Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Trollios 10-17-03, 12:00 AM	Hey all. starting a new campaign and I could use a little help with this character. Elf Wizard The basic idea is he likes working with alchemy, but considering his back story, if given the opportunity he will go towards arcane archer. Stats: STR 12 DEX 18 CON 14 INT 18 WIS 15 CHA 12 I was just wondering what I should do for starting spells, feat, and equipment. I want him to feel like more of a non-adventurer at the start and then move into it. I think he'll be a Diviner, giving up necromancy. any other starting suggestions? build suggestions up to Arcane Archer. few other things minimum multi-classing and no forgotten realms stuff.
PhaedrusXY 10-17-03, 03:24 AM	Originally posted by Trollios Arcane ArcherUgh. :sad: I'd suggest not taking any Arcane Archer levels. It stinks, from a min/max perspective. Try Arcane Trickster or something, instead. For first level spells, Sleep is hard to beat.
Mr.Waesel 10-17-03, 08:26 AM	Originally posted by PhaedrusXY I'd suggest not taking any Arcane Archer levels. It stinks, from a min/max perspective. Huh? why?
Woodstock_01 10-17-03, 11:20 AM	As a wizard, you want to get the greatest, flashiest and most impressive spells as soon as possible. Arcane Archer gives you no spellcasting levels (as I remember), so it is useless for you.
Lojak 10-17-03, 12:12 PM	For starting feats, it does depend on whether you are aiming for a PrC with feat requirements. If not, improved initiative is always a solid choice. For some reason it is not popular on this board but I find going first very valuable as a spellcaster as it allows you to get off AoE spells before the tanks get in the way or allows you to get off disabling spells before your opponent has a chance to act. As to 1st level spells, my favorites are color spray, sleep and grease. You should also probably get mage armor for defensive purposes though the duration obviously starts low but it is still useful "just before you enter the dungeon." I have never played an Arcane Archer so can not really comment on it authoritatively. If you do choose to head that route, you might want to mix in ranger or some class with a good BAB as the class seems more archer than caster to me.
eudas 10-17-03, 12:19 PM	For starting feats, it does depend on whether you are aiming for a PrC with feat requirements. If not, improved initiative is always a solid choice. For some reason it is not popular on this board well, speaking from the collective experience of our little playing group, we have an elf rogue/wizard with Imp Init; generally, he always gets crappy initiative rolls, so all his high dex and Imp Init do is put him in the middle or upper-middle with the rest of everybody else who rolls decent. :) Stacking the odds is no guarantee of good results.. :) eudas
Kalanth 10-17-03, 12:37 PM	Originally posted by PhaedrusXY Ugh. :sad: I'd suggest not taking any Arcane Archer levels. It stinks, from a min/max perspective. Try Arcane Trickster or something, instead. For first level spells, Sleep is hard to beat. So many people hate the Arcane Archer, and I never really understood why. My last character was a 3.5 Arcane Archer, and I loved that character. I was one of the more powerful in the group because I was more creative. I took the character and went fighter 3 / Wizard 7 / Arcane Archer 10. With everything that I could do, I was destroying things left and right, the sad thing is that I felt useless up until I had Arcane Archer. Yeah, most are gonna be Evocation specialists, get some bang with the buck, but I had an Enchanter, and that was frighteningly effective. Also, after reading, rereading, and reading once more, I never found the part that says the bonuses from a magic bow and the enhanced arrows that the Arcane Archer uses don't stack. If it exsists, I would ignore that as a DM anyways. Sure you limit yourself, but taking the levels the way I had them opens 4th level caster spells, which has some real nice spells in there, and some very interesting area effect spells. I mean, why not fire an imbued Fire Wall Arrow? Or throw out a Confusion arrow on the enemies charging from behind. And as you hit 20th level, if the DM chooses to keep going and dabble in the epic realm, then the character can finish off those mage levels and become even more powerful. The character had: Str 8 Dex 20 (magically enhanced) Con 12 Int 23 (magically enhanced) Wis 12 Cha 11 Feats: Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Weapon Focus (Longbow), School Specialization (Enchantment), Exotic Weapon Proficiency Two Bladed Sword, Rapid shot, Many Shot, Empower Spell.
Trollios 10-19-03, 02:22 PM	What other prestige classes would you guys recommend? are there any kind of gadgetry based or alchemically based prestige classes?
Prism 10-19-03, 02:33 PM	Master Alchemist from Magic of Faerun might be what you are looking for. You can qualify by level 8
Hanniball 10-19-03, 04:58 PM	if your race is adamant than the Gnome Artificer from Magic of Faerun is not an option. with that class you can do all the alchemy you want to and fire a bow (a repeating fireball-throwing cross bow that is). if you do go gnomer artificer don't forget to take 10 levels of forsaker...j/k
Kukanil 10-19-03, 06:32 PM	From a support standpoint, Master Alchemist from MoF is one of the best classes there is. Being able to put all your helpfull spells into potions is very very nice. Just be sure to take magical artisan [potion], otherwise the item creation costs will destroy you.
Psion 10-21-03, 02:07 PM	Originally posted by Kalanth [B]So many people hate the Arcane Archer, and I never really understood why. IMO, because most people don't understand the class. They start drooling over the imbue arrow, which is really not the archer's drool-worthy ability at all. It's the free magic arrows (though after 3.5 mods to bonus stacking, it's not quite so appealing.) For most arcane archer builds, I wouldn't take a lot of arcane caster levels. You only need one.