Mind control archer

[clash]

We will be starting a new campaign soon and I want to make a character that is an effective archer during combat, has a kinda scout/nature ranger feel when out of combat and uses mind control stuff like suggestion for social encounters. So far I have been looking at 3 ideas for this.

1. Ranger
Ranger gives me the exact feel and theme I want for my character and gets good archery support and archery buffing spells. However, Rangers dont get any mind control capabilities.

2. Valor Bard
Bard with outlander background and expertise in survival, gives the tracking elements and theme of a ranger well enough. Bard is practically built for social manipulation, and can even pick up some ranger goodies like swift quiver far sooner than the ranger gets it. The downside to bard is they dont get a fighting style or early level spell support for archery making them not as good at archery until later levels.

3. Archefey warlock
The first idea here is using archfey warlock with blade pact and moonbow from ua. It fits thematically, but it gets no bonus like expertise or ranger goodies to survival and will be spending most of it's invocations to improve it archery, instead of supplementing it's mind control spells. It has good spells upport though and most of the mind trick goodies and is a themtic subclass.

The second idea here is refluffing eldritch blast as coming from a bow and having good archery for a minimal investment while maintaining everything else stated above. This seems like a plausible option.

So any experience with any of these ideas. Any thoughts or recommendations or any class ideas I missed? Thanks for the feedback.

[Specter]

Lore Bard with a Fighter or Ranger dip works just as well as Valor, just so you'd know. I'd take a Fighter level, then 1 in Lore Bard, then 4 more in Fighter and then progress in any way I felt was best.

[Sicarius Victis]

Judging from the mention of the Moonbow, I take it you're allowed to use UA? If so, try the latest UA Mystic with the Order of the Nomad. It has archery, it has skill-use, it has mind-control, and it has a lot of additional benefits.

[clash]

Judging from the mention of the Moonbow, I take it you're allowed to use UA? If so, try the latest UA Mystic with the Order of the Nomad. It has archery, it has skill-use, it has mind-control, and it has a lot of additional benefits.

I started reading that but didn't delve too far into it. I noticed there is no opportunity for extra attack but do you know if there is ways to increase the archery damage to on-par with extra attack?

[Steampunkette]

Once you can spend 5pp (5th level) Nomad's Arrow has the "Faithful Archer" power you can activate for 1 minute.

It causes your bow to fire an arrow at a target you choose without expending an action. Then you make your attack action.

It's not exactly the -same- as having Extra Attack, but it's very similar.

You can also Ranged-Smite with Nomad's Arrow. 1d10 per power point spent.

[Xethik]

Once you can spend 5pp (5th level) Nomad's Arrow has the "Faithful Archer" power you can activate for 1 minute.

It causes your bow to fire an arrow at a target you choose without expending an action. Then you make your attack action.

It's not exactly the -same- as having Extra Attack, but it's very similar.

You can also Ranged-Smite with Nomad's Arrow. 1d10 per power point spent.
After Faithful Archer is up, you could also Celerity > Surge of Action as a bonus action to make an additional attack for 5 pp. I think 5d10 psychic damage is almost definitely superior if you have a good chance of hitting (55 average damage added), but Surge of Action increases the chance of doing at least some damage.

[Sicarius Victis]

Once you can spend 5pp (5th level) Nomad's Arrow has the "Faithful Archer" power you can activate for 1 minute.

It causes your bow to fire an arrow at a target you choose without expending an action. Then you make your attack action.

It's not exactly the -same- as having Extra Attack, but it's very similar.

You can also Ranged-Smite with Nomad's Arrow. 1d10 per power point spent.


After Faithful Archer is up, you could also Celerity > Surge of Action as a bonus action to make an additional attack for 5 pp. I think 5d10 psychic damage is almost definitely superior if you have a good chance of hitting (55 average damage added), but Surge of Action increases the chance of doing at least some damage.

In addition to these, Seeking Arrow from the Nomadic Arrow allows you to reroll a missed ranged attack as a reaction, comboing amazingly with Sharpshooter.

As well as those, the Psionic Weapon discipline works well too. Ethereal Weapon isn't the best ability, as it requires a bonus action, but it allows you to turn an attack roll into a DEX save. In addition, Augmented Weapon actually turns your weapon into a magical +3 weapon for up to ten minutes at a time, and for only 5 psi points each use.

[Talionis]

I think you'll want to multiclass. I agree that Lore Bard plus something that gets you extra attacks is quite strong. FYI even Warlock gets extra attacks.

Valor Bard would be my choice for single class.

[Dappershire]

Just go all Ranger.
You want mind control? Nothing says "Do what I say" like a taut bow in your face.

[clash]

Thanks for all the feedback.

I'm not sure what lore bard gets me beyond valor bard to be worth 5 levels of multiclass. It gets magical secrets at 6 but by the time you take 5 levels of something to get extra attack you are not getting magical secrets until 11 anyways. Is cutting words that good or am I missing something else?

I had thought about going straight ranger, but they get nothing for mind control spells and wont have high charisma or expertise for social manipulation. That arrow int heir face doesn't help if you are not a very intimidating person.

[Deleted]

Make sure to grill a cheese or else your Archer may start screeching and come at you with a meat cleaver.

[Talionis]

Thanks for all the feedback.

I'm not sure what lore bard gets me beyond valor bard to be worth 5 levels of multiclass. It gets magical secrets at 6 but by the time you take 5 levels of something to get extra attack you are not getting magical secrets until 11 anyways. Is cutting words that good or am I missing something else?

I had thought about going straight ranger, but they get nothing for mind control spells and wont have high charisma or expertise for social manipulation. That arrow int heir face doesn't help if you are not a very intimidating person.

Valor Bard has a little problem in increasing the damage and accuracy of its arrow attacks. You have all the good arrow spells, but can only have one concentration spell at a time and most of the damage boosts are concentration.

Hurting your spell progression doesn't seem to be a problem for you since Ranger was an option for you and you'll speed past Ranger progression after ten. IE. I think you'll be happier with Ranger 5/Lore Bard 6 than Ranger 11. Ranger will help add more damage/arrow though which is superior to Valor Bard 11.

[Crgaston]

Just refluff a GOO Warlock. You have telepathy at will, and your focus for your eldritch blasts can be a super-cool bow-shaped "staff" with a "string" of energy. Take the outlander background, or make your own for the stealth/survival package. Makes sense as a combo.

[Deathtongue]

How much do you want to lean on the 'dominate social encounters' aspect of your character?

If it's 'a lot' then I say just straight-up go Rogue 1 / Valor or Lore Bard (depending on how much you want to juice your extra attack) X. Yes, even poaching spells and with Bardic Inspiration you will be doing less damage than a Fighter or a Ranger. A lot less, actually, even though your ranged damage can still safely remain at above-average or better.

But going Rogue 1 / Bard X will leave you crushing social encounters so much that you won't even need to lean on your spellcasting abilities that much. Bounded accuracy plus twin sources of expertise + bless or guidance + bardic inspiration will have you completely dominating any social situation your DM throws at you.

This guide goes into a lot more depth here. And honestly, I recommend it for anyone who plans to be a party face in 5E D&D:
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?490505-The-Social-God-A-guide-to-an-optimized-party-face