[PF] Arcane Archer build suggestions?

[Daftendirekt]

I find myself suddenly wanting to play a magical archer, but am unsure what path to take. I know all about how crappy Arcane Archer was in 3.5, but it got a decent upgrade in Pathfinder, and it looks playable. I have played a regular Magus and know it's pretty awesome, but don't know how the Myrmidarch in particular performs. Any advice or comments?

[Psyren]

Arcane Archer is definitely the more powerful of the two as you can get 8ths/9ths as well as +16 BAB. You can also pull off devastating tricks like Silence Arrows or AMF arrows that the Myrmidarch can't. Magus has the advantage of being able to deliver multiple effects in a full-attack (e.g. they could add a scorching ray to each arrow) but beyond that there isn't a whole lot of synergy between archery and what the magus does.

In either case I would go with Elf.

[RFLS]

I'd recommend Arcane Archer; the only reason not to is that you can't really do your thing right out of the box.

[Daftendirekt]

I kind of feel like Sorcerer would be the better casting class for this as well. What with the AA's capstone DC being CHA-based and the whole thing about PF caster PrCs boning Wizards and Witches... I've not looked much at PF Sorcerers; what bloodline would suit it best?

Also, what base class? Ranger? Fighter? Zen Archer? I can see cases for any and all of them.

[RFLS]

Also, what base class? Ranger? Fighter? Zen Archer? I can see cases for any and all of them.

I'd recommend Zen Archer for the martial side and then Sorcerer with the archetype that switches casting to Wisdom for the casting side.

[Psyren]

I kind of feel like Sorcerer would be the better casting class for this as well. What with the AA's capstone DC being CHA-based and the whole thing about PF caster PrCs boning Wizards and Witches... I've not looked much at PF Sorcerers; what bloodline would suit it best?

I wouldn't use Arrow of Death at all actually, and instead exit the class at 8. Even if you go with straight Sorcerer, the ability is hardly worth giving up 9ths for and at best you're going to tick the DM off with it once by instagibbing his BBEG.



Also, what base class? Ranger? Fighter? Zen Archer? I can see cases for any and all of them.

If you go with Elf, it doesn't matter as they get longbow proficiency even as wizards. If you really want a martial class I'd start with Ranger for the skillpoints and BAB, then go Wizard from there. Witch is generally bad to PrC/multiclass with because you hurt your Hex progression/DCs.

[JoshuaZ]

Arcane Archer is definitely the more powerful of the two as you can get 8ths/9ths as well as +16 BAB.

How do you get 9ths this way?

[Psyren]

How do you get 9ths this way?

As I stated, I wouldn't take AA 10, so Ranger 1/Wizard 11/AA 8 should do it (casts as Wizard 17 - Wiz 11 + 6 from 8 levels of AA.) Insert an appropriate PrC in place of some of the wizard levels if you want.

Even if you take all AA levels, that only puts you at 8ths - still ahead of the Magus.

[Daftendirekt]

I'm liking zen archer/sorcerer (empyreal wildblooded is the one for WIS casting, I find.) entry. I understand wanting to advance the casting as much as possible with that build, Psyren, but the BAB is awful on it, even were I to replace the wizard with sorc. I'm thinking Ophiduan (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/psionics-unleashed/races/ophiduan) is the absolute perfect race for this, then get Zen Archer 4 so I can now get AC, Attack AND spell DCs all keyed off of WIS, while still also having a respectable Dex.

Monk 4/Sorcerer 6/AA 8/??? 2 perhaps?

[avr]

Zen Archer 4 & sorcerer means you'll likely be 8th level by the time you get 2nd level spells. Won't that be a bit painful?

[RFLS]

I'd recommend going back to sorcerer for those last 2 levels. I just realized how much the loss of a full BAB class on 1 side hurt this build, though >.< Perhaps Paladin instead of Monk would be better.

[Daftendirekt]

B-But Zen Archer gets soooo many tasty bonus feats. Like, ridiculous amounts. Still, I can see a Sorcadin Arcane Archer being a tad badass.

