Battle Master (Archer) Advice

[Nosta]

Ok so I think I want to play a Character who can do trick shots with his Bow / Crossbow

But I want to have other stuff such a skills and other good features

But Don't want spells

so I was wondering what are some good

Multi-class or Dips for a Battle Master is

Character will be around level 8-10 (GM has not made up his mind yet)

[Sparky McDibben]

Positioning is key for ranged characters, so monk or rogue might be helpful (though for a two level dip, I'd prefer more rogue than monk, to be honest).

Also, sight range. If you don't have darkvision and can't get goggles of darkvision, try a two level warlock dip and snag the Devil's Sight invocation.

[Mercurias]

Sounds like a Fighter or Rogue/Fighter Multiclass is probably the trick.

A Battlemaster can make those trick shots, like disarming someone from range or tripping them with an arrow right through the boot. They can also put out a lot of arrows per round, which a trick on its own.

You could honestly go pure Battlemaster and be fine. You'll probably want to get hold of the Crossbow Expert and Sharpshooter feats ASAP, as well as Elven Accuracy if you're an elf.

If you want to add in Rogue levels, you'll get a little more damage out of your one sneak attack and then normal damage from your other attacks, IIRC. You'll also get hold of Expertise and some skill versatility.

[DrLoveMonkey]

Maybe variety human with the prodigy feat? That should bet you a decent number of skills as well as expertise without slowing down your progression to D10 superiority dice or your third attack.

[djreynolds]

Ok so I think I want to play a Character who can do trick shots with his Bow / Crossbow

But I want to have other stuff such a skills and other good features

But Don't want spells

so I was wondering what are some good

Multi-class or Dips for a Battle Master is

Character will be around level 8-10 (GM has not made up his mind yet)

I'm playing the UA fighter scout from Kits of Old. Just grab martial adept to add 2 more skills to your 3 maneuvers, but its come with 3 skills at 3rd level

[Nosta]

I'm playing the UA fighter scout from Kits of Old. Just grab martial adept to add 2 more skills to your 3 maneuvers, but its come with 3 skills at 3rd level


Feats / Asi?

[Man_Over_Game]

As a battlemaster, you're going to have a lot of HP to work with, and you're going to have a decent AC. There's not going to be much value in having your Monk take more hits than you just because you want to use a ranged weapon. Now, you CAN still use a ranged weapon, but you gotta play it to your strengths.

What I'd recommend is picking up Crossbow Expert and using your hand crossbow for EVERYTHING. You're a ranged character, but you're ALSO a melee character. It's also very popular with the Sharpshooter feat. Combine both, and start headshotting people hard. Trip someone up at 30ft away, then get in close and Sharpshooter them while adjacent to get Advantage on the target. Goad a target that's harassing your ally and move out of reach, so that the enemy is forced to chase you or deal little damage. There's a lot of fun you can do with it.


If you want more mobility and damage than tankiness, you can take Fighter to level 5 or 6, then take a few levels into Rogue. Cunning Action is incredibly useful for a mid-range archer, as it allows you to move anywhere and to never get pinned down.

[NecessaryWeevil]

As a battlemaster, you're going to have a lot of HP to work with, and you're going to have a decent AC. There's not going to be much value in having your Monk take more hits than you just because you want to use a ranged weapon. Now, you CAN still use a ranged weapon, but you gotta play it to your strengths.

What I'd recommend is picking up Crossbow Expert and using your hand crossbow for EVERYTHING. You're a ranged character, but you're ALSO a melee character. It's also very popular with the Sharpshooter feat. Combine both, and start headshotting people hard. Trip someone up at 30ft away, then get in close and Sharpshooter them while adjacent to get Advantage on the target. Goad a target that's harassing your ally and move out of reach, so that the enemy is forced to chase you or deal little damage. There's a lot of fun you can do with it.


If you want more mobility and damage than tankiness, you can take Fighter to level 5 or 6, then take a few levels into Rogue. Cunning Action is incredibly useful for a mid-range archer, as it allows you to move anywhere and to never get pinned down.

