(3.5e) New Archer build

[Saitox]

Hello everybody. I was re-reading a manga recently and one of the characters gave me an idea for a character I'd like to play. I'm not sure however how I should go about it or even start. But the idea was an archer who was capable of using a large but not unwieldy bow (I was thinking of using the greatbow) and being able to fire spear sized arrows. I'm hoping that the answer isn't just taking a larger sized bow but since I've only been playing for about a year and a half I'm still not that good at making good builds. The amount of arrows he fires in the manga varies from 1 to about 5 I believe but if there is a way to fire more than that game wise I'd love to know. Thank you everybody.

[Keld Denar]

You'd need to be naturally largish. If your size is magically augemented, projectiles will revert to their origional size. You could go with Goliath as a base chassis which gives you Powerful Build (use a weapon +1 size bigger), and then take EWP Greatbow? Greatbow is normally 1d10 arrows, right? That would give you 2d8 sized arrows, which deal as much damage as two long spears duct-taped together.

Fluff-wise, your bow can be as big as you want it to be, within reason. Mechanics-wise, your massive bow would deal the same damage as someone elses normal sized bow unless you back the idea with mechanics like I described above.

As for an actual build...there are a few good archer builds. Sublime Chord gishes make decent magically infused archers, while Swift Hunter builds are great precision damage dealers who are able to get around the standard "no precision damage" clause of many monsters like undead and elementals. Goliath Scout4/Ranger16 would be about right, provided you could buy off the LA. It even fits the fluff of Goliaths decently enough.

[GoatBoy]

There's the Bone Bow, an exotic weapon from Frostburn, which is essentially a "big bow" that requires Exotic Weapon Proficiency and fires specially-made arrows.

Perhaps you could take a feat akin to Monkey Grip (Complete Warrior) and have it apply only to bows, too?

I think Raptorans (Races of the Wild) have the Footbow, too, which they actually hold with their feet and pull with both arms, while they are flying.

[Keld Denar]

Perhaps you could take a feat akin to Monkey Grip (Complete Warrior) and have it apply only to bows, too?

Like...Powerful Build? Thats why I suggested Goliath (or Half Giant, too).

Half Giant would also qualify for Psionic Shot, if you were so inclined...

[Eldariel]

Most appropriate is probably Icechucker from Frostburn which literally shoots spears. Only prob is, it's fairly bad, but there you go.

[Vizzerdrix]

Nothing wrong with just using a large size bow. only a -2 and it's not like you'll need it for power attacking.

[Darrin]

There's the Bone Bow, an exotic weapon from Frostburn, which is essentially a "big bow" that requires Exotic Weapon Proficiency and fires specially-made arrows.

That's... puzzling. The bone bow says you treat it as a composite longbow for applying the user's strength bonus, but doesn't specify that you have to buy the strength bonus in increments. It looks like no matter what your strength bonus is, you get all of it with a bone bow... that's actually quite handy. No more worries about "I'm at +2 Strength now, but what if someone casts bull's strength on me? Should I pay extra for a +4 bow just in case?" Much cheaper than paying 200 GP per +1 with the greatbow. Add Elvencraft for 300 GP (Races of the Wild p. 166) and it can be used/threatens as a quarterstaff.

[SurlySeraph]

You'd need to be naturally largish. If your size is magically augemented, projectiles will revert to their origional size.

Would Strongarm Bracers work?

[Sarakos]

Hello everybody. I was re-reading a manga recently and one of the characters gave me an idea for a character I'd like to play. I'm not sure however how I should go about it or even start. But the idea was an archer who was capable of using a large but not unwieldy bow (I was thinking of using the greatbow) and being able to fire spear sized arrows. I'm hoping that the answer isn't just taking a larger sized bow but since I've only been playing for about a year and a half I'm still not that good at making good builds. The amount of arrows he fires in the manga varies from 1 to about 5 I believe but if there is a way to fire more than that game wise I'd love to know. Thank you everybody.