So, Paladin (Divine Hunter, of course, for free Precise Shot) 2//Sorcerer 8//AA 8//Sorcerer +2?

What bloodline would be good then? Celestial (off of which Empyreal is based) did have pretty crappy spells, so I suppose actually getting a good bloodline will be fun.

[Psyren]

Yeah the BAB is low-ish - maybe do Ranger 1/Wiz 5/EK 3/AA 4/EK +7, this will get you 17 BAB, 9th-level spells, and Imbue/Seeker/Elemental arrow + a bunch of bonus feats and Spell Critical (which, incidentally, works with ranged crits too.)

[RFLS]

Yeah, Sorcadin would really be a solid bet. You might also consider trying to talk your DM into allowing a divine caster into AA, and then going Oracle; you'd lose less BAB that way.

[Psyren]

All right fair enough - So yeah, Sorcadin. Maybe Draconic Bloodline so you can get into Dragon Disciple and beef up your BAB some more that way, or go with Eldritch Knight again.

[avr]

Stormborn bloodline has a 1st level power you'll like - add shock (+1d6 electricity) on a weapon touched. At 7th you get a bonus feat you can use for archery. The bloodline arcana is OK. So-so bonus spells though.

[StreamOfTheSky]

Arcane Archer just seems so...pointless... compared to Eldritch Knight. Latter only loses 1 CL, still has full BAB and good HD, and gets some bonus feats. That definitely tops some mediocre gimmick class features and....4 lost CL?

I will admit, Imbue Arrow + Antimagic Field is *delicious*, so I could see dipping AA for 2-4 levels (basically, get out before the 2nd lost CL hits), but the build should definitely have EK as its cornerstone.

It's just a shame AA has such high BAB required. It grants the proficiencies EK requires, so in a perfect world, wizard would go into AA for the Imbue Arrows dip and then right into EK, without ever having to lose a 3rd CL to Fighter. But to do that, you'd need to be Wiz 12 before you went into AA, and then you'd never see EK 10, and...yeah. A shame.

[Baroncognito]

Why not Bard (Archaeologist) to Arcane Archer?

[Psyren]

Myrmidarch -> AA might be good, getting both ranged spellstrike and Imbue Arrow.

[StreamOfTheSky]

Why not Bard (Archaeologist) to Arcane Archer?

Because when you choose to be a Bard instead of a wizard and thus lose 3 spell levels of spellcasting, you do so for the higher HD, the higher skills, the better saves, the class features... Guess what a Bard who enters AA gets from the AA levels compared to a Wizard who does so? Did you answer, "the exact same thing!"? Then you are correct, sir!

I guess you would get in earlier than a straight wizard could. But you don't have the spells to benefit from the class features nearly as much, either. Bard...really is poor in the area spells department, aside from not having Antimagic Field.

[Baroncognito]

Because when you choose to be a Bard instead of a wizard and thus lose 3 spell levels of spellcasting, you do so for the higher HD, the higher skills, the better saves, the class features... Guess what a Bard who enters AA gets from the AA levels compared to a Wizard who does so? Did you answer, "the exact same thing!"? Then you are correct, sir!

Actually, no. The bard gets 6 skill points, the Arcane Archer only 4.

What I liked best about the idea of Bard to Arcane Archer is something that actually can't be done. I neglected to notice that the Arcane Archer infuse Arrow ability only worked with AoE spells. I'm just amused by the idea of using an arrow to deliver the Spell Modify Memory (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/m/modify-memory) to make the target forget that he was hit by an arrow.

Yes, it's silly and kind of a waste of a fourth level spell, but it makes me laugh.

[Daftendirekt]

Myrmidarch -> AA might be good, getting both ranged spellstrike and Imbue Arrow.

Just progress your Magus casting, or try and fit Wizard in there?

[Zubrowka74]

I'm pretty sure there's a flavor of Oradin that could fit the bill. CHA SAD with a side order of DEX. I'll check this out.

Nevermind... I thought the Arcane Archivist or some other revelation would qualify for arcane casting.