Freaky archer [Archive] - Wizards Community

Freaky archer [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
rampant
10-25-05, 03:25 AM I'm thinking of playing a minotaur archer, you heard me.

I'm considering a warrior mystic like a psychic warrior, or freaky totemist/incarnate, posibly a cleric or mystic ranger.

What reasons might a powerful creature like a minotaur have for turning to the use of a bow over an axe, especially in the tunnels and warrens most call home.
How would he fit with the rest of the clan.?
Fithero
10-25-05, 08:10 AM Minators are usually solitary creatures (well... actually there was only one in greek mythology... but owell)

As for using a bow over an axe, maybe he isnt as big as the others... more thin and lanky than stout and bulky.

Or perhaps he just like the idea of using a totally massive bow (since a comp long bow used by a minator would most likely have a massive might strength modifier added onto it)

Remember that meaty bow at the end of lord of the rings 1? that the orc was using? well a minator bow would be waaaaay bigger than that... with arrows as thick as spear hafts (since it would be larger than normal bow aswell....nasty)

The idea is solid... im liking it.

Later
Setherial
10-25-05, 09:07 AM cool, I'm with you. I'm with Fithero and his mighty bow idea. Why does this Minotaur prefer the bow over melee weapons, not because he is afraid or can't use melee weapons very well but because the bow has made him legendary. He is like the olympic champion among the Minotaurs. He is know all over the world for his legendary skill with the longbow. His bow is in his own right legendary as it is the biggest, heaviest bow ever wielded by a mortal (Masterwork Mighty Composite Longbow +6 or +8 if your DM allows it).
Both his name and his bow are so well known that they have worked their way into local sayings all over the land.

(ha yes I can see it now, the mighty Minotaur and his halfling companion adventuring away :)
nihility
10-25-05, 10:45 AM Remember that meaty bow at the end of lord of the rings 1? that the orc was using? well a minator bow would be waaaaay bigger than that... with arrows as thick as spear hafts (since it would be larger than normal bow aswell....nasty)
Good image. Maybe it wasn't a bow to begin with, maybe you "borrowed" a ballista. I mean, it's doing 2d6 + str + whatever else you can add on (Greater Psionic Shot, anyone?). That's pretty scary.
nihility
10-25-05, 10:45 AM How would he fit with the rest of the clan.?
One-man siege weapon?
erbmjw
10-25-05, 11:32 AM How would your clan see you ...... they should love the clan sniper ;)

Think about the damage you could do with the compisite longbow at ranges that thrown axes could never approach.
nihility
10-25-05, 11:54 AM I imagine that brute force and savagery go along with minotaurs and big axes. Given that you wanted a character with mystical or supernatural flavor, archery might have been a style that was based more on focus and careful action.
rampant
10-25-05, 02:35 PM Ok here is what I got so far, mostly inspired by you guys thanks

Coracles is one of the swiftest and wisest minotaurs ever born. He was trained as a mystic warrior by his tribe originally as a mage harrier and scout. A while back his tribe hired itself out as mercenaries to help buy food for a bad winter. During one battle an enemgy pulled the ballistae off its stand in an attempt to halt the siege weapon. The Hobgoblin commanders kept screaming about where the giant came from and what they were supposed to do without a balistae. Coracles did something about the noise, he picked up the ballistae and shot the giant in the eye and proceeded to continue the rain of siege weaponry on the main enemy force. Since then he has crafted his own bow made of dragon bone. His name is legend amognst minotaurs and siege egineers allike.

well is that cool or what
erbmjw
10-25-05, 07:21 PM First shot a natural killing blow .... good touch. Just means it was beginers luck of the extreme sort ;)

Remaining shots should not be so effective against the seige weapons - gives him a reason to want to practice ( in private) . Have a spelluser ( or two) aid him after the first shot - I think there are a couple of spells that would be very useful in that scenario. Greater magic weapon would be one of them.

Just make sure that Coracles knows that a spelluser( or 2-3) on his side - cast some spells to aid his bow performance after the first luck shot.

It would certainly demoralize the enemy to see a Giant taken down by a single arrow and then to have the bow turned on massed troops.

If wisdom is going to be an important part of your character - take a look at the feat Zen archery - I think it would add too the story of your character.