Sounds like you have been reading Yureaka, one of my favorites :)

If I'm right, and you're talking about Ollie then assuming your trying to recreate him I would try to get the DM to houserule monkeygrip to apply to bows and get a large composite Greatbow. Ollie had almost no dexterity score to speak of in yureka having put everything in strength to up his damage and aimed his bow manualy. There's no way to dk that in 3.5 but the closest equivalent would probably be to prioritize your strength stat over dexterity, keeping dex only just high enough to reliably hit while uping strength at every possible opportunity. I picture Ollie as a bow using fighter though you can really build him pure fighter, pure ranger or any combination of the two (I would cap ranger levels at 3 since Ollie did not have an animal companion or spells). I don't remember him wearing armor but a mithral chain shirt should do you good for a long time, allowing a +6 dex bonus. Lastly make sure to pay to have the bow apply your strength bonus to damage. It's an extra 100gp I think per strength bonus you have.

Hope that helps, sorry for the wall of text and if Ollie is not who you were talking abou then completely disregard what I just said lol

[Keld Denar]

Would Strongarm Bracers work?

Yup. Those too. Either Powerful Build or Strongarm Bracers. I'd rather Powerful Build, since Bracers of Archery are sexy, but if you can't buy off the LA, then Goliath or Half Giant probably just arn't worth it.

[Cieyrin]

Yup. Those too. Either Powerful Build or Strongarm Bracers. I'd rather Powerful Build, since Bracers of Archery are sexy, but if you can't buy off the LA, then Goliath or Half Giant probably just arn't worth it.

Goliath opens up Cragtop Archer, though, which can be nice for your snipering needs with over-sized arrows. Another option would be Highland Stalker, which I'm fairly sure is a full-BAB skirmisher. I'm away from those books right now, but I'm fairly sure they work alright.

[Keld Denar]

Craigtop Archer. Because at some point, someone decided that there was a person ALLLLLLLLL the way over there, a couple miles away, and that they wanted to be able to fill them full of holes. Unfortunately, the distance was just TOOOOOOOO great to hit accurately.

Yea, there's an app PrC for that.

[golem1972]

Legacy weapons tend to suck, but their is a sling that increases the size of the bullets it throws by several steps. Just replace sling with bow and don't think about the penalties too much.

Other than that, I thought it might be a good idea to use the Soulbound weapon ACF that Psywarriors get to always have the perfect bow for your current target.

[Cieyrin]

Legacy weapons tend to suck, but their is a sling that increases the size of the bullets it throws by several steps. Just replace sling with bow and don't think about the penalties too much.

I love the Sling of the Dire Wind! It meshes wonderfully with Dungeoncrasher and Elemental Lodestones to crush your enemies at range with 2 handfuls of dice. :smallbiggrin:

[Saitox]

Sounds like you have been reading Yureaka, one of my favorites :)

If I'm right, and you're talking about Ollie then assuming your trying to recreate him I would try to get the DM to houserule monkeygrip to apply to bows and get a large composite Greatbow. Ollie had almost no dexterity score to speak of in yureka having put everything in strength to up his damage and aimed his bow manualy. There's no way to dk that in 3.5 but the closest equivalent would probably be to prioritize your strength stat over dexterity, keeping dex only just high enough to reliably hit while uping strength at every possible opportunity. I picture Ollie as a bow using fighter though you can really build him pure fighter, pure ranger or any combination of the two (I would cap ranger levels at 3 since Ollie did not have an animal companion or spells). I don't remember him wearing armor but a mithral chain shirt should do you good for a long time, allowing a +6 dex bonus. Lastly make sure to pay to have the bow apply your strength bonus to damage. It's an extra 100gp I think per strength bonus you have.

Hope that helps, sorry for the wall of text and if Ollie is not who you were talking abou then completely disregard what I just said lol

lol wow you hit it right on the dot with Ollie. I think your idea at the moment is the most sound because I just found out that my DM is only allowing elves for the next adventure he wants to run but he has yet to tell us if we're starting at a higher level or not. I was thinking of starting him off as a scout with a few levels in fighter. Any thoughts on that? Got a few enemies to hit in the whatchamacallit if you know what i mean ;)

[Sarakos]

I've never played a scout before but I after giving it a quick once over it looks much better suited to your Ollie needs than straight Fighter. I can also easily see Ollie as an elf. Although the some of the scouts abilities some more suited flavor wise to the whatsisname archer dude who hung with phuan in the dragonlands. Some googling found a pair of useful links for you though

General archery guide below
http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=642.0

Scout guide if you decide you are set on it
http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19872250/The_Scouts_Handbook

[Escheton]

Homebrew allowed?
Because I do recall some archery based Tome of Battle in the brewsection.