[PF] New to gaming, need help planning a character

[pebcak_error]

Greetings all. I'm fairly new to this whole D&D thing though I've wanted to play since my youth. I'm really not sure how to go about planning the character. I'm in this more for the story and role-playing. That said I don't want my character to suck but I don't know enough about all the possible options to optimize.


As mentioned, I've wanted to play since my youth, and have thought a bit about a character over the years. From the back story I'd envisioned I want to play a human cleric archer. I'd given him a strong freedom fighter angle so it looks like Cayden Cailean is it god for me from what I've read. But as I attempted to plan this out, I'm not sure how to do it.

I'm given to understand that clerics are feat starved, and without longbow proficiency from either elf or Erastil is there enough feats to do archery as a human and still worship Cayden Cailean? I thought about adding in some fighter but I've read that actually weakens a cleric overall.

Help making this possible would be a huge help. Did I mention it has to be Pathfinder Society Legal?


TL;DR How can I make a Human Cleric Archer of Cayden Cailean that doesn't suck?

[Yorrin]

Pathfinder Society Legal does make it a lot harder, as you cant persuade your DM to let you take Zen Archery...

That being said Clerics can still make good Archers. Actually Clerics make good anything. And if you'll be playing in an official PF event or something you can assume that the advice gained from these boards will make you more powerful than most of your party, even without much actual optimization. Just pick up all the archery feats. (Yes, human works fine for that. Better than elves, actually.)

The reason you'll be better than most of the rest of your party at the level that's relevant is going to be your buffs. I think. (What level will this be?)

[deuxhero]

Any explanations out there on exactly what PF society legal entails beyond "PF material only, full RAW"?

[Hylas]

Clerics have a high WIS score which makes magical weapons with the guided (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/magic-weapons/magic-weapons-non-core/weapon-property---guided) property very good. Unfortunately I've heard that guided weapons aren't legal in PF Society (I haven't done PF Society ever, and have limited interest in it, so my advice may not be PF Society legal). If you're thinking about multiclassing at all then take 3 levels of zen archer monk so you can get WIS as a to-hit bonus.

Otherwise, as a pure cleric, I have limited amount of advice. You'll want DEX for attacks, STR for damage using a composite longbow, and WIS so you can cast spells. I hear PF Society doesn't go past 12th level so you don't need a WIS score higher than 16 to cast 6th level spells.

If you use Erastil as your diety (LG, instead of CG) then you can take Channeled Smite and Guided Hand (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/general-feats/-guided-hand) to get your WIS bonus to attack rolls, meaning you'll have limited need of DEX. Though this changes your character concept a bit.

For feat selection here's what everyone usually takes to be an archer: Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Rapid Shot, and Deadly Aim. Probably in that order. Only Rapid Shot and Deadly Aim require a DEX of 13. Manyshot is also very good but requires DEX 17 and a BAB of +6 (8th level for a Cleric).

For some spells, getting a metamagic rod of quicken spell along with true strike, divine favor, and divine power, and anything else that helps you in combat.

[pebcak_error]

If I went the Erastil/Guided Hand route what stats would you recommend (Society is a 20 pt buy right?)

I'm still drawn to Cayden Cailean from the freedom fighter idea I've always had. If I went that route what stats would you suggest?

[Psyren]

Any explanations out there on exactly what PF society legal entails beyond "PF material only, full RAW"?

This page (http://paizo.com/pathfinderSociety/resources) specifies what's legal. In addition, some errata was made on this page to break infinite loops, like the Glorious Heat exploit.

[Arutema]

Since this is Pathfinder Society, you can pickup longbow proficiency with the trait Hunter's Eye. It's an Andoran faction trait from the Pathfinder Society guide to organized play. You have to be Andoran faction to take it, but fortunately, that faction's fluff fits well with a worshiper of Cayden Cailean. This will save spending a feat on Martial Weapon Proficiency: Longbow.


Hunter’s Eye: Your parents had you blessed by the god Erastil as a youth, and you are a prodigy with a bow. You do not take any penalties for the second range increment when using a longbow or shortbow, and you are always considered proficient with one of these weapons (your choice).