What makes a better heavy crossbowman?

[Dankus Memakus]

So ive been trying to figure this out, does the fighter or ranger make a better heavy crossbowman? Also in making this crossbowman is the defense fighting style a waste? Should i just default choose archery?

[Man_Over_Game]

So ive been trying to figure this out, does the fighter or ranger make a better heavy crossbowman? Also in making this crossbowman is the defense fighting style a waste? Should i just default choose archery?

It really depends on whether you're using Crossbow Expert or not.




With XBow Expert
W/O Xbow Expert



Fighter
Better
Worse


Ranger
Worse
Better



The Fighter has more attacks, and so will need Xbow Expert to keep up. Otherwise, the Ranger is better, as many of their abilities rely on singular hits per turn and will be less impacted by the Loading feature.

[clash]

Definitely choose archery, from there it depends what you are looking for and what level you are getting to. Ranger has spell support to enhance archery combat, fighter just does more of it and gets more feats.

I would play ranger if you are looking to make single attacks hit harder (Hunter's mark, Hail of Thorns etc) and fighter if you are looking to make more attacks and or make the build come online earlier. Ideally you want Crossbow expert before level 4 then sharpshooter and maxed out dex as soon as possible. Fighter can potentially do this by level 8 ranger takes a bit longer.

[Theodoric]

You need the Crossbow Expert feat to make the best use of a Fighter. I'd check with the DM if (s)he even allows feats, first. Personally, my go-to class for a heavy crossbowman would be a War Cleric.

[BigPixie]

What do you envision as your character—a plate clad sniper, a hide-armor maniac with a big bow or something entirely different. this really determines whether defense or archery is the focus.

[Dankus Memakus]

What do you envision as your character—a plate clad sniper, a hide-armor maniac with a big bow or something entirely different. this really determines whether defense or archery is the focus.

I have the idea of a dwarven sniper in leathers. Because of the dwarf lack of dex (although the ebberon dwarf gets a +1) i was thinking of grabbing the +1 AC to shore up my defence

[lperkins2]

It really depends on whether you're using Crossbow Expert or not.




With XBow Expert
W/O Xbow Expert



Fighter
Better
Worse


Ranger
Worse
Better



The Fighter has more attacks, and so will need Xbow Expert to keep up. Otherwise, the Ranger is better, as many of their abilities rely on singular hits per turn and will be less impacted by the Loading feature.

Depends some on the nature of the campaign. At level 12, Fighter is making 3 attacks per turn with a hand xbow for 1d10+14 each, or there abouts. Ranger with Horde breaker is also making 2 attacks per turn, at 1d10+14, and 1 attack per turn at 1d10+1d6+14, assuming they drop hunters mark. Also, with volley, they can attack everything in a 10 foot radius, plus one more attack beside.

Also for consideration is the valour bard. With xbow expert and sniper shot, they get 1 fewer attack at level 5, gaining the extra attack at level 6, but have full spellcasting for utility spells, and gain swiftquiver via magical secret before the ranger does. The lack of archery fighting style hurts, but spellcasting helps with that.

[Keravath]

Just keep in mind that EITHER of these characters will need crossbow expert to use a heavy crossbow effectively. The loading property limits the crossbow to one attack/round so if you want to use the extra attack feature of EITHER the fighter or the ranger you WILL need crossbow expert.

The ranger will get an extra damage element on their attacks once/turn (e.g.colossus slayer) or once/combat (e.g gloomstalker). However, the fighter will get more feats/ASI so their to hit and base damage will be slightly higher. At level 11 the fighter will get an additional attack.

In addition, a battlemaster fighter picks up a bunch of maneuvers or a champion crits on 19/20. Fighter also gets action surge which are all short rest resources, while the ranger gets some spells including hunter's mark.

So honestly, it is probably a toss up as to which is better though the fighter would have crossbow expert and sharpshooter sooner.

[GlenSmash!]

I know it's not one of the options but Fighter 1/Rogue X can be a brilliant Heavy Crossbow sniper.

