Something good about the Arcane Archer? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Something good about the Arcane Archer? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Hamsterlord
09-15-07, 09:42 PM This seems like it should have already been done, but I haven't found it by searching, so might as well post it.

The Trick: Elder Glyph of Warding and Imbue Arrow can be combined to allow any harmful spell to use the arrow's range rather than just area spells.

Resources:

Glyph of Warding:
Glyph of Warding
Abjuration
Level: Clr 3
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 10 minutes
Range: Touch
Target or Area: Object touched or up to 5 sq. ft./level
Duration: Permanent until discharged (D)
Saving Throw: See text
Spell Resistance: No (object) and Yes; see text

This powerful inscription harms those who enter, pass, or open the warded area or object. A glyph of warding can guard a bridge or passage, ward a portal, trap a chest or box, and so on.

You set the conditions of the ward. Typically, any creature entering the warded area or opening the warded object without speaking a password (which you set when casting the spell) is subject to the magic it stores. Alternatively or in addition to a password trigger, glyphs can be set according to physical characteristics (such as height or weight) or creature type, subtype, or kind. Glyphs can also be set with respect to good, evil, law, or chaos, or to pass those of your religion. They cannot be set according to class, Hit Dice, or level. Glyphs respond to invisible creatures normally but are not triggered by those who travel past them ethereally. Multiple glyphs cannot be cast on the same area. However, if a cabinet has three drawers, each can be separately warded.

When casting the spell, you weave a tracery of faintly glowing lines around the warding sigil. A glyph can be placed to conform to any shape up to the limitations of your total square footage. When the spell is completed, the glyph and tracery become nearly invisible.

Glyphs cannot be affected or bypassed by such means as physical or magical probing, though they can be dispelled. Mislead, polymorph, and nondetection (and similar magical effects) can fool a glyph, though nonmagical disguises and the like can’t. Read magic allows you to identify a glyph of warding with a DC 13 Spellcraft check. Identifying the glyph does not discharge it and allows you to know the basic nature of the glyph (version, type of damage caused, what spell is stored).

Note: Magic traps such as glyph of warding are hard to detect and disable. A rogue (only) can use the Search skill to find the glyph and Disable Device to thwart it. The DC in each case is 25 + spell level, or 28 for glyph of warding.

Depending on the version selected, a glyph either blasts the intruder or activates a spell.
Blast Glyph

A blast glyph deals 1d8 points of damage per two caster levels (maximum 5d8) to the intruder and to all within 5 feet of him or her. This damage is acid, cold, fire, electricity, or sonic (caster’s choice, made at time of casting). Each creature affected can attempt a Reflex save to take half damage. Spell resistance applies against this effect.
Spell Glyph

You can store any harmful spell of 3rd level or lower that you know. All level-dependent features of the spell are based on your caster level at the time of casting the glyph. If the spell has a target, it targets the intruder. If the spell has an area or an amorphous effect the area or effect is centered on the intruder. If the spell summons creatures, they appear as close as possible to the intruder and attack. Saving throws and spell resistance operate as normal, except that the DC is based on the level of the spell stored in the glyph.
Material Component

You trace the glyph with incense, which must first be sprinkled with powdered diamond worth at least 200 gp.

Imbue Arrow:
Imbue Arrow (Sp)

At 2nd level, an arcane archer gains the ability to place an area spell upon an arrow. When the arrow is fired, the spell’s area is centered on where the arrow lands, even if the spell could normally be centered only on the caster. This ability allows the archer to use the bow’s range rather than the spell’s range. It takes a standard action to cast the spell and fire the arrow. The arrow must be fired in the round the spell is cast, or the spell is wasted.

How it works: Imbue Arrow allows any area spell to use the bow's range instead. Now, Glyph of Warding can be cast as an area spell covering an area of 5ft/CL, but normally it is limited by the 10min casting time and touch range. However, due to the wording of Imbue Arrow you can cast and fire a glyph imbued arrow in a single standard action regardless of normal casting time. Plus, now you can use the range of the shot arrow instead of your touch.

