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View Full Version : Order of the Bow Master (3.5 prc fix PEACH)



dspeyer
2012-02-13, 03:21 AM
Prerequisites: Spot (5 ranks), Craft (bowmaking) (2 ranks), Point-blank shot, precise shot



levelfortrefwillbabspecial
10201vulnerable target +1d8
20302close combat shot
31313vulnerable target +2d8
41414extended precision
51415vulnerable target +3d8
62526prolonged targetting
72527vulnerable target +4d8
82628specific targetting
93639vulnerable target +5d8
1037310extra-swift targetting


Hit die: d8
Skills: 4+int
Class skills: Climb, Craft, Knowledge(arcana, dungineering, nature, religion or the planes), Listen, Ride, Search, Spot, Swim

vulnerable target
As a swift action, you may find a vulnerable target on your enemy and aim at it. This gives you a damage bonus on the next arrow you shoot at that enemy (if the arrow misses, the bonus is wasted). Usually this arrow will be fired immediately, but if not, the bonus remains usable until you take your eyes of the target or it moves 5 feet. To find the target, you must first make a dc 10 knowledge check for the creature based on its type (humanoids use knowledge(nature) because anatomically they're just another type of animal) and then make a dc 10 spot check to actually see the vulnerable point (remember any circumstance penalties, such as distance). Make the knowledge check once for each enemy, but the spot check each time you use this ability.

close combat shot
Do not take attacks of opportunity for firing a bow.

extended precision
If you have an ability (such as sneak attack) that requires you to be within 30ft, it now functions within 60 ft.

prolonged targetting
Instead of a swift action, you may spend a full-round action choosing your target. If you do, all the d8s of bonus damage roll 8s.

specific targetting
Instead of targetting for maximum damage, you may target to inflict a condition. This decision must be made when you perform the targetting. The condition lasts until the target receives magical healing (including su fast healing) or heals naturally to full hit points. You can only target anatomy the creature has.

In some cases, hitting the last of an organ has a greater effect than the previous ones. Also, only a few targets can effectively be hit multiple times.



targetloseeffectrepeatable?
legs1d8-10 speedn
last leg1d8can only take 5ft crawlsn
wings1d8lose one maneuverability category, or if already clumsy, become unable to flyy
arms2d8-2 stacking penalty to attacks using that arm, including 2-handed weaponsn
eyes3d8-5 to spot, flat-footed against 1/n of attacksn
last eye3d8blindn
ears3d8-5 to listenn
last ear3d8deafn
intestines4d81d4 con damagey
artery4d81d8 ongoing damagey



extra-swift targetting
You may take two swift actions in a round, provided both are used for targetting.

PersonMan
2012-02-13, 10:59 AM
I came here from the Order of the Bow Initiate thread you mentioned this in. The very first thing that I noticed when looking over the class was that, well, it wasn't fun to look at. While the formatting can be a pain in the rear to learn, it's vital to have a good and (to a certain extent) professional-looking post or people will glance at it and say 'this is terrible' and leave again.


Prerequisites: Spot (5 ranks), Craft (bowmaking) (2 ranks), Point-blank shot, precise shot

Fairly solid. Not entirely sure why Craft (bowmaking) is really necessary. Looks like you're going for a Ranger entry.

I think you misspoke, though, and meant to say

Entry Requirements:
Skills: Craft (bowmaking) 2 ranks, Spot 5 ranks
Feats: Point-Blank Shot, Precise Shot




{table=head]level|fort|ref|will|bab|special
1|0|2|0|1|vulnerable target +1d8
2|0|3|0|2|close combat shot
3|1|3|1|3|vulnerable target +2d8
4|1|4|1|4|extended precision
5|1|4|1|5|vulnerable target +3d8
6|2|5|2|6|prolonged targetting
7|2|5|2|7|vulnerable target +4d8
8|2|6|2|8|specific targetting
9|3|6|3|9|vulnerable target +5d8
10|3|7|3|10|extra-swift targetting[/table]
Hit die: d8
Skills: 4+int
Class skills: Climb, Craft, Knowledge(arcana, dungineering, nature, religion or the planes), Listen, Ride, Search, Spot, Swim


I herd you liek tables... (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=205677)

In other news:

Hit Die: d8
Skill Points per Level: 4 + Intelligence modifier
Class Skills: The order of the bow master's class skills (and the key ability for those skills) are... Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (Dungeoneering) (Int), Knowledge (Nature) (Int), Knowledge (Religion) (Int), Knowledge (the Planes) (Int), Listen (Wis), Ride (Dex), Search (Int), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str)

{table=head]Level|BAB|Fort Save|Ref [br] Save|Will [br] Save|Special

1st|+1|+0|+2|+0|Vulnerable Target +1d8

2nd|+2|+0|+3|+0|Close Combat Shot

3rd|+3|+1|+3|+1|Vulnerable Target +2d8

4th|+4|+1|+4|+1|Extended Precision

5th|+5|+1|+4|+1|Vulnerable Target +3d8

6th|+6/+1|+2|+5|+2|Prolonged Targeting

7th|+7/+2|+2|+5|+2|Vulnerable Target +4d8

8th|+8/+3|+2|+6|+2|Specific Targeting

9th|+9/+4|+3|+6|+3|Vulnerable Target +5d8

10th|+10/+5|+3|+7|+3|Extra-Swift Targeting [/table]

Not much to say yet. Here comes the fun part...

