Challenge #1 - Most damaging archer?

[Tyger]

The challenge is simple. The rules:

using only RAW (though any 3.5 book is fine)
ECL 11
50,000 GP to spend
create the archer capable of dealing the most damage.

Assume that the target(s)s are not immune to crits (so skirmish / sa is fine) with no DR and no Resistances. Also assume that you can take a full round, so either a skirmish style attack, or a full-round attack. If using a variant that has special damage or effect against particular targets, provide both the damage agaisnt that special target, and against other, non-indicated targets.

You may call upon the aid of others (i.e. have a mage cast a spell into your spell storing arrow) but the real winner will be the one that can sustain the damage listed without assistance.

[Lord Lorac Silvanos]

using only RAW (though any 3.5 book is fine)

...

(i.e. have a mage cast a spell into your spell storing arrow)

Now, you did say RAW only...

Spell Storing requires that you wield the weapon, so an arrow fired from a bow will not benefit.


Any time the weapon strikes a creature and the creature takes damage from it, the weapon can immediately cast the spell on that creature as a free action if the wielder desires.

The Magic Item Compendium further clarified this by stating that lists of enhancements for ranged and melee weapons could not be mixed and matched.

Spell Storing does not appear on "Table: RANGED WEAPON SPECIAL ABILITIES".

[Zincorium]

Does 'archer' necessitate the use of either longbows or shortbows? Which types of ranged attacks are permissable? The answer will vary upon this. The more specific you are on what an archer is, the more accurate an answer you will obtain.

[Iku Rex]

create the archer capable of dealing the most damage. The most damage against what AC? There's no point in dealing heaps of damage if you never hit anything.

[Tyger]

Good questions and points all.

Don't worry about hitting. This hypothetical archer is concerned only with the damage he could deal, not the amount he reasonably would. :)

And good catch on Spell Storing. Didn't notice that before.

And lets assume longbow.

[Sir Giacomo]

Hmmm...

A rogue could have a good chance in this setting.
Since only STR is necessary, max that and be a half-orc (with stat gains yielding STR 22 by level 11).
Feats: point blank shot, rapid shot, composite longbow.
max UMD for divine power (wand with 1 charge) and rightuous might (scroll) buffs before. pushing the STR to 32 for the round in question.
A good hope wand (with 1 charge for +2 morale bonus to damage) and divine favour or prayer wand (with 1 charge for +1 luck bonus to damage) completes the buffs for damage.
Get a 32,500 gp composite longbow made for STR 32, for +1 fire, cold and shock damage (+4 enhance equivalent).
Get boots of speed for 12,000 gp for an extra attack (pushing your no. of attacks to 5/round).

Then, it should play out as follows when winning the initiative round and standing within 30ft of the foe:
2d6 (enlarged bow base), +5d6 (sneak), +3d6 (the 3 elemental enhancements), +1 (enhance), +11 (STR), +2 (morale), +1 (luck), +1 (enhance) = 51 damage on average for a grand total of 255 with 5 shots.

- Giacomo

[Iku Rex]

I forgot. Ability scores?

[Xefas]

Hmmm...
Then, it should play out as follows when winning the initiative round and standing within 30ft of the foe:
2d6 (enlarged bow base), +5d6 (sneak), +3d6 (the 3 elemental enhancements), +1 (enhance), +11 (STR), +2 (morale), +1 (luck), +1 (enhance) = 51 damage on average for a grand total of 255 with 5 shots.

- Giacomo

Make it a Scout 1/Rogue 10 with the Swift Ambusher feat, and you get +5d6 Sneak Attack and +6d6 Skirmish.

Also, the "Splitting" weapon property is really powerful, but I don't have my Champions of Ruin, so I can't check how much it costs...

[playswithfire]

Splitting's a +3 enhancement

[Sir Giacomo]

Make it a Scout 1/Rogue 10 with the Swift Ambusher feat, and you get +5d6 Sneak Attack and +6d6 Skirmish.

Also, the "Splitting" weapon property is really powerful, but I don't have my Champions of Ruin, so I can't check how much it costs...

Ah, overlooked that the challenge is non-core as well. Yes, splitting and this added multiclass skirmish damage is definitely the route to take. This should fit in the build above, meaning 3d6 less per hit (due to the splitting weapon), but 6d6 more skirmish, and double that. Hmmm...do not know if precision damage counts for both splitted arrows, but assuming it does it means...

614 damage. Not bad for a level 11 character.:smallcool:

- Giacomo

[Illiterate Scribe]

What would a low level hulking hurler be capable of?

[Zincorium]

What would a low level hulking hurler be capable of?

With a longbow? Relatively little. That's one of the reasons I asked what weapons were usable.

