[Base Class] Duskbow

[Goff]

After having a long look at the duskblade (PH2) I've begun to wonder...
Seeing as though the arcane archer isn't the greatest prestige class in the world, would it not be feasible to convert the duskblade into what the arcane archer should have been?
I'd assume that removing the higher levels of armoured mage would be a start, arcane channeling would be switched to ammunition or ranged attacks (perhaps within 30 ft. to avoid touch spell brokeness?), but I'm not too sure about how else one would go about this.
I'm asking for any ideas and suggestions anyone may have for what should be a relatively easy conversion. If you have your own pre-made version then feel free to post it.

[Goff]

Duskbow
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|0lvl|1st|2nd|3rd|4th|5th

1st|
+1|
+0|
+2|
+2|Arcane attunement, armoured mage (light)|3|2|-|-|-|-|-|-

2nd|
+2|
+0|
+3|
+3|Combat Casting|4|3|-|-|-|-

3rd|
+3|
+1|
+3|
+3|Arcane channeling|5|4|-|-|-|-|-

4th|
+4|
+1|
+4|
+4|Bowcasting|6|5|-|-|-|-|-|-

5th|
+5|
+1|
+4|
+4|Quick cast 1/day|6|5|2|-|-|-

6th|
+6/+1|
+2|
+5|
+5|Spell power +2|6|6|3|-|-|-|-

7th|
+7/+2|
+2|
+5|
+5|Bonus feat|6|6|5|-|-|-|-|-

8th|
+8/+3|
+2|
+6|
+6|-|6|7|6|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

9th|
+9/+4|
+3|
+6|
+6|-|6|7|6|2|-|-|-|-|-|-

10th|
+10/+5|
+3|
+7|
+7|Quick cast 2/day|6|8|7|3|-|-|-|-|-|-

11th|
+11/+6/+1|
+3|
+7|
+7|Spell power +3|6|8|7|5|-|-|-|-|-|-

12th|
+12/+7/+2|
+4|
+8|
+8|-|6|8|8|6|-|-|-|-|-|-

13th|
+13/+8/+3|
+4|
+8|
+8|Arcane channeling (full attack)|6|9|8|6|2|-|-|-|-|-

14th|
+14/+9/+4|
+4|
+9|
+9|Bonus feat|6|9|8|7|3|-|-|-|-|-

15th|
+15/+10/+5|
+5|
+9|
+9|Quick cast 3/day|6|9|8|7|5|-|-|-|-|-

16th|
+16/+11/+6/+1|
+5|
+10|
+10|Spell Power +4|6|9|9|8|6|-|-|-|-|-

17th|
+17/+12/+7/+2|
+5|
+10|
+10|-|6|10|9|8|6|2|-|-|-|-

18th|
+18/+13/+8/+3|
+6|
+11|
+11|Spell power +5|6|10|9|8|7|3|-|-|-|-

19th|
+19/+14/+9/+4|
+6|
+11|
+11|-|6|10|10|9|7|5|-|-|-|-

20th|
+20/+15/+10/+5|
+6|
+12|
+12|Quick cast 4/day|6|10|10|10|8|6|-|-|-|-[/table]

Class Skills (2+Int modifier per level, x4 at 1st level): Climb, Concentration, Craft, Decipher Script, Jump, Knowledge (all skills taken individually), Ride, Sense Motive, Spellcraft, Swim.

