What makes the best Ranged Attacker?

[HeavyG]

I'm surprised nobody mentioned an elven cleric.

For example :
A cleric of Labelas Enoreth
Domains : Elf (for free point-blank shot) and Time (improved initiative)

Cool spells for an archer :
- Bull's Strength (extended and/or empowered if high level)
- Cat's Grace (ditto)
- Greater Magical Weapon (on bow and arrows of course )
- True Strike (from Elf domain)
- Haste (from Time domain)


(Maybe combined with the Order of the bow thingy at high levels.)

 

[Turlogh]

Re: Re: What makes the best Ranged Attacker?

A stone giant fighter with a sack of boulders, point blank shot (throw), rapid shot (throw) and quickdraw.

Tzarevitch

This is just nasty, mean!

 

[UniversalMonster]

What makes the best ranged attacker?

A hurled halfling, armed with punch daggers.

 

[Baron Von StarBlade]

I am playing an Elven Fighter/Order of the Bow right now. He is pretty buff when it comes to damage. My original plan was to lead him to the following path: Ftr5/Wiz2/OotBI8/AA5. This would given him the best of both worlds. Of course once the DM saw how nasty damage was getting he wouldnt' let me take the Wiz/Arcane Archer since the only way he was slowing my down was with DR. . of course now our resident Wiz just nails me with a Greater Magic Weapon at the beginning of the day

 

[Scarab]

Ooh. How did I manage to miss the Bow Initiate all this time? This fits better for my character then the Arcane Archer.

*grabs dice and makes new character*

 

[Storminator]

I DM a F5/OoBI2, elf with a 20 DEX, and he just pulverizes the opposition. With his magic bow, magic arrows and various feats he can easily get a +16 attack. Using Rapid Shot, that's 2 +14 attacks, for a d8+6 each (there's also the bonus damage, but I forget how that works right now).

The drop off when he gets into melee is rather astounding, but he still has good hp and decent AC. I'm just glad that archers are worth a damn in 3E.

PS

 

[Scarab]

I DM a F5/OoBI2, elf with a 20 DEX, and he just pulverizes the opposition. With his magic bow, magic arrows and various feats he can easily get a +16 attack. Using Rapid Shot, that's 2 +14 attacks, for a d8+6 each (there's also the bonus damage, but I forget how that works right now).

My Ftr6/Sor1/Arcane Archer 2 has 15/+10 to hit as base, and +13/+13/+8 with Rapid Shot. 1d8+7 damage. Add +1 to hit/damage when under 30 ft. due to Point Blank Shot. Can you say "pin cushion"?

And he's still good in melee.

 

[StealthyMark]

Has the archer companions? Are they able to provide constant substantial buffing spells like GMW, Cats Grace, Bulls Strength etc?

Then the Fighter, Fighter/OoBI or Fighter/Arcane Archer is truly the best Archer. He has high BAB, Weapon Spec and other goodies.

If your party counts on the Archer to provide also support, the pure Bard is a good Archer. High Dex, good enough BAB, healing, buffing and combat spells, crafting of magic items, many non-combat skills and the very good bardic music are on the Bard's plus side. A bard with Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Rapid Shot, Weapon Finesse and Craft Magic Arms and Armor is a force to reckon with.

BTW, altough a Bard would never qualify for a single character smackdown, a party with a Bard would surely.

 

[Gargoyle]

Don't know what the 'best' archer is, but I'm inclined to go with the psychic warrior or fighter, depending on taste.

My wife plays a human Sorcerer1/Fighter4/Paladin1 as an archer. She casts shield to avoid return fire, and true strike, and prays with every shot (like the sniper in Saving Private Ryan). Her next level will be in Order of the Bow Initiate. Currently she is frighteningly deadly at range, and has only begun to have time to scribe scrolls of true strike and shield.
Feats: Scribe Scroll, Point Blank Shot, Rapid Shot, Precise Shot, Weapon Focus: composite longbow, Weapon Specialization: composite longbow, Leadership.

I think she's got a pretty interesting character. As focused as she is on archery, her high Strength and Dexterity make her well suited to melee as well, and having a cohort to guard her back is going to help her a lot.

A couple of levels ago she scored no less than 3 critical hits on a dragon, doing most of the party's damage, and probably saving all of their lives.

Btw, through gameplay in an earlier campaign I've found that "Improved Rapid Shot" from the "How to create a feat" article in Dragon is boring and overpowered. If you use it, I'd still let it have a -1/-1 penalty. Better to have them pick something more interesting though.

 

[Zappo]

Psychic warrior has lots of cool powers for archers. Greater Metaphysical Weapon (works like grater magical weapon) is one. Animal affinity is also good. You also get a bunch of feats, and armor. I've made a halfling psychic warrior that throws (poisoned) shuriken and, although I haven't yet tested it, it looks very effective. If only I could find a bunch of flaming shocking freezing returning shuriken +5...