Base Class: Military Archer

[Teilos]

Military Archer

Preamble:
I am missing a serious archer class in DND. For me, an archer should have no chance in close combat, but it should show superiority in ranged combat. For this reason, I do not like the usual DND archer builds, which are very versatile, but do not deal that much damage. Therefore, I created the military archer. The first idea was a multi class between the non spell casting ranger and a fighter with less protection in close combat and more damage potential. It is the aim to out-rule shooting in melee for this class. If you have already seen a class very similar to this, please give me a link.

Flavour text:
Military archers are most commonly trained in an army and serve as strategic unit on the battlefield or are placed on the towers of a stronghold. Military Archer units are known to be deadly unless faced in melee. The more experienced archers often get a command of a few younger ones and are expected to train and lead them. Renegade Military Archers are also known to work as snipers for assassin guilds.

Hit Die: d6
Skill Points: 4 + Int

Military Archer
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special

1st|
+1|
+2|
+2|
+0|Point Blank Shot, Uncanny Sidestep +1

2nd|
+2|
+3|
+3|
+0|Rapid Shot *

3rd|
+3|
+3|
+3|
+1|Endurance

4th|
+4|
+4|
+4|
+1|

5th|
+5|
+4|
+4|
+1|Uncanny Sidestep +2

6th|
+6|
+5|
+5|
+2|Improved Rapid Shot *

7th|
+7|
+5|
+5|
+2|

8th|
+8|
+6|
+6|
+2|Weapon Specialisation (choose one type of bow or crossbow)

9th|
+9|
+6|
+6|
+3|Evasion

10th|
+10|
+7|
+7|
+3|Uncanny Sidestep +3

11th|
+11|
+7|
+7|
+3|Greater Rapid Shot *

12th|
+12|
+8|
+8|
+4|

13th|
+13|
+8|
+8|
+4|Camouflage

14th|
+14|
+9|
+9|
+4|

15th|
+15|
+9|
+9|
+5|Uncanny Sidestep +4

16th|
+16|
+10|
+10|
+5|Superior Rapid Shot *

17th|
+17|
+10|
+10|
+5|Hide in plain sight

18th|
+18|
+11|
+11|
+6|Greater Weapon Specialisation (choose one type of bow or crossbow)

19th|
+19|
+11|
+11|
+6|

20th|
+20|
+12|
+12|
+6|Uncanny Sidestep +5[/table]

Weapon Proficiency:
All simple weapons, short sword, all martial bows and crossbows

Armor Proficiency:
Light

Skills:
Climb, Craft, Diplomacy, Heal, Hide, Jump, Knowledge(geography), Move Silently, Sense Motive, Spot, Swim, Tumble

Class Features:

Please, look up the missing features. You will find them in the ranger list.

Rapid Shot *
Gives Rapid Shot with the following restrictions:

Can be used only in padded or leather armor (!!!)
Can be used only with bows and crossbows
When using this feature you provoke attacks of opportunity for ranged attacks, even if you have another class feature that states the opposite (no order of the bow initiate and the like, please !!!)


Improved, Greater, Superior Rapid Shot *
When you use Rapid Shot *, you gain an additional attack at –5 / -10 / -15

Uncanny Sidestep +x (extraordinary ability):
Due to their superior knowledge of ranged combat, Military Archers gain a +x insight bonus to armor class against ranged attacks.




Please post your critics. I would like to know, if you find the concept interesting. I know balancing is a tough call, even when you do not want to play the class yourself. Please state at the beginning of your post, whether the class is over or under powered and state which of the following suggestions are required to balance this class.

Suggestions, if overpowered:

Hit Die: d4
Only one strong save
Reduce Bonus of Uncanny Sidestep
Remove greater weapon specialisation
Remove superior rapid shot
Remove flavour specials


Suggestions, if underpowered:

Hit Die: d8
Add Features from the following list:
- Improved Precise Shot
- +10’ movement when in light or no Armor and not heavily encumbered
- Improved Evasion
- Fighter Bonus Feats


Thank you for your help!