So now you have an arrow that where it lands creates a glyph over 5ft/CL, then if an enemy is in the area(there should be if you are firing an arrow) one of two effects happen. You could use the blast effect, but the real reason behind the trick is the other option. Glyph of Warding, greater allows you to tie any harmful spell of sixth level or less to the glyph to go off when triggered.

The only downside is you need 200gp of diamond dust per use.

This is pretty nice with all those touch range spells you would rather be casting from 100ft off. Hell, Slay Living with this is almost strictly better than the AA's Arrow of Death ability.
CrimsonDeath
09-15-07, 09:56 PM The only downside is you need 200gp of diamond dust per use.
The other downside is that you need to be able to cast level 5 Cleric spells and level 1 Arcane spells and meet the BAB and feat prerequisites for Arcane Archer. Might be worth it with a Wizard/Ur-Priest/Mystic Theurge build, although I'm not sure you'd get level 9 arcane spells pre-epic.
Hamsterlord
09-15-07, 10:01 PM The other downside is that you need to be able to cast level 5 Cleric spells and level 1 Arcane spells and meet the BAB and feat prerequisites for Arcane Archer. Might be worth it with a Wizard/Ur-Priest/Mystic Theurge build, although I'm not sure you'd get level 9 arcane spells pre-epic.

What, Cleric 17/ Wizard 1 / Arcane Archer 2 not good enough for you?
Callix
09-15-07, 10:41 PM Bizarre idea: Elf Wiz18/Arcane Archer 2 uses Imbue Arrow to launch an AMF into an enemy caster, then kills everything else he can until the AMF wears off. Other Personal-range area spells are also welcome. If there's any spell that is balanced by trapping you in its area, Imbue Arrow gets you out of it.
Soluphobe
09-16-07, 11:51 AM Just a thought: Can this be combined with Sculpt Spell for more abuse? If you get Glyph of Warding Sculpted you could make it a line, cone, burst, whatever.
Hamsterlord
09-16-07, 01:37 PM Just a thought: Can this be combined with Sculpt Spell for more abuse? If you get Glyph of Warding Sculpted you could make it a line, cone, burst, whatever.

You could use it, but the area of the Glyph only matters to trigger the spell on a creature inside the area. The only abuse I could see is to make it affect a creature a bit farther than you could normally hit with your bow.
CrimsonDeath
09-16-07, 03:28 PM What, Cleric 17/ Wizard 1 / Arcane Archer 2 not good enough for you?
For some reason, I though you wanted to be able to drop arcane spells too. Besides, the Ur-Priest would get Divine Power (maybe even DMM: Persist), and the Wizard side would get most of the great Gish spells, plus most of the arcane save-or-dies.

Bizarre idea: Elf Wiz18/Arcane Archer 2 uses Imbue Arrow to launch an AMF into an enemy caster, then kills everything else he can until the AMF wears off.
Or until the enemy caster walks ten feet out of the area. Even a halfling in mechanus gear can do that in one move. A double move if he's in impeded terrain.
Hamsterlord
09-16-07, 04:30 PM For some reason, I though you wanted to be able to drop arcane spells too. Besides, the Ur-Priest would get Divine Power (maybe even DMM: Persist), and the Wizard side would get most of the great Gish spells, plus most of the arcane save-or-dies.

I was just displaying a trick, but yeah something like:
Fighter 1/ Bard 6/ Ur-Priest 2/ Mystic Theurge 1/ Sublime Chord 1/ MT +7/ Arcane Archer 2

would net you 9th divine, 8th arcane.
Psionx
09-16-07, 05:49 PM Someone once suggested something if I can just remember it:
I think it was alot of explosive runes in a small container. Attach to an area dispel magic imbued arrow with the obvious intent to fail. Yeah something like that. Fire the arrow into the square where the opponent is, not at the opponent. It blows up for alot of damage with no save I think (spell resistance still applies though).
Soluphobe
09-16-07, 07:36 PM You could use it, but the area of the Glyph only matters to trigger the spell on a creature inside the area. The only abuse I could see is to make it affect a creature a bit farther than you could normally hit with your bow.

