new character

[MeklorIlavator]

What are some of the better classes for ranged combat? This includes prestige classes that one would multi class into. I have never created a range focused character in DnD before, and would appreciate any guide lines you would give me. At this moment I was thinking of Scout X/Order of the Bow initiate X. Thank you.

[Dhavaer]

Ranger, Fighter, Scout and Rogue. Possibly Hexblade/Arcane Archer or Duskblade/Arcane Archer. Scouts, as a general rule, don't prestige well, you'd be better off going straight Scout in most cases.

[Aximili]

Scout is definitely worth going all the way. But (unless you take Greater Manyshot) you won't be the best of ranged attackers.

If you do go with scout, take Greater Manyshot

[I_Got_This_Name]

Ranged combat wants a lot of feats; I'd probably go with Fighter, then prestige out into something, or multiclass, once I have the feats I want.

[PinkysBrain]

What are some of the better classes for ranged combat? This includes prestige classes that one would multi class into. I have never created a range focused character in DnD before, and would appreciate any guide lines you would give me. At this moment I was thinking of Scout X/Order of the Bow initiate X. Thank you.

It completely depends on what books you have available and to what extent you hate spell casting. With SpC available a pure ranger is perfectly viable choice (even moreso with CoR available) thanks to spellcasting.

PS. forget about OotBI, it's atrociously bad.

[Aximili]

Ranged combat wants a lot of feats; I'd probably go with Fighter, then prestige out into something, or multiclass, once I have the feats I want.

But ranged combat doesn't necessarily need a lot of feats. You only really need Point blank shot, and Precise shot.

I don't remember when the scout gets bonus feats, nor which ones are they, but I think you can manage Manyshot by 6th level. After that, it's just a matter of preference.

[Viscount Einstrauss]

Ranger for two levels, barbarian for one level, fighter for two levels, scout for remainder before you hit a good prestige class. Be a human. You've got great health, decent skillage, nearly full BAB, and assuming you hit your prestige at 7, six feats, plus a freebie track and rapid shot from ranger for a mind numbing 8 feats in six levels (!). Obtain a mithril breastplate ASAP, unless you're going to dump into dexterity, in which case you might as well just take cheaper and cheaper armors until you outgrow wearing armor altogether.

[McBish]

I like straight fighter. At level ten you can have four or so attacks with the first two being above +20.

[MeklorIlavator]

I like straight fighter. At level ten you can have four or so attacks with the first two being above +20.

How exactly would that work?

[PinkysBrain]

If you have spell compendium you need at least 1 level in a class which can use wands of hunter's mercy and find the gap ... these spells are too good to ignore.

PS. Meklor, (improved) rapid shot and haste/speed-weapon.

[Matthew]

I like straight fighter. At level ten you can have four or so attacks with the first two being above +20.

How exactly would that work?

He probably means via Rapid Shot, in which case it would be three attacks at Level 10, four attacks at Level 11.

Elf Fighter 10
Base Attack Bonus +10
Dexterity 22 (+6 Ranged Attack Bonus)
Feats: Point Blank Shot, Rapid Shot, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Great Bow), Weapon Focus (Great Bow), Weapon Specialisation (Great Bow) Greater Weapon Focus (Great Bow) = +3 AB, +3 DB,

Attack Bonus: +19 before Magic, say a +3 Great Bow = +22 AB

Level 10 Rapid Shot
20 / 20 / 15
Level 11 Rapid Shot
21 / 21 / 15 / 10

Damage: 1D10+6 (discounting Strength and other Magical Enchancements above and beyond the Great Bow +3)

[Bears With Lasers]

Try a cleric. Clerics make great archers, with Zen Archery letting them focus on WIS, which is also good for spellcasting. Divine Favor adds AB/damage, Divine Power gives you your full BAB, Divine Agility grants a +10 enhancement bonus to dexterity (if you don't go the Zen Archery route)--AND you're still a full spellcaster, with fun spells like Repulsion. Be an elf for bow proficiency and take the Elf domain for free Point Blank Shot.

1: PBS (Elf domain), WF Longbow (War domain), Precise Shot.
3: Rapid Shot
6: Zen Archery (switch with 3 if you have a low dex)
9: Quick Spell

And improvise from there.

[Matthew]

*Laughs* Trust Bears to bring out the Cleric.

[Bears With Lasers]

I'm just saying. Clerics make great archers... funnily enough, because they can do more than just arch (although they're as good at it as anyone).

Edit: another alternative is Psychic Warrior--Zen Archery works well here, too. Damage adders like Prescience, Offensive really help archers. and various powers let you circumvent blindness, darkness, et cetera--you'll have a solid and very consistent damage output.

[Matthew]

They certainly do. They make great everythings, except maybe Wizards.

[Bears With Lasers]

Clerics actually make decent wizards, too, with the Magic and Spell domains. :P

[Matthew]

I thought they might... can't be as good as a Wizard, though, right?

