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LaughingRogue
2010-03-24, 02:19 AM
Books - Sources allowed in the game: (only exception is that only base races are allowed)
Complete Adventurer (CAd)
• Complete Arcane (CAr)
• Complete Divine (CD)
• Complete Mage (CM)
• Complete Scoundrel (CS)
• Complete Warrior (CW)
• Dragon Magazine #315/#319
Greyhawk feat articles (D315 and
D319)
• Frostburn (Fr)
• Miniatures Handbook (MH)
• Player’s Handbook 2 (PH2)
• Races of Destiny (RD)
• Races of the Dragon (RDr)
• Races of Stone (RS)
• Races of the Wild (RW)
• Sandstorm (Sa)
• Spell Compendium (SpC)
• Stormwrack (Sto)


Using the above for Prestige Classes and Feats I'd like to build the best Mounted archer that I can

I would like it to be a halfling mounted Archer -- but this is not absolutely necessary.

I have very little idea of what to do except that I definitely need to take:
Mounted Combat/archter, Point Blank, Precise, Rapid, Many Shot -- to be effective

Any help would be absolutely appreciated -- but help that comes from books not mentioned above (ie: Swordsage would be great for this (just an example)), is not really appreciated.

Thanks for all your help guys,

thubby
2010-03-24, 02:34 AM
whatever your class, you want a riding dog; they can enter dungeons.
I'm no optimizer but I would suggest a ranger or something that gets a magic mount because otherwise your mount is going to die a LOT

Eldariel
2010-03-24, 07:52 AM
First, decide how you get the mount. Options:

Leadership (many magical beasts and such are available as Cohorts)
Wild Cohort (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20031118a)
Dragon Cohort [Draconomicon]
Spellcasting (Lesser Planar Binding can get you a Nightmare, which is badass)
Paladin/Druid/Ranger-levels with 1 level of Beastmaster [CAdv] (Devoted Tracker [CAdv] + Halfling Outrider [CWar] can stack your levels for a really impressive mount; Prestige Paladin (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/prestigiousCharacterClasses.htm#prestigePaladin) makes it all the better as you get Mount with less levels) - combine with Dragon Steed [Drac] to get a badass Dragon mount.


That's really in order of trouble. Feats are the easiest way, spellcasting if you happen to have it, and if you want a really kickass Mount, there's the option of burning tons of class levels on getting one (it'll have a lot of bonuses from your effective Paladin/Druid-level and they keep scaling; you can get a 50 HD Dragon by level 20).

Oh, and Races of Stone IIRC has some feats for riding medium dungeons with "oversized" (Large) mounts.


Other than that, you're an archer so you gotta figure out how you're dealing damage. Magic weapon helps, but you need some more. Archery Handbook (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=642.40) covers something. Basically, you have 4 options here:

Precision-damage α la Swift Hunter (Scout/Ranger) or Rogue. Neither is stellar mounted, though if you don't use errata, Swift Hunter can work. Principal issue here is the short range of Precision damage and difficulty of qualifying while mounted.
Spells. Again, spells are the easiest way to boost your generic damage. Particularly Archivist or Cleric with Divine Metamagic: Persist Spell can do well though e.g. Unseen Seer can perform too. If you don't want to be spellcaster, this isn't an option, of course.
ToB. Tome of Battle offers a few maneuvers which can be used while mounted and hit you just where the help is needed, α la Dancing Mongoose, Raging Mongoose and Time Stands Still. Warblade also qualifies for some key feats like Weapon Specialization > Ranged Weapon Mastery [PHBII].
Purely Martial. This requires the most work, but if you dumpster-dive for every source of generic bonus damage, various Rage-like abilities (btw, Whirling Frenzy (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/classFeatureVariants.htm#rageVariantWhirlingFrenzy ) is amazing for mounted damage and extra attacks), etc. you can get a respectable concoction. Starting with Ranger > Pious Templar of Ehlonna is a good starting point, for example. This gets you to Ranged Weapon Mastery. Then just Knowledge Devotion [CChamp] and so on.


I had a Level 20 Pure Fighter Archer (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=163500) built if you're interested; it's not finessed, since it's, well, a pure Fighter but it showcases what you can do with Fighters. Note that you'll want Splitting [CoR] bow OR Raptor Arrows [MiC]. Can't really have both since...well, splitting your 8000gp arrows, unless your DM somehow makes them merge afterwards (they're returning normally so you needn't worry about getting 'em back), really sucks.

EDIT: Missed you don't have Complete Champion, Champions of Ruin & Tome of Battle on the "allowed"-list. Frowntown. Population: 1. Me. Well then, ignore the "Knowledge Devotion", "Martial Adept" and "Splitting"-parts, pick up Raptor Arrows and decide which way you wanna go.

Triaxx
2010-03-24, 08:16 AM
Given that you have both Complete Adventurer and Complete Warrior, the best mix seems to be:

Ranger 6/Halfling Outrider 5/Wild Plains Outrider 5/Ranger 4

Alternately, you could pick up Cavalier after the two PrC's for some close range power. Or even drop it between the two.

LaughingRogue
2010-03-25, 06:24 PM
thanks guys for all of your help much appreciated,

I am currently looking through all of your suggestions -- some of the books can be allowed in that aren't up there:

like things from a complete or Races of book shouldn't be hard to convince my DM about,
on the other hand things from Tome of Battle, they are not going to be allowed.

lol@ frowntown comment :D