Skilled With Bows And Spells

[Koury]

So, one of my players has asked for help creating a character skilled with both bows and spells (to be like his Skyrim character, of course!). Problem is, I'm not sure of what a good way to go about this is...

First thing that comes to mind is SotAO Ranger, but I'm not terribly familiar with what it is and does. (Its a feat (ACF?) that gives Rangers access to Wizard spells? Or something like that?)

Anyway, the game will be starting at level 2, so being playable early matters here too. Not sure how long it will go, exactly, but into the early teens seems reasonable for an end.

Advice? I can and am perfectly willing to look things up myself, if pointed in the right direction. Just kinda at a loss of where to start. Never done much with bows, really. :smalleek:

[sonofzeal]

SotAO (http://www.realmshelps.net/cgi-bin/featbox.pl?feat=Sword_of_the_Arcane_Order) is best added on top of the Mystic Ranger (http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19872054/Alternative_Class_Features_III?pg=6) variant, which gives vastly accelerated magical power. Note that this combination is almost unfairly good in low level games, and should be used with caution lest books be thrown at your head!

[Novawurmson]

Cleric with the feat Zen Archery.

[Flickerdart]

SotAO Mystic Ranger is...not really fair at early levels. I would suggest a Cleric or Archivist Archer (with a Prestige Ranger dip for the juicy Ranger spells), or alternatively a Spellthief/Wizard/Unseen Seer for a sneakier version.

[Bovine Colonel]

What about a 2~4 level dip in the Pathfinder Arcane Archer on a mainly casting base?

[Koury]

SotAO (http://www.realmshelps.net/cgi-bin/featbox.pl?feat=Sword_of_the_Arcane_Order) is best added on top of the Mystic Ranger (http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19872054/Alternative_Class_Features_III?pg=6) variant, which gives vastly accelerated magical power. Note that this combination is almost unfairly good in low level games, and should be used with caution lest books be thrown at your head!

Thanks for the links, much appreciated.


SotAO Mystic Ranger is...not really fair at early levels. I would suggest a Cleric or Archivist Archer (with a Prestige Ranger dip for the juicy Ranger spells), or alternatively a Spellthief/Wizard/Unseen Seer for a sneakier version.


Cleric with the feat Zen Archery.

Valid options, all. Like I said, I'min unfamiliar territory trying to make bows good. I know Rangers have some nice spells to help with archery, and I knew SotAO gave them better spells overall, which is why I thought of it first. I can see the power inherent in SotAO Mystic comboing.

Not sure he'd like going divine, but then again, not sure he wouldn't. I think he wants to main his bow, with his casting supporting it, as opposed to being a caster who can fall back on bow skills, if that helps suggestions at all.

[Flickerdart]

Ok, in that case, go straight Bard, optimize Dragonfire Inspiration, shoot fire arrows at people, use your casting to help out with stuff that arrows can't reach.

[Gavinfoxx]

http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=10961.0

The Quickstart Cleric Archer!

[gorfnab]

Ok, in that case, go straight Bard, optimize Dragonfire Inspiration, shoot fire arrows at people, use your casting to help out with stuff that arrows can't reach.
Bard 8/ Arcane Archer 2/ Sublime Chord 2/ Abjurant Champion 5/ Sacred Exorcist or Ruathar 3 - Can also do Dragonfire Inspiration but has 9th level spells, 16 BAB, and the Imbue Arrow ability (Antimagic Field Arrows are fun)

[Flickerdart]

Yeah but it's also an elf. Ew.

[Manateee]

Rogue/Wizard/Unseen Seer works really smoothly, even from level 1.

Alternatively, Thrallherd. Be the bow. :p

[Shyftir]

I once made a duskblade/arcane archer build. Optimized? no. Fun? Oh yeah. The result was "bow and sword in one accord" + magic delivery for both. Named him Toruk Lizard-Slayer.

[Koury]

Alrighty, hes decided to go either Zen Cleric or DFI Bard. Thanks for the suggestions/direction guys. Appreciated.

[Telonius]

Alrighty, hes decided to go either Zen Cleric or DFI Bard. Thanks for the suggestions/direction guys. Appreciated.

Just a bit late here, but I'll offer a kind of nonstandard suggestion...

Re-fluff the Warlock. Instead of shooting a ray of eldritch doom at the target, it's a force arrow shot from a magic bow. Invocations are the "spells" he learns. Same mechanics as Warlock, definitely lower-powered, but it could be an interesting concept.

[Incanur]

I once made a duskblade/arcane archer build. Optimized? no. Fun? Oh yeah. The result was "bow and sword in one accord" + magic delivery for both.

I like the classic Susan build for its simplicity: duskblade 5/abjurant champion 5/arcane archer 10.

[Talionis]

I like the classic Susan build for its simplicity: duskblade 5/abjurant champion 5/arcane archer 10.

What is a Susan Build? Do you have a link?

[Manateee]

It's carnivore's arcane archer (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=525.msg69667#msg69667). The main draw is the early Epic weapon.
That's not much of a draw, IMO.