable - if I dabbled in melee as well. I will consider it.

I am completely undecided on the fighter 4 or straight ranger though.

 

[Gaiden]

Choice of favoured enemy is a big thing if you're taking any ranger levels. What metaregion are you in? That determines things in a big way!

I'll be playing this character at gencon in: Dark Deciet on Bright Sands, The Price of Power, Secrets of Tsojcanth, and Return to the Undercity. I may try and play him before August as well to perhaps gain a level. I am located in Charlottesville, VA - which places me in Geoff. I have not fully read the description in the Living Greyhawk Gazetteer yet. Any suggestions on favored enemy choices? I was thinking I would take human just because they are so common. Another choice I was thinking about was outsiders (evil) and/or giants.