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2020-04-13, 03:46 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- May 2018
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- Colorado
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[3.5] What is your favorite Ranged/Archery build
Whether theoretical, practical optimization, or just from a thematic perspective what is your favorite build?
Up for all builds whether ranged weapons, throwing, rays, whatever just want to hear about the builds people like!
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2020-04-13, 05:18 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jun 2018
- Location
- Nottingham, England
- Gender
Re: [3.5] What is your favorite Ranged/Archery build
For a straightforward archer (assuming 3.0 material is allowed):
Fighter 1/ Ranger 14/ Deepwood Sniper 2/ Peerless Archer 3
Gets you 4th-level Ranger spells, all 3 Ranger archery feats, 1 Fighter bonus feat, keen arrows, x4 crit with bow, power shot (ranged Power Attack)
Feats required for prestige classes: Point Blank Shot, Far Shot, Precise Shot, Quick Draw, Weapon Focus
Ranger bonus feats: Rapid Shot, Manyshot, Improved Precise Shot, Track, Endurance
Other feats: Improved Rapid Shot, Woodland Archer, Knowledge Devotion
Key spells (all from SpC except Arrowsplit from CoR): Arrow Mind (immediate action to cast, obviates the need to take Order of the Bow Initiate 2 to use bow in melee without provoking AoOs), Hunter's Mercy (next hit this round is an automatic crit, synergizes nicely with x4 crit multiplier), Find the Gap (first attack each round is a touch attack), Arrow Storm (attack up to 20 targets within 185ft as a full-round action), Arrowsplit (first attack each round splits into 1d4+1 arrows)
Bow (assuming you have someone around to cast Greater Magic Weapon): +1 Force Splitting Seeking Collision Magebane composite longbow
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If the Pathfinder feat Deadly Precision (basically ranged Power Attack) is allowed:
Fighter 1/ Ranger 17/ Deepwood Sniper 2
Feats required for prestige class: Far Shot, Point Blank Shot, Weapon Focus
Other feats: Precise Shot, Deadly Precision, Improved Rapid Shot, Woodland Archer, Knowledge Devotion
Edit:
Race: human
Human bonus feat: Education (to get the most out of Knowledge Devotion)Last edited by Biggus; 2020-04-15 at 01:55 PM.
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2020-04-13, 05:37 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Dec 2004
Re: [3.5] What is your favorite Ranged/Archery build
Damage: Bloodstorm Blade, preferably able to Persistent Wraithstrike, two-handed power attacking of course.
Long Range: Soulbow with TWF, or even a Thri-Kreen with Multiweapon Fighting, and Gloves of the Balanced Hand. Only take enough Soulknife for the prerequisites, and fill out the rest with Swordsage. Include Zen Archery for a Wis-SAD build.
NPC: A strong flying creature such as a Dragonkin with TWF, Gloves of Endless Javelins, and Brutal Throw.
Overpowered: Cleric with the Spell domain for persistent Draconic Polymorph: Arrow Demon and two Hank's Energy Bows with Splitting.
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2020-04-13, 07:40 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jun 2008
Re: [3.5] What is your favorite Ranged/Archery build
This lil guy run-n-guns around the battlefield shooting two hand crossbows that he reloads with his tail.
Kobold Scout 1 / Cleric 1 / Fighter 2 / Scout 16
Feats
1 - Dragon Tail
1 - Prehensile Tail [Flaw: Noncombatant]
1 - Multiweapon Fighting [Flaw: Weak Will]
2 - Travel Devotion [Cleric]
3 - Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Hand Crossbow)
3 - Weapon Focus (Hand Crossbow) [Fighter]
4 - Point Blank Shot [Fighter]
6 - Dead Eye
7 - Rapid Reload [Scout]
9 - Crossbow Sniper
11 - Precise Shot [Scout]
12 - Extra Turning
15 - Improved Precise Shot
15 - Improved Initiative [Scout]
18 - Rapid Shot
19 - Far Shot [Scout]
For zapping people with high-powered mind arrows (also you get WIS to saves, ac, attack twice and damage twice):
Kalashtar Passive Way Monk 1 / Paladin 2 / Soulknife 2 / Soulbow 4 / Shiba Protector 1 / Kensai 10
Feats
1 - Hidden Talent
1 - Point Blank Shot [flaw]
1 - Iron Will [flaw]
1 - Improved Unarmed Strike
1 - Combat Expertise
3 - Serenity
4 - Weapon Focus (Mind Blade)
4 - Hidden Talent
6 - Zen Archery
6 - Precise Shot [Soulbow]
8 - Rapid Shot [Soulbow]
9 - Alertness
12 - Far Shot
15 - Improved Precise Shot
18 - Hidden TalentLast edited by Kaje; 2020-04-15 at 08:13 PM.
