3.5 Build Help: Snipe Master

[Raenel]

Okay, so I am playing a game in a week or two and I decided to run a different character type than I usually do. I usually play a mundane melee or a gish melee and I wanted to roll with a ranged character for once. This is what I have so far

Snipe Master
Human| Fighter (Targeteer) 2/ Binder 1/ Barbarian (Whirling Frenzy) 1/ Deepwood Sniper 7/
Cragtop Archer 3/ Crusader 2
Feats:
Level 1: Point Blank Shot, Rapid Shot (Human)
Level 3: Far Shot
Level 6: Weapon Focus: Great Crossbow
Level 9: Mountain Warrior
Level 12: Improved Binding
Level 15: Weapon Specialization: Great Crossbow
Level 18:

(Please note that we are starting at level 20)

So, the general idea is a one-shot, one-kill build. By mixing Fighter (Targeteer) and the stance "Aura of Perfect Order" I can constantly crit for pretty decent damage every round. I also through in levels of deepwood sniper to increase crit mult and range and cragtop to increase range and reduce range penalties. Crusader 2 is to qualify for "Aura of Perfect Order". Binder 1 lets me pick up malphas with improved binding, effectively stopping any need for scrying effects to "see" enemies behind cover. Plus I was thinking of playing a blind character and it would be nice not to worry about that. So, besides what I've already got, I can't really think of anything else to do. Can anyone think of any class to take a level or two in and a feat to take? I'm looking for extra range, extra damage, extra crit mult, or crit immunity bypassing. I want to stay away from magic classes (with binder, incarnum classes, and possibly psywars being exceptions). Note that the crusader needs to come last, as otherwise I'll lose access to the stance that ties this all together

I also need magic equipment. I was thinking a +5 Energy Collision Kaorti (great)bow, but I don't know what else really besides bracers of archery (or strongarm bracers for increased damage and range), stat increasing items, and the two weapon gems that let me crit undead and constructs. Oh, and before anyone asks, the bow is a custom one based off of Hanks Energy Bow.

Any materials from all of 3.5 (including non-updated 3.0 stuff). Dragon Mag is in too. Pathfinder is not. I'm looking to optimize as much as possible while keeping the theme of the build. That's why I didn't take splintering or manyshot, as that defeats the purpose of one shot.

Edits: So, I was a moron and didn't notice a small, little thing. The Targeteer variant gains two ranged exotic weapon profs at first level.... so that's one less feat to take, meaning I can take a different one. Also, I decided to pick up the great crossbow instead, so I'll probably take rapid reload and crossbow master and the like. Might switch out a few levels of fighter with psywar for bonus feats and fun.

[sleepyphoenixx]

Note that the crusader needs to come last, as otherwise I'll lose access to the stance that ties this all together

Unless you already start at level 20 this is a problem. If your build needs to wait until level 20 to get a critical component you're spending most of the game without it, so you're actually just a common archer for 90% of your time. Which is probably not what you're looking for.

I'd suggest switching out some of the fighter levels for (mystic) ranger. Then get a wand of Hunter's Mercy (SpC) and put it in a wand chamber in your bow.

For more damage you could take one level of rogue (or another Sneak Attack class) and get Craven for 1d6 + level damage, with the damage from Craven being multiplied by a crit.
To use it at range, again look at ranger spells. Sniper's Shot lets you SA regardless of distance, and getting the opponent flat-footed isn't much of a problem when you're far enough away to make spotting you difficult, and getting Invisibility isn't exactly hard (also available with ranger spells). It's almost like rangers are made to be archers.:smallbiggrin:
Both Sniper's Shot and Hunter's Mercy are 1st level spells, so the wands are pretty cheap.

Another damage option is switching your race to Raptoran (RoTW) and using a footbow - they get 1,5x Str on damage as opposed to the normal 1x Str for a composite bow. (Ex) flight doesn't hurt either. Then buff your Str and watch those numbers climb.

[Raenel]

Unless you already start at level 20 this is a problem. If your build needs to wait until level 20 to get a critical component you're spending most of the game without it, so you're actually just a common archer for 90% of your time. Which is probably not what you're looking for.

I am starting at level 20 actually. I forgot to put that in the op. Whoops, better change that.


I'd suggest switching out some of the fighter levels for (mystic) ranger. Then get a wand of Hunter's Mercy (SpC) and put it in a wand chamber in your bow.

For more damage you could take one level of rogue (or another Sneak Attack class) and get Craven for 1d6 + level damage, with the damage from Craven being multiplied by a crit.
To use it at range, again look at ranger spells. Sniper's Shot lets you SA regardless of distance, and getting the opponent flat-footed isn't much of a problem when you're far enough away to make spotting you difficult, and getting Invisibility isn't exactly hard (also available with ranger spells). It's almost like rangers are made to be archers.:smallbiggrin:
Both Sniper's Shot and Hunter's Mercy are 1st level spells, so the wands are pretty cheap.

Another damage option is switching your race to Raptoran (RoTW) and using a footbow - they get 1,5x Str on damage as opposed to the normal 1x Str for a composite bow. (Ex) flight doesn't hurt either. Then buff your Str and watch those numbers climb.


I was hoping to not have to rely on actual spells, but I guess that is the dnd world we live in :smallsigh:
As for race, if I want to qualify for all the prc's on time, I don't know if I'll be able to swing it if I change. I'll have to check. The foot bow is certainly interesting, though I'm not sure how much I like the idea of using my feet to shoot. Just seems weird to me.
And the fighter levels add one thing. My instant crit ability (assuming I hit). Now, I could probably enter the class later, after I have rapid shot, so I can drop it down to two levels of fighter instead. Sticking with a 0-la race, this would leave me with four levels to play around with.

Thanks for the feedback :smallbiggrin:. I like the sniper build more and more to my liking every minuet

[Raenel]

I'm an idiot........ I didn't realize that Targeteers get two ewp's at level one

[ILM]

So here's what I did in a build once. There may be some overlap with your build, but I'll just list all the relevant bits:
- Elf Factotum 1/ Bard 1/ Fighter 16 (for the Overwhelming Strike ACF in PHB2)/ Cragtop Archer 2
- Feats: the usual suspects (far shot, etc.), Improved Bind Vestige, Ranged Weapon Mastery, Knowledge Devotion, Extra Music/ Font of Inspiration
- Weapon: this may not work at every table: our standard houserule allows us to reverse-engineer enchantment costs of special weapons/armor to either a +X enchantment or a fixed cost. This allowed me to get a Seeking, Distance bow combining Hank's Energy Bow, the Eagle's Cry Bow and the Bow of Songs.
- Wands and UMD: Near Horizon, Find the Gap, Lore of the Gods, Accuracy, Hunter's Mercy
- As a level 20 character, you're assumed to have flight and that sort of thing

The routine:
- bind Malphas, summon a raven (extreme range increments are great, but what if you can't actually see that far?)
- fly up high
- in round 1, cast Accuracy
- in round 2, cast Lore of the Gods to power Knowledge Devotion
- in round 3, cast Find the Gap
- in round 4: cast Near Horizon and Hunter's Mercy
- in round 5: swift action: use Bow of Songs, then full-round action for an Overpowering Strike with full Power Shot from the Energy Bow

That amounts to a single arrow pretty much auto-critting at any distance up to 13,000 ft or so, and dealing around 3-400 damage a pop (ignoring DR). Which isn't really all that much considering the resource you poured into that, but still fun to build :).

Aside from the feats you need and Overpowering Attack, you could replace all these Fighter levels with Arcane Archer 2 and whatever casting you need to nuke a target from orbit instead of just firing arrows.