PF: Bow spirit

[arkangel111]

I was looking at spells for my ranger and came across Bow spirit.

Bow Spirit: A bow spirit is a shapeless force that hovers about you, taking ammunition from your quiver and firing it. For as long as the bow spirit lasts, you can spend a swift action to direct the bow spirit to fire an arrow or a bolt at a target of your choice, as if the bow spirit were firing the necessary ranged weapon. The bow spirit uses your base attack bonus plus your Dexterity modifier, as well as any bonuses and effects from feats you have that affect ranged attacks, or bonuses from the ammunition it uses....

There is more stuff to the spell but my question has to deal with this first paragraph. It specifically calls out AN arrow, but then it goes on to mention that feats that affect ranged attacks can be used by the bow spirit.

So my questions are thus: Can I get 3 extra arrows fired using Rapid shot/Manyshot feats? how is this affected while hasted? Would I get 4 attacks?

To me this sounds like a lot for the spell to offer since it could nearly double my damage output for rnds/lvl only costing a swift action each round.

I thank you all in advance for your input.

[NightbringerGGZ]

I think you may need to take this question to the Paizo Rules forum for some official clarification. I'm thinking the intent behind the spells is probably to allow you to spend a Swift Action for 1 extra attack per round, and that you were allowed to apply the bonuses from effects of feats like Point Blank Shot & Precise shot to the attack, along with maybe Weapon Focus.

The phrase "as well as any bonuses and effects from feats you have that affect ranged attacks" is vague enough though that I could see applying Deadly Aim, Rapid Shot and Multi Shot to the attack, effectively gaining additional attacks.

As to how Haste would affect the Bow Spirit, that seems unclear to me. As a "Shapeless Force" I'm not sure you could apply buffing spells to it.

[weckar]

If a feat would grant Bow Spirit as a SLA.... could the bow spirit cast its own Bow Spirit?

[grarrrg]

So my questions are thus: Can I get 3 extra arrows fired using Rapid shot/Manyshot feats? how is this affected while hasted? Would I get 4 attacks?

To me this sounds like a lot for the spell to offer since it could nearly double my damage output for rnds/lvl only costing a swift action each round.


On the one hand, the intent is basically "one free attack every round".

On the other hand, by the time you get 4th level Ranger spells any other full caster is already leagues ahead, so I don't see too much problem with using Rapid/Many Shot.

As for Haste though, that would not work, as Haste specifically effects a _creature_ and the Bow Spirit is not one.
Also, the spirit can only gain bonuses from Feats or from Ammunition, so no "STR bonus from Composite Bow", you cannot add "Favored Enemy" or any such, so the extra attacks will probably be quite weaker in comparison to your normal shots anyway.


If a feat would grant Bow Spirit as a SLA.... could the bow spirit cast its own Bow Spirit?

Bow Spirits do not have actions of their own, they do not technically exist as a creature, and any recastings by/on you will merely reset the duration. So even assuming you could give your Bow Spirit a Bow Spirit, it would not be able to make use of it.