Class Features
Weapon and Armour Proficiency: Duskbows are proficient with all martial weapons, as well as light armour and all shields (except tower shields).
Spells: Looking for advice whether or not to keep or alter the spell list.
Spells Known: As duskblade (PH2, p.19).
Arcane Attunement (Sp): You can use the spell-like powers dancing lights, detect magic, flare, ghost sound and read magic a combined total of times per day equal to 3 + your Int modifier. These spell-like powers do not count against your total of spells per day.
Armoured Mage (Ex): Normally, armour of any type interferes with an arcane spellcaster's gestures, which cause spells to fail if they have a somatic component. A duskbow's limited focus and specialised training, however, allows you to avoid arcane spell failure so long as you wear only light armour and light shields. This training does not extend to heavy armours nor to heavy shields. This ability does not apply to spells granted from a different spellcasting class.
Combat Casting: At 2nd level you recieve Combat casting as a bonus feat.
Arcane Channeling: Beginning at 3rd level, you can use a standard action to cast any touch spell you know and deliver it through your ammunition with a ranged attack. Casting a spell in this manner does not provoke attacks of opportunity. The spell must have a casting time of 1 standard action or less. If the ranged attack is successful, the attack deals damage normally; then the effect of the spell is resolved. I'm thinking of putting a limiter of within 30ft. on this ability due to it being with touch spells.
At 13th level, you can cast any touch spell you know as a part of a full attack action, and the spell affects each target you hit in ranged combat during that round. Perhaps limit to first four arrows, keeping in mind manyshot etc. Doing so discharges the spell at the end of the round, in the case of a touch spell that would otherwise last longer than one round.
Bowcasting: The duskbows training allows him to cast spells adeptly, even when handling his bow and arrows. From 4th level onwards, whilst weilding a bow, the duskbow can cast spells as though he had one hand free. This only applies if the off hand is occupied with ammunition or the bow itself.
Quick Cast: Beginning at 5th level, you can cast one spell each day as a swift action, so long as the casting time is 1 standard action or less.
You can use this ability twice per day at 10th level, three times per day at 15th level and four times per day at 20th level.
Bonus Feat: At 7th level, you gain you gin a bonus feat from the following list: Far Shot, Improved Precise Shot, Manyshot, Mounted Archery, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Rapidshot, Shot On The Run. You must still meet the prerequisites for the feat. You gain an additional feat at 14th level.
Any other fitting feat ideas would be apprecieted.
Spell Power (Ex): Starting at 6th level, you can more easily overcome the spell resistance of any opponent you injure with a ranged attack. If you have damaged an opponent with a ranged attack, you gain a +2 bonus on your caster level check to overcome spell resistance for the remainder of the encounter. This increases to +3 at 11th level, to +4 at 16th level and to +5 at 18th level.

[pyrefiend]

Impressive, I could really see using this class. However, arcane attunement doesn't realy seem to fit the flavor of this class IMO. And on the note of if you should change the spell list, I think you probobly should. I see users of this class wanting a lot of combat enhancers as well as destructive spells so maybe you should use some sort of warmage/ranger spell list hybrid.

[Fax Celestis]

You should look at the text of Smiting Spell (in the PHB-II).

Also, Soulknife is a base class, while Soulbow is a PrC. Try making the Duskbow a 10-level (or even 15-level!) PrC requiring the Arcane Channeling class ability.

[Merlin the Tuna]

The Duskblade is a fine class -- and can even be used as stands as a dip for an archer. Still, this isn't a bad idea. Two things stand out though.


Weapon and Armour Proficiency: Duskbows are proficient with all martial weapons, as well as light armour and all shields (except tower shields).
They don't necessarily need full martial proficiency. Full simple + bows would be enough. And since this has a decidedly Elven feel, the elves might get a little mileage out of their racial proficiencies.

Combat Casting: At 2nd level you recieve Combat casting as a bonus feat.
Unnecessary. If your primary use is as an archer, you're not going to be threatened while casting very often. If you are, odds are you want out anyway, so you'll be taking a 5 foot step back.

You might consider pulling these out, maybe add something in their stead. You also didn't mention what they use for Hit Die; since they're not going to be in the fray as much as a Duskblade, you could probably trim it down to a d6 if you like.

Edit: And for the record, Bowcasting doesn't really do anything, since you need a free hand to use a bow anyway.

[Serpentine]

Edit: And for the record, Bowcasting doesn't really do anything, since you need a free hand to use a bow anyway.
Yes, but once you have a bow and arrow in those free hands, they're no longer free.

[Merlin the Tuna]

Yes, but once you have a bow and arrow in those free hands, they're no longer free.

But since it's a free action to draw arrows anyway, it doesn't really matter. I mean, you could use this to draw an arrow, cast a spell, then shoot... but you could just as easily cast the spell, draw the arrow, then shoot. You're not really getting anything out of it.

[Magi_Ring_O]

I would add hide, move silently and listen to the skill list. Any bow-user would try and get the first hit in before being seen.