[PinkysBrain]

Archivists are much better archers than clerics ... the cleric does not have access to spells like arrow storm, hunter's mercy, find the gap, arrow split, etc etc.

[Bears With Lasers]

Archivists are much better archers than clerics ... the cleric does not have access to spells like arrow storm, hunter's mercy, find the gap, arrow split, etc etc.

No elf domain (takes more feats), no Zen Archery, crappy BAB whenever you don't have Divine Power up...

[Matthew]

Heh, one of my favourite (A)D&D Characters was a Bow using Elf Cleric... even under that edition he was kicking ass.

[PinkysBrain]

You can take zen archery just fine ... with find the gap your attack bonus doesn't matter a whole lot, it's wraith strike for manyshot.

[Bears With Lasers]

You can take zen archery just fine ... with find the gap your attack bonus doesn't matter a whole lot, it's wraith strike for manyshot.

You can take Zen Archery, but it's useless, because Archivist casting is INT-based. The point of the cleric taking Zen Archery is that his AB and casting become based on the same stat.

Find the Gap only applies to your first attack (i.e. the one that needs it least)--plus, you can and will run out.

[PinkysBrain]

Manyshot is only one attack.

[Maclav]

Try a cleric. Clerics make great archers, with Zen Archery letting them focus on WIS, which is also good for spellcasting. Divine Favor adds AB/damage, Divine Power gives you your full BAB, Divine Agility grants a +10 enhancement bonus to dexterity (if you don't go the Zen Archery route)--AND you're still a full spellcaster, with fun spells like Repulsion. Be an elf for bow proficiency and take the Elf domain for free Point Blank Shot.

1: PBS (Elf domain), WF Longbow (War domain), Precise Shot.
3: Rapid Shot
6: Zen Archery (switch with 3 if you have a low dex)
9: Quick Spell

And improvise from there.

What he said. Best archer in the game.

[Ramza00]

Going back to the original poster (ignores the Cleric Archer post even though Cleric Archer is good).

If you can get access to the upcomming complete scoundrel, this build will be good.

Ranger 16/Scout 4 (not neccessarly in that order).

This is because of these two feats it has.

Swift Hunter[3]
Pre Reqs:`Favored enemy, skirmish +1d6/+1 AC
Benefit: Ranger and scout levels stack for skirmish bonuses, favored enemies

Improved Skirmish[3]
Pre Reqs:Skirmish +2d6/+1 AC
Benefit: Move 20 feet to gain +2d6 points of damage, +2 AC


You take Greater Manyshot and become a "sniper" shooting 4 arrows per round (19 BAB) each doing 7d6 skirmish damage+1d8+Weapon Enchantments. Add the splitting weapon enchantment from Champions of Ruin and you will be doing this amount of damage.

8 arrows (assuming all hit)*
7d6 Skirmish+1d8 Arrow Base+1d6 Bow Damage Enchantment+Strength modifer+5 Greater Magic Weapon+Arrow Damage (Get arrows of bane if your campaign focuses on something special.)
In sum you should be doing at least 280 damage per round at lvl 20 and are likely to do more.

Finally supposedly the Swift Hunter feat is supposed to give you the ability to do precision damage against one of your favored enemies even if they are normally immune to precision damage (such as undead or constructs).

[MeklorIlavator]

Try a cleric. Clerics make great archers, with Zen Archery letting them focus on WIS, which is also good for spellcasting. Divine Favor adds AB/damage, Divine Power gives you your full BAB, Divine Agility grants a +10 enhancement bonus to dexterity (if you don't go the Zen Archery route)--AND you're still a full spellcaster, with fun spells like Repulsion. Be an elf for bow proficiency and take the Elf domain for free Point Blank Shot.

1: PBS (Elf domain), WF Longbow (War domain), Precise Shot.
3: Rapid Shot
6: Zen Archery (switch with 3 if you have a low dex)
9: Quick Spell

And improvise from there.

Wow, that would be awesome, but the setting wouldn't support it, unfortunately. I will probably go with Ramza00's suggestion, but cleric archers are now on my future character list.

[Bears With Lasers]

Why wouldn't the setting support it? What setting is this, anyway?
Aren't there any elves? Any clerics?

[Matthew]

Maybe he means Zen Archery is not available?

[MeklorIlavator]

the dm has us all start in a "hidden valley" that we have spent all of our lives in. The only clerics are ones of Bahmut or Pelor(of which we already have 1), and I don't think either of those deities is really right for this character.

PS I know the story sounds corny, and it looks like it will get worse, at least in the intro, but it might get better ,eventually.

[Bears With Lasers]

Ah.
Well, cleric-archers can work fine even without it--you're an elf, you should have a good Dex (and this way, Divine Agility can help you). It just means your WIS will be a few points lower.

Edit: ah, yeah, deity restrictions put a crimp on things. You need to spend lots more feats to get this to work without an elven cleric (bow proficiency) with the Elf domain (PBS).

Although if you can use Flaws to get extra feats, a human could work just fine.