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2020-04-14, 10:45 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jul 2009
Re: [3.5] What is your favorite Ranged/Archery build
Wood elf ranger x/cloistered cleric (solonor thelandira, Elf and War domains) 1/scout 3/ranger x, elf ranger substitution at 1st level for that sweet +3 bonus vs undead and a few bonus skill points
Use a greatbow, aim for Str 24, so that with reduce person you end up with 22, which is the highest listed str bonus for mighty composite greatbows.
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2020-04-14, 11:14 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Mar 2016
Re: [3.5] What is your favorite Ranged/Archery build
I recently made a dual double hand crossbow user based on El Mariachi, it's still fresh and I would appreciate any feedback^^.
Further I have a few builds abusing Bloodstorm Blade to make ranged uberchargers:
Hammerdin of Moradin - a hammer throwing Dwarf
ShurikeNado - Shuriken ubercharger
(see signature for the links)
Other than that I also have a ranged Arcane Channeling build: Shivering Tornado of DeathExtended Signature with Links to all my build showcases in the forum
My latest build showcases:
Gaive'Ur, the last Eldritch Knight of Bane (✝)
PACMAN, the Southern Beholder Mage (accelerated spell progression + double 9s)
Optimus Urbana Hierophantus - a Mobile Suit Gundam / Mech / Transformers build
Orko, He-man & Battlecat (a Dragonfire Mount's Ubermount and its Ubermount)
Giant Dwarf, the Rock Superstar (a War Chanter build)
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2020-04-14, 11:54 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jul 2006
- Location
Re: [3.5] What is your favorite Ranged/Archery build
This is abuse and does not come on line till Level 10 or later. But a Crinti Shadow Marauder or a Telflammar Shadowlord. Combine wielding a light weapon dagger with the glove of endless javelins. Use the javelins of force to kill things in melee or as thrown / ranged weapons. As your last attack in your attack action use a spell storing dagger and stab yourself activating the stored spell Dimension Hop and repeat the process again and again till you run out daggers with Dimension Hop stored in them or other ways to teleport.
Yes your are that Naruto character, the 4th Hokage.
Edit: Elvencraft Bow does it better. For 300 GP now your bow is a quarter staff and a bow simultaneously. Now the Elvencraft Bow costs 300 GP more but also additional weapon costs if you wanted to treat it as a melee weapon. Effectively it is two separate weapons you never pick up and drop and pick up again.Last edited by Ramza00; 2020-04-14 at 02:45 PM.
Stupendous Man drawn by Linklele
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2020-04-14, 02:15 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Sep 2018
Re: [3.5] What is your favorite Ranged/Archery build
Before the Rules Compendium nerf, the Chaingun Porcupine, no doubt. Especially potent in gestalt because one full side can be Totemist, letting you access Totem Embodiment and fling a ridiculous 14 spines all with tons of rider damage.
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2020-04-14, 02:49 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jun 2017
- Location
- ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ
- Gender
Re: [3.5] What is your favorite Ranged/Archery build
I don't have either on hand, but I like bow builds that optimize range (sniping people from a mile away), or crossbow builds that use a big enough crossbow that you essentially shoot people with a full ballista
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2020-04-15, 12:45 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jan 2015
- Location
- Frozen City
- Gender
Re: [3.5] What is your favorite Ranged/Archery build
Elf Monk 9 with Zen Archery and Rapid Shot.
"Movement speed is the most important statistic in this game."
"Give them no mercy for they give no mercy to us."
"I see one of those I kill it!"
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2020-04-15, 12:46 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Sep 2006
- Location
- Michigan
- Gender
Re: [3.5] What is your favorite Ranged/Archery build
anything that allows you to fire in melee combat without provoking an opportunity is awesome.
