Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Wolfram_and_Hart 04-24-04, 07:26 PM	BAB Fort Ref Will Abilities 1. +1 +0 +2 +0 Archery Style, Preferred Bow 2. +2 +0 +3 +0 Archery Style II 3. +3 +1 +3 +1 4. +4 +1 +4 +1 Fletcher 5. +5 +1 +4 +1 Archery Style III 6. +6/+1 +2 +5 +2 7. +7/+2 +2 +5 +2 8. +8/+3 +2 +6 +2 9. +9/+4 +3 +6 +3 Strength Bonus 10.+10/+5 +3 +7 +3 Archery Style IV 11.+11/+6/+1 +3 +7 +3 12.+12/+7/+2 +4 +8 +4 13.+13/+8/+3 +4 +8 +4 14.+14/+9/+4 +4 +9 +4 Increased Range 15.+15/+10/+5 +5 +9 +5 Archery Style V 16.+16/+11/+6/+1 +5 +10 +5 17.+17/+12/+7/+2 +5 +10 +5 18.+18/+13/+8/+3 +6 +11 +6 19.+19/+14/+9/+4 +6 +11 +6 Iron Accuracy 20.+20/+15/+10/+5 +6 +12 +6 Archery Style VI Hit Dice: d8 Skills: Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Bowmaking), Handle Animal (Cha), Hide (Dex), Intuit Direction (Wis), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Ride (Dex), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str). Alignment: Any Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: All Martial Weapons, Light and Medium Archery Style: You have been taught a unique style of archery by a mentor group etc.. Each style has a certain set of techniques that you gain. You can only be taught one style. Archery Styles: Elven, Long Range, Short Range, Trickery, Sniper. Elven:This style is taught by the natural archers themselves the elves. Mostly elves and half-elves learn this style. But if the character of another race can give a legitimate reason as to why an elf or half-elf would teach them this style, then the DM can allow it. I: Rapid Shot II: Ranged Pin III: Archer’s Reflexes IV: Archer’s Instincts V: Deflect Ranged Attack VI: Powershot Short Range: This style deals with short ranges. It gives the archer advantages when dealing with enemies from a short distance. I: Point Blank Shot II: Avoidance III: Archer’s Reflexes IV: Perfect Aim V: Critical Shot VI: Flurry of Arrows Long Range: This style deals with long ranges. It gives the archer advantages when dealing with enemies from a long distance. I: Far Shot II: Ranged Sunder III: Greater Far Shot IV: Long Range Expert V: Archer’s Reflexes VI: Powershot Trickery: This style deals with taking and using trick shots in combat and other situations. I: Trick Shot II: Shot on the Run III: Prone Shot IV: Ranged Pin V: Ranged Disarm VI: Multi-Shot Sniper: This style deals with dealing as much damage in one shot as possible. Also, dealing with taking precise shots for the instant kill. I: Precise Shot II: Direct Focus III: Pin Point IV: Sniper’s Eye V: Sharp Shooting VI: Powershot Descriptions of Abilities: Archer’s Reflexes: You may use a ranged weapon that you have ready for an attack of opportunity. You may choose an opponent within 30 ft at the beginning of each round. Your ranged AoP still invokes an AoP from nearby enemies that threaten you. This feat only works with bows,Daggers and slings. Archer’s Instincts: When something invisible comes within 30 feet of the archer his instincts kick in. He is able to attack without any penalties. Avoidance: You get a +4 dodge bonus to AC against attacks of opportunity caused while making a ranged attack in an area threatened by your enemies. Critical Shot: Any threat roll that also is a successful attack with the bow always results in a critical hit. This only applies to attacks with ranges up to 30 feet. This can be done 2/day Deflect Ranged Attack: You can attempt to deflect ranged weapons that are already in flight with your own ranged weapon. To do so, ready an action against an opponent with a ranged weapon. When that opponent fires, you attack vs. AC 23 (for thrown weapons), AC 25 (for arrows) or AC 28 (for crossbow bolts). A successful roll deflects the opponent’s weapon and deals normal damage to it. This attack takes the place of your normal attack. Direct Focus: On your action, before making attack rolls for a round, you may Choose to focus your efforts against one opponent. Against this opponent, you Get a +2 bonus to attack and a +1 dodge bonus to AC. The +1 Armor Class bonus From the Dodge feat must be applied to the same opponent for a total bonus of +2. You have a –2 penalty to AC against all other opponents. Far Shot: Same as in the Player’s Handbook. Doesn’t have to meet the Prereq. Flurry of Arrows: Works just like the Whirlwind attack feat except that the range is 20ft. Greater Far Shot: You gain a +2 bonus that only works to negate range-based penalties. Long Range Expert: Instead of the usual –2 penalty for firing at each full range increment It is only a –1. Multi-Shot: By adding a –2 penalty to initiative and taking a –1 per arrow to hit and damage, the archer may fire up to 3 arrows from the bow with one pull of the string. The arrows can be directed at a single target or at three separate targets within a 60 degree arc if the attacker is willing to take an additional –1 to hit and damage. This Reflects the amount of time the archer takes to adjust the fletching and arrange the arrows on the string. This can only be done once in a round on the first attack. Perfect Aim: If you take the full attack action when using your bow, you may choose to make a single attack with a range