"Coracles just relaxed, he looked half asleep when he picked up the broken balista and killed the giant"
rampant
10-26-05, 02:04 AM I'm not sure i understand that last line
Fithero
10-26-05, 02:12 AM I'm not sure i understand that last line

Me neither... but i think i got the jist of it.

Anyway, i seem to recall there is a feet that allows you to *somehow* shoot your arrows through one target and then another and another until it doesnt kill one, its kind of like the cleave feet for bows.

Just imagine this massive arrow traveling through the ranks of an army (since the troops are most likely 1st lvl warriors im sure it would kill most in 1 shot).... any general would die of shame to see this one archers decimating his/her army single handedly.

Im not sure about the dragon spine bow thing... sounds a bit corny.. the ballista just seems way cooler since its already a recognisable weapon... just one that usually takes 3 men to load and is used in sieges :P

Have fun with it.

Later
Setherial
10-26-05, 02:17 AM I have a hard time picturing a minotaur holding a ballista but whatever, personaly I would have stuck with the giant bow that only he (or someone with as much strength as him) can wield.
Zen Archery is good...
rampant
10-26-05, 03:09 AM yeah since i've decide on either a psychich warrior or a mystic ranger (dragon 336) zen archery would be right up the firing line

if somebody could find that feat plz tell me where it is

ballistae Vs bone bow

ballista baby

Coracles "the Siege" hows that for a title
Setherial
10-26-05, 07:46 AM I think Zen Archery is explained in AEG Feats but since most folks here discuss only WOTC books I guess it's in one of the WOTC books as well. Maybe Complete Warrior or Complete Divine.

About the ballista, it's just not practical, it's not made to be held so the penalty for using it as a hand weapon would be huge (If I were your DM). On the other hand people could say Coracles longbow is as big as a ballista as a metaphor.
Fithero
10-26-05, 07:57 AM I think its more along the lines that, he found a ballista and had it modded into a damn big long bow.. not acutally using the stats for a ballista, really i think its more for a cosmetic/rp purposes.

Later
rampant
10-26-05, 02:19 PM when i said find that feat i meant the one with the arrow that goes through rows of pwople i have access to zen archery

yeah its a cosmetic effect i don't intend to use an actual ballista, they don't have the mighty option
erbmjw
10-28-05, 08:55 AM Sorry I was not able to respond sooner

If wisdom is going to be an important part of your character - take a look at the feat Zen archery - I think it would add too the story of your character.

"Coracles just relaxed, he looked half asleep when he picked up the broken balista and killed the giant"

So people were wondering what the last line is about - it was a story line for the first time Coracles picked up the broken balista to use as a bow.

If he was meditating ( Zen archery ) when he fired the the bow the first time then some of his savage kin would have looked at him and thought he was half asleep. They just didn't know much better and so that story follows him around.... because that story would follow a character around -even if he tried to correct it the unofficial version would get more attention and be told more often ;)

If you're going to take Zen archery for roelplaying I would suggest meditation as a flavour skill - your GM may even let your character use it in other situations as an aid/replacement for other skills.

Since the balista was a weapon you just picked up I could see how later on you would have replaced it with a "real" Large composite mighty long bow - which would provide your character with a way to cause nasty damage.

The Dragon bone bow ..... nope. You're not a ranger with favoured enemy dragon! I would suggest that the leader that hired your clan for the war would be very happy with your performance and would have 'rewarded' you with the large mighty composite longbow.

I highlighted 'reward' because after seeing the havoc you caused on the enemy the hobgoblin commanders would WANT you to be using the best bow possible - as a couple of people mentioned - you and your bow are a single person, rapid fire, highly mobile, seige weapon. If I wanted to win a war and I noticed what your character could do with a make shift missle weapon I would put a much better one in your hands ASARP. ( * as soon as reasonably possible )

Zen Archery - at least the one I remember was in an version 3 WOTC books (? Complete Warrior?)