I would be a procrastinator, but I keep putting it off.
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2020-04-15, 01:25 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Dec 2015
- Gender
Re: [3.5] What is your favorite Ranged/Archery build
Artificer wielding aurorum spell storing dye arrows to fire buffs and healing on allies and debuffs and damage on enemies as ranged touch attacks multiple times per round. Gets better with returning on the arrows, as per raptor arrows. Adding alchemical liquids and powders to the dye arrows is a nice bonus.
Always wait to procrastinate.Last edited by MaxiDuRaritry; 2020-04-15 at 01:29 AM.
⚣ Tanuki in the Playground. ⚣
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2020-04-15, 07:33 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jul 2011
- Location
- The Middle of Nowhere
- Gender
Re: [3.5] What is your favorite Ranged/Archery build
Archivist for early access to Ranger’s archery spells. Dip a level of Cloistered Cleric for Knowledge Devotion and Turn Attempts to power Divine Metamagic if you want to get cheesy.
Awesome avatar by Cuthalion
Spoiler: Old Avatars
By Ceika, Ceika, Linklel (Except for one that appears to be lost to time)
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2020-04-15, 09:31 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jun 2018
- Location
- New England
Re: [3.5] What is your favorite Ranged/Archery build
Some forum member posted a build here called “holy roller.” Vow of poverty wild shape ranger that turned into giants and threw boulders up to a quarter mile. Absolutely crazy build.
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2020-04-15, 09:38 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Dec 2015
- Gender
Re: [3.5] What is your favorite Ranged/Archery build
Isn't there a cleric build that used a ghost touch or brilliant energy bow, seeking, chain of eyes, and another spell to remove distance limitations who could sit outside the dungeon while sniping anything the party encountered no matter where they were or how many walls were in the way?
⚣ Tanuki in the Playground. ⚣
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2020-04-15, 10:06 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jul 2006
- Location
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2020-04-15, 10:44 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jan 2006
- Location
Re: [3.5] What is your favorite Ranged/Archery build
My favorite - not most optimal, but fun for its silliness - is to use light crossbows, dual-wielding, quick draw, and rapid shot with a specially-modified cloak or coat that has the light crossbows on 2-3 foot straps so you can draw and drop them. It's -6 to hit without some extra care taken, but you get two extra attacks over normal. In PF, there's a paladin spell (blade tutor's spirit) that, at high enough level, can negate the penalties.
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2020-04-15, 11:16 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Mar 2016
Re: [3.5] What is your favorite Ranged/Archery build
Brilliant Energy is one of those weird enhancements that can only be enchanted on melee weapons, thrown weapons and ammunition (but not on ranged weapons itself as other enchantments can work). The combo could still work out, you just have to always buy brilliant energy ammunition.
In my crossbow build I use Earth Dreamer's ability to see through walls (earth, mud or stone, but not metal) and a phasing weapon to ignore the wall (full cover by the rules). You can even hide in the earth/wall and shoot out of it with the phasing weapon.Extended Signature with Links to all my build showcases in the forum
My latest build showcases:
Gaive'Ur, the last Eldritch Knight of Bane (✝)
PACMAN, the Southern Beholder Mage (accelerated spell progression + double 9s)
Optimus Urbana Hierophantus - a Mobile Suit Gundam / Mech / Transformers build
Orko, He-man & Battlecat (a Dragonfire Mount's Ubermount and its Ubermount)
Giant Dwarf, the Rock Superstar (a War Chanter build)
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2020-04-15, 11:27 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Dec 2015
- Gender
Re: [3.5] What is your favorite Ranged/Archery build
⚣ Tanuki in the Playground. ⚣
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2020-04-15, 12:03 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jan 2013
- Location
- The tech wilds
- Gender
Re: [3.5] What is your favorite Ranged/Archery build
https://forums.giantitp.com/showthre...Flying-Sniper)
This might be close(if not exactly) what you were looking for.
I was always a fan of mindsight, and either phasing shots(soulbow) or the brilliant energy weapon(or similar) qualit(y)(ies) to hit targets from a good distance away through walls. But then you have to have something in your back pocket for those mindless creatures.