of 30 ft or less using your Perfect Aim. while you normally apply your Dexterity bonus only to attack, in this case you also apply your Dexterity bonus to damage. This feat is ineffective against creatures that are not subject to critical hits. Pin Point Accuracy: On your action, before making attack rolls for the round, you may choose to subtract a number from all attack rolls for the round and add the same number to all weapon damage rolls for dexterity based attacks. This Number may not exceed your base attack bonus. The penalty on attacks and bonus on damage apply until your next turn. Point Blank Shot: Same as in the Player’s Handbook. Power Shot: Arrows do additional damage if the initial roll is the highest possible for the die rolled. If the max number on the die is rolled, then you roll the die again. Only the die roll is the extra damage, do not add any modifiers. Precise Shot: Same as in the Player’s Handbook. Prone Shot: You have been trained to be able to use your bow unhindered even while knocked prone. Ranged Pin: You can perform a ranged grapple attack against an opponent by pinning a bit of clothing to a nearby surface. The target must be within 5 feet of a wall, tree or other surface in which an arrow can be stuck. To break Free, the victim must take a partial action to perform a Strength check (DC 15) or make a successful Escape Artist check DC (15), or spend one full round Freeing his clothing. Ranged Disarm: You can perform the disarm action with a ranged weapon. Ranged Sunder: When attacking objects, you deal normal damage with ranged weapons. See item hardness ratings on page 136 of the Player’s Handbook. Rapid Shot: Same as in the Player’s Handbook. Shot on the Run: Same as in the Player’s Handbook. Sharp Shooting: You ignore all cover below 75%. This includes spells and items that give partial cover below 75%. Sniper’s Eye: Each round a character can use a full round action to negate 1 range increment starting with the second proceeding to further increments with each round. If a Concentration roll fails, the character can make another check on his next round. The DC for the Concentration check is 15 +5 per range Category. Trick Shot: Trick shots include knocking off hats, sending an arrow an inch away from an intruder’s ear, or placing arrows in interesting and amusing Places. Trick shots also include shots intended as warnings and not simply missed targets. These trick shots require the archer to take a –1 to initiative and a –4 to hit. If successful the target must make a Willpower roll DC 14 or be frozen with fear for 1 round. Or, you can intimidate them. If the shot is successful then you make an Intimidate roll with a +5. The archer must state what he is doing before he takes an action. Preferred Bow: By selecting either longbow or shortbow at the beginning of character creation you always gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls when using that type of bow. You gain a –1 when using the opposite of what you chose.By specializing in a particular type of bow the archer becomes more attuned with that type. At levels 1, and 10 the archer gains another +1 for a total Of +2, but with the opposite type, he gains another –1 at these levels for a total Of –2. These bonuses stack with Weapon Focus. Fletcher: The archer may make his own arrows. All of the arrows are well crafted and need no roll to determine success. At 14th level, the archer may create masterwork arrows. He can make up to 12 arrows in 8 hours. Strength Bonus: You add your strength bonus, if you have any, to the Damage rolls. Increased Range: Str: S.Bow: L.Bow: Comp.Short: Comp.Long: 9-15 +10 +20 +15 +25 16 +15 +25 +20 +30 17 +20 +30 +25 +35 18 +25 +35 +30 +40 19 +30 +40 +35 +45 20 +35 +45 +40 +50 21 +40 +50 +45 +55 22 +45 +55 +50 +60 23+ +50 +60 +55 +65 Iron Accuracy: You have become so good, you can fire your bow through any type of weather conditions, natural, or magical, without being penalized. This is just the first stage in my quest to create the perfect archer class. Tell me what you think about it. I will be posting revisions in the future. Thank you for looking.
Wolfram_and_Hart 04-24-04, 07:27 PM	N/A
Wolfram_and_Hart 04-25-04, 09:59 AM	Come on people, what is wrong with this Archer?
Shoes 04-25-04, 01:13 PM	Well, after a few attempts at creating an Archer core class myself I came to realize that there isn't really any need to create such a thing. By giving them special abilities for their class requires you to tone down their bonus feats, and thats really an archer needs or wants at low levels and can easily do with a fighter or ranger. True, archers won't be able to get some special abilities such as Clever Shot (my creation ability of them replacing Str modifier for Dex modifier for damage in 30ft.), certain skills, or a good reflex save, but a fighter gets a d10 hit dice and massive bonus feats and a ranger gets wilderness skills and abilties till they reach a PrC. Any core class other than fighter or ranger just doesn't cut it for an Archer concept.
detectevil 04-25-04, 01:31 PM	True. The Ranger is now the best archer D&D would ever need. Tempered with a few levels of rogue, and you are done.
