Increasing damage output for archer at a distance.

[Sketchopotamus]

Hey guys, I've been really interested in making a character for a campaign that can do a decent amount of damage from a safe distance away from the battle itself. So I am really looking into making a good damage build for an archer. I know that the splitting enchantment and force are two must gets on my bow and improved rapid shot, but other than that, I am drawing a blank on how to drop some decent damage from behind the lines. Any ideas would be helpful, thanks a ton!

[Mr. Mask]

DnD? Which edition? Depending, this might get better results in one of the subforums.

[Firest Kathon]

Assuming this is for some derivative of D&D, have a look at Pathfinder's Deadly Aim feat.

[kailkay]

We called my girlfriend's ranger the 'Gatling Gun' because in our pathfinder campaign, by level 6, she was throwing five arrows per round at the enemies, doing, on average, 20-30 damage per round. And one of those arrows often missed.

It was a combination of a high dex bonus (+5 at level 6, I think?), Rapid Shot, Multishot, enchanted bow, Deadly Aim and something else that I think I'm forgetting.

Oh, also a high strength bonus, because of composite longbows getting that "might" bonus.

Just make sure you bring a bag of holding filled with arrows. You'll burn through a quiver per combat encounter.

If it's for a high level campaign there may be other things you can do as well.

[SowZ]

We called my girlfriend's ranger the 'Gatling Gun' because in our pathfinder campaign, by level 6, she was throwing five arrows per round at the enemies, doing, on average, 20-30 damage per round. And one of those arrows often missed.

It was a combination of a high dex bonus (+5 at level 6, I think?), Rapid Shot, Multishot, enchanted bow, Deadly Aim and something else that I think I'm forgetting.

Oh, also a high strength bonus, because of composite longbows getting that "might" bonus.

Just make sure you bring a bag of holding filled with arrows. You'll burn through a quiver per combat encounter.

If it's for a high level campaign there may be other things you can do as well.

And if you can get a splitting how? Fagheddaboutit.

[Slipperychicken]

In Pathfinder, without guns, I'd build a Weapon-Master Fighter, and probably ride a mount. If you like having mobility, play a small race and ride a mount (see bottom of post for more details), and then laugh at anyone trying to melee you.

Take the following feats: Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Rapid Shot, Manyshot, deadly aim, and Clustered Shots. Get the seeking weapon enhancement too, get arrows of several different materials. This includes arrows of Cold Iron (for the Fey), Adamantine (for creatures with Hardness, like animated objects), and Silver (many creatures have DR/silver), and also Oils of Align Weapon (to cover DR/alignment). Now harangue your teammates into getting knowledge skills so you know which one to use in each fight.

do a decent amount of damage from a safe distance away from the battle itself.

If by "safe distance", you mean "80-100ft from the melee", you're golden. Generally, you aren't going to be much farther away than that.

If you like not being hit in melee, ride a mount. Have your mount take move actions while you ranged full-attack without penalty and laugh your enemies who should never score a hit in melee. In PF or 3.X, this doesn't even take a feat. Just put ranks in Ride.