My immediate past character was pretty much exactly this, using a tabaxi for extra mobility. It works quite well.

[Trickery]

As others have said, fighter-rogue sounds like what you want. Fighter 5 or 6 / Rogue 3+ is a well-optimized build. Cunning Action on a ranged character is too good to pass up.

This is one of few times where I don't recommend feat: Crossbow Expert. You have good enough uses of your bonus action already (cunning action, second wind in a pinch), and you'll get more mileage from other feats. Cunning Action gives you the means to get out of melee range and avoid disadvantage. Remember that you only have to put 5' between yourself and the enemy to avoid disadvantage on your ranged attacks, regardless of their Reach (odd, but true).

Taking rogue levels after fighter 5 or 6 is optimal both for scaling damage from SA and for stronger skill and rogue features like Uncanny Dodge and Evasion. After three levels in Rogue, you get an archetype. Here are some ideas.

Assassin: string opening rounds if your DM allows the group to gain Surprise and puts you in encounters where that's possible. If you haven't played with your DM before, I don't recommend this. Too few DMs actually allow players to gain Surprise regularly - probably because it results in short, one-sided encounters due to the power of advantage and action economy. But, if you think you'll be able to get Surprise regularly, then take feat: Alert with this build.

Thief: use an object as a bonus action, and archers will always have a hand free for reloading. Pairs well with feat: Healer to bring people back up as a bonus action on your turn without spending your primary action.

This is a great build. Have fun.

[Man_Over_Game]

As others have said, fighter-rogue sounds like what you want. Fighter 5 or 6 / Rogue 3+ is a well-optimized build. Cunning Action on a ranged character is too good to pass up.

This is one of few times where I don't recommend crossbow expert. You have good enough uses of your bonus action already (cunning action, second win in a pinch), and you'll get more mileage from other feats.

Taking rogue levels after fighter 5 or 6 is optimal both for scaling damage from SA and for stronger skill and rogue features like Uncanny Dodge and Evasion. After three levels in Rogue, you get an archetype. Here are some ideas.

Assassin: string opening rounds if your DM allows the group to gain Surprise and puts you in encounters where that's possible. If you haven't played with your DM before, I don't recommend this. Too few DMs actually allow players to gain Surprise regularly - probably because it results in short, one-sided encounters due to the power of advantage and action economy.

Thief: use an object as a bonus action, and archers will always have a hand free for reloading. Pairs well with feat: Healer to bring people back up as a bonus action on your turn without spending your primary action.

This is a great build. Have fun.

I do disagree with the bit about Crossbow Expert. While I don't disagree that you do have a few things that compete with your Bonus Action (however circumstantial they might be), it's hard to justify using your Fighter durability benefits (1d10 Hit Die, medium armor, more ASIs/Feats, Second Wind) if you're way in the back, but you can't afford to be near the front when attacking while engaged causes Disadvantage on your attack.

So you have to make a choice: Waste the majority of your durability features from Fighter, or find a away to be comfortable with melee opponents as a ranged specialist.

[Trickery]

I do disagree with the bit about Crossbow Expert. While I don't disagree that you do have a few things that compete with your Bonus Action (however circumstantial they might be), it's hard to justify using your Fighter durability benefits (1d10 Hit Die, medium armor, more ASIs/Feats, Second Wind) if you're way in the back, but you can't afford to be near the front when attacking while engaged causes Disadvantage on your attack.

So you have to make a choice: Waste the majority of your durability features from Fighter, or find a away to be comfortable with melee opponents as a ranged specialist.

The character will still be hit with ranged attacks, spells, potentially traps, etc. from the back. Just because you can take a hit doesn't mean you should.

[Man_Over_Game]

The character will still be hit with ranged attacks, spells, potentially traps, etc. from the back. Just because you can take a hit doesn't mean you should.

Who's a better target than a Fighter with maxed out Dex, medium/light armor, 1d10 HP, and a Second Wind?

You have to consider, when the Fighter's not the one taking damage, then who is?

