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kentma57
2008-10-23, 09:13 AM
I am currently playing a elven cleric that specializes with the longbow, so I have just hit 3rd level and I need to think about preparing for a prestige class. So I was wondering is there a divine version of the Arcane Archer.

ps: I will take other sugestions, for the build.

Tempest Fennac
2008-10-23, 09:15 AM
I take it you have Zen Archery, right? I'm not sure about PrCs, though (I never bother with them).

Tengu_temp
2008-10-23, 09:19 AM
A single-classes cleric with Zen Archery and some buffs makes a far, far better archer than Arcane Archer anyway. You don't really need a prestige class.

Eldariel
2008-10-23, 09:27 AM
Divine characters don't really have an archery PrC. That said, they're better arcane archers than the Arcane Archer (it's really a horrible class - the "Enhance Arrows"-ability in its entirety is covered by Greater Magic Weapon, Arrow of Death has too low DC to ever succeed against hard opponents, Phase Arrow, Seeking Arrow and Hail of Arrows are all once/day leaving Imbue Arrow as the only worthwhile ability, and it happens to require full casting to be worthwhile, something AA doesn't have).

Really, you can pick any Cleric PrC that has full casting - since Cleric has no abilities besides Turn Undead and Spells that advance with levels, any PrC that grants those is simply plain better than Cleric. Sacred Exorcist, Radiant Servant (of Pelor), Contemplative, etc. are all good for an archer cleric. You don't even need the Turning-advancement; you can burn your Turn Undead-uses for different Divine Feats anyways (Divine Might, Divine Metamagic, Divine Spell Power, all the Complete Champion Devotion-feats, etc.). If you want to mimic an Arcane Archer and shoot spells at people, pick up Smiting Spell metamagic feat from PHBII and use that (along with Spellstoring Arrows). Other than that, just use your usual buffs and Be Good At What You Do.

So in short:
-There're no worthwhile Archery PrCs for divine characters.
-Cleric 20 is just fine.
-Cleric 10/Full Casting Cleric PrC With No Feat Prerequisites 10 is better - just pick a generic Cleric PrC instead of looking for Archery Cleric PrC (as none really are worthwhile). Cleric 5/Full Casting PrC #1 10/Full Casting PrC #2 5 would be the optimum.

Person_Man
2008-10-23, 09:51 AM
I concur with Eldariel's advice.

As a Cleric, you're pretty much fine no matter what you do, as long as you don't give up caster levels. Buff (before combat), summon, shoot, heal as needed, rinse, repeat. Invest your gp into decent armor, improving your Saves, and a good bow. Be sure to have a way to defeat Invisibility et al. Always keep some Dispel Magic handy. And you're set.

Tokiko Mima
2008-10-23, 10:22 AM
The only option I can think of is possibly taking Eldritch Disciple (Complete Mage) as Warlocks make excellent Archers, and in fact much are better at range than Arcane Archers ever get to be. You'd have to give up a 2 levels of cleric because you need a single dip level of Warlock and lose a divine spellcasting level to the PrC. You need to worship a chaotic OR evil deity but as an elf a chaotic deity usually isn't hard to come by. A really useful feature is using Eldritch Spellweave to channel a spell with a Vitriolic Blast Essense so that the spell ignores SR. Great for shanking high level fiends, golems and others that normally laugh off attempts to spellcast on them.

Keld Denar
2008-10-23, 10:39 AM
If your DM is cool with it, rebuild using Cloistered Cleric instead of regular. This nets you the Knowledge Domain, which can be swapped out for Knowledge Devotion (see CompChampion). KnowDev allows you to make the appropriate knowledge check against a foe to gain bonuses to hit/damage. The higher your check, the higher your bonus, and it lasts the whole encounter. Reliable bonus damage is something that can be a bit hard or expensive to add to an archer build, and this is one of the better ones. You'll lose an average of 4 HP from your current build, and your BAB will drop a bit initially, but you can make up for that with Divine Powah starting at level 7. The extra 4 skill points per level help you fill out your most common knowledges (planes, arcana, nature, dungeoneering) on top of the other 2ish you get from being a cleric (religion and other skills).

kentma57
2008-10-23, 01:04 PM
hmm... some nice advice. I am going to have to pass on zen archery, with 13 wis and 20 dex, it dosen't seem worth it.

ps: Yes, I am a cleric with 13 wisdom, what you going to do about it.

Eldariel
2008-10-23, 01:12 PM
hmm... some nice advice. I am going to have to pass on zen archery, with 13 wis and 20 dex, it dosen't seem worth it.

ps: Yes, I am a cleric with 13 wisdom, what you going to do about it.

Most likely laugh.

Temp.
2008-10-23, 02:34 PM
I can't remember, does the Ordained Champion's Spell Channeling ability require a melee attack to deliver? If not, that might be a good bet.

Otherwise, I'll just repeat that Eldariel-seconding jive.

Draz74
2008-10-23, 02:58 PM
ps: Yes, I am a cleric with 13 wisdom, what you going to do about it.

Touch of Idiocy spell? :smalltongue:

Tokiko Mima
2008-10-23, 04:04 PM
hmm... some nice advice. I am going to have to pass on zen archery, with 13 wis and 20 dex, it dosen't seem worth it.

ps: Yes, I am a cleric with 13 wisdom, what you going to do about it.

Well, I'm going to suggest you look at taking another class, ASAP, because once you get 3rd level spells, you've hit your maximum for cleric. Wisdom 13 can't cast 4th level Cleric spells.

kentma57
2008-10-23, 04:49 PM
Well, I'm going to suggest you look at taking another class, ASAP, because once you get 3rd level spells, you've hit your maximum for cleric. Wisdom 13 can't cast 4th level Cleric spells.

when I hit 4th level I boost my wis, and ny the time 5th level spells roll around I can just buy a wis boost.

Starbuck_II
2008-10-23, 04:53 PM
Touch of Idiocy spell? :smalltongue:

Isn't that the answer to all the world's problems?

Eldariel
2008-10-24, 05:28 AM
when I hit 4th level I boost my wis, and ny the time 5th level spells roll around I can just buy a wis boost.

Your DM allows using temporary Wis-boosts to qualify for spell levels then? That solves. While having higher Wis and thus more spell slots, actually usable offensive spells (since opponents can fail their saves), and insurance against drain (oh, and huge skill modifiers + Monk's Belt et al.), allowing temporary boosts to qualify for spell levels makes it distantly possible to have a Cleric with only above-average Wis. Still a bad idea, but a less bad idea than otherwise.