Mounted Archer Build

[Snig]

I am trying to come up with a decent mounted archer build. I'm pretty sure that Ranger will be the core of this build, trading in my animal companion for Distracting Attack (PHB 2, p 55): Lose animal companion. Whenever you hit with an attack, the enemy is then considered flanked.

I will take a flaw at 1st level and take the wild cohort feat and pick up a riding dog (refluffed as a wolf for my Goblin).

I understand that Rangers get some amazing spells for archery so I'm wondering how heavily I should invest in just this class. Also since the build is feat intensive I considered 2 levels of Martial Rogue (UA, p 58): Lose sneak attack and gain bonus feats as a fighter. (my DM uses favored class hence taking rogue instead of fighter on my goblin.) I also considered the Mystic Ranger ACF.

As far as PrC's I was thinking about Peerless archer, Deepwood Sniper, and/or Wild Plains Outrider, but need more opinions on which if any of these PrC I should invest in and how much.

Lastly, my playstyle idea for this character is to stay fairly close to melee range (within 30ft) since a lot of archer goodies require you to be within this range. Also this will make it a lot easier for my Wild Cohort to take advantage of his combat round. I'm pretty sure if I go this route that Peerless archer has some goodies that would help me be more effective in this range (no AoO, and I can threaten?)

Anyhow these are my ideas, I would love to hear some input from the community. Expecially how many levels I should invest into Ranger for their spells.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

You can use wands of Ranger spells with just one level in the class, and if you get an Elvencraft longbow then you could potentially include three wand chambers from Dungeonscape in that one weapon, as it functions as both a bow and as a quarterstaff (bow + double weapon). However, Ranger is actually an extremely poor choice for an archer unless you're using a Swift Hunter build, and Skirmish damage has been errated to not trigger on mount movement. I'd suggest only getting two Ranger levels, or none at all.

For a mounted archer, your best choices are actually Fighter, Cleric with the right domains, Archivist (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20051007a&page=3) which gets access to all the Ranger spells, and Soulbow (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20060403a&page=2) which can TWF with the Mind Arrows. Keep in mind favored class doesn't even matter unless your classes are more than one level difference, and prestige classes don't count.

A Fighter archer wouldn't want to take any prestige classes ever, just stick to Fighter forever for the PH2 mastery feats. Make your bow an Item Familiar (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/magic/itemFamiliars.htm) or an Ancestral Relic (BoED) so you can upgrade it yourself and pick what properties it has, as it's super important for an archer to get the right weapon enhancements in order to optimize damage output.

Cleric would actually use Cloistered Cleric (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#clericVariantCloistere dCleric) and trade that free Knowledge domain for Knowledge Devotion (CC) which gives bonuses to attack and damage. Your other two domains would want to be Elf and War, though Spell is up there on the list. Typically you use an elf race for this to explain the domain choices and to dip Seeker of the Misty Isle for the Travel domain, and probably get Contemplative for the last half of the build for even more domains plus class features. Never take any prestige classes that miss out on spellcasting. With DMM: Persistent spells and the Otherworldly feat to be an Outsider creature type and use Greater Anyspell from the Spell domain to cast and DMM: Persist Draconic Polymorph to take the form of an Arrow Demon in MM3, it's by far the strongest archer you can find.

Archivist uses most of the same tricks as Cleric, but DMM: Persist is delayed until he can dip Sacred Exorcist. In exchange for this, he can learn any divine spell in the game, including Ranger spells, Divine Bard spells, Druid spells, Paladin spells, any spell that appears on any domain, Adept spells, etc. Many Ranger and Paladin spells are personal range and can be made Persistent, so in the late game this character ends up being even stronger than the Cleric, though not by a huge margin and most of his power comes much later than the Cleric's.

Soulbow is one of the stronger and more versatile choices that doesn't rely on spell buffs to function. A Fighter archer is only good at shooting things, a Soulbow has room for other classes like Swordsage to add versatility. For this character, I'd recommend going Swordsage 1 or 2/ Soulknife 2/ Swordsage 2 or 1/ Soulbow 4, then finish with a mix of more Swordsage and more Soulbow, taking the Swordsage levels when you would have the initiator level to pick up a specific maneuver or stance. Swordsage is similar enough to Rogue that you may be able to get your favored class switched over to it, as it's extremely unfair to only have core favored classes on every race. If you still want to use Ranger, then I'd definitely go with Mystic Ranger and get three levels of that plus two Soulknife into Soulbow, making sure you take the third Ranger level at your 5th character level to avoid the xp penalty. That would get you 2nd level Ranger spells, your first combat style, and both Ride and Handle Animal as class skills with enough skill points to get max ranks in both at 5th level. For other prestige classes, Peerless Archer would be a bit pointless, Deepwood Sniper looks like it would only be worth two levels, and Wild Plains Outrider could be decent. Just don't touch Order of the Bow Initiate, the class's abilities will only hinder any character who takes it.

[Shloogorgh]

Since you are planning on using wild cohort, you should consider taking the first level of Silverwood Outrider (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20031202a) so you can handle your mount as a free action/push it as a move

[Snig]

What specifically is bad about the ranger class as a mounted archer? Are their spells only worth getting 1st level?

I assumed with their bonus feats, full BAB, and helpful spells that rangers would make a fine mounted archer?

[shortround]

What specifically is bad about the ranger class as a mounted archer? Are their spells only worth getting 1st level?

I assumed with their bonus feats, full BAB, and helpful spells that rangers would make a fine mounted archer?
Favoured Enemy is the main source of damage for the archer Ranger, and is arguably less reliable than sneak attack, which you are also not using. Without a reliable source of extra damage, most archer builds fall off in damage really quickly, which is what most people go for in archer builds. All the benefits you list are nice, but they aren't as good as having reliable amounts of damage and actually useful spells.

[Snig]

Favoured Enemy is the main source of damage for the archer Ranger, and is arguably less reliable than sneak attack, which you are also not using. Without a reliable source of extra damage, most archer builds fall off in damage really quickly, which is what most people go for in archer builds. All the benefits you list are nice, but they aren't as good as having reliable amounts of damage and actually useful spells.

Does anyone have any suggestions for a reliable source of damage while still taking the ranger class?

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Does anyone have any suggestions for a reliable source of damage while still taking the ranger class?

Skirmish via Swift Hunter, but it doesn't work while mounted. A mounted Ranger archer just does not function mechanically.

[Snig]

Skirmish via Swift Hunter, but it doesn't work while mounted. A mounted Ranger archer just does not function mechanically.

What about rogue levels for SA damage? Would this not work well? Expecially with the ranger ACF Distracting Shot?

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

What about rogue levels for SA damage? Would this not work well? Expecially with the ranger ACF Distracting Shot?

Distracting Attack doesn't let you sneak attack with ranged attacks: "...that enemy is considered flanked by you for the purpose of adjudicating your allies' attacks." You never get the benefits of flanking from this, only your allies do.

[Shloogorgh]

Skirmish doesn't function while mounted due to the errata to the scout class. The reason for this errata was probably to eliminate the easiest way to gain a full round of ranged attacks after a move.

Perhaps your dm can be reasoned with. Demonstrate the wealth of ways in which you can attain a full round of attacks while still fulfilling the scout movement prerequisites (familiarize yourself with these options by reading the swift hunter handbook (http://dictummortuum.blogspot.com/2011/09/swift-hunters-handbook.html)).

Once you've made your dm aware that there are other ways to activate skirmish and get a full round of attacks, then perhaps they'll allow a compromise, like a custom feat that allows for mounted skirmish (or, best case scenario, they opt to ignore the errata completely).