Jell_Moo 04-25-04, 01:41 PM	I'll offer a few thoughts... 1) It has an awful lot of empty levels. And they're spaced out too far. Waiting 4 levels for a class feature is too much. 2) How many skill points does it get? 3) What is the opposite of your prefered bow??? 4) Some of the abilities are pretty lame. Power Shot comes to mind as a pretty crappy ability to get at 20th level. All in all, this class is very underpowered. Not a bad thing, since it's easier to beef a class up than tone one down. I'm not sure if I have any specific advice, but I think the archery styles should definately be expanded, and offer more unique class features, rather than so many bonus feats.
Wolfram_and_Hart 04-25-04, 04:47 PM	Well I toned down this class because I didn't want to make an overpowered core class. The opposite bow goes like this. If you pick short bow, of course the opposite is longbow. Skill points are the same as the Fighter. I thought that Powershot was pretty powerful. Say you have a longbow and you roll 8's five times in a row, thats an automatic 40 points of damage with one shot.
Wolfram_and_Hart 04-25-04, 04:56 PM	I never really thought that this would be considered underpowered. Anyway, this is the first attempt. I will be making some changes.
Wolfram_and_Hart 04-25-04, 05:10 PM	What I am trying to stay away from is magic with the Archer. Magic items are fine, but not magical abilities. Raw talent is what I am trying to go for with this class. From what I have seen of the 3.5 ranger, he couldn't hang with an Archer. What if you don't want a ranger, or what if you don't want a fighter. I believe the Archer class is something that needs to be in core. I didn't give them abilities at every level because that doesn't fit the Archer. I believe they are spaced out pretty nicely. Remember you still get your normal feats to choose from. An Archer is not always a woodsman, or a rugged type.
Shoes 04-25-04, 05:10 PM	If you do a search here on the boards for "archer" under the classes section, you'll find a few of mine I attempted to do. Also, here was my more current attempt if you want to purge ideas from. Don't mind me, I'm just to lazy to put html coding in for the class. Archer Precision and patience are keys to being an archer (Arc). These warriors rely upon their skill with a missile weapon, trying to take enemies down before they can be engaged in close combat. Skill and precision is their pride, but they are also skilled enough warriors to fight with other weapons if needed. However most standing armies understand the true place of an archer is behind a defensive line of infantry, and even adventurers understand that the ranged strength and abilities of an archer should be protected. The damage a skilled archer can deal to an advancing enemy is terrifying indeed, and many battles are won by bow and crossbow long before the armies themselves meet on the field. An archer is never without his missile weapon. Just as fighters spar and train, archers practice regularly, shooting from a variety of stances at any number of targets, near and far. Not all archers are trained military and militia-men, however. Many cultures respect the archer as a huntsman, able to provide food for the tribe and also double as defensive forces for a village. Many huntsmen take track as their first feat instead of a missile weapon feat, increasing their ability to bring home large game, while others multiclass as archer-rangers. Archers are especially useful on ships, where they are the last defense against boarding actions, able to significantly reduce the attacking men’s strength before they board. Adventurers: Many archers are recruited into adventuring instead of looking for it. Few groups underestimate the power of a well-used bow more than once. Once they become adventurers, archers rarely tire of the opportunity to take down powerful and terrifying creatures with little risk to their own hide, relying on other adventurers to take the brunt of most attacks. Characteristics: Nowhere near as well-rounded as the fighter, or even as a warrior, archers usually become the pinnacles of their craft, never attempting to master a second weapon beyond the one they chose when they began their career. Alignment: While archers can be of any alignment, generally they tend towards law over chaos, as they must avoid headstrong temptations that could lead into melee combat. But they are free to be of any alignment, with some archers fighting to protect society and their people, and others caring not for such niceties, aiming only to fill their own purse with as little risk to self as possible. Background: Archers come to their profession in many ways. Most have been trained in military unit of longbowmen or crossbowmen (although some gnomish and halfling archers have their training with slings instead), or at least in the local militia. Some have instead come from backgrounds as hunters or sportsmen, either way using their skills to take down game for food or pleasure. Some few are completely self-taught, having found a knack for a missile weapon at a younger age, and have attempted to perfect their skills with it at the expense of their other training, or have taken up the bow as a means to defend a family homestead or just themselves. Few archers are trained in academic facilities. Archers tend to share a certain camaraderie, although they tend to look askance at those archers who specialize in a different weapon than they do. Bows are not seen as a weapon of valour – while it is the nobles on their steeds who charge into combat in plate mail with swords, it is the serfs and