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2020-04-15, 04:25 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Sep 2018
- Location
- Seattle, WA
Re: [3.5] What is your favorite Ranged/Archery build
Favorite build I've actually made...
Probably Azoth, The Raven's Shadow from my sig. Rogue 1/ Monk 9/ Rogue +9/ Warblade 1. Thrown sai with sneak attack, skirmish, and iaijutsu focus all reliably activated at once, on top of a highly effective stealth/scouting build that's very difficult to actually target in combat. At higher levels, just attacking him provokes opportunity attacks that also benefit from SA and iaijutsu focus (and potentially Skirmish if it's during your turn). All practical optimization.
Second place probably goes to The Siege Tower, also in my sig. Abuses the Symbiotic Creature template to get... I think it was 22 thrown daggers per round by ECL 8? This one's more into the TO range.
I've also always wanted to do a build that uses Ballisteer with siege weapons. Flaming, phasing cannonballs/boulders aimed straight at the enemy's gunpowder reserves...Last edited by PoeticallyPsyco; 2020-04-15 at 04:27 PM.
Originally Posted by Darths & DroidsOptimization Trophies
Looking for a finished webcomic to read, or want to recommend one to others? Check out my Completed Webcomics You'd Recommend II thread!
Or perhaps you want something Halloweeny for the season? Halloween Webcomics II
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2020-04-15, 05:35 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Oct 2011
Re: [3.5] What is your favorite Ranged/Archery build
Rays? Elan Crusader, get Polymorphed into a Beholder (with Assume Supernatural Ability). Good HP, great action economy, rays for almost any occasion, and the idea of being a slowly floating ball of hate whose class powers are largely based on charging, and whose 2d4 bite can be so inspiring that nearby allies who witness it in action might be healed by the experience? That's just too awesome to pass up!
Archery? Straight Psion, in a stolen body (and buffed with Cleric spells via a Ring of Spell Storing), or my friend's Druid into Arcane Archer. Good versatility to fall back on, on top of respectable archery RDPS.
Most OP? IMO, that would be the Dark Grey Elf Arcane Spellcaster into Tainted Sorcerer, who uses HiPS and plays with "-1 spot per 10'” rule. Can solo most things, just with archery, and has insane magic power (and versatile) to back it up.
Most effective I've seen at a table? Probably the pair of (Dark?) Whisper Gnome Rogues (with some tech (soul melds?) to let them hide from unusual senses).
Most fun to play? Probably the quasi-lycanthrope Arcane Spellcaster, whose spells were exclusively custom spells to augment his archery. Highly magical, totally unique, very much underperformed - pretty much the perfect recipe for one of my characters.
Builds I'm most looking forward to? Eh, I've always had a soft spot for Shuriken - if I can get a GM to use 3.0 rules, or refluff reusable arrows (raptor arrows) as Shuriken (and probably Sculpt Self myself as the bow), then I'll probably make something along these lines - perhaps a Naruto ninja. (EDIT: I see someone already make the 4th Hokage. Kudos!)
And I'd love to see someone take a troll, and throw their own arms.
EDIT: I completely forgot about the (refluffed) thri-kreen VoP machine gun, and my laser-rifle-wielding earth-bending… Cleric? With a familiar somehow?Last edited by Quertus; 2020-04-15 at 05:50 PM.
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2020-04-15, 06:39 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jul 2014
Re: [3.5] What is your favorite Ranged/Archery build
To be honest, in pathfinder i made a very effective archer going straight fighter. was originally going to go into arcane archer, but changed my mind. only made it to level 12.
feat selection: point blank shot, precise shot, rapid shot, weapon focus, weapon specialization, cluster shot(damage reduction applies only once to your shots), many shot, deadly aim, far shot (halve range penalties), improved critical, greater weapon focus, greater weapon specialization.
weapon training was for Bows.
had a +5 longbow, campaign had the house rule that dexterity applied to ranged damage. this resulted in me getting a +24 to damage for each arrow and i was getting 6 attacks a round after activating a belt that cast haste as a 5th level caster. dexterity was 24 after magic items and level boost. also had bracer that increased the bonus from weapon training by 2.
against most cr 11 monsters, i only missed on a 1 and dealt an average of 171 damage a round to such targets. I threw out the power curve of the campaign, so i started to plan to take some less powerful choices so other characters could catch up. we had a cleric who played as a healbot, a forsaker, and a bard/cavalier battle herald. then he got lycanthropy.the first half of the meaning of life is that there isn't one.