And I did also see a bow feat that Fithero mentioned - ie single arrow multiple deaths, but if I remember correctly it works best against large masses of troops or constrained small groups ( ie 200 foot long 10 foot wide hallway that has no side passages or doors )

Sorry I can't help more but I am in Hong Kong and my RPG stuff is not :(
rampant
10-29-05, 04:18 AM ok ditch the bone bow

Greatbow has the same damage anyway as to being a ranger or not thats still up in the air, its either Mystic ranger or psy-warrior

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
rampant 10-25-05, 03:25 AM	I'm thinking of playing a minotaur archer, you heard me. I'm considering a warrior mystic like a psychic warrior, or freaky totemist/incarnate, posibly a cleric or mystic ranger. What reasons might a powerful creature like a minotaur have for turning to the use of a bow over an axe, especially in the tunnels and warrens most call home. How would he fit with the rest of the clan.?
Fithero 10-25-05, 08:10 AM	Minators are usually solitary creatures (well... actually there was only one in greek mythology... but owell) As for using a bow over an axe, maybe he isnt as big as the others... more thin and lanky than stout and bulky. Or perhaps he just like the idea of using a totally massive bow (since a comp long bow used by a minator would most likely have a massive might strength modifier added onto it) Remember that meaty bow at the end of lord of the rings 1? that the orc was using? well a minator bow would be waaaaay bigger than that... with arrows as thick as spear hafts (since it would be larger than normal bow aswell....nasty) The idea is solid... im liking it. Later
Setherial 10-25-05, 09:07 AM	cool, I'm with you. I'm with Fithero and his mighty bow idea. Why does this Minotaur prefer the bow over melee weapons, not because he is afraid or can't use melee weapons very well but because the bow has made him legendary. He is like the olympic champion among the Minotaurs. He is know all over the world for his legendary skill with the longbow. His bow is in his own right legendary as it is the biggest, heaviest bow ever wielded by a mortal (Masterwork Mighty Composite Longbow +6 or +8 if your DM allows it). Both his name and his bow are so well known that they have worked their way into local sayings all over the land. (ha yes I can see it now, the mighty Minotaur and his halfling companion adventuring away :)
nihility 10-25-05, 10:45 AM	Remember that meaty bow at the end of lord of the rings 1? that the orc was using? well a minator bow would be waaaaay bigger than that... with arrows as thick as spear hafts (since it would be larger than normal bow aswell....nasty) Good image. Maybe it wasn't a bow to begin with, maybe you "borrowed" a ballista. I mean, it's doing 2d6 + str + whatever else you can add on (Greater Psionic Shot, anyone?). That's pretty scary.
nihility 10-25-05, 10:45 AM	How would he fit with the rest of the clan.? One-man siege weapon?
erbmjw 10-25-05, 11:32 AM	How would your clan see you ...... they should love the clan sniper ;) Think about the damage you could do with the compisite longbow at ranges that thrown axes could never approach.
nihility 10-25-05, 11:54 AM	I imagine that brute force and savagery go along with minotaurs and big axes. Given that you wanted a character with mystical or supernatural flavor, archery might have been a style that was based more on focus and careful action.
rampant 10-25-05, 02:35 PM	Ok here is what I got so far, mostly inspired by you guys thanks Coracles is one of the swiftest and wisest minotaurs ever born. He was trained as a mystic warrior by his tribe originally as a mage harrier and scout. A while back his tribe hired itself out as mercenaries to help buy food for a bad winter. During one battle an enemgy pulled the ballistae off its stand in an attempt to halt the siege weapon. The Hobgoblin commanders kept screaming about where the giant came from and what they were supposed to do without a balistae. Coracles did something about the noise, he picked up the ballistae and shot the giant in the eye and proceeded to continue the rain of siege weaponry on the main enemy force. Since then he has crafted his own bow made of dragon bone. His name is legend amognst minotaurs and siege egineers allike. well is that cool or what
erbmjw 10-25-05, 07:21 PM	First shot a natural killing blow .... good touch. Just means it was beginers luck of the extreme sort ;) Remaining shots should not be so effective against the seige weapons - gives him a reason to want to practice ( in private) . Have a spelluser ( or two) aid him after the first shot - I think there are a couple of spells that would be very useful in that scenario. Greater magic weapon would be one of them. Just make sure that Coracles knows that a spelluser( or 2-3) on his side - cast some spells to aid his bow performance after the first luck shot. It would certainly demoralize the enemy to see a Giant taken down by a single arrow and then to have the bow turned on massed troops. If wisdom is going to be an important part of your character - take a look at the feat Zen archery - I think it would add too the story of your character. "Coracles just relaxed, he looked half asleep when he picked up the broken balista and killed the giant"