peasants who pick up the bow and strike from a distance. Thus few nobles ever become archers outside of the elven nations. Races: Human archers range the gamut of experience and origins, although especially so among humans, archery is a sport of the rich, but only a military service for the poor. Dwarven archers are more rare than most races because they are often seen as less useful tactically in the confines of their underground homes and battlefields. Most are trained in the heavy crossbow instead of a longbow, and even more are actually fighters trained in crossbow handling. In fact, the typical ranged weapons of the race are most often hurled melee weapons instead of the missile weapons the archer specializes in. Elven archers are quite common, due in part to the elven skill with bows, elves are also the only race that does not see the profession of the archer as being one for the lower class, and many an elven noble has taken up the bow instead of sword. Half-orc archers are a rare, but brutal breed. Their great strength means that they seek out the most powerful composite longbows for their use, and this alone makes people look twice at a half-orc archer. Halfelves often take up the bow as both part of their elven heritage, but also because they are generally already looked down on by human society, and the bow is a lower class weapon. Gnome archers are usually trained as part of a local militia in either the use of sling or shortbow, depending on social rank and the richness of the militia group, some also specialize in the sling as a source of mischief, able to “tag” someone at significant distances and still have no visible weapon on their person. Halfling archers are a rare breed, as the race is best known for their thrown weapons instead of missiles. Most often, those halflings that do take this calling live in hostile areas or villages constantly at war, and train primarily in the use of the sling. The archer class is also usable for those who would specialize in thrown weapons such as javelins and thrown rocks (a strange preference among some halfling societies). Other Classes: Archers excel in environments where the enemy can be held at bay for them, avoiding melee combat is an essential goal for most archers. Therefore, the archer relies on others for support, fighters to keep the enemies at bay, clerics for healing, and rogues for scouting, to find the enemies while still distant enough for the archer to take full advantage of the situation. Of all the classes, archers often have the least respect for arcane spellcasters, as they see themselves as the precision artillery of a team, although they drudgingly respect the mass destructive capability of certain area of effect spells. Game Rule Information Archers have the following game statistics: Abilities: Dexterity is a critical ability score for archers, considering their heavy reliance on ranged weapons. Constitution is important for giving archers lots of hit points. A decent Wisdom and Intelligence is needed for certain archer-based abilities, skills, and feats. Alignment: Any. Hit Dice: d8. Starting Wealth: 5d4 x 10 gp. Class Skills The archer's class skills (and the key ability for it) are: Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Ride (Dex), Search (Int), Spot (Wis), and Swim (Str). See Chapter 4: Skills of the PHB for skill descriptions. Skills Points at 1st Level: (2 + Intellgience modifier) x4 Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int modifier Level Base Attack Bonus Fort/Ref/Will Special 1st +1 +0 /+2 /+0 Archery Feat, Increased Ranged 2nd +2 +0 /+3 /+0 Clever Shot 3rd +3 +1 /+3 /+1 4th +4 +1 /+4 /+1 Archery Feat 5th +5 +1 /+4 /+1 6th +6/+1 +2 /+5 /+2 Weapon Specialization 7th +7/+2 +2 /+5 /+2 Archery Feat 8th +8/+3 +2 /+6 /+2 9th +9/+4 +3 /+6 /+3 Arrow Guard 10th +10/+5 +3 /+7 /+3 Archery Feat 11th +11/+6/+1 +3 /+7 /+3 12th +12/+7/+2 +4 /+8 /+4 13th +13/+8/+3 +4 /+8 /+4 Archery Feat 14th +14/+9/+4 +4 /+9 /+4 Long-distance Accuracy 15th +15/+10/+5 +5 /+9 /+5 16th +16/+11/+6/+1 +5 /+10 /+5 Archery Feat 17th +17/+12/+7/+2 +5 /+10 /+5 Threaten 18th +18/+13/+8/+3 +6 /+11 /+6 19th +19/+14/+9/+4 +6 /+11 /+6 Archery Feat 20th +20/+15/+10/+5 +6 /+12 /+6 Dead Shot Class Features The following are class features of the archer. Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The archer gains proficiency with all simple weapons, shortbow, and longbow. They are also proficent with both composite and mighty versions of the shortbow and longbow. In addition, archers are proficient in the use of arrows and bolts as melee weapons, meaning they do not suffer the standard -4 penalty for using an arrow or bolt in melee. They are proficent with light and medium armor, but not with shields. Note that armor check penalties for armor heavier that leather apply to the skills. Balance, Climb, Escape Artist, Hide, Jump, Move Silently, Pick Pocket, and Tumble. Also Swim checks suffer a -1 penalty for every 5 pounds of armor and equipment carried. Archery Feat: At 1st level, the archer gets a bonus feat in addition to the normal feats a character gets. The archer gains an additional bonus feat at 4th level and every 3 levels thereafter. These bonus feats must be drawn from the following list. Some of these bonus feats avaiable to an archer cannot be acquired until the archer has gained one or more prerequisite feats. Increased Range: At 1st level, the archer may increase his Range Increment with his ranged weapon by the per level bonus and increases at 5th level and every five levels afterward, (1st +10, 5th +20, 10th +30, 15th +40, 20th +50). Clever Shot (Ex): At 2nd level, the archer may angle his shots to inflict the most damage possible. He gains damage bonus equal to his Dexterity modifer with all bows and crossbows only within his point blank increment. This bonus does not stack with bonuses from Strength modifiers from a mighty composite bows, the archer uses precise aim over muscle. Weapon Specialization (Ex): At 6th level, the archer becomes eligible to take the Weapon Specialization feat. The archer can only take this with a ranged weapon and does not gain this feat as a bonus feat, and must still gain the feat normally. Arrow Guard (Ex): At 9th level, the archer gains the Deflect Arrows feat for free, even if he doesn't make the prerequisites. The archer must have at least one hand free (holding nothing) to use this feat. Unusually massive ranged weapons and ranged attacks generated by spell effects can’t be deflected. Long-distance Accuracy (Ex): At 14th level and higher, the archer receives only a –1 penalty for firing into each additional range increment of his primary weapon. Range penalties normally are –2 for every range increment beyond the first. For example, an archer using a heavy crossbow with a range increment of 120 feet suffers a –1 penalty to his attack roll beginning at 120 feet instead of the normal –2 penalty, increasing by –1 for every 120 feet thereafter. Threaten: At 17th level, an archer gains the ability to threaten nearby areas with his ranged weapon as if he were wielding a melee weapon when wearing medium, light, or no armor. He loses this special ability when fighting in heavy armor. His ranged weapon functions as a reach weapon, threatening anything 10 feet away but not immediately adjacent to him. Any attacks of opportunity he receives because he threatens nearby areas are normal ranged attacks, and these count against his maximum number of attacks of opportunity per round. Dead Shot (Ex): At 20th level, the archer can cause one ranged attack he makes against a flat-footed opponent to automatically become a critical threat. This must be declared before an attack roll is made. If the attack misses, the ability is wasted. This ability may be used once per day.
Wolfram_and_Hart 04-25-04, 05:29 PM	Originally posted by Shoes If you do a search here on the boards for "archer" under the classes section, you'll find a few of mine I attempted to do. Also, here was my more current attempt if you want to purge ideas from. Don't mind me, I'm just to lazy to put html coding in for the class. Archer Precision and patience are keys to being an archer (Arc). These warriors rely upon their skill with a missile weapon, trying to take enemies down before they can be engaged in close combat. Skill and precision is their pride, but they are also skilled enough warriors to fight with other weapons if needed. However most standing armies understand the true place of an archer is behind a defensive line of infantry, and even adventurers understand that the ranged strength and abilities of an archer should be protected. The damage a skilled archer can deal to an advancing enemy is terrifying indeed, and many battles are won by bow and crossbow long before the armies themselves meet on the field. An archer is never without his missile weapon. Just as fighters spar and train, archers practice regularly, shooting from a variety of stances at any number of targets, near and far. Not all archers are trained military and militia-men, however. Many cultures respect the archer as a huntsman, able to provide food for the tribe and also double as defensive forces for a village. Many huntsmen take track as their first feat instead of a missile weapon feat, increasing their ability to bring home large game, while others multiclass as archer-rangers. Archers are especially useful on ships, where they are the last defense against boarding actions, able to significantly reduce the attacking men’s strength before they board. Adventurers: Many archers are recruited into adventuring instead of looking for it. Few groups underestimate the power of a well-used bow more than once. Once they become adventurers, archers rarely tire of the opportunity to take down powerful and terrifying creatures with little risk to their own hide, relying on other adventurers to take the brunt of most attacks. Characteristics: Nowhere near as well-rounded as the fighter, or even as a warrior, archers usually become the pinnacles of their craft, never attempting to master a second weapon beyond the one they chose when they began their career. Alignment: While archers can be of any alignment, generally they tend towards law over chaos, as they must avoid headstrong temptations that could lead into melee combat. But they are free to be of any alignment, with some archers fighting to protect society and their people, and others caring not for such niceties, aiming only to fill their own purse with as little risk to self as possible. Background: Archers come to their profession in many ways. Most have been trained in military unit of longbowmen or crossbowmen (although some gnomish and halfling archers have their training with slings instead), or at least in the local militia. Some have instead come from backgrounds as hunters or sportsmen, either way using their skills to take down game for food or pleasure. Some few are completely self-taught, having found a knack for a missile weapon at a younger age, and have attempted to perfect their skills with it at the expense of their other training, or have taken up the bow as a means to defend a family homestead or just themselves. Few archers are trained in academic