Eldritch Knight Archer level 10 Build

[Nosta]

Ok I've been itching to play an Archer but want some magical abilities so I have chosen Eldritch knight but am unsure of a few things

1? X-Bow or long-Bow - Leaning X-bow

2 ? Race (Highly considering V-Human for the feat)

4 ASI / Feats

5? Can Trips

6? Spells

going for a Bounty hunter style character

[JNAProductions]

I am unsure of what happened to 3. :P

But, in regards to going Crossbow... Why?

[CheddarChampion]

If you go with xbow you'll want the crossbow expert feat - the loading attribute of crossbows means you can't use extra attack with them unless you take the feat.
Sharpshooter is also good for any ranged weapon build.
Max dexterity after these, of course. Vuman let's you get both and maximize dex all by level 10.
I recommend shocking grasp for use with war magic. Move away from an enemy after shocking them then get a bonus action shot in.
If you are going for bounty hunter think about using a net - works with war magic and crossbow expert's bonus action hand crossbow attack. Sharpshooter/crossbow expert removes the disadvantage too.

I personally prefer a high elf with a longbow, sharpshooter, elven accuracy, and max dex.

[djreynolds]

http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php?469118-GUIDE-Bow-Bond-An-Eldritch-Knight%92s-guide-to-Archery&p=6707748#post6707748

This is a good guide on the forum site you can get to, its especially good because you might be focusing on your bow attacks and not so much on war magic

Mold earth and minor illusion are very nice, as is anything for cover or concealment. Fog cloud, darkness, and spells that use a BA like misty step

I might take ranger archer, I really like their spells. Hunter is quite good.

Fighters, fighter/rogues, and fighter/rogue/rangers are all cool combos... even war cleric

But plain fighter, even with EK, becomes very machine gun like IMO. And so fighter archer needs to focus on multiple attacks and landing sharpshooter almost every hit.

So for a machine gun, battlemaster fighter with some war cleric... here you are spamming the bless spell and using precision and guided strike

For an archer who uses magic, ranger can do some damage with hail of thorns... but you will eat spell slots faster than a smiting paladin.

[ImproperJustice]

Expeditious Retreat is a great early game archer spell allowing you to maneuver effectively.

Find Familiar is also handy for scouting and the occasional clinching help action.

Shield and Absorb Elements are always great.

Once you move into level 2, I am fond of Blindness, but you may enjoy using mirror image or blur.

Basically use magic to fix your shortcomings as a Fighter (speed mostly).
And plink away.

[Corran]

Ok I've been itching to play an Archer but want some magical abilities so I have chosen Eldritch knight but am unsure of a few things

1? X-Bow or long-Bow - Leaning X-bow
I'd go with longbow. Better range, and I prefer the style.


2 ? Race (Highly considering V-Human for the feat)
The feat is certainly very tempting, but so is the elf. Being a dex based character who can affored to ignore armor that give stealth penalties (because you are an archer), means that you are very suited for stealth. And darkvision helps a lot with stealth. Darkvision is also very useful for archers too. The high elf gives you an int bonus which is very nice, the wood elf gives you extra speed (very useful) and some other tricks, and the drow gives you superior range on the darkvision (awesome) but also sunlight sensitivity (crap). I'd probably go with some elf variety.


4 ASI / Feats
Sharpshooter is an obvious one. Many attacks and good attack bonus (archery fs is great) means you can use the -5/+10 aspect of it very very well. Its other benefits (regarding cover) are very significant too. I'd probably pick it asap (I would definitely want it when I have extra attack 1). Another good feat is mobile. Helps with keeping the distance from what is chasing you or from what you are chasing, and also it will allow you to disengage when enemies get up to your face. Another way to do it would be to dip rogue for 2 levels, in order to get cunning action, but mobile allows you to have the most important part of CA without delaying your EK progression (so you get extra attacks and everything else faster). If you take BB, there is good synergy between BB, war magic and mobile.


5? Can Trips
Booming blade (BB). Plus whatever else you like.


6? Spells
Not sure. Some spells that target saves can be useful if combined with eldritch strike (the level 10 ability) and potentially with action surge too. Things like hold person, blindness, hypnotic pattern. But they hurt you in that they require not taking the attack action which is going to be biffed up. Anyway, these things work well once you are of level 10, so there is a long way for you to decide on this. Other than that, misty step probably, for escaping adjacent enemies if there are more than you can get away from with mobile and melee attacks. Or for when you'll want to escape a grapple (get athletics and/or acrobatics proficiency btw) or position yourself somewhere nice where you can shoot from with little worry. Maybe magic weapon if your DM does not hand out magic weapons. Spells that can work for a bounty hunter could also be charm person, zone of truth, disguise/alter self, invisibility. Darkvision perhaps if you decide to go with human.
Not sure how many of these spells are abjuration and evocation though. Cause outside of these schools you have limited picks. :(


going for a Bounty hunter style character
Skills:
Survival, for tracking down your bounty.
Intimidation or persuasion depending on style, for gathering info about your bounty.
Insight, for figuring out if what you learn about your bounty is true or not.
Stealth is self explanatory, and perception is too good not to include (not that it doesn't fit with your character or anything). One of acrobatics or athletics is pretty mandatory too, but preferably you should have both if you can afford them. Investigation is good and thematic too, and you'll have a good intelligence too. Arcana...
Man, a lot of skills can be very useful to you. Check with everyone else to see if they can cover some of them. If you feel you need lots of skills, there is always the possibility to go with halfelf, or choose a variant human with the skilled feat (you can pull it off with another race if you roll a very good dex), or multiclassing into a rogue for 1-2 levels, or any combination of the above. Skills can be a big part of this character, don't neglect them completely. Good luck!

[Talionis]

I will advise a three level dip in Ranger Hunter or Gloomstalker to add an additional attack. After you get your third attack from Fighter I would suggest War Cleric for accuracy Channel Divinity and Bless as a concentration spell and just adding spell slots for Ranger Spells.

Think about a level of Rogue for Expertise and Sneak Attack. Skills like Sleight of Hand are great for a Bounty Hunter who wants to put someone in shackles.

[djreynolds]

For cantrips

battlefield tactics you can mold earth for a barrier, minor illusion, create bonfire,

for war magic for an archer, I might use like thunderclap or sword burst or poison spray

and obviously BB GFB when in melee

So like the guide says, you will not get much use out war magic with archery but you could use create bonfire 60ft away to funnel some enemy towards the fighters and then BA arrow in the face for the stragglers.

I think you'll be fine

[Klorox]

If you want a power build, go hand crossbow.

[djreynolds]

Ok I've been itching to play an Archer but want some magical abilities so I have chosen Eldritch knight but am unsure of a few things

1? X-Bow or long-Bow - Leaning X-bow

2 ? Race (Highly considering V-Human for the feat)

4 ASI / Feats

5? Can Trips

6? Spells

going for a Bounty hunter style character

What level is this going to be?

Level 9 ranger is now getting lightning arrow, plenty of healing. And they get dark vision spell which lasts 8 hours

So here you can grab human variant and grab sharpshooter, not just for +10 damage but increased distance and avoiding partial cover.

Pass without a trace is huge spell, +10 stealth for the party

The crazy thing is you could multiclass eldritch knight and ranger, a 13 in dex, wis, int is too easy to obtain