Drunken Archer

[yilduz]

My buddy and I were talking about an awesome character concept. The next time he plays in a game, he intends to use the concept, so we were trying to think of an appropriate build. You guys are awesome with builds, so we both thought to check here for some advice.

The concept is a Dwarven drunken archer with low hit chance. Basically, he's meant to be the "comic relief" of the party, and not meant to be the main combatant (in fact, he only wants to hit 10% of the time, so we were thinking improved crit on his bow, and have a very low attack bonus). We figured if he multiclasses a lot and keeps his Dex low, he'll accomplish that because then he'll only hit on a 19 or 20.

DM: A dragon lands in front of you
Archer: I shoot the bastard, the bastard... in the head!
Fighter: OUCH! You shot me in the ass!
Archer: I told you I was a good shot!
Fighter: But you shot my ass!
Archer: It was pretty far away, though.

He also wants to be an information gatherer, but he also wants decent saving throws and AC because he doesn't want to die.

So... what kind of build can you guys recommend that has proficiency with a bow, but low BAB, gathers information, with high defenses, and would be fun to play and play with?

[Zaq]

So... what kind of build can you guys recommend that has proficiency with a bow, but low BAB, gathers information, with high defenses, and would be fun to play and play with?

The part I bolded is the problem. Having a character who is comically inept at combat is a stock concept in movies and literature, but frankly it really doesn't fit into D&D (which is, like it or not, a game primarily about killing things.), at least not as a PC (maybe as an NPC). This character has to have something that makes him worth his share of the XP and shiny things. Even if it's a funny concept, if you're relying on your place as comic relief to keep the rest of the party happy with you... well, I hope that you're a damn good comedian, and that you can keep it up game after game after game (and a funny concept will only go so far, let me tell you). You need to have SOMETHING you can do that will make you worth the effort.

Gathering information is a useful skill, but highly dependent on the GM (you need access to largish towns at least, if you want any interesting stuff... you need your GM to actually come up with things for you to find... you need to be in scenarios in which you actually WANT to gather info... etc.), so you definitely want to talk with your GM ahead of time if you plan on making that a major aspect of your character.

I don't want to be so negative. I'm rereading this post and I'm sounding really negative, and that's not my intention. There's definitely a place for comedic characters in D&D. It doesn't have to be SERIOUS BUSINESS. But you do have to have SOMETHING that makes you not worse-than-useless more often than not (and unfortunately, with most GMs, combat plays a much, much bigger role in the game and in the eyes of the other players than out-of-combat situations do, so if you're intentionally useless there, well... don't expect a res if something eats you). Right now you're kind of describing a character whose only strength is skillmonkeying, but only with one skill. That's... problematic. It'll be hilarious for one session, maybe funny for another, but before long the party will (consciously or unconsciously) start expecting you to pull your weight a little more.

If you're really amazingly good at out-of-combat scenarios, and you know your GM will give you a chance to shine, it's entirely possible for you to be a valuable member of the party even if you're bad at fighting. But on its own, gathering info isn't enough, in 95% of groups, to get you a free pass.

[Oblivious]

Someone who always seem to spring the trap or have the fireball thrown at them, but still survives, who is useful out of combat for their skills, who generally isn't great at combat but occasionally hits for big damage, and who is proficient with some type of bow (say, a shortbow).

This is just too zany, it will never work.

Edit: Alternatively, a bard with perform(comedy) could conceivably use fumblings as part of his bardic music performance.

[Pie Guy]

Play a sorceror who thinks that spells can't be used for combat, that's a terrible idea. Have him focus on charm person (and other out of combat spells) and occasionally put down a solid fog or something.

Edit: And be content with a shortbow or use a feat to buy proficiency with a longbow.

[Pharaoh's Fist]

Give Fistbeard Beardfist a bow.

[742]

beguiler/monk, with 2 levels of ranger or rogue.

[mr.fizzypop]

The thing is you don't need to actually be proficient with a bow. Maybe multiclassing classes with a zero for first level BAB? You could use a composite longbow for strength damage and have dexterity as a dump stat(most likely less than 10). The negative to dexterity, the -4 for not being proficient, and the lack of a BAB should keep you from hitting.

The only problem is eventually you end up with a really long class like:
Rouge 1/ Commoner 1/ Bard 1/ Expert 1/...ect

[The Gilded Duke]

First off he shouldn't be using a bow.
He should be using a siege weapon.
Everything is better with siege weapons, especially miss chances.
Let me look it up...

You can craft siege weapons with "Craft Siege Weapons" it takes a series of weeks to build one, you are assumed to have laborers helping, you get penalized if you don't.

It takes a minute to set up a ballista, longer to set up anything bigger.
Ballistas are aimed at a target with an attack roll that can be aided by crew (and a penalty for non-profeciency)

Catapults first must be aimed with a profession check, and then an attack roll is made against AC 15 to hit a square, if the square is hit it does damage to all things in the square (they can save for half). If you miss then it instead hits another square in a random direction. If you hit the first time you can hit the target again round after round.

So either.. play a very big character carrying around a siege weapon. Or play a Thrallherd and get a bunch of minions to carry around your siege weapon. And use it in all sorts of impractical situations. And miss and cause collateral damage.

There are also magical siege weapons including self loading ones if you want to try dual wielding heavy catapults. Also if you are using Thrallherd you can suck out the populations of entire towns to fuel your army. If they die there are always more people in the universe to man your siege weapons.

[yilduz]

Give Fistbeard Beardfist a bow.

That is absolutely epic.

The siege weapon idea is awesome, too. It also makes sense that he should not be proficient, that'll make the attack lower.

Thank you, so far. I know it doesn't make much of a great character... but we'll find reasons to keep him around. We'll find reasons to make him worth keeping.

[Sliver]

Isn't 19, even if its in the crit range, still need to pass the AC to actually hit? So the attack bonus has to be just enough to hit on 19-20 but nothing else.. if its lower then your hit is only 5%, even with improved crit..
Or am I wrong here?

[Renegade Paladin]

Isn't 19, even if its in the crit range, still need to pass the AC to actually hit? So the attack bonus has to be just enough to hit on 19-20 but nothing else.. if its lower then your hit is only 5%, even with improved crit..
Or am I wrong here?

No, you're right. Only a natural 20 is an automatic hit, no matter how big your crit range is.

[Ravens_cry]

Isn't 19, even if its in the crit range, still need to pass the AC to actually hit? So the attack bonus has to be just enough to hit on 19-20 but nothing else.. if its lower then your hit is only 5%, even with improved crit..
Or am I wrong here?

No your not wrong, only 20 is an automatic hit, whether the threat is confirmed or not.