Lvl 20 Half giant psychic warrior 4/ranger 1/slayer 10/ psychic weapon master 4 with expansion to huge size and

24 (4d6 huge longbow maxed by psionic weapon) + str + 4d6 (greater psionic shot) + 5 (greater magic weapon) + 2 + 6d6 (flaming, frost, acidic, shocking, Bane) + 10 (favored enemy, ranger and slayer) X 8 (splitting and iterative attacks)

Strength will vary based on character, and psionic shot probably applies only to the first hit. At minimum, 188 damage, but probably a lot more.

[Ascension]

Doesn't Swift Ambusher require that you have Skirmish +1d6 +1 AC? That would force you to take more than one level of Scout. Still a good idea, though.

[Illiterate Scribe]

With a longbow? Relatively little. That's one of the reasons I asked what weapons were usable.

Lvl 20 Half giant psychic warrior 4/ranger 1/slayer 10/ psychic weapon master 4 with expansion to huge size and

24 (4d6 huge longbow maxed by psionic weapon) + str + 4d6 (greater psionic shot) + 5 (greater magic weapon) + 2 + 6d6 (flaming, frost, acidic, shocking, Bane) + 10 (favored enemy, ranger and slayer) X 8 (splitting and iterative attacks)

Strength will vary based on character, and psionic shot probably applies only to the first hit. At minimum, 188 damage, but probably a lot more.

Reshape the hurler's traditional iridium moon into the shape of a bow. Throw that.

[Rad]

Make it a Scout 1/Rogue 10 with the Swift Ambusher feat, and you get +5d6 Sneak Attack and +6d6 Skirmish.

Also, the "Splitting" weapon property is really powerful, but I don't have my Champions of Ruin, so I can't check how much it costs...

Not really; Skirmish requires you to move and then you cannot use Rapid Shot which requires a full attack.

[Raolin_Fenix]

Off the top of my head, take a Scout with a horse. Horse moves ten feet, scout still gets a full attack. By RAW, unless I'm missing something, you don't get a full attack on a charge, but you can full-attack even on a double-move.

I'm not going to bother trying to compete with the 614-damage monstrosities (so far) by trying to numbers-grind, so I'll just leave you with that thought. :)

[Frosty]

just take Travel Devotion. you can now move as a swift action.

[Lord Lorac Silvanos]

Off the top of my head, take a Scout with a horse. Horse moves ten feet, scout still gets a full attack. By RAW, unless I'm missing something, you don't get a full attack on a charge, but you can full-attack even on a double-move.

You are missing the errata that prevents Scouts from using Skirmish while mounted. :smallwink:

Also, if the mount moves more than 5 feet you can no longer perform a full attack.

[Illiterate Scribe]

You are missing the errata that prevents Scouts from using Skirmish while mounted. :smallwink:

I'm fairly sure I saw a mounted scout variant in DR346.

Then again there was also a sniper scout who didn't have to move.

[DementedFellow]

Reshape the hurler's traditional iridium moon into the shape of a bow. Throw that.

I laughed hard when I read that. It kinda fits because they want to do damage with a long bow, but didn't specify how.

I salute you. You made my night.

[Chronicled]

Not really; Skirmish requires you to move and then you cannot use Rapid Shot which requires a full attack.

Greater Manyshot is the best answer to this, though there's many others.

[Darion]

Question: How much damage can be done with a bow?

Answer: Target's current HP +10 (as long as the target isn't an abberation or ooze).

This is more of a magic item trick than an archery trick, but it certainly applies.

Make an archer, focusing on number of attacks, instead of the damage- haste, rapidshot, being polymorphed into an Arrow Demon, etc.

Own a Lesser Schema of Weapon Augmentation, Greater (ECS/MoE 33,600 gp) and a quiver of Serpentstongue Arrows (RoW).

Activate your schema on your arrows and select Vorpal (yes, they are slashing arrows). Put as many in the air as you can, hoping for a nat 20.

With just the above shot-per-round enhancers (and there are certainly others), you have 3 (BaB, but probably only 2) + 1 (haste) + 1 (rapidshot) x2 (Arrow Demon)= 10 arrows in the air = 1:2 chance of a natural twenty.

Watch arrow decapitate your enemy now, or watch it do it next round.

[olelia]

Technically you still have to confirm and this theoretically this wouldn't be the most damage build. Since what happens if you decapitate a squirrel? That's like 11-13 damage tops.:smallbiggrin:

[Lord Lorac Silvanos]

Activate your schema on your arrows and select Vorpal (yes, they are slashing arrows). Put as many in the air as you can, hoping for a nat 20.


Vorpal is only a melee weapon property I am afraid.