facilities. Archers tend to share a certain camaraderie, although they tend to look askance at those archers who specialize in a different weapon than they do. Bows are not seen as a weapon of valour – while it is the nobles on their steeds who charge into combat in plate mail with swords, it is the serfs and peasants who pick up the bow and strike from a distance. Thus few nobles ever become archers outside of the elven nations. Races: Human archers range the gamut of experience and origins, although especially so among humans, archery is a sport of the rich, but only a military service for the poor. Dwarven archers are more rare than most races because they are often seen as less useful tactically in the confines of their underground homes and battlefields. Most are trained in the heavy crossbow instead of a longbow, and even more are actually fighters trained in crossbow handling. In fact, the typical ranged weapons of the race are most often hurled melee weapons instead of the missile weapons the archer specializes in. Elven archers are quite common, due in part to the elven skill with bows, elves are also the only race that does not see the profession of the archer as being one for the lower class, and many an elven noble has taken up the bow instead of sword. Half-orc archers are a rare, but brutal breed. Their great strength means that they seek out the most powerful composite longbows for their use, and this alone makes people look twice at a half-orc archer. Halfelves often take up the bow as both part of their elven heritage, but also because they are generally already looked down on by human society, and the bow is a lower class weapon. Gnome archers are usually trained as part of a local militia in either the use of sling or shortbow, depending on social rank and the richness of the militia group, some also specialize in the sling as a source of mischief, able to “tag” someone at significant distances and still have no visible weapon on their person. Halfling archers are a rare breed, as the race is best known for their thrown weapons instead of missiles. Most often, those halflings that do take this calling live in hostile areas or villages constantly at war, and train primarily in the use of the sling. The archer class is also usable for those who would specialize in thrown weapons such as javelins and thrown rocks (a strange preference among some halfling societies). Other Classes: Archers excel in environments where the enemy can be held at bay for them, avoiding melee combat is an essential goal for most archers. Therefore, the archer relies on others for support, fighters to keep the enemies at bay, clerics for healing, and rogues for scouting, to find the enemies while still distant enough for the archer to take full advantage of the situation. Of all the classes, archers often have the least respect for arcane spellcasters, as they see themselves as the precision artillery of a team, although they drudgingly respect the mass destructive capability of certain area of effect spells. Game Rule Information Archers have the following game statistics: Abilities: Dexterity is a critical ability score for archers, considering their heavy reliance on ranged weapons. Constitution is important for giving archers lots of hit points. A decent Wisdom and Intelligence is needed for certain archer-based abilities, skills, and feats. Alignment: Any. Hit Dice: d8. Starting Wealth: 5d4 x 10 gp. Class Skills The archer's class skills (and the key ability for it) are: Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Ride (Dex), Search (Int), Spot (Wis), and Swim (Str). See Chapter 4: Skills of the PHB for skill descriptions. Skills Points at 1st Level: (2 + Intellgience modifier) x4 Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int modifier Level Base Attack Bonus Fort/Ref/Will Special 1st +1 +0 /+2 /+0 Archery Feat, Increased Ranged 2nd +2 +0 /+3 /+0 Clever Shot 3rd +3 +1 /+3 /+1 4th +4 +1 /+4 /+1 Archery Feat 5th +5 +1 /+4 /+1 6th +6/+1 +2 /+5 /+2 Weapon Specialization 7th +7/+2 +2 /+5 /+2 Archery Feat 8th +8/+3 +2 /+6 /+2 9th +9/+4 +3 /+6 /+3 Arrow Guard 10th +10/+5 +3 /+7 /+3 Archery Feat 11th +11/+6/+1 +3 /+7 /+3 12th +12/+7/+2 +4 /+8 /+4 13th +13/+8/+3 +4 /+8 /+4 Archery Feat 14th +14/+9/+4 +4 /+9 /+4 Long-distance Accuracy 15th +15/+10/+5 +5 /+9 /+5 16th +16/+11/+6/+1 +5 /+10 /+5 Archery Feat 17th +17/+12/+7/+2 +5 /+10 /+5 Threaten 18th +18/+13/+8/+3 +6 /+11 /+6 19th +19/+14/+9/+4 +6 /+11 /+6 Archery Feat 20th +20/+15/+10/+5 +6 /+12 /+6 Dead Shot Class Features The following are class features of the archer. Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The archer gains proficiency with all simple weapons, shortbow, and longbow. They are also proficent with both composite and mighty versions of the shortbow and longbow. In addition, archers are proficient in the use of arrows and bolts as melee weapons, meaning they do not suffer the standard -4 penalty for using an arrow or bolt in melee. They are proficent with light and medium armor, but not with shields. Note that armor check penalties for armor heavier that leather apply to the skills. Balance, Climb, Escape Artist, Hide, Jump, Move Silently, Pick Pocket, and Tumble. Also Swim checks suffer a -1 penalty for every 5 pounds of armor and equipment carried. Archery Feat: At 1st level, the archer gets a bonus feat in addition to the normal feats a character gets. The archer gains an additional bonus feat at 4th level and every 3 levels thereafter. These bonus feats must be drawn from the following list. Some of these bonus feats avaiable to an archer cannot be acquired