Preferred entry method for Order of the Bow Initiate?

[Invader]

Scout, Ranger, some combination of both, something else entirely?

[Captnq]

I want to say by bending over and grabbing your ankles.

I've seen two OotBIs and they both were horrible. The fact is Ranged combat get's very little love. It's far more important to get Hank's Bow then your entry method.

[Invader]

I was gonna dip 2 levels for close combat shot, is there a preferable method? I'm open to suggestion.

[Darrin]

There is no preferred entry. Friends don't let friends take OotBI. Do not take this PrC for any reason.

Unless it's the 3.0 version. That one is somewhat decent, and at least doesn't make you worse at archery.

If you want to avoid AoOs, Exotic Weapon Master has something similar, if you want to spend EWP on Greatbow or Bone Bow. There's also a Ranger 1 spell, arrow mind, that negates AoOs and lets you threaten with a bow.

[Zweisteine]

Guys, stop saying OotBI sucks!

He didn't ask if he should use it, he asked how to get in!

At the very least, say "this is the best way in, but these are much better options."

[Invader]

There is no preferred entry. Friends don't let friends take OotBI. Do not take this PrC for any reason.

Unless it's the 3.0 version. That one is somewhat decent, and at least doesn't make you worse at archery.

If you want to avoid AoOs, Exotic Weapon Master has something similar, if you want to spend EWP on Greatbow or Bone Bow. There's also a Ranger 1 spell, arrow mind, that negates AoOs and lets you threaten with a bow.

I'm not sure which version I'm looking at to be honest. What I was looking at didn't seem that bad but I've never really messed around with ranged classes before.

[Darrin]

I'm not sure which version I'm looking at to be honest. What I was looking at didn't seem that bad but I've never really messed around with ranged classes before.

The one you want to avoid has Ranged Precision as a standard action (3.5 version, Complete Warrior). This severely shanks your damage output. A couple levels of Ranger, wand chamber (100 GP, Dungeonscape), and a wand of arrow mind (750 GP) might be all you need.

[Invader]

The one you want to avoid has Ranged Precision as a standard action (3.5 version, Complete Warrior). This severely shanks your damage output. A couple levels of Ranger, wand chamber (100 GP, Dungeonscape), and a wand of arrow mind (750 GP) might be all you need.

Ahh I see that now. I kind of glossed over it when I was reading through the abilities. That does it considerably less appealing.

[Phelix-Mu]

I always liked Peerless Archer. 3.0, but now that I know that un-updated 3.0 is still game in 3.5, I may well make one.

I'm not sure, but the capstone for Peerless Archer, which grants the archer a threatened area, may get around the AoO provoking issue. Been a while since I looked at the class.

There is also a Dragon Magazine feat, I think called Ranged Threat, that also grants a bow a threatened area.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

For close combat shot, use an exotic bow (Greatbow in CW or Bone Bow in Frostburn) with a single level of Exotic Weapon Master (CW), or take Soulbow (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20060403a&page=2). Order of the Bow Initiate is best forgotten.

[Cikomyr]

I once had a spiritual bow user character I made. It was meant to be more of a fun character to act and interpret than a powerhouse, but it was certainly a cheesy build.

We started off at level 5, so my build was:

Ranger
Cleric (Solonor Thelandira)
Fighter
Fighter
Ranger

Solonor Thelandira is the Elven God of the Hunt. Favored weapon is the Longbow, and he has the Elf and the War domain available. You get Point Blank Shot as well as Weapon Focus (Longbow) for free. The cherry on the cake is that your domain spell for the Elf domain is True Strike, which means you are allowed to make one AMAZING shot per day. If you want to show off, or do something of prodigious skill (while reciting a prayer to your God), you can always pull it off.

Need to cut a rope at 400 feet of distance? Can do. Wanna snipe someone 1500 feet away? Can do.

The 2 ranger levels give you Rapid Shot, as well as some sweet skill points. 2 levels of Fighter is obviously for the feats.

And there you have it. A spiritual archer who believes devotion to his god is achieved through archery and the hunt. I personally collected all the arrows that succeeded on 1-shot kills, and used them in a ritual to Thank Solonor for the Gift of the Hunt he gave me.

It's fluff, but it's fun fluff. I can easily see how OotBI could be a natural evolution.

OotBI should have some spellcasting progression of some sort, IMHO.

[sonofzeal]

Scout's a far better entry than Ranger. The Skirmish mechanic rewards standard action attacks, which is the OotBI's whole reason for being. Rangers, by contrast, get Rapid Shot which isn't useable there. Scouts also have more skillpoints to throw at the entry requirement.

[Invader]

Scout's a far better entry than Ranger. The Skirmish mechanic rewards standard action attacks, which is the OotBI's whole reason for being. Rangers, by contrast, get Rapid Shot which isn't useable there. Scouts also have more skillpoints to throw at the entry requirement.

Rapid shot is a prerequisite for OotBI though.

[yougi]

Scout's a far better entry than Ranger. The Skirmish mechanic rewards standard action attacks, which is the OotBI's whole reason for being. Rangers, by contrast, get Rapid Shot which isn't useable there. Scouts also have more skillpoints to throw at the entry requirement.

You can go Scout 4/Ranger 2, with Swift Hunter, and then OotBI.

And, yes, a pure Swift Hunter would indeed be superior.

[Cikomyr]

Scout's a far better entry than Ranger. The Skirmish mechanic rewards standard action attacks, which is the OotBI's whole reason for being. Rangers, by contrast, get Rapid Shot which isn't useable there. Scouts also have more skillpoints to throw at the entry requirement.

It's not a good idea to be a 1-trick pony when you are an archer. Sometimes, you need to move and shoot. Sometimes, you need to go for the rapidshots. Purely building up toward standard action shots will be, in my opinion, crippling specialization.

[Zweisteine]

It's not a good idea to be a 1-trick pony when you are an archer.
I made a one-trick archer a while back, and it wasn't horrible. It's one trick was getting off something like 200 arrows in the first round of combat. Enemy regiment threatening you? No problem.

[Cikomyr]

I made a one-trick archer a while back, and it wasn't horrible. It's one trick was getting off something like 200 arrows in the first round of combat. Enemy regiment threatening you? No problem.

While it may be optimized, I still think it limits your options and creativity.

[Lateral]

While it may be optimized, I still think it limits your options and creativity.
That's true for most straight-combat builds. Might as well be decent at one thing rather than being crap at everything.

[Nihilarian]

The best entry into OotBI?

Were I crazy enough to play an OotBI, I'd likely go Warblade 5/OotBI 10. Focus on stances, counters and boosts.

Mind you, I consider this a candidate to be the best OotBI, not the best warblade.

[dascarletm]

I've seen an OotBI that wasn't so bad. The whole game was lower OP than most though.... Depends on your level of play I say!


As far as entry I'd either go full scout (it'll take longer) or ranger/fighter.

[Invader]

No ToB unfortunately