Standard Mounted Archery Builds?

[LaughingRogue]

Do they exist, can mounted archery be good --- what would a half decent build look like?

[Saintheart]

Archery already has trouble keeping up with melee without you having some cleric and/or some Dragon Magazine supplements, and still requires a lot of feats to do so. Mounted Archery adds that feat load and then demands a few more feats out of you for the privilege of bouncing your groin against something that is not of your species.

Had there been a ruling that Scout adds skirmish damage to his attacks while mounted and moving, it'd be more viable, but somebody at WOTC shot that through the eyes IIRC.

[Greenish]

It's a bit feat intensive, but the bigger problem is that it lots of space to be worth it. More space than you usually have, if you're, say, using battle maps.

If your DM ignores the scout errata (everyone should :smallfurious:), swift hunter would do pretty well. Ideally, you'd want to be small or smaller, with medium (or smaller) flying mount, so terrain or cramped spaces don't crimp your style.

[gorfnab]

Well, there is the Supermount (see spoiler). It's okay at archery but really the focus is the mount.

LG Strongheart Halfling
1. Paladin - Mounted Combat, Track
2. Paladin
3. Paladin - Skill Focus: Handle Animal (prereq for Beast Master)
4. Paladin
5. Paladin
6. Beastmaster - Devoted Tracker
7. Beastmaster
8. Wild Plains Outrider
9. Wild Plains Outrider - Mounted Archery
10. Wild Plains Outrider
11. Halfling Outrider
12. Halfling Outrider - Natural Bond
13. Halfling Outrider
14. Halfling Outrider
15. Halfling Outrider - Ride By Attack (or some other feat)
16. Halfling Outrider
17. Halfling Outrider
18. Halfling Outrider - Spirited Charge (or some other feat)
19. Halfling Outrider
20. Halfling Outrider

Special Mount: 18th level Paladin = Paladin 5 + Wild Plains 3 + Half-Out 10
Animal Companion: 18th level Druid = Beast Master 5 + Natural Bond 3 + Half-Out 10

Another Dragon Mount option can be found on page 136 of the Draconomicon.
You would be able to use it starting at level 11 with this build

If flaws are available take Point Blank Shot and Precise Shot to avoid the risk of hitting your allies that are involved in melee.
(equivalent paladin level 9 for mount abilities).

[Optimator]

The benefit of mounted archery is full attacking and moving. Any build based on full attacks benefit from being mounted. Getting an improved mount with Leadership or something is good too.