Updated classes from Complete Warrior/Psionic Kensai Archer Build

[Cephid]

Fighter 4 is the new archer prestige class. Grab Weapon Focus, Weapon Specialization, and Ranged Weapon Mastery.

or Fighter 2/Warblade 2 (and with war blade you can swap all three feats onto your Kensai staff/bow!)

I don't think that will work- as I recall Powerful Build (and the related Monkey Grip) only apply to melee weapons, not projectile weapons.

That could be a problem. Do you know where to find the most up to date text for Powerful Build.

One thing you could try for giggles is to have a Quiver of Ehlonna with your "backup" badass bow stored safely inside. Its your real chosen weapon.

THAT is the one you had made for when you want to use your Kensai's power-surge...you know, that +8 Str you get for a few rounds?

Where do I find the Quiver of Ehlonna? I had intended to use the +8 str in melee with my bow used as a staff.

I see what you are saying about qualifing for Kensai, but warblade gets Concentration and Diplomacy, Fighter get ride so Warblade1/Fighter 2-3/Warblade 4-5 gets me BAB+5, ride:5, Diplomacy and Concentration:7. (this way I get a 2nd level stance too)
Combat Expertise, Weapon Focus (Bow) from fighter bonus.
The only difficult bit is Alignment: Lawful!!

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

The QoE is a standard magic item in the DMG.

Powerful Build is in the XPH and Races of Stone, under Half-Giants and Goliaths, respectively.

Depending upon the flavor you want you might want to take a look at some other, less obvious PrCls.

For instance, the Kineticist PrCl lets you sheath your weapon (or ammo) in a single energy type. http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20040625e

The Elemental Warrior can do something similar.

The Soulbow, a Soulknife PrCl, lets you channel your inner "Hank the Ranger." (You know, from the D&D cartoon from the 1980s??)

 

[blargney the second]

or Fighter 2/Warblade 2 (and with war blade you can swap all three feats onto your Kensai staff/bow!)

Warblade levels count as fighter -2 for prerequisites, so you'd need fighter 2/warblade 4 to get WS and RWM.

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

Another Idea (which could be incorperated) is to be a half giant, take exotic weapon profficiency: great bow (1d10 or 2d8 as half giant.)
use the Bo9S stance which lets weapons count as 1 size larger for a bow that does 3d8 base damage.

I should point out, this doesn't work, or is at least questionable. As a half-giant with powerful build, you're already using a large weapon (specifically a weapon a size larger than you), and the stance, Giant's Stance, has a limit to treating you as up to Large size. So really, the question is which ability applies first? Since your racial features are "always on," I'd be inclined to say powerful build....

As a side note, I often find it funny. It's easier to get a Huge weapon as a human than as a goliath/half-giant. It's because both are monstrous humanoids. They thus can only use Expansion, not Enlarge Person, but the former has 1/10 the duration. Add in the Strongarm Bracers, which specifically don't stack with powerful build, and...it's kind of silly, isn't it?
/rant

2nd round: Stay in nice, hard to reach position and full attack from above. (maybe take crag top for +2 damage)

Cragtop Archer's mostly good for the crazy ranges you can pull off, if your DM allows you to get in situations where you can engage foes from thousands of feet away. I don't think it's worth it just for the damage.

 

[Nifft]

Warblade levels count as fighter -2 for prerequisites, so you'd need fighter 2/warblade 4 to get WS and RWM.

Yep yep. Or (the superior option) just plain Warblade 6.

Blood in the Water may be my favorite stance for archery ever.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Nifft]

Human: Dex > Str > Int > Con > whatever

1/ Warblade 1 -- Point Blank Shot, Rapid Shot
2/ Fighter 1 -- [Weapon Focus (bows)]
3/ Fighter 2 -- [Precise Shot], Quickdraw
4/ Warblade 2
5/ Warblade 3
6/ Warblade 4 -- Weapon Spec (bows)
7/ Warblade 5 -- [Improved Initiative]
8/ Warblade 6
9/ Warblade 7 -- Ranged Weapon Mastery (piercing)

- - - ALTERNATELY - - -

Human: Cha >= 12, otherwise as above

1/ Warblade 1 -- Point Blank Shot, Rapid Shot
2/ Bard 1
3/ Bard 2 -- Song of the White Raven
4/ Warblade 2
5/ Warblade 3
6/ Warblade 4 -- Weapon Focus (shortbow)
7/ Warblade 5 -- [Quickdraw]
8/ Warblade 6
9/ Warblade 7 -- Weapon Spec (shortbow)
10/ Warblade 8
11/ Warblade 9 -- [Improved Initiative]
12/ Warblade 10 -- Ranged Weapon Mastery (piercing)

- - -

Usable maneuvers for both builds:

1 - Moment of Perfect Mind (DM/counter), Bolstering Voice (WR/stance), Leading the Charge (WR/stance), Sudden Leap (TC/boost), Hunter's Sense (TC/stance), Blood in the Water (TC/stance)

2 - Wall of Blades (IH/counter)

3 - Insightful Strike (IH/strike -- not useful at range, but great in conjunction with a spiked gauntlet if you're forced into melee), Iron Heart Surge (IH/-), Absolute Steel Stance (IH/stance), Lion's Roar (WR/boost -- unlike the similar TC boost, this one works with ranged attacks), White Raven Tactics (WR/boost), Bonecrusher (SD/strike -- as a setup to pelting with arrows)

4 - Covering Strike (WR/strike), White Raven Strike (WR/strike) -- both of these are so you can run away from a melee dude without attracting AoOs.

