Giant Killer via Archery

[Torq]

So far I've got:

Elf

32 point buy
14+1lvl
17+2race
10-2race
14
13
8

1 Rgr1 - WF (Comp. Longbow), FE (giants), Track
2 Clr1 (cloistered) - Domains: Travel(take devotion), Knowledge(take devotion), Elf(Point Blank Shot)
3 Rgr2 - Rapid Shot, Nemesis (BoED)

I've leveled up twice due to some serious ogre killing and I'm trying to figure out where to place them. I'm strongly leaning towards Ranger for the fact that there are some pretty good ranger spells and an animal companion would add some flavor and interesting combat tactics. It would also get me closer to the prestige classes I'm considering (Pious Templar, Peerless Archer, Deepwood Sniper).

I've stayed away from scout because I really don't want to get that close - but I doubt my DM will give me conditions under which that is always possible. So two levels of scout would net me 4 extra SP, skirmish (+d6) [Usefull if I'm closer than I want], uncanny dodge, and trap finding. This is not great, but, if I take Scout at 6th level and Swift Hunter, I get my second favored enemy, skirmish at (+2d6/+1AC), and +10 movement speed. If I take ranger, I get the same thing, minus the movement speed and plus Endurance (and one level closer to spell casting).

Any thoughts on how to proceed?

Also, does anyone know of any prestige classes that work well for archery that increase divine caster level?

Also, my equipment so far looks like:

MW Composite Longbow (+2) - 600gp
Wand of Hunter's Mercy - 750gp
Mithril Chain Shirt - 1100gp
20 Cold Iron Arrows - 2gp
20 Silver Arrows - 3gp
20 Swifting Arrows - 20gp
120 Arrows - 6gp
Tanglefoot bag - 50gp
Silk Rope - 20gp
Climber's Kit - 80gp
Healing Belt - 750gp

I'm not sure how much gold I've got coming in after the last session, but does anyone have any suggestions gear-wise? What I listed is what I bought starting out as a third level character (2700gp) - not including the Healing Belt.

ETA: this is a solo campaign btw.

[Eldariel]

Is the option of retraining existent? Because straight Cleric could most certainly work superbly for archery. If not tho, Ranger/Scout into Swift Hunter would work great. Archery PrCs generally don't increase caster levels at all so you're kinda out of luck there (tho Stalker of Kharesh advances Ranger-casting). Mystic Ranger would be an option but would require retraining again. It'd definitely be a great solo character tho, and could take Cleric and Scout for Swift Hunter-shell.

Someone is writing some guide about archery too.

[Torq]

Is the option of retraining existent? Because straight Cleric could most certainly work superbly for archery.

I did mess around with the idea, but there's a lot of hunting (tracking(survival)/spot/listen) going on in this campaign and ranger just seems to fit that better flavor-wise. Also, the character has a background of animosity towards giant (and giant-blooded) so once again, Ranger fits.

If not tho, Ranger/Scout into Swift Hunter would work great. Archery PrCs generally don't increase caster levels at all so you're kinda out of luck there (tho Stalker of Kharesh advances Ranger-casting). Mystic Ranger would be an option but would require retraining again.

I also considered Swift Hunter and I will likely take a couple levels of scout to get it, but I'm not committing to being a skirmisher. I want to do quite a bit of damage from afar, only closing with the enemy when I have to.

take Cleric and Scout for Swift Hunter-shell.

Not sure what you mean by this...

Someone is writing some guide about archery too.

I've actually read quite a few of those builds, but a lot of them aren't really playable at the level I'm at. Not until higher levels do they become effective. If anything, I'd retrain to get EWP(Greatbow) instead of WF so that I could take a level of Exotic Weapon Master and get Close-Quarters-Fighting.

[Kantolin]

Stalker of Kharash is useful for giving you a very general favored enemy [As 'evil' is something you're extremely likely to run into]. If you go for it, jump for things that boost your favored enemy (Improved Favored Enemy feat in the Complete Warrior, Hunting property from the Magic Item Compendium on your weapon). Archers tend to volley and tend to enjoy bonus damage, and this helps give you bonus damage.

How set are you on 'elf', however? If you're willing to go gnome, it opens up the giant slayer (Which may be fitting if you're aiming for specialization, although Stalker of Kharash is probably the better option), but it also gives you a dodge bonus against giants(And opens up a feat to let it count against more things), a bonus to hit, a potentially beefier animal companion (Races of Stone, alternate class feature, gives you a companion of 1/2 ranger level +3), or at least blur, invisibility, greater invisibility, phantasmal killer, and misdirection (Especailly greater/invisibility) to your list (Also Races of Stone Ranger substitution level 8th).

In addition, a very potent spell to use against big things is the 'Fell the Greatest Foe' spell from the spell compendium. It's Ranger 2(Paladin 2, Cleric 3), and deals an extra 1d6 for each size category the targt is larger than you. That makes reducing yourself just awesome (Get an item of it or a friendly wizard!). That makes being a small race even tastier.

Even if you don't go gnome, fell the greatest foe is probably a good pick. The magic item compendium also has 'gauntlets of giantfelling' which are a similar schtick, but those cap out at +3d6 (Fell the greatest foe has no built in limit).

[Torq]

Stalker of Kharash is useful for giving you a very general favored enemy [As 'evil' is something you're extremely likely to run into]. If you go for it, jump for things that boost your favored enemy (Improved Favored Enemy feat in the Complete Warrior, Hunting property from the Magic Item Compendium on your weapon). Archers tend to volley and tend to enjoy bonus damage, and this helps give you bonus damage.

Stalker of Kharash looks great for a two level dip if I were to combine it with Improved Favored Enemy, but that's going to cost two feats which is pretty expensive unless I dip fighter and my DM allows me to take Improved FE as a fighter feat.

How set are you on 'elf', however? If you're willing to go gnome, it opens up the giant slayer (Which may be fitting if you're aiming for specialization, although Stalker of Kharash is probably the better option), but it also gives you a dodge bonus against giants(And opens up a feat to let it count against more things), a bonus to hit, a potentially beefier animal companion (Races of Stone, alternate class feature, gives you a companion of 1/2 ranger level +3), or at least blur, invisibility, greater invisibility, phantasmal killer, and misdirection (Especailly greater/invisibility) to your list (Also Races of Stone Ranger substitution level 8th).

We've already played a session and it would put a lot of burden on the DM for me to go switching the race, unfortunately. I did consider Dwarf and Gnome, but a lot of their bonuses require them to be within melee range which just wouldn't work at low levels (although, with +4 racial, +4 dex, +4 armor, +1 skirmish - that's a 23AC. If the dodge from mobility and the 2nd level of Giant Killer stacked the little gnome would be nigh un-hittable.)

Even if you don't go gnome, fell the greatest foe is probably a good pick. The magic item compendium also has 'gauntlets of giantfelling' which are a similar schtick, but those cap out at +3d6 (Fell the greatest foe has no built in limit).

Fell the Greatest Foe is definitely going on the spell list (who doesn't love rolling a bunch of extra d6's?). I guess I'd have to pick up potions for reduce person - I'm solo in this campaign.