rampant 10-26-05, 02:04 AM	I'm not sure i understand that last line
Fithero 10-26-05, 02:12 AM	I'm not sure i understand that last line Me neither... but i think i got the jist of it. Anyway, i seem to recall there is a feet that allows you to somehow shoot your arrows through one target and then another and another until it doesnt kill one, its kind of like the cleave feet for bows. Just imagine this massive arrow traveling through the ranks of an army (since the troops are most likely 1st lvl warriors im sure it would kill most in 1 shot).... any general would die of shame to see this one archers decimating his/her army single handedly. Im not sure about the dragon spine bow thing... sounds a bit corny.. the ballista just seems way cooler since its already a recognisable weapon... just one that usually takes 3 men to load and is used in sieges :P Have fun with it. Later
Setherial 10-26-05, 02:17 AM	I have a hard time picturing a minotaur holding a ballista but whatever, personaly I would have stuck with the giant bow that only he (or someone with as much strength as him) can wield. Zen Archery is good...
rampant 10-26-05, 03:09 AM	yeah since i've decide on either a psychich warrior or a mystic ranger (dragon 336) zen archery would be right up the firing line if somebody could find that feat plz tell me where it is ballistae Vs bone bow ballista baby Coracles "the Siege" hows that for a title
Setherial 10-26-05, 07:46 AM	I think Zen Archery is explained in AEG Feats but since most folks here discuss only WOTC books I guess it's in one of the WOTC books as well. Maybe Complete Warrior or Complete Divine. About the ballista, it's just not practical, it's not made to be held so the penalty for using it as a hand weapon would be huge (If I were your DM). On the other hand people could say Coracles longbow is as big as a ballista as a metaphor.
Fithero 10-26-05, 07:57 AM	I think its more along the lines that, he found a ballista and had it modded into a damn big long bow.. not acutally using the stats for a ballista, really i think its more for a cosmetic/rp purposes. Later
rampant 10-26-05, 02:19 PM	when i said find that feat i meant the one with the arrow that goes through rows of pwople i have access to zen archery yeah its a cosmetic effect i don't intend to use an actual ballista, they don't have the mighty option
erbmjw 10-28-05, 08:55 AM	Sorry I was not able to respond sooner If wisdom is going to be an important part of your character - take a look at the feat Zen archery - I think it would add too the story of your character. "Coracles just relaxed, he looked half asleep when he picked up the broken balista and killed the giant" So people were wondering what the last line is about - it was a story line for the first time Coracles picked up the broken balista to use as a bow. If he was meditating ( Zen archery ) when he fired the the bow the first time then some of his savage kin would have looked at him and thought he was half asleep. They just didn't know much better and so that story follows him around.... because that story would follow a character around -even if he tried to correct it the unofficial version would get more attention and be told more often ;) If you're going to take Zen archery for roelplaying I would suggest meditation as a flavour skill - your GM may even let your character use it in other situations as an aid/replacement for other skills. Since the balista was a weapon you just picked up I could see how later on you would have replaced it with a "real" Large composite mighty long bow - which would provide your character with a way to cause nasty damage. The Dragon bone bow ..... nope. You're not a ranger with favoured enemy dragon! I would suggest that the leader that hired your clan for the war would be very happy with your performance and would have 'rewarded' you with the large mighty composite longbow. I highlighted 'reward' because after seeing the havoc you caused on the enemy the hobgoblin commanders would WANT you to be using the best bow possible - as a couple of people mentioned - you and your bow are a single person, rapid fire, highly mobile, seige weapon. If I wanted to win a war and I noticed what your character could do with a make shift missle weapon I would put a much better one in your hands ASARP. ( * as soon as reasonably possible ) Zen Archery - at least the one I remember was in an version 3 WOTC books (? Complete Warrior?) And I did also see a bow feat that Fithero mentioned - ie single arrow multiple deaths, but if I remember correctly it works best against large masses of troops or constrained small groups ( ie 200 foot long 10 foot wide hallway that has no side passages or doors ) Sorry I can't help more but I am in Hong Kong and my RPG stuff is not :(
rampant 10-29-05, 04:18 AM	ok ditch the bone bow Greatbow has the same damage anyway as to being a ranger or not thats still up in the air, its either Mystic ranger or psy-warrior