Pathfinder 1e: versatile and decent damage output Archer

[Nosta]

I have a game starting at level 4 and I plan to play a range character. I want to go archery and I want decent damage output but they have some versatility and my archery skills as well. I would prefer not to take a magic Base Class however. The game will be a 15-point buy game I would prefer not to use path of War material, as that is my normal go to.

[Psyren]

When you say "no magic base class" are you okay with characters like Paladin and Ranger that get a little bit of spellcasting? How about characters that get no spells but have some supernatural abilities and SLAs, like Ninja and Monk? Or do you exclusively want no primarily non-magical martials like Fighter, Slayer, Rogue etc.

[Nosta]

When you say "no magic base class" are you okay with characters like Paladin and Ranger that get a little bit of spellcasting? How about characters that get no spells but have some supernatural abilities and SLAs, like Ninja and Monk? Or do you exclusively want no primarily non-magical martials like Fighter, Slayer, Rogue etc.

Supernatural can work and sla

[Psyren]

Supernatural can work and sla

I have a couple of ideas then:

Zen Archer (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/monk/archetypes/paizo-monk-archetypes/zen-archer) Qinggong (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/monk/archetypes/paizo-monk-archetypes/qinggong-monk) Monk - Wis to both AC and to hit, also gives you more ki to fuel your ki powers. Worship Irori (easy for a monk) so you can pick up the Wisdom in the Flesh trait too. Consider also a 2-level dip in Inquisitor for Cunning Initiative too.

Temple Champion (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/paladin/archetypes/paizo-paladin-archetypes/temple-champion/) Paladin - drops spellcasting for a domain and minor/major blessing of your choice. You keep the other stuff (smite, lay on hands, mercy, divine grace etc.) You get to use Charisma to calculate any Wis-based effects. Good domains for this include Glory, Liberation, Air, Travel, and War.

Ninja - you'll need some item support here, particularly Sniper Goggles to let you sneak attack from further than 30ft. away. But they have shortbow proficiency, and Invisible Blade and Dampen Presence will let you get a lot of full sneak attacks.

[Kurald Galain]

Pathfinder has a lot of trick arrows, that do anything from fog clouds to entangling to holy water to invisibility-negating paint. Be sure to stock up on a bunch of those for added versatility.

Even with an archetype trading out their magic, or using their magic solely for out-of-combat utility, two of the best archery classes are the Paladin and Inquisitor, who get to add smite evil resp. bane to their arrows.

[Psyren]

Is there an inquisitor archetype that drops spellcasting? I was actually looking for one for this since they have such good archery chops, but I came up empty.

[farothel]

Maybe not for 4th level, but further down the road.
play an elf ranger and take 1 lvl of an arcane spellcasting class. Then go arcane archer.

[Arutema]

Have you considered plain old fighter? Archery is feat-heavy, and fighter bonus feats will help you pick up Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, and Deadly Aim faster. You won't have the burst damage of Smite or Bane, but with a starting level of 4, It'll help you have the needed feats for archery. Also, armor training to help you get all of that Dex to AC in medium armor.

Once you get to level 5, look at your Advanced Weapon Training options, they're usually better than the small boost regular Weapon Training gives.

[DeTess]

If your game allows third-party stuff, you could roll up a martial initiator focusing on the solar wind school. Mystic (which might be too magical foe you) or warder (using the hawkguard archetype for the ranged focus) could work.

edit: the warlord gets two ranged-focused schools (solar wind and tempest gale) as well.

[Psyren]

If your game allows third-party stuff, you could roll up a martial initiator focusing on the solar wind school. Mystic (which might be too magical foe you) or warder (using the hawkguard archetype for the ranged focus) could work.

edit: the warlord gets two ranged-focused schools (solar wind and tempest gale) as well.

OP is avoiding Path of War as stated in the first post.



Once you get to level 5, look at your Advanced Weapon Training options, they're usually better than the small boost regular Weapon Training gives.

In addition, you can regain the lost bonuses from weapon training by various means, such as Gloves of Dueling.

[DeTess]

OP is avoiding Path of War as stated in the first post.


Oops, sorry about that XD

In that case, I'd agree with Arutema that going figther isn't all that bad an idea.

[Elysiume]

If you're willing to use a crossbow, bolt ace gunslinger for five levels gets you dex to damage (making you entirely SAD for attacks) and an increased critical multiplier. After five levels you could multiclass into weapon master fighter to pick up weapon training and a big pile of feats since ranged combat is very feat-intensive and there are some very cool ranged feats out there. Not necessarily the best ranged option, but you can get a 17-20x3 hand/light crossbow or a 17-20x4 light dwarven pelletbow once you take improved critical.

e: Or the better version of the minotaur double crossbow if your DM allows it which can get kind of silly

[bean illus]

By Pathfinder 1 do you mean no 3.5 or 3.0?

[Nosta]

By Pathfinder 1 do you mean no 3.5 or 3.0?

Yes. I don't think I could get my gm to allow those