Accepted. If you use Arcane Thesis/other free metamagic cheese, however, you could get that sculpted, widened, and carrying some nasty payload. If you select the line, then widen it, you could be getting 120' past the range of your bow. I know that's not much (and pathetic for the TO board), but it might be a surprise to your enemies.
SageBahamut
09-19-07, 07:58 PM You can store any harmful spell of 3rd level or lower that you know.

Does that change anything much?
Callix
09-20-07, 06:35 AM Glyph of Warding has a Greater version, with a higher level cap. Imbue Arrow has no level limitation. This means Greater Glyph of Warding and Imbue Arrow means any 6th level or lower spell can use your bow's range. Not its range increment, its range. All you need is to be able to hit the square reliably (AC 10), and you can get the shot out up to 1,100 feet with a normal composite longbow and no Far Shot. This means about a +29 attack bonus for the upper limit, but you can always True Strike it in emergencies, or cut it back to Long-ish range on a Close spell (+15-24). Pretty sweet.

Also, a Long-range Wail of the Banshee would be pretty sweet.
snizor
09-21-07, 04:39 PM Glyph of Warding has a Greater version, with a higher level cap. Imbue Arrow has no level limitation. This means Greater Glyph of Warding and Imbue Arrow means any 6th level or lower spell can use your bow's range. Not its range increment, its range. All you need is to be able to hit the square reliably (AC 10), and you can get the shot out up to 1,100 feet with a normal composite longbow and no Far Shot. This means about a +29 attack bonus for the upper limit, but you can always True Strike it in emergencies, or cut it back to Long-ish range on a Close spell (+15-24). Pretty sweet.

Also, a Long-range Wail of the Banshee would be pretty sweet.
Glyth of Warding has a Elder version as well (Lords of Madness, Aboleth section).
Hamsterlord
09-22-07, 11:44 AM Glyph of Warding has a Elder version as well (Lords of Madness, Aboleth section).

There we go, we now have 9th and lower for 1000gp of diamond dust, 6th or lower for 400, and 3rd or lower for 200. Now if we could only get it as a SLA so we could ignore the material components.
snizor
09-22-07, 01:59 PM Geometer (CA) would add Glyph of Warding and its Greater version to the Wizard's spell list.
Callix
09-22-07, 08:27 PM Dweomerkeeper would let you use a Su Elder Glyph of Warding. No components for either spell whatsoever. Clr 7/Wiz 1/Dweomerkeeper 10/Arcane Archer 2 is a pretty neat build, while Clr 3/Church Inquisitor 4/Wiz 1/Dweormerkeeper 10/Arcane Archer 2 is even more solid with the Inquisition domain. Shuffle 3 levels of Church Inquisitor and 6 levels of Dweomerkeeper to after the Arcane Archer and the trick comes together quite early. Shooting someone with a Zone of Truth is a cool image if nothoing else. Still, that delays Elder Glyph of Warding to 20th level. If you want to get even cheesier, you can dip Seeker of the Misty Isle 1 for Travel to boot. The prerequisites specify race, but not deity or alignment, although finding a member who'll let you in may be troublesome.

