Post/Author/DateTime	Post
_metz_ 04-28-07, 07:45 AM	This was in another thread, but thought I might draw more attention to it here: How about this for a build guys? (This is one me and my friend came up with a while back) He's kinda lost interest, doesn't think archers are that crash hot - I am trying to persuade him otherwise with a solid build. (This aint an are archers useful or good post, just some help with the build thanks!) Wood Elf: Str: 16 Dex: 18 (8 and 12 stat bump into this) Con: 13 (level 4 stat bump into this) Int: 10 Wis: 8 Cha: 8 Ranger1: Track, Point Blank Shot Ranger2: Rapid Shot Fighter1: Weapon Focus: (Comp Longbow) Precise Shot - Current Level Fighter2: (Stat boost Con 14) ??? (unsure of which feat to take) Fighter3: Order of the Bow: Ranged Precision (Feat: True Beleiver - Ehlonna) Order of the Bow: Close Combat Shot (Gotta love no AoO hehehe) Pious Templar 1: (Stat Boost Dex 19) Mettle Pious Templar 2: - Feat: Manyshot Pious Templar 3: Weapon Spec Longbow Pious Templar 4: Bonus Feat: Improved Precise Shot Fighter4: (Stat Boost: Dex 20) Penetrating Shot: Endurance????? Wildrunner1: Wildrunner2: Wildrunner3: Feat ??? What do you guys think? - Roleplaying is fanatical Ehlonna Archer. Simple really. Up to level 3 is what the character already has. I think the stats and current choices are pretty good, but any help would be appreciated. What feat to take at level 4 is the big question now, as well as if the otehr feats and options are good as well. (I don't mind the look of the new PHBII feats)
Mommy was an Orc 04-28-07, 08:12 AM	Honestly, my build theory on archers now tends towards higher strength for two reasons - you're no longer limited to +4 Str and if you do have to pull frontliner duty, you're a lot better off. It also is kind of amazing to look at the difference starting off with a 17 Dex/12 Con instead of an 18/13 makes to the build(12 Wisdom for my character - Ranger/Pious Templar spells are pretty useful, especially arrowmind if you have to shoot at close range) I'd ignore close combat shot - It is better to swing at something when that happens. Anyway, I'd do the following for the following levels: (retrain your level 3 feat WF: Composite Longbow -> True Believer) Level 4: Fighter 2: WF: Composite Longbow Level 5: Ranger 3: Endurance Level 6: Barbarian 1: Extra Rage Level 7: Pious Templar 1 Level 8: Pious Templar 2 Level 9: Pious Templar 3: WS: Composite Longbow, Ranged Weapon Mastery(Piercing) Level 10: Wildrunner 1 Level 11: Wildrunner 2 Level 12: Pious Templar 4: Improved Precise Shot, Power Attack(for meleeing when you have to melee) Level 13: Wildrunner 3 Level 14: Wildrunner 4 Level 15: Wildrunner 5 With a Cloak of Charisma +2, you'll be able to ensure that you can boost your Strength by +6 each day. Plus Ranged Weapon Mastery, that adds another +5 damage per shot by level 11.
Lupo 04-28-07, 08:23 AM	This was in another thread, but thought I might draw more attention to it here: How about this for a build guys? (This is one me and my friend came up with a while back) He's kinda lost interest, doesn't think archers are that crash hot - I am trying to persuade him otherwise with a solid build. (This aint an are archers useful or good post, just some help with the build thanks!) Wood Elf: Str: 16 Dex: 18 (8 and 12 stat bump into this) Con: 13 (level 4 stat bump into this) Int: 10 Wis: 8 Cha: 8 Ranger1: Track, Point Blank Shot Ranger2: Rapid Shot Fighter1: Weapon Focus: (Comp Longbow) Precise Shot - Current Level Fighter2: (Stat boost Con 14) ??? (unsure of which feat to take) Fighter3: Order of the Bow: Ranged Precision (Feat: True Beleiver - Ehlonna) Order of the Bow: Close Combat Shot (Gotta love no AoO hehehe) Pious Templar 1: (Stat Boost Dex 19) Mettle Pious Templar 2: - Feat: Manyshot Pious Templar 3: Weapon Spec Longbow Pious Templar 4: Bonus Feat: Improved Precise Shot Fighter4: (Stat Boost: Dex 20) Penetrating Shot: Endurance????? Wildrunner1: Wildrunner2: Wildrunner3: Feat ??? What do you guys think? - Roleplaying is fanatical Ehlonna Archer. Simple really. Up to level 3 is what the character already has. I think the stats and current choices are pretty good, but any help would be appreciated. What feat to take at level 4 is the big question now, as well as if the otehr feats and options are good as well. (I don't mind the look of the new PHBII feats) don't boost the dex, boost the strength! :) and do it first, the gain of the increased con is always 1 hp/level and a fort save +1, you want to have the "final" strength when you finally have the gp to buy some "nice" bows, with at least +1 and one additional enchantment. due to various effects - like: bless, blessed aim, prayer, recitation, bard song; and feats: weapon focus, point blank - it is seldom a problem for an archer to hit targets, but an archer always has the problem of increasing the damage - and the cheapest and most effective mean to get a higher damage output is a strength bow, the stronger the better. "ranged weapon mastery (piercing)" is the best choice from the PHB II, as long as you qualify, it adds damage AND increases range (seldom a matter for archers, but there was a thread somewhere around here about "far shooting" ;)) "penetrating shot" is where a strength bow with a high enchantment factor pays of most. ciao martin m.
