Input for pathfinder arcane archer

[Zeritel]

So I started working on a character concept recently for a pathfinder campaign with some friends. I've played a few games before, but never really done anything past 8th level. I'm not looking for a powerhouse combo but for something that would be fun in the long run. Just want to make sure what I'm getting myself into isn't going to super fail.

Firstly the DM requires all characters to be human, and has waived all racial requirements for class training. What I'm thinking is (in progression order):

6 levels of ranger (Seems the bonus feats would help get me off the ground faster)
2 levels of deep-wood sniper - we've got to do a little conversion for this but I figure once I get elemental burst arrows having the increased weapon threat range and the 4x multiplier will make the bursts hit even harder. Should be cool
1 level of wizard or Soercer....I've never played/multiclassed a spell caster before. As a wizard i want to be transmutation school. The buffs I get would be neat and provide a little more utility to the party that's needed, plus at max Arcane Archer rank I'd have elemental form. And flying around as an air elemental, summoning cyclones, and busting out arrows at all my airborn foes seems like it might be super fun.
From here...max Arcane Archer

Our group makeup includes a Paladin, fighter, bard (npc), monk, cleric, and myself. Most of these are firs time players and we expect in the long run the cleric will drop out of our campeign as well as probably either the monk or the fighter.

Oh and my starting stats (+2 human bonus included)

Str 16

Dex 20

Con 14

Int 15

Wis 10

Cha 8

Any major flaws or things I should be aware of?

Thanks in advance!

[Halae]

Any major flaws or things I should be aware of?

Thanks in advance!

as near as I can tell, your only bad on 2 points

1. Humans can't become Arcane Archers. It is an Elf and Half-Elf prestige class only. If you still want the variable +2 bonus, go for Half-Elf

2. Why do you have con listed twice? if the second one is supposed to be charisma, I understand the issue. guess that limits you to wizard rather than sorcerer

[DeMouse]

my reccomendation is to take summoner instead of wizard or sorc and bump up you cha a bit if possible (trade with con id say), that way you could use imbue arrow to shoot someone and create an interdenominational pit underneath them.

my idea about playing an arcane archer is more about maxing out single shot's (standard actions) damage and not bothering with full round attacks.



try something like 8 summoner (gets you a large edion to use as a unique flying mount, has medium bab so no need to take ranger levels. no fireball or other high damage spells tho so you would be limited to adding summon swarm and create pit type spells to your attacks) or

6 sorcerer (better blasty and higher level spells to add to your attacks, would mean you need to take the 3 in ranger tho as it would put ur bab at 3 )
3 Ranger (only for if you take sorc for feats and meeting the bab requirement )


10 arcane archer

and make sure you find that feat which lets you add +20 to the attack roll if you use a move to line up the shot and fire as a standard (im quite sure the feat ahs sniper in the name), then us the swift to add arcane strike for +5 attack and damage on top of enchantments, and take focussed shot to add your int modifier onto ranged damage rolls when you shoot as a standard action, on the standard attack use imbued arrow to attach a spell (EG fireball/Hungry Pit).


extreme range sniper who's shots set off spells, with this much range you wouldn't need con.


TLDR: as far as i am concerned any arcane archer not built around sniping from extreme range with close spells is doing it wrong

[Akal Saris]

Looks good to me!

Make sure to pick up Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, and Rapid Shot early on, and Improved Precise Shot is a must-have as your ranger 6th level feat. With those stats I would definitely go with transmuter if that's what interests you, it's a strong school and hard to go wrong with it.