[Talionis]

Hexblade makes a great Xbow user. It gets Extra Attack, Lifedrinker, Thirsting Blade, Hex, Branding Smite. You can’t disarm him. Even more invocations and utility spells.

[Blood of Gaea]

Rogue with a one level Fighter dip for Archery and proficiency with the heavy crossbow.

This is actually one of the better ways to salvage a really bad stat roll, where your highest stat ends up at 13 or 14 after racial bonuses.

[Malifice]

BM fighter. Crossbow expert and sharpshooter. Worth MCing after 5th for 3 levels of Ranger. Scout Rogue is fluffy and works well too.

[LudicSavant]

So ive been trying to figure this out, does the fighter or ranger make a better heavy crossbowman? Also in making this crossbowman is the defense fighting style a waste? Should i just default choose archery?

Fighter, assuming that you have Crossbow Expert by the time you get Extra Attack (And if you don't, both are going to suck with crossbows compared to bows without the Loading quality).

Yes, you should pick the Archery fighting style. A +2 to hit is a big deal.

[Ogeeogelthorpe]

Here is my Adventurer's League gloomstalker sniper build.

Character: Ogee Ogelthorpe
Race: Variant Human
Class Gloomstalker Ranger
Background: Faction agent - Lord's Alliance
Level: 10
HP: 82
AC: 16

STR: 8
DEX: 18
CON: 14
INT: 10
WIS: 16
CHA: 8

Skills
Stealth: +8
History: +4 (Lord's Alliance faction agent background)
Nature: +4
Insight: +7
Perception: +7 (Advantage)
Survival: +7

Traits/ASIs
Sharpshooter
Crossbow Expert
+2 dex

Spells
Level 1: Cure wounds, Zephyr Strike, Disguise Self (GS) Hunters mark
Level 2: Rope Trick (GS) Healing Spirit, Silence
Level 3: Fear (GS) Conjure Barrage

Magic Items
Quiver of Ehlona (To easily tote all my arrows and bolts)
+1 Heavy Crossbow (From back in the good old days when there were factions. She's named Priscilla)
+2 Hand Crossbow. (He's named Brutus. He only comes out when it's time for a little extra pewpewpew.)
Oathbow (It's named Shadowsong. I don't want to assume their gender. It's elven.)
Eyes of the Eagle (I hunted for weeks on Reddit to trade for this baby!)

My general strategy is to stay as far back as possible and snipe with the heavy crossbow or longbow. (400 or 600 range respectively, and with eyes of the eagle I can see clearly at this distance) and as a gloomstalker Ogelthorpe is invisible in shadows, so yay advantage. It's too far for hunter's mark so zephyr strike is a nice damage booster for a shot. Sharpshooter + crossbow expert + Gloomstalker first attack is generally 1D8+10(GS1)(SS) + 1D8(ZS) + 1D10+15 + 1D10+15. Depending on the DM they sometimes let me do this before combat because of the goggles.

If I'm feeling nasty and absolutely want something to die on the first round then I whip out Shadowsong and whisper the secret password and that first round attack becomes 1D8+10(GS1)(SS) + 1D8(ZS) + 1D8+14+3D6 + 1D8+14+3D6.

It's a lot of fun because you can be sneaky DPS and heal at the same time. I'm debating multiclassing into either Rogue Assassin/Scout, or Battlemaster/Champion fighter. Thief might also be a fun subclass because of fast hands and poisons.

[Boci]

Ranger with Horde breaker is also making 2 attacks per turn, at 1d10+14, and 1 attack per turn at 1d10+1d6+14, assuming they drop hunters mark.


I would play ranger if you are looking to make single attacks hit harder (Hunter's mark, Hail of Thorns etc)

These posts seem to imply the damage from hunter's mark only applies once per attack. Doesn't it apply to all your attacks?

[CTurbo]

I was going to say Fighter 1/Rogue X but a few have already beat me to it so I'll add Gloom Stalker 3/Assassin X to the pile.