LN Elf cleric of Wee Jas anyone?
CrimsonDeath
09-22-07, 09:52 PM The problem with using a (Sp) or (Su) Glyph of Warding is that Imbue Arrow only works with spells.
Callix
09-22-07, 11:55 PM The Dweomerkeeper's Supernatural Spell ability is ambiguously worded. Since it refers to "the moment of casting", it may be argued that the spell is cast, but "does not require any components, does not provoke attacks of opportunity, and ignores the target's spell resistance, just as if she was using a supernatural ability instead of a spell". This would allow you to use Imbue Arrow, then decide at the moment of casting (once Imbue Arrow has started) that the spell will function as a (Su) ability.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Hamsterlord 09-15-07, 09:42 PM	This seems like it should have already been done, but I haven't found it by searching, so might as well post it. The Trick: Elder Glyph of Warding and Imbue Arrow can be combined to allow any harmful spell to use the arrow's range rather than just area spells. Resources: Glyph of Warding: Glyph of Warding Abjuration Level: Clr 3 Components: V, S, M Casting Time: 10 minutes Range: Touch Target or Area: Object touched or up to 5 sq. ft./level Duration: Permanent until discharged (D) Saving Throw: See text Spell Resistance: No (object) and Yes; see text This powerful inscription harms those who enter, pass, or open the warded area or object. A glyph of warding can guard a bridge or passage, ward a portal, trap a chest or box, and so on. You set the conditions of the ward. Typically, any creature entering the warded area or opening the warded object without speaking a password (which you set when casting the spell) is subject to the magic it stores. Alternatively or in addition to a password trigger, glyphs can be set according to physical characteristics (such as height or weight) or creature type, subtype, or kind. Glyphs can also be set with respect to good, evil, law, or chaos, or to pass those of your religion. They cannot be set according to class, Hit Dice, or level. Glyphs respond to invisible creatures normally but are not triggered by those who travel past them ethereally. Multiple glyphs cannot be cast on the same area. However, if a cabinet has three drawers, each can be separately warded. When casting the spell, you weave a tracery of faintly glowing lines around the warding sigil. A glyph can be placed to conform to any shape up to the limitations of your total square footage. When the spell is completed, the glyph and tracery become nearly invisible. Glyphs cannot be affected or bypassed by such means as physical or magical probing, though they can be dispelled. Mislead, polymorph, and nondetection (and similar magical effects) can fool a glyph, though nonmagical disguises and the like can’t. Read magic allows you to identify a glyph of warding with a DC 13 Spellcraft check. Identifying the glyph does not discharge it and allows you to know the basic nature of the glyph (version, type of damage caused, what spell is stored). Note: Magic traps such as glyph of warding are hard to detect and disable. A rogue (only) can use the Search skill to find the glyph and Disable Device to thwart it. The DC in each case is 25 + spell level, or 28 for glyph of warding. Depending on the version selected, a glyph either blasts the intruder or activates a spell. Blast Glyph A blast glyph deals 1d8 points of damage per two caster levels (maximum 5d8) to the intruder and to all within 5 feet of him or her. This damage is acid, cold, fire, electricity, or sonic (caster’s choice, made at time of casting). Each creature affected can attempt a Reflex save to take half damage. Spell resistance applies against this effect. Spell Glyph You can store any harmful spell of 3rd level or lower that you know. All level-dependent features of the spell are based on your caster level at the time of casting the glyph. If the spell has a target, it targets the intruder. If the spell has an area or an amorphous effect the area or effect is centered on the intruder. If the spell summons creatures, they appear as close as possible to the intruder and attack. Saving throws and spell resistance operate as normal, except that the DC is based on the level of the spell stored in the glyph. Material Component You trace the glyph with incense, which must first be sprinkled with powdered diamond worth at least 200 gp. Imbue Arrow: Imbue