If you transition from a Barbarian taking 2 hits, to a Barbarian and a Fighter each taking 1, you'll find that people die half as often. We aren't talking about an MMORPG, spreading damage is generally more efficient than focusing it at one point.

[Bloodcloud]

I agree with MOG here. Crossbow expert allows you to live in short range and take a few shot, wich you can afford. It might relieve pressure on your tank.

[LudicSavant]

Ok so I think I want to play a Character who can do trick shots with his Bow / Crossbow

But I want to have other stuff such a skills and other good features

But Don't want spells

so I was wondering what are some good

Multi-class or Dips for a Battle Master is

Character will be around level 8-10 (GM has not made up his mind yet)

Since you don't want spells, just go straight Battle Master. Max Dex, take Sharpshooter and Crossbow Expert, and the core of your build is done. After that look at stuff like Resilient (Wis), Lucky, Alert, or the like. Take Elven Accuracy if you're an elf.

[samcifer]

Who's a better target than a Fighter with maxed out Dex, medium/light armor, 1d10 HP, and a Second Wind?

You have to consider, when the Fighter's not the one taking damage, then who is?

If you transition from a Barbarian taking 2 hits, to a Barbarian and a Fighter each taking 1, you'll find that people die half as often. We aren't talking about an MMORPG, spreading damage is generally more efficient than focusing it at one point.

Well... I'm playing a barbarian/fighter and there WAS a longtooth shifter champion fighter, but he died 2 sessions ago and I nearly died as well in the same battle, so fighter does not equal survivability (note, he had 21ac and was still getting hit often).

[Man_Over_Game]

I mean, there's still going to be deaths and TPK's. Do you expect that you'd have lived as long if all the damage was focused on you?

I think your post is more of a testament to how difficult of a fight it was rather than how squishy fighters are.

[tKUUNK]

I agree that single-class fighter is going to work fine here. Yeah, maybe rogue 2 for cunning action.

Also, consider taking these maneuvers:

precision attack (if you decide to -5/+10 with sharpshooter feat, you'll hit more reliably)

trip attack (control battlefield, give melee advantage, and perhaps knock flying enemies from the sky)

I personally like disarming attack, too....but that's partly for the flavor.

[djreynolds]

Feats / Asi?

So the scout fighter is the same as any fighter, feats at 4,6,8,12,14,16,19

at 3rd level you get your choice of 3 skills from a small list

you 4 1d8 superiority dice, but only 3 maneuvers

one is a precision
the next lets you add your 1d8 to skill checks, cool
the 3rd is cool, you add 1d8 to your AC (while in light or medium armor) and if still hit you get resistance to that damage

at 3rd you natural explorer as the ranger, 7th and 15th

at 10Th you SD are 1d10, at 18th 1d12

at 15 level you get relentless

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so it is a great class and archetype for an archer

I've just started playing it, I grabbed human variant and sharpshooter

at 4th I plan to take martial adept, as it is extra two maneuvers and 1 more SD dice

at 6th I will level off dexterity/con to 18 and 16

So if you play an archer, IMO, sharpshooter and precision are like peanut butter and jelly

For me, at some point I will grab cleric, and snag the bless spell also

[NecessaryWeevil]

I agree that single-class fighter is going to work fine here. Yeah, maybe rogue 2 for cunning action.

Also, consider taking these maneuvers:

precision attack (if you decide to -5/+10 with sharpshooter feat, you'll hit more reliably)

trip attack (control battlefield, give melee advantage, and perhaps knock flying enemies from the sky)

I personally like disarming attack, too....but that's partly for the flavor.

Personally I enjoyed Goading attack. I shoot you with a hand crossbow from 30 feet away. Now I'm 60 feet away (or 90 as a Tabaxi) and you have disadvantage to attack anyone but me. Sucks to be you, Mr. Monster.

[Chaelos]

Either go straight Battlemaster or a mixture of Gloom Stalker Ranger and Scout Rogue--both are powerful options with more flexibility than you might think, especially if you choose feats that emphasize versatility over DPS.