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2020-04-15, 07:23 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Aug 2014
Re: [3.5] What is your favorite Ranged/Archery build
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2020-04-16, 03:16 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Aug 2013
- Location
- Tennessee (USA)
- Gender
Re: [3.5] What is your favorite Ranged/Archery build
Gestalt gunslinger (glass eye gunmage)/marksman (minds eye disciple) gestalt if third party is allowed
Ranger (trapper)/alchemist (grenadier) gestalt if it isn't
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2020-04-19, 03:18 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Mar 2004
- Location
- In eternity.
- Gender
Re: [3.5] What is your favorite Ranged/Archery build
An Artificer or a (Cloistered) Cleric as a base. Elf Cleric20 is a simple viable archer build that's doable in core.
Sure, a Fighter-based archer can have more feats, and a Rogue-based archer can do more damage consistently - precision damage immunities aside - but Cleric means you can heal, summon, blast, and buff in addition to archery, and Artificer means you can make The Best Gear™ and buff your party with things like Bane weapons and Holy weapons in times of need. Clerics can still take craft feats if they want.Last edited by Endarire; 2020-04-19 at 03:19 AM.
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2020-04-19, 03:29 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jan 2014
Re: [3.5] What is your favorite Ranged/Archery build
Swift Hunter. Simple and clean.
Currently Recruiting WW/Mafia: Logic's Deathloop Mafia and Cazero's Graduates Of Hope's Peak - Danganronpa Mafia
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My Homebrew
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2020-04-19, 04:05 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jun 2013
- Location
- Montreal, QC
- Gender
Re: [3.5] What is your favorite Ranged/Archery build
Standard Archer: Fighter 2/Ranger 11/Rogue 7, plenty of bonus feats and decent damage output (depending on when the Rogue levels are mixed in). Also has skill points to spare, which is something I always find myself wanting more of. I've played this build or minor variations thereof in three different low-OP campaigns (not all to 20+). It works fine, it's not complicated, and it's fun.
"Archer" Artificer: Single-classed Artificer, picking up the cost-reducing feats for Craft Wand (Exceptional Artisan, Legendary Artisan, etc.), and Wand Mastery at 9th. Basically a magical gunslinger/blaster, with the right choice of wands. Requires a moderate amount of downtime between adventures.
Silly long-range build: Chaond Ranger 1/Fighter 4/Deepwood Sniper 2/Cragtop Archer 4/+8 Deepwood Sniper, with key feats being Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Heavy Bombard), Far Shot, Expert Siege Engineer. Uses a +X Distance Heavy Bombard (Stormwrack), and a Wand of Hawkeye, so that if taking a full-round action to aim (which given the Heavy Bombard's 9-round RoF isn't a real sacrifice), can fire up to 5700 yards (approx. 3.24 mi.) away with no range penalty, as long as there's at least 40 ft. of vertical clearance. A monster at ship-to-ship combat, and according to Stormwrack's kind of kooky ship-to-ship visibility rules, can actually see enemy vessels far enough away to take advantage of all of that extra range. Backup (i.e. anti-personnel) weapon is a +X Dragonbone Distance Composite Longbow.
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2020-04-20, 09:21 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jul 2007
- Location
- Sol 3
Re: [3.5] What is your favorite Ranged/Archery build
psychic warrior/targeteer/Athas soulknife/soulbow/illumine soul/deepwood sniper + cragtop archer if I can fit it in.
Self sufficient, versatile, and able to handle almost any situation. Especially after I pay for the research costs to convert certain archery spells to powers. Added bonus if I can convince the DM to allow the shape mind blade ability to apply to the soulbow and get a greatbow out of the deal.Arukibito ga michi wo erabu no ka, michi ga arukibito wo erabu no deshyo ka?
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2020-04-20, 09:39 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Dec 2015
- Gender
Re: [3.5] What is your favorite Ranged/Archery build
Last edited by MaxiDuRaritry; 2020-04-20 at 09:39 PM.
⚣ Tanuki in the Playground. ⚣