Which 3rd Level Feat?

[Swiftbrook]

I need some help deciding on my characters 3rd level feat. I'm playing a Ranger 2/Fighter 1 (archer type) in the Living Greyhawk campaign.

As of gaining 3rd level he has:
Point Blank Shot
Percise Shot
Track
Rapid Shot
one open feat slot

Before adding the new feat I have:
BAB with longbow +9
BAB with melee weapon +5

My current ideas for the open feat are:
Weapon Focus (Longbow) With the +1 TH from this feat and the +1 BAB I'll get at 3rd level, the two offset the -2 Rapid Shot penalty.

Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Bastard Sword) This give me a hard hitting backup weapon when I join melee. It allows me to use a shield in melee as well. As I'm primarily an archer, I try to avoid melee.

Other What other feat suggestions do you have and why?

-Swiftbrook

 

[Demoquin]

What are your stats? If you are going a DEX route, i would suggest Finesse as it increases your melee chances to hit. Then DEX becomes good for AC, melee and ranged AB, and also reflex saves.

Quickdraw can be useful as well when you need to switch your bow to a melee weapon.

 

[Jdvn1]

I'd go for Weapon Focus (Longbow), or Combat Expertise to chain into Sense Weakness (from Draconomicon) as well as some of the ranged feats from the Complete Warrior.

 

[Taloras]

Do your enemies tend to use cover? Sharp-shooting from Complete Warrior removes some of their AC bonus due to cover.

Or try Coordinated Shot from Heroes of Battle. Or Ready shot from the same book.

If you have 5 ranks in hide, Able Sniper from Races of the Wild might be a good idea...or Defensive Archery, also from Races of the Wild. At 6th level, Woodland Archer from Races of the Wild might be useful(plan for it?)

 

[Aust Diamondew]

If you fight in the open alot (and don't do alot of dungeon crawling) I recommend far shot or beginning the mounted combat feat chain. If you go mounted combat, take the mounted combat feat now and at level 6 take mounted archery and when you get your animal companion you should make it a horse.

Between the two options you listed I'd go with weapon focus.

 

[Hejdun]

I would recommend Weapon Finesse. Since you'll be pumping up dex like no other, it'd be good to be able to switch to a melee weapon that you can at least hit a lot with. Since finesse restricts you to light weapons, I would think about also taking TWF, so that if you get into melee, you can start chop sueying stuff up. It's costly at two feats (plus needing magic/cold iron/etc. weapons for DR for two extra weapons), but it'll be a lot better than a bastard sword.

Also consider that a shield (except a buckler) is a waste for you, since you'd need to retrieve it and put it on, a waste of a full round, plus another move equivelant to draw your sword. Seeing as how most times you'll only resort to melee as a last resort (and on the fly), it makes more sense for you to save time and just spend a single move equivelant action getting ready for melee.

 

[Legildur]

I have a similar character running in the World's Largest Dungeon.

But I went Rgr1/Ftr3 (so far).

Feats are Wpn Focus (longbow), Track, Precise Shot, Rapid Shot, and Sharp Shooting.

I've had a lot of mileage from Sharp Shooting, and predominantly I'm firing from the 2nd rank when fighting in corridors.

However, I'd definately go for Wpn Focus as a prereq for Wpn Specialisation.

As for bastard sword... you can save a feat and and just use a longsword in either one or two hands (trust me, even as an archer in a party of 7, I've had plenty of hand-to-hand work to do). Quickdraw would be useful for transition to melee.

 

[Starglim]

Definitely more enhancement to the longbow. EWP (bastard sword) effectively gives you +1 to damage on a weapon that's 4 points of attack bonus off your best attack.

I'd even offer counter-suggestions of:

• Weapon Finesse and taking up the rapier if you need better melee attacks.
• Using a greatsword, unless you have one of those inconvenient GMs who's likely to ask where you carry it.

You already need both hands free to use a bow, so if you're caught in melee you won't have time to prepare a heavy shield, and I don't think it's worth taking a feat for the benefit of meleeing with a light shield or buckler.

 

[Taloras]

Weapon finesse would be a very useful one. Especially if you can get 2 gloves of storing....keep a bow in one and a rapier in the other. its a free action to store or retrieve an item....so if you get caught in melee, simply store the bow and draw the rapier as 2 free actions.

 

[Particle_Man]

I say go with your strengths. I would take Far Shot (unless you never are out in the open) since that helps more than weapon focus when you are beyond your range increment. Between the two I would take WF: Long Bow.