Arrow (Sp) At 2nd level, an arcane archer gains the ability to place an area spell upon an arrow. When the arrow is fired, the spell’s area is centered on where the arrow lands, even if the spell could normally be centered only on the caster. This ability allows the archer to use the bow’s range rather than the spell’s range. It takes a standard action to cast the spell and fire the arrow. The arrow must be fired in the round the spell is cast, or the spell is wasted. How it works: Imbue Arrow allows any area spell to use the bow's range instead. Now, Glyph of Warding can be cast as an area spell covering an area of 5ft/CL, but normally it is limited by the 10min casting time and touch range. However, due to the wording of Imbue Arrow you can cast and fire a glyph imbued arrow in a single standard action regardless of normal casting time. Plus, now you can use the range of the shot arrow instead of your touch. So now you have an arrow that where it lands creates a glyph over 5ft/CL, then if an enemy is in the area(there should be if you are firing an arrow) one of two effects happen. You could use the blast effect, but the real reason behind the trick is the other option. Glyph of Warding, greater allows you to tie any harmful spell of sixth level or less to the glyph to go off when triggered. The only downside is you need 200gp of diamond dust per use. This is pretty nice with all those touch range spells you would rather be casting from 100ft off. Hell, Slay Living with this is almost strictly better than the AA's Arrow of Death ability.
CrimsonDeath 09-15-07, 09:56 PM	The only downside is you need 200gp of diamond dust per use. The other downside is that you need to be able to cast level 5 Cleric spells and level 1 Arcane spells and meet the BAB and feat prerequisites for Arcane Archer. Might be worth it with a Wizard/Ur-Priest/Mystic Theurge build, although I'm not sure you'd get level 9 arcane spells pre-epic.
Hamsterlord 09-15-07, 10:01 PM	The other downside is that you need to be able to cast level 5 Cleric spells and level 1 Arcane spells and meet the BAB and feat prerequisites for Arcane Archer. Might be worth it with a Wizard/Ur-Priest/Mystic Theurge build, although I'm not sure you'd get level 9 arcane spells pre-epic. What, Cleric 17/ Wizard 1 / Arcane Archer 2 not good enough for you?
Callix 09-15-07, 10:41 PM	Bizarre idea: Elf Wiz18/Arcane Archer 2 uses Imbue Arrow to launch an AMF into an enemy caster, then kills everything else he can until the AMF wears off. Other Personal-range area spells are also welcome. If there's any spell that is balanced by trapping you in its area, Imbue Arrow gets you out of it.
Soluphobe 09-16-07, 11:51 AM	Just a thought: Can this be combined with Sculpt Spell for more abuse? If you get Glyph of Warding Sculpted you could make it a line, cone, burst, whatever.
Hamsterlord 09-16-07, 01:37 PM	Just a thought: Can this be combined with Sculpt Spell for more abuse? If you get Glyph of Warding Sculpted you could make it a line, cone, burst, whatever. You could use it, but the area of the Glyph only matters to trigger the spell on a creature inside the area. The only abuse I could see is to make it affect a creature a bit farther than you could normally hit with your bow.
CrimsonDeath 09-16-07, 03:28 PM	What, Cleric 17/ Wizard 1 / Arcane Archer 2 not good enough for you? For some reason, I though you wanted to be able to drop arcane spells too. Besides, the Ur-Priest would get Divine Power (maybe even DMM: Persist), and the Wizard side would get most of the great Gish spells, plus most of the arcane save-or-dies. Bizarre idea: Elf Wiz18/Arcane Archer 2 uses Imbue Arrow to launch an AMF into an enemy caster, then kills everything else he can until the AMF wears off. Or until the enemy caster walks ten feet out of the area. Even a halfling in mechanus gear can do that in one move. A double move if he's in impeded terrain.
Hamsterlord 09-16-07, 04:30 PM	For some reason, I though you wanted to be able to drop arcane spells too. Besides, the Ur-Priest would get Divine Power (maybe even DMM: Persist), and the Wizard side would get most of the great Gish spells, plus most of the arcane save-or-dies. I was just displaying a trick, but yeah something like: Fighter 1/ Bard 6/ Ur-Priest 2/ Mystic Theurge 1/ Sublime Chord 1/ MT +7/ Arcane Archer 2 would net you 9th divine, 8th arcane.
