Whats so good about a Cleric Archer?

[Ao the Overkitty]

You mean with that ridiculous rule that suggests that:
Dropping a stone from your hand into a sling takes a move equivalent action

Actually, we weren't even aware of that rule. Now, with that, I would agree that Diab got "nerfed". Not simply because the stat boosters got dropped down to a minute per level and GMW got reduced to every 4 levels and didn't stack.

diab did become completely ineffective after the 3.5 quake hit faerun, I agreed with kevin on that

I know you did, and I agree that he ceased to be the character he created. I just don't agree that he was made useless and reduced to a support character.

 

[scholar]

alex, please define completely ineffective for me, and then re read your post.

 

[Numion]

The only downfall of the cleric archer is multiple stat dependency, and non-archer clerics already suffer from this. Adding DEX as a necessary stat is really painful. Many cleric archers are forced to make both INT (painful because of already low skill points) and CHA (painful for turning) dump stats.

In 3.0e this wasn't a big problem, because you had all those 1 h / level stat boosting spells.

I played such a character for 13 levels, and it rocked. My damage dealing generally matched the frontline tanks, but the main kick was that the cleric archer is very hard to kill. I had around 20 spells with 10 min / level duration active when the situation was 'on'. Elemental damage, paralyzation, poison, death effects etc.. didn't work.

(And thats how the cleric deals more damage than the normal fighter / ranger / whatever archers. They spend less time paralyzed, poisoned or dead. Makes the average damage higher quite easily, even though it was lower on paper.)

Anti-life shell was sometimes problematic (it can prevent your own people move) and doesn't help always, but when it's applied correctly .. oh boy is it good. It almost feels like cheating

 

[Ukyo the undead]

The only downfall of the cleric archer is multiple stat dependency, and non-archer clerics already suffer from this. Adding DEX as a necessary stat is really painful. Many cleric archers are forced to make both INT (painful because of already low skill points) and CHA (painful for turning) dump stats.

I think it could be solved by Zen archery (S&F). So the cleric will have his main stat workin also to the "to hit" stat.

 

[omnimpotent]

Tautage, I think it's mostly fixed in 3.5ed. I think the core of it was (in 3.0ed) the spell Greater Magic Weapon, which has been toned down, and the rule that enhancement bonuses stacked with the enhancement bonuses on missile ammunition.

Thus, in 3.0 edition, at 9th level, a cleric could Greater Magic Weapon on a bow to make it +3, and Greater Magic Weapon on the arrows, which would become +3. As these would have stacked, the character would have just provided themselves with a ranged +6 weapon for all purposes except damage reduction. This became +4/+4 (total +8) at 12th level, and +5/+5 (total +10) at 15th level. The spell lasts 1 hour/level, which is to say, the whole adventuring day. There is nothing stopping the character from handing these temporary magic weapons to a fighter-type with swell strength and dex stats, and the whole range of missile weapon feats plus longbow specialization.

Typical GMs do not tend to hand out +6 weapons to 9th level characters, and no one I know hands out +10 weapons at any level. Thus, some folks have considered this combination of spells and rules to be detrimental to game balance, which is why you have probably heard rants about it.

 

[Greybar]

Can I take a stab at a non-mechanical comment:

It seems like a good idea that your important healer and spellcaster would be not be on the front line, waiting to get an axe to the head, but instead be aiding from 10 feet back with a bow to help with offense or a quick step up with a healing spell for defense.

From that non-rules tactical note, I'm sure you can then make something useful regardless of what version of teh rule system you're using.

john
p.s. who is tempted to step over to run TOEE to try out the idea in practice - it's a good proof of concept game.