until the archer has gained one or more prerequisite feats. Increased Range: At 1st level, the archer may increase his Range Increment with his ranged weapon by the per level bonus and increases at 5th level and every five levels afterward, (1st +10, 5th +20, 10th +30, 15th +40, 20th +50). Clever Shot (Ex): At 2nd level, the archer may angle his shots to inflict the most damage possible. He gains damage bonus equal to his Dexterity modifer with all bows and crossbows only within his point blank increment. This bonus does not stack with bonuses from Strength modifiers from a mighty composite bows, the archer uses precise aim over muscle. Weapon Specialization (Ex): At 6th level, the archer becomes eligible to take the Weapon Specialization feat. The archer can only take this with a ranged weapon and does not gain this feat as a bonus feat, and must still gain the feat normally. Arrow Guard (Ex): At 9th level, the archer gains the Deflect Arrows feat for free, even if he doesn't make the prerequisites. The archer must have at least one hand free (holding nothing) to use this feat. Unusually massive ranged weapons and ranged attacks generated by spell effects can’t be deflected. Long-distance Accuracy (Ex): At 14th level and higher, the archer receives only a –1 penalty for firing into each additional range increment of his primary weapon. Range penalties normally are –2 for every range increment beyond the first. For example, an archer using a heavy crossbow with a range increment of 120 feet suffers a –1 penalty to his attack roll beginning at 120 feet instead of the normal –2 penalty, increasing by –1 for every 120 feet thereafter. Threaten: At 17th level, an archer gains the ability to threaten nearby areas with his ranged weapon as if he were wielding a melee weapon when wearing medium, light, or no armor. He loses this special ability when fighting in heavy armor. His ranged weapon functions as a reach weapon, threatening anything 10 feet away but not immediately adjacent to him. Any attacks of opportunity he receives because he threatens nearby areas are normal ranged attacks, and these count against his maximum number of attacks of opportunity per round. Dead Shot (Ex): At 20th level, the archer can cause one ranged attack he makes against a flat-footed opponent to automatically become a critical threat. This must be declared before an attack roll is made. If the attack misses, the ability is wasted. This ability may be used once per day. Thank you for the information.
Iron Chef Vastrox 04-25-04, 06:44 PM	A small suggestion: when trying to maintain a thread like this, especially one on a new class which will be very, very long, don't quote whole posts. For example, you have your original post quoted in direct succession. Nobody wants to read the same thing twice when they're that close together. Also, if you are posting directly after somebody and the content matter is not under direct scrutiny, simply refer to them by name, such as: Shoes: thanks for the info :) This'll help you get responses because people endure less pain navigating the thread.:cool:
Wolfram_and_Hart 04-25-04, 10:33 PM	Originally posted by Iron Chef Vastrox A small suggestion: when trying to maintain a thread like this, especially one on a new class which will be very, very long, don't quote whole posts. For example, you have your original post quoted in direct succession. Nobody wants to read the same thing twice when they're that close together. Also, if you are posting directly after somebody and the content matter is not under direct scrutiny, simply refer to them by name, such as: Shoes: thanks for the info :) This'll help you get responses because people endure less pain navigating the thread.:cool: Having the full post twice was a mistake.
Wolfram_and_Hart 04-26-04, 06:34 AM	:bump: Come on people!!
tiggrhoo 04-26-04, 12:40 PM	Greetings Wolf: :) I think it is very difficult to create a good Archer core class, just because so much of that can be done by playing a Fighter or Ranger and just picking feats useful for archery. Basically, I'm against the idea. But you probably already know some people don't want an Archer core class, and you want one for your game anyway. Cool, I'll try to help. Who knows, maybe you'll make me want one too. :) That said, I wish you luck. Originally posted by Wolfram_and_Hart Archer’s Reflexes: You may use a ranged weapon that you have ready for an attack of opportunity , your threatened area within 30 feet of you. Your ranged AoP still invokes an AoP from nearby enemies that threaten you. This feat only works with bows,Daggers and slings. Wow, I almost wish D&D still had facing. Do you really intend to give the archer command of a 30 foot radius, 360 degrees? Even in the coolest Robin Hood movies, I can't picture Robin Hood suddenly whirling and shooting an arrow into some Sherrif's man at his back 30 feet away, just because the guy went to dig out a potion or something. I have an idea: Would you consider allowing the archer to designate a single target within 30 feet? Then he could threaten that target and get opportunity attacks... but not against basically the entire battlefield. :)
Wolfram_and_Hart 04-26-04, 06:51 PM	Originally posted by tiggrhoo I have an idea: Would you consider allowing the archer to designate a single target within 30 feet? Then he could threaten that target and get opportunity attacks... but not against basically the entire battlefield. :) [/B] Hmmm...Sounds pretty good. I may have to try that. It seems that I have some people saying that the class is too underpowered, guess I need to raise it some.
