I need help with a character idea

[inuyasha]

I've got an idea for a character using the Called Shot rules from Ultimate Combat. Has anyone ever tried making a ray-focused spellcaster that really specializes in using those? I'm thinking of making an evoker character just for fun, around level 6 or 7, who can use spells like Scorching Ray to blast people's eyes out with pinpoint accuracy.

I'd prefer to only use things from the PRD but if you can provide a link to another source I'd be okay with that.

The reason for my use of the PRD is because it loads quicker than the PFSRD where I host my Pathfinder club, so it has the higher priority.

My main focus is getting the attack bonus high with rays without getting super cheesy.

[Psyren]

This won't work, or rather, won't work nearly as effectively as you want it to. Called Shot rules:


Touch Attacks: Touch attacks and ranged touch attacks made as called shots must target AC rather than touch AC. This represents the care it takes to target such strikes.

In short, rays become regular ranged attacks, and given that most casters have average dex and middling to poor BAB with few attack bonuses, your chances of missing go way up even before adding in the called shot penalties.

[inuyasha]

This won't work, or rather, won't work nearly as effectively as you want it to. Called Shot rules:



In short, rays become regular ranged attacks, and given that most casters have average dex and middling to poor BAB with few attack bonuses, your chances of missing go way up even before adding in the called shot penalties.

That's exactly why this is a challenging thought exercise. I'm thinking of a Halfling Evoker (or perhaps goblin) who puts most of his points into intelligence and dexterity, and then specializes as much as he can with increasing his ranged capabilities, with feats like point blank shot, weapon focus (rays) etc.

[Florian]

Could be done with Ranged Spellstrike-based Magus builds, I guess.

[Psyren]

That's exactly why this is a challenging thought exercise. I'm thinking of a Halfling Evoker (or perhaps goblin) who puts most of his points into intelligence and dexterity, and then specializes as much as he can with increasing his ranged capabilities, with feats like point blank shot, weapon focus (rays) etc.

You have two major problems here though. The first is that using a Called Shot itself requires actions - a full-round action baseline, which you can reduce to a standard action with Improved Call Shot (whtich requires Combat Expertise.) You don't get to combine it with a spell until Greater Called Shot, at which point you can replace the free ranged attack the ray spell gives you with a Called Shot. This feat doesn't come online until BAB +6, i.e. level 12 as an Evoker. So over half your progression will be over before you even get to do the main schtick of this build.

The second problem is that, even with those three feats under your belt, you'll need many additional resources besides just to break even with an actual ranged combatant due to this rule. At level 10, you'll be 5 BAB behind a warrior with a bow, never mind a Fighter with Weapon Training or a Ranger with Favored Enemy, both of which would also have a bunch of bonus feats. And even after you overcome that inherent deficiency, the called shot itself imposes a penalty to your attack, which can go all the way up to -10.

In short, for over half your career you can't even do this, and even once you can, your chances of success are extremely low, while your ammunition (spell slots and actions) have a very high opportunity cost compared to the archer you're trying unsuccessfully to be. If you must do this, I'd dump the pure evoker focus entirely and go for a gish build (maybe AA or EA) with much higher base attack.

[SorenKnight]

You might be best served by going into Eldritch Knight. Feats and decent Dex just aren't going to make up the difference between Touch and normal AC even before Called Shot penalties. Funnily enough, for this concept I'd recommend prioritizing Bab as much as normal casters do caster level and Dex as much as they do Int/Cha/Wis, you're effectiveness is going to be based more on accuracy than spell DCs anyway. You might even consider going into Arcane Archer after you run out of Eldritch Knight levels, the Weapon Focus (bow) feat would be wasted, but you'll get good mileage out of Precise Shot and Point-Blank Shot any way so there isn't much reason not too.

Edit: Ninja'd/Swordsage'd by Psyren

[denthor]

I have to agree with the rest of the Forum you would need to take Archer feats

Precise shot so you don't hit your Comrades

You might want to look into a feat from 3.5 that allowed you to split your raise and hit two Targets with one spell

[inuyasha]

Oof, I totally forgot about action types, thanks guys!