Psionx 09-16-07, 05:49 PM	Someone once suggested something if I can just remember it: I think it was alot of explosive runes in a small container. Attach to an area dispel magic imbued arrow with the obvious intent to fail. Yeah something like that. Fire the arrow into the square where the opponent is, not at the opponent. It blows up for alot of damage with no save I think (spell resistance still applies though).
Soluphobe 09-16-07, 07:36 PM	You could use it, but the area of the Glyph only matters to trigger the spell on a creature inside the area. The only abuse I could see is to make it affect a creature a bit farther than you could normally hit with your bow. Accepted. If you use Arcane Thesis/other free metamagic cheese, however, you could get that sculpted, widened, and carrying some nasty payload. If you select the line, then widen it, you could be getting 120' past the range of your bow. I know that's not much (and pathetic for the TO board), but it might be a surprise to your enemies.
SageBahamut 09-19-07, 07:58 PM	You can store any harmful spell of 3rd level or lower that you know. Does that change anything much?
Callix 09-20-07, 06:35 AM	Glyph of Warding has a Greater version, with a higher level cap. Imbue Arrow has no level limitation. This means Greater Glyph of Warding and Imbue Arrow means any 6th level or lower spell can use your bow's range. Not its range increment, its range. All you need is to be able to hit the square reliably (AC 10), and you can get the shot out up to 1,100 feet with a normal composite longbow and no Far Shot. This means about a +29 attack bonus for the upper limit, but you can always True Strike it in emergencies, or cut it back to Long-ish range on a Close spell (+15-24). Pretty sweet. Also, a Long-range Wail of the Banshee would be pretty sweet.
snizor 09-21-07, 04:39 PM	Glyph of Warding has a Greater version, with a higher level cap. Imbue Arrow has no level limitation. This means Greater Glyph of Warding and Imbue Arrow means any 6th level or lower spell can use your bow's range. Not its range increment, its range. All you need is to be able to hit the square reliably (AC 10), and you can get the shot out up to 1,100 feet with a normal composite longbow and no Far Shot. This means about a +29 attack bonus for the upper limit, but you can always True Strike it in emergencies, or cut it back to Long-ish range on a Close spell (+15-24). Pretty sweet. Also, a Long-range Wail of the Banshee would be pretty sweet. Glyth of Warding has a Elder version as well (Lords of Madness, Aboleth section).
Hamsterlord 09-22-07, 11:44 AM	Glyph of Warding has a Elder version as well (Lords of Madness, Aboleth section). There we go, we now have 9th and lower for 1000gp of diamond dust, 6th or lower for 400, and 3rd or lower for 200. Now if we could only get it as a SLA so we could ignore the material components.
snizor 09-22-07, 01:59 PM	Geometer (CA) would add Glyph of Warding and its Greater version to the Wizard's spell list.
Callix 09-22-07, 08:27 PM	Dweomerkeeper would let you use a Su Elder Glyph of Warding. No components for either spell whatsoever. Clr 7/Wiz 1/Dweomerkeeper 10/Arcane Archer 2 is a pretty neat build, while Clr 3/Church Inquisitor 4/Wiz 1/Dweormerkeeper 10/Arcane Archer 2 is even more solid with the Inquisition domain. Shuffle 3 levels of Church Inquisitor and 6 levels of Dweomerkeeper to after the Arcane Archer and the trick comes together quite early. Shooting someone with a Zone of Truth is a cool image if nothoing else. Still, that delays Elder Glyph of Warding to 20th level. If you want to get even cheesier, you can dip Seeker of the Misty Isle 1 for Travel to boot. The prerequisites specify race, but not deity or alignment, although finding a member who'll let you in may be troublesome. LN Elf cleric of Wee Jas anyone?
CrimsonDeath 09-22-07, 09:52 PM	The problem with using a (Sp) or (Su) Glyph of Warding is that Imbue Arrow only works with spells.
Callix 09-22-07, 11:55 PM	The Dweomerkeeper's Supernatural Spell ability is ambiguously worded. Since it refers to "the moment of casting", it may be argued that the spell is cast, but "does not require any components, does not provoke attacks of opportunity, and ignores the target's spell resistance, just as if she was using a supernatural ability instead of a spell". This would allow you to use Imbue Arrow, then decide at the moment of casting (once Imbue Arrow has started) that the spell will function as a (Su) ability.