_metz_ 04-28-07, 10:01 AM	Honestly, my build theory on archers now tends towards higher strength for two reasons - you're no longer limited to +4 Str and if you do have to pull frontliner duty, you're a lot better off. It also is kind of amazing to look at the difference starting off with a 17 Dex/12 Con instead of an 18/13 makes to the build(12 Wisdom for my character - Ranger/Pious Templar spells are pretty useful, especially arrowmind if you have to shoot at close range) I'd ignore close combat shot - It is better to swing at something when that happens. Anyway, I'd do the following for the following levels: (retrain your level 3 feat WF: Composite Longbow -> True Believer) Level 4: Fighter 2: WF: Composite Longbow Level 5: Ranger 3: Endurance Level 6: Barbarian 1: Extra Rage Level 7: Pious Templar 1 Level 8: Pious Templar 2 Level 9: Pious Templar 3: WS: Composite Longbow, Ranged Weapon Mastery(Piercing) Level 10: Wildrunner 1 Level 11: Wildrunner 2 Level 12: Pious Templar 4: Improved Precise Shot, Power Attack(for meleeing when you have to melee) Level 13: Wildrunner 3 Level 14: Wildrunner 4 Level 15: Wildrunner 5 With a Cloak of Charisma +2, you'll be able to ensure that you can boost your Strength by +6 each day. Plus Ranged Weapon Mastery, that adds another +5 damage per shot by level 11. I like it. Unfortunately the stats are non negotiable, the character is over a year old lol - which is why I threw in the two Order of the Bow levels, to get the same effect as arrowmind. But its ok. I think the stat bumps will go to str then, with the exclusion of the level 4 con bump. - I guess with a plus 6 gloves of dex, dex 24 is plenty... especially with primal scream... Is there a specific reason other than rage to take barbarian before pious templar? - I guess, if he has a plus 5 bow spare to whip out it makes sense...
Mommy was an Orc 04-28-07, 10:15 AM	I like it. Unfortunately the stats are non negotiable, the character is over a year old lol - which is why I threw in the two Order of the Bow levels, to get the same effect as arrowmind. But its ok. I think the stat bumps will go to str then, with the exclusion of the level 4 con bump. - I guess with a plus 6 gloves of dex, dex 24 is plenty... especially with primal scream... Is there a specific reason other than rage to take barbarian before pious templar? - I guess, if he has a plus 5 bow spare to whip out it makes sense... Because you're taking Extra Rage at 6th - that's really important as that will define his primary bow through the midlevels - though come to think of it, you could take Barbarian at 5th and delay Ranger 3 until 9th.
_metz_ 04-28-07, 10:19 AM	Thats what I thought, good to see my mind was thinking of it.
paigeoliver 05-03-07, 02:48 AM	My archer that has a barbarian level carries a +2 bow at her fatigued strength and a non-magical bow at her raged strength. Whenever possible I get greater magic weapon put on the higher str bow and use that, and if the fight goes long I can drop that bow, pull out the lower str bow and keep going. Going forward the high str bow will be getting the future upgrades and the low str bow will be a reserve bow. The main thing about high str archers is that you need to get a set str score in there before you can really start sinking money into a good bow. Since you can't upgrade the str bonus on an existing bow. My suggestion is to have your strength score hit your final total at 8th level, as you can use a +1 bow at your original str score until then, and that bow will likely come in handy later if you get hit with a ray of enfeeblement or some other str badness.