Ah! Before I go on, however, you forgot proficiency. While it doesn't seem important, it's a good idea to have, just for completion's sake.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: An order of the bow master gains no new proficiency with weapons or armor.



[B]vulnerable target
As a swift action, you may find a vulnerable target on your enemy and aim at it. This gives you a damage bonus on the next arrow you shoot at that enemy (if the arrow misses, the bonus is wasted). Usually this arrow will be fired immediately, but if not, the bonus remains usable until you take your eyes of the target or it moves 5 feet. To find the target, you must first make a dc 10 knowledge check for the creature based on its type (humanoids use knowledge(nature) because anatomically they're just another type of animal) and then make a dc 10 spot check to actually see the vulnerable point (remember any circumstance penalties, such as distance). Make the knowledge check once for each enemy, but the spot check each time you use this ability.


Well, first off there's the formatting, but primarily there are the following questions anyone playing the class has:

What type of ability is this? Looks like (Ex), but I think there's an obscure bit of RAW that says that unlabeled = (Su), which means you can't focus on a target's weak point in an AMF...huh?
What does 'taking your eyes off the target' mean?

As for the ability itself, I'd advise to drop the Knowledge, Spot and movement thing. Archers are already getting the short end of the stick, adding a bunch of special conditions for using a primary PrC ability...it's not the best of ideas. IMO, you should always be using the signature ability of your PrC if it's this sort of thing, not only after making two checks.

Oh, and technically, this ability doesn't do anything. Be sure to add the table stuff to the text. In this case, I'd add: "The next ranged attack you make deals an extra 1d8 points of damage, increasing by 1d8 every odd level."


close combat shot
Do not take attacks of opportunity for firing a bow.

Cool, but it's lacking the descriptor and a 'proper' explanation, something like "Your mastery of the bow allows you to fire even while twisting and turning to avoid enemy attacks, you no longer provoke attacks of opportunity for making ranged attacks with a bow."


extended precision
If you have an ability (such as sneak attack) that requires you to be within 30ft, it now functions within 60 ft.

Cool. I'd just say that the range for any range-based ability is increased by 30', though.


prolonged targetting
Instead of a swift action, you may spend a full-round action choosing your target. If you do, all the d8s of bonus damage roll 8s.

Does this include firing the shot? If so, it's alright, if not...eh. I'd add an attack bonus, something like: "If you, instead of taking a swift action, spend a full-round action choosing your target, you gain an attack bonus equal to half of your class level and the extra damage from your Vulnerable Target* ability is maximized. The ranged attack is made as part of this action."

*Ability names are capitalized, class ones aren't.


specific targetting
Instead of targetting for maximum damage, you may target to inflict a condition. This decision must be made when you perform the targetting. The condition lasts until the target receives magical healing (including su fast healing) or heals naturally to full hit points. You can only target anatomy the creature has.

In some cases, hitting the last of an organ has a greater effect than the previous ones. Also, only a few targets can effectively be hit multiple times.

{table=head]target|lose|effect|repeatable?
legs|1d8|-10 speed|n
last leg|1d8|can only take 5ft crawls|n
wings|1d8|lose one maneuverability category, or if already clumsy, become unable to fly|y
arms|2d8|-2 stacking penalty to attacks using that arm, including 2-handed weapons|n
eyes|3d8|-5 to spot, flat-footed against 1/n of attacks|n
last eye|3d8|blind|n
ears|3d8|-5 to listen|n
last ear|3d8|deaf|n
intestines|4d8|1d4 con damage|y
artery|4d8|1d8 ongoing damage|y[/table]

"you may target to inflict a condition" sounds awkward. Perhaps something like "Instead of [...] you may instead target a specific part of the body for a different effect, based on the body part you target."

I'd reword the next part to say "In some cases, the repeated targeting of a single body part causes an additional effect. Only some body parts can be targeted multiple times."

Another thing, it's unusual to add such a variety of options in a single level. I'd advise giving it from level 1, with new options being 'unlocked' as you gain enough damage to give up for them rather than them all coming at once. Maybe give a bonus feat where you gave this ability so there isn't a dead level.

Instead of a table, I'd make it akin to new Bardic Music or such effects - that is, like this:

Specific Targeting (Ex): Instead of targeting for maximum damage, you may instead target a specific part of the body for a different effect, based on the body part you target. This decision must be made when you perform the targeting. The effect lasts until the target receives magical healing (including (Su) fast healing) or heals naturally to full hit points. You can only target anatomy the creature has.

In some cases, the repeated targeting of a single body part causes an additional effect. Only some body parts can be targeted multiple times.

Legs: You may target the legs (or similar method of locomotion) of a creature. If you do so, you deal 1d8 less extra damage but, if you hit, the target's speed is reduced by 10 feet.

Rinse, repeat.

(I'd add saves to some of them, perhaps allowing the further reduction of damage to make the DC higher.)


extra-swift targetting
You may take two swift actions in a round, provided both are used for targetting.

Cool. I'd change the wording to "You may take an additional swift action each round, as long as the second one is used for your Vulnerable Target ability."

A final comment, I'd add the level at which you get each ability to the description. "At level X an order of the bow master can..." "Starting at level X, an order of the bow master's mastery of the bow allows them to..." etc.