5 - Hearing the Air (DM/stance), Rapid Counter (DM/counter), Disrupting Blow (DM/strike -- another escape strike), Dancing Mongoose (TC/boost), Press the Advantage (WR/stance)

6 - Greater Insightful Strike (DM/strike), Iron Heart Endurance (IH/boost), Manticore Parry (IH/counter)

7 - Quicksilver Motion (DM/boost)

8 - Diamond Defense (DM/counter), Stance of Alacrity (DM/stance), Lightning Throw (IH/strike), Raging Mongoose (TC/boost)

9 - Time Stands Still (DM/strike)

- - -

You'll have Quickdraw in both builds, so take some melee Strikes too.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Zelc]

I'm a huge fan of the Chameleon Archer. Leading in with Cleric of Trickery 5 (DMM, crafting feats with Practiced Spellcaster) or Cloistered Cleric of Trickery 1/Fighter 4 (DMM, RWM) are both good choices. You get insane Wisdom bonuses for Zen Archery, every single good divine spell for archery (Swift Haste, Hunter's Precision, Divine Favor, Divine Power, Greater Magic Weapon, Kelpstrand), plus at high levels you also get the +4/+4 with dual focus.

 

[ardentmoth]

*HOUSE-RULES COMMENT TO FOLLOW*

Well, I once saw a 20-level Kensai base-class that was posted on teh innernettes. I'll see if I can find it....

 

[Cephid]

Looks like we have some interesting stuff here.
I'll have to take a better look at Bo9S and check all those stances etc.
I'd rather go something(s) 5/Kensai x. That way I don't loose a single enhancement bonus.
(also, Warblade 6 only nets me 4 points in ride so I still can't get Kensai.)

Blood in the Water sounds TERRIBLE for archery. you rarely ever get crits, and when you do it's only +1 for 1 min!

I'll have to look at Chameleon Archer too. Not Familiar.

But here is something that is interesting:
"Full Ranged Attack: You can make a full ranged attack from your moving mount. If your mount makes a single move, you make all your ranged attacks either before or after the movement, and the rules assume your mount is stationary when you shoot."

I think people have a tendency to forget mounts a lot.
What about Scout/Ranger on a horse?!?!
Instead of the stupid Many shot, get a horse with horseshoes of speed. Each round move 60', then Full attach and rappid shot and extra shot from boots of speed etc. You get your full skirmish to every attack!

The build I'm currently looking at is:
Human
1) Warblade: Exotic weapon(great bow), Weapon focus(bow)
2)fighter: Expertise
3) Fighter: Point blank shot, Rappid shot
4) Fighter
5) Fighter: Bow Specilasition
6) Kensai: Leadership to get good mount cohort, (+1 enhancement)
7) Kensai: Surge (+8 str)
8) Kensai: (Holly)
9) Kensai: Ranged weapon Mastery, (wounding)
10) Kensai: (some other good ability...)

I take Strong arm braces (as suggested) for 2d8 base damage.
+3/+4 from fighter feats.
Each round move and full attack.
Didn't have to buy a weapon, so heaps of spare money for Bane arrows and other gear.
Make my Bow sizing to act like Power shot. One size bigger gets -4 to hit, +1d8(4.5 ave.) damage.

I was hoping to get sizing/morphing so my bow shifts to account for my changing str score.

I don't even need mounted archery, as my mount can just take single move actions.

Nets some pretty massive damage and all of my attacks work at any range.
Also, if I can shoot someone from 720' away, all my arrows are in the air from my full attack before the first shot hits the target!! (based on typical arrow speeds of the net)

So what do you think?

 

[Nifft]

Blood in the Water sounds TERRIBLE for archery. you rarely ever get crits, and when you do it's only +1 for 1 min!

I think you're overlooking three things.

1/ Archers get more full attacks. If you take two shots, you have a 9.75% chance of threatening a crit. Compounded over 10 rounds at a mere 2 shots/round, you have a 64.15% chance of at least one crit threat. And that's just at 1st level. When you have four attacks/round (at 6th level, with haste on), you have an 18.54% chance of threatening a crit each round, or an 87.15% chance of threatening at least one crit each minute. Once you get Keen arrows or Improved Critical, things improve, of course.

2/ The bonus stacks with itself. It can get quite high if you crit a lot.

3/ It works with melee, too. So whip out your Keen Kukri / Rapier / Scimitar / Falchion, surprise the next fool to charge you, and turn the bonus into extra ranged damage.

Cheers, -- N