Advice for an archer using Incarnum(read post)

[danielxcutter]

So I'm applying for a PbP game on these forums, and I asked to play a character intended to enter Chameleon with Rogue 1/Incarnate 2/Fighter or Ranger 2. The campaign starts at level 1, so the DM allowed me to use the 3.0 multiclassing rules - my character will have:

Rogue HD
Rogue Skill points
Trapfinding
AuraIncarnate
Detect Opposition
1 Soulmeld, 1 Essentia
+0 Fort, +2 Ref, +0 Will.

Yeah, no sneak attack yet, and one less soulmeld than a full Incarnate. I'll get a proper Rogue 1/Incarnate 1 next level, though. In other words, I have a slightly better Incarnate with one less soulmeld, but an otherwise better chassis.

Can I have some help? Feats are Able Learner and Precise Shot - using a shortbow now, planning to jump to longbows later.

Mostly I need advice on shaping soulmelds - which ones would come in handy? I'm planning on Bluesteel Bracers or Sighting Gloves as my main soulmeld, but there are others that will come in handy - for example, I believe Astral Vambraces give 10 x Essentia DR/magic, which is great at lower levels. Bad later, incredibly good now.

I'll need advice for low *and* high levels - remember I plan on entering Chameleon, so I'll have access to a variety of spells later on. That means Open X Chakra and using the floating feat for Shape Soulmeld, for one, not to mention lots of others. DM says no to PrC spells, though.

[Venger]

So I'm applying for a PbP game on these forums, and I asked to play a character intended to enter Chameleon with Rogue 1/Incarnate 2/Fighter or Ranger 2. The campaign starts at level 1, so the DM allowed me to use the 3.0 multiclassing rules - my character will have:

Rogue HD
Rogue Skill points
Trapfinding
AuraIncarnate
Detect Opposition
1 Soulmeld, 1 Essentia
+0 Fort, +2 Ref, +0 Will.

Yeah, no sneak attack yet, and one less soulmeld than a full Incarnate. I'll get a proper Rogue 1/Incarnate 1 next level, though. In other words, I have a slightly better Incarnate with one less soulmeld, but an otherwise better chassis.

Can I have some help? Feats are Able Learner and Precise Shot - using a shortbow now, planning to jump to longbows later.

Mostly I need advice on shaping soulmelds - which ones would come in handy? I'm planning on Bluesteel Bracers or Sighting Gloves as my main soulmeld, but there are others that will come in handy - for example, I believe Astral Vambraces give 10 x Essentia DR/magic, which is great at lower levels. Bad later, incredibly good now.

I'll need advice for low *and* high levels - remember I plan on entering Chameleon, so I'll have access to a variety of spells later on. That means Open X Chakra and using the floating feat for Shape Soulmeld, for one, not to mention lots of others. DM says no to PrC spells, though.
Congratulations on incarnate. it's a very fun class.

if you care about traditional rogue busy work, the theft gloves give you a great bonus to your checks at very low levels.

those melds are solid choices. airstep sandals let you fly from early on which helps with mobility.

astral vambraces are great, but they're not that great. they actually give 2 + 2xe damage reduction with the shaped effect.

[danielxcutter]

Congratulations on incarnate. it's a very fun class.

Thanks. First time using Incarnum aside from Shape Soulmeld for Shedu Crown as a prereq for Mindsight(and the campaign didn't even get that far. :smallannoyed:) Plus Incarnum has some nifty tricks in a Chameleon build.

if you care about traditional rogue busy work, the theft gloves give you a great bonus to your checks at very low levels.[/quote]

Not a really "traditional" rogue tbh. Still, not too bad. Might have some use.


those melds are solid choices. airstep sandals let you fly from early on which helps with mobility.

Well, I'm going to be shooting things with arrows. Archers aren't that great at damage-per-hit. Airstep Sandals might work too, in some cases.


astral vambraces are great, but they're not that great. they actually give 2 + 2xe damage reduction with the shaped effect.

Ah. Still, DR/magic is great at this level. And I'm a bit squishy.

[Eldariel]

Sighting Gloves is a very good way to go; flat bonus for everything as an archer is nice, as is skipping the need for Precise Shot (though whether this works with Splitting, you'd need a favourable DM ruling there). Note that you don't need to pick up Precise Shot if you go this route. I'd go this route rather than Bluesteel Bracers though either is definitely fine; saving the feat on Precise Shot is sweet though. Incarnate Avatar (Chaotic) for the bonus to attack rolls would complement it well.