Elring_the_Destroyer 04-27-04, 03:41 PM	I have an idea: Would you consider allowing the archer to designate a single target within 30 feet? Then he could threaten that target and get opportunity attacks... but not against basically the entire battlefield. not a bad idea. you can treat it like the dodge feat. You choose a target at the beginning of each round and you pay particularly close attention to him. When an opening presents itself, you can let fly an arrow to try to exploit that opening. I agree that 30 foot threatened area is Extremely overpowered! if anyone tried to get to him, they would find an arrow in their face for moving within his threatened zone. The only thing they could try is to move five feet a round.
Wolfram_and_Hart 04-27-04, 06:54 PM	Originally posted by tiggrhoo Wow, I almost wish D&D still had facing. Do you really intend to give the archer command of a 30 foot radius, 360 degrees? Even in the coolest Robin Hood movies, I can't picture Robin Hood suddenly whirling and shooting an arrow into some Sherrif's man at his back 30 feet away, just because the guy went to dig out a potion or something. I have an idea: Would you consider allowing the archer to designate a single target within 30 feet? Then he could threaten that target and get opportunity attacks... but not against basically the entire battlefield. :) [/B] Ok I changed it using your suggestion.
Wolfram_and_Hart 04-28-04, 06:50 AM	I have made a small change. I gave the Archer three bonus feats.
Wolfram_and_Hart 04-28-04, 07:32 PM	With Powershot, I was thinking about adding the Modifiers to it instead of just the arrow damage.
Wolfram_and_Hart 05-01-04, 11:21 AM	:bump:
Wolfram_and_Hart 05-08-04, 11:25 AM	:bump: again
Wolfram_and_Hart 05-08-04, 11:29 AM	I need more input on what some of you think? I have added some extra feats, is this too much? Please let me know.
tiggrhoo 05-09-04, 10:46 AM	Hello Wolf: I think this is a difficult job you have taken on. On the one hand, your archer class looks really cool. I like the Archery Styles, for example. On the other hand, I think the class is too powerful. I'm not very good at creating balanced material, so these are just thoughts to consider, not divine inspiration or anything. :D 1. 14 feats/abilities. Compare to the fighter, who gets 11. This is just too much, since the whole point of a fighter is to get lots of feats, but the archer gets even more. He's a super-fighter. 2. Critical shot seems a bit much. Maybe limit this to a few uses per day? Otherwise there will be an awful lot of triple damage hits. 3. Preferred bow scales up awfully high: +5 to hit? The penalty to your opposite bow doesn't really balance it out, since you'd just use your good bow all the time anyway. What if you make it scale up to +2? Then it would be worth a couple of feats, not 5x as much as weapon focus. There's some good stuff in your class -- Keep up the good work! :)
Wolfram_and_Hart 05-09-04, 01:41 PM	Originally posted by tiggrhoo Hello Wolf: I think this is a difficult job you have taken on. On the one hand, your archer class looks really cool. I like the Archery Styles, for example. On the other hand, I think the class is too powerful. I'm not very good at creating balanced material, so these are just thoughts to consider, not divine inspiration or anything. :D 1. 14 feats/abilities. Compare to the fighter, who gets 11. This is just too much, since the whole point of a fighter is to get lots of feats, but the archer gets even more. He's a super-fighter. 2. Critical shot seems a bit much. Maybe limit this to a few uses per day? Otherwise there will be an awful lot of triple damage hits. 3. Preferred bow scales up awfully high: +5 to hit? The penalty to your opposite bow doesn't really balance it out, since you'd just use your good bow all the time anyway. What if you make it scale up to +2? Then it would be worth a couple of feats, not 5x as much as weapon focus. There's some good stuff in your class -- Keep up the good work! :) Sounds cool. Do you think I should still have the minus with the opposite bow? I think I will tone down the feats. And you are right about critical shot.
Wolfram_and_Hart 05-09-04, 01:44 PM	Ok I have taken away the bonus feats, did some changes to Preferred Bow, and changed Critical shot to 2/day.
tiggrhoo 05-09-04, 03:20 PM	I like the latest version. It would help to get other peoples' opinions too, though.
Wolfram_and_Hart 05-10-04, 07:54 PM	I had made a mistake on the Preferred bow entry, but I have corrected it now.
XunValDorl of HouseKilsek 05-14-04, 11:29 PM	This is a nice class. Hmm I think some of the abilities need work, but definitly has potential.
XunValDorl of HouseKilsek 11-13-04, 03:32 PM	Hey I haven't seen this class in a while...I thought that I would bump it up to the top........
wereooze 11-13-04, 05:36 PM	Honestly, i'd scrap the class idea, a Fighter 5 (weapon spec. longbow)/Ranger build is archer enough. However, those would make some very nice feats for everybody :tu: