Archer Assassin

[Piggy Knowles]

Hey, all,

I've been working on an archer assassin for a while, the goal being to combine Earth Dreamer's Earth Sight ability with the Assassin spell Brilliant Energy Arrow. The idea is to be able to fire brilliant energy arrows through dirt, walls, etc., from hiding.

Since Brilliant Energy Arrow means I'll be firing single shots, I thought I'd add in Arcane Archer for Imbue Arrow. This way I can fire things like Blasphemy or Fire Storm from the other side of a wall.

Here is what I have so far. I'd be interested in tightening up the build, thoughts, etc.

BUILD STUB: Gray Elf, Spellthief 1/Ranger 2/Fighter 2/Assassin 1/Earth Dreamer 5/Arcane Archer 2/Nar Demonbinder 1/Unseen Seer 6

1. Spellthief1- Point Blank Shot
2. Ranger1- Track
3. Ranger2- Rapid Shot, Iron Will
4. Fighter1- Precise Shot
5. Fighter2- Weapon Focus (Longbow)
6. Assassin1- Earth Spell
7. Unseen Seer1-
8. Earth Dreamer1-
9. Earth Dreamer2- Spell Focus (Conjuration)
10. Arcane Archer1-
11. Arcane Archer2-
12. Earth Dreamer3- Greater Spell Focus (Conjuration)
13. Earth Dreamer4-
14. Earth Dreamer5-
15. Nar Demonbinder1- Master Spellthief
16. Unseen Seer2-
17. Unseen Seer3-
18. Unseen Seer4- Practiced Spellcaster (Nar Demonbinder)
19. Unseen Seer5-
20. Unseen Seer6-

Assassin spells known:
1- Sniper's Shot, True Strike, Shock and Awe, Ebon Eyes
2- Brilliant Energy Arrow, Spellslayer Arrow, Alter Self, Darkness
3- Create Fetch, Arrowsplit, Magic Circle Against Good, False Life
4- Assassin's Darkness, Glibness

Nar Demonbinder spells known:
2- Hunter's Eye*
4- Lesser Planar Binding, Dimensional Anchor, SMIV, Wall of Fire
5- Flame Strike, Plane Shift, Spell Resistance, SMV
6- Greater Dispel Magic, Planar Binding, Fiendform
7- Blasphemy, Fire Storm, Moment of Prescience*
8- Greater Planar Binding

*Advanced Learning

It ends up with pretty terrible BAB unless partial BAB is allowed, but since it's mostly making single Brilliant Energy shots against flat-footed enemies, I hope that's not a major concern.

Any thoughts? I really like the idea of someone who can see and fire through walls, and I've been tinkering with all sorts of builds to try to find one that works. (Some other attempts have included Archivist 11/Sacred Exorcist 1/Wizard 1/Arcane Archer 2/Earth Dreamer 5, and a non-arcane archer Chameleon version, Cloistered Cleric 1/Ranger 2/Incarnate 2/Chameleon 10/Earth Dreamer 5.)

[Curmudgeon]

I've been working on an archer assassin for a while, the goal being to combine Earth Dreamer's Earth Sight ability with the Assassin spell Brilliant Energy Arrow. The idea is to be able to fire brilliant energy arrows through dirt, walls, etc., from hiding.
That just plain doesn't work.
Brilliant Energy

A brilliant energy weapon has its significant portion transformed into light, although this does not modify the item’s weight. It always gives off light as a torch (20-foot radius). A brilliant energy weapon ignores nonliving matter. Armor and shield bonuses to AC (including any enhancement bonuses to that armor) do not count against it because the weapon passes through armor. Only a "significant portion" (but not all of the weapon) is transformed into light. It's enough to get through armor, but the weapon property doesn't specify that all of the weapon is turned to light, or that you can get through walls, dirt, & c.

Just think about it. What part of a made-entirely-of-light arrow are you going to grip to knock it on your bow string? And how is a shaft of light going to use the front part of the bow to slide along so the arrow goes where you're aiming?

You're over-reaching. You only get what the rules specify, not what you wish they said.

[thethird]

Perhaps Ballisteer (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20030426b) Phase shot will help? Being a mantled psychic warrior with the magic mantle (for full psionic-magic transparency) might work.

[Piggy Knowles]

You're over-reaching. You only get what the rules specify, not what you wish they said.

I agree! Lucky for me, the rules say that "a brilliant energy weapon ignores nonliving material." It doesn't say "a significant portion of a brilliant energy weapon ignores nonliving material," or "a brilliant energy weapon ignores nonliving material of a particular depth."

In any case, I don't want to turn this into a RAW debate. Assuming that brilliant energy weapons can pass through nonliving walls, any advice on the build itself?

[RolandDeschain]

I don't have much to add here other than the fact that a ranger/scout build using a using a crossbow with feats like crossbow sniper, swift hunter, improved skirmish, etc....can do massive ranged precision damage(take favored enemies normally immune to precision damage). Put whatever enhancements you like on the crossbow - unfortunately i doesn't jive with arcane archer.

[Vaz]

"its significant portion"

This means the bit that does the damage; so the swordblade, the arrow head etc.

The sling... bullet? Doesn't work with Arcane Archer, but you use AA imbue to do the same with non- Intervening terrain targets.

[Urpriest]

It's a cool build...but I agree that the Psionic version of this trick is much more clear-cut.

[A_S]

What class gets MoP as a 7th level spell?

I really like the build, and can't really think of much in the way of improvements. It'd be nice to get a ToB dip in there, but it doesn't fit anywhere but the beginning, where your IL wouldn't be high enough to get anything useful.

[Piggy Knowles]

What class gets MoP as a 7th level spell?

Time Domain. It's a bit cheesy pulling it in via Advanced Learning, but I couldn't think of what else to pick for a 7th-level spell, and MoP is one of those spells I always end up wishing I had on every character.