For utility, Illusion Veil or Keeneye Lenses in general are nice, as archers like to see far and not be fooled by invisibility. Illusion Veil would mix well with your spellcasting (in terms of Image-spells and such) while Keeneye Lenses just offer significantly higher bonuses. Fellmist Robe is pretty natural defensively as you'll generally be at a distance anyways. Other than that, well, the various skill bonuses for whatever you're doing are nice.

Oh yeah, Airstep Sandals are pretty sweet early on though your casting will swiftly overtake them.

[danielxcutter]

Sighting Gloves is a very good way to go; flat bonus for everything as an archer is nice, as is skipping the need for Precise Shot (though whether this works with Splitting, you'd need a favourable DM ruling there). Note that you don't need to pick up Precise Shot if you go this route. I'd go this route rather than Bluesteel Bracers though either is definitely fine; saving the feat on Precise Shot is sweet though. Incarnate Avatar (Chaotic) for the bonus to attack rolls would complement it well.

I already grabbed Precise Shot, as I'm certainly not going to unlock the hands bind with Incarnate levels. Also, I'm going for Good Incarnate - I'm not comfortable with playing characters other than Neutral Good yet, plus CN characters are a bit... meh, at least for some DMs. Also some of the Good-aligned soulmelds are nice.


For utility, Illusion Veil or Keeneye Lenses in general are nice, as archers like to see far and not be fooled by invisibility. Illusion Veil would mix well with your spellcasting (in terms of Image-spells and such) while Keeneye Lenses just offer significantly higher bonuses. Fellmist Robe is pretty natural defensively as you'll generally be at a distance anyways. Other than that, well, the various skill bonuses for whatever you're doing are nice.

Noice. Didn't think of Illusion Veil, tbh - yeah, I'm probably going to use at least a few illusion spells during my career.


Oh yeah, Airstep Sandals are pretty sweet early on though your casting will swiftly overtake them.

Got it.

[Eldariel]

How are you grabbing Precise Shot without PBS? Houserule or?

[danielxcutter]

How are you grabbing Precise Shot without PBS? Houserule or?

*facepalm* Crap, got the two confused. Yeah, grabbing PBS with first level feat.

Still won't get Precise Shot with the hands bind unless I use Open Chakra every day though, and that's not for a while. So probably going to get it with a real feat anyways.

[Eldariel]

*facepalm* Crap, got the two confused. Yeah, grabbing PBS with first level feat.

Still won't get Precise Shot with the hands bind unless I use Open Chakra every day though, and that's not for a while. So probably going to get it with a real feat anyways.

Yesh, sensible enough. Precise Shot unambiguously works with Splitting, which will be big. Note, you could open one chakra with a feat proper if one soulmeld grants something you certainly want.

[ottdmk]

Your main problem is going to be Essentia. With Incarnate 2 you'll be able to Shape 3 Soulmelds (assuming Con 13+) but you're only going to have 2 Essentia to power them. As time goes on that's underwhelming. At 6th level you'll only be able to fully power one meld at a time.

As an Archer you may want to go Chaotic Neutral so you can use the Chaos variant of Incarnate Avatar. Sure, you'll look like a Slaad but you'll be able to get a bonus on your ranged attack rolls.

[Grod_The_Giant]

You'll definitely want Bonus Essentia at 6th and to be an essentia-granting race, yeah.

[danielxcutter]

Yesh, sensible enough. Precise Shot unambiguously works with Splitting, which will be big. Note, you could open one chakra with a feat proper if one soulmeld grants something you certainly want.

Oh yeah, that too. Also, I may not have the feats to burn on Open X Chakra, though using Chameleon spells to copy the Open Chakra spell is certainly feasible.


Your main problem is going to be Essentia. With Incarnate 2 you'll be able to Shape 3 Soulmelds (assuming Con 13+) but you're only going to have 2 Essentia to power them. As time goes on that's underwhelming. At 6th level you'll only be able to fully power one meld at a time.

As an Archer you may want to go Chaotic Neutral so you can use the Chaos variant of Incarnate Avatar. Sure, you'll look like a Slaad but you'll be able to get a bonus on your ranged attack rolls.


You'll definitely want Bonus Essentia at 6th and to be an essentia-granting race, yeah.

Yes, I've thought about Essentia too. I'm going as vanilla human, but I'm still going to grab Bonus Essentia at very least, and probably an Essentia Helm too. Maybe an Essentia feat or two if I'm still short.