[Sylian]

It's a nice class, but it's a bit weak. I suggest giving it:

- Improved Precise Shot
- +10’ movement when in light or no Armor and not heavily encumbered
- +1 damage with bows and crossbows every 4 levels.

That would make him an excellent archer.

[Angafirith]

I had the same sort of complaint and have been dealing with it by having Fighters with primarily Archer based feats.

Do you mind if I use this Base Class in my campaign and add it to my private campaign wiki? The only people who know the location of this wiki are the 3 players involved with my current campaign. If you allow it, I may also tweak the class into a sort of an NPC class and use it for NPC soldiers.

[Teilos]

Ofcourse, anyone who wants to may use this class, change or copy it.

Though I would apreciate an "Idea by Teilos" or something like this.

[Baron Corm]

too many dead levels, and many of the class features are just feats an archer would take anyway. also i'm not sure why you want them to suck in melee. if you think about it, it hurts a lot more to be shot from a bow up close, and they don't even get a damage bonus for that.

may want to try out my fighter variant: http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=38884

[Teilos]

If you think it is underbalanced, that is no problem. I will gladly improve the class, if that is the general opinion. However, I wanted to implement the realistic feature of the helpless archer in close combat (no parrying of a blow with a bow like you would do with a sword; different type of training makes the archer weaker in taking hits; ofcourse he can shoot and do the damage, but every enemy would just destroy the bow). Also, I like tactical interesting classes. I would rather increase the damage potential of this class and give it more non combat features than make it capable of melee combat.


Alternative more powerfull Idea for the class:

Military Archer
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special

1st|
+1|
+2|
+2|
+0|Point Blank Shot, Uncanny Sidestep +1

2nd|
+2|
+3|
+3|
+0|Rapid Shot *

3rd|
+3|
+3|
+3|
+1|Endurance

4th|
+4|
+4|
+4|
+1|Ranged Specialisation +2 damage (choose one type of bow or crossbow)

5th|
+5|
+4|
+4|
+1|Uncanny Sidestep +2

6th|
+6|
+5|
+5|
+2|Improved Rapid Shot *

7th|
+7|
+5|
+5|
+2|+10’ movement when in light or no Armor and not heavily encumbered

8th|
+8|
+6|
+6|
+2|Evasion

9th|
+9|
+6|
+6|
+3|Ranged Specialisation +4

10th|
+10|
+7|
+7|
+3|Uncanny Sidestep +3

11th|
+11|
+7|
+7|
+3|Greater Rapid Shot *

12th|
+12|
+8|
+8|
+4|Improved Precise Shot

13th|
+13|
+8|
+8|
+4|Camouflage

14th|
+14|
+9|
+9|
+4|Ranged Specialisation +6

15th|
+15|
+9|
+9|
+5|Uncanny Sidestep +4

16th|
+16|
+10|
+10|
+5|Superior Rapid Shot *

17th|
+17|
+10|
+10|
+5|Hide in plain sight

18th|
+18|
+11|
+11|
+6|Improved Evasion

19th|
+19|
+11|
+11|
+6|Ranged Specialisation +8

20th|
+20|
+12|
+12|
+6|Uncanny Sidestep +5[/table]

I do not think it should get any more fighting power than this. Any additional stuff should be skills or flavour, if any.

[Matthew]

Seems good, but how does it integrate with Weapons Specialisation and Weapon Focus? [i.e. does Weapon Specialisation stack with Ranged Specialisation?]. Also, I wonder whether he shouldn't be proficient in Medium Armour? The thing about this sort of Class is that it is very narrow. I would have liked to have seen some Military Archer Bonus Feats.

[Innis Cabal]

it looks great, though i agree with the others a tad weak and if i really wanted to get an archer i would just use fighter or warrior for the untrained