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Divine Archer

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
beckettvampire
May 05, 2008 19:45:05 I'm looking to play a Elf Cleric, archer style. I'd heard it was a very fun idea once, and was looking for a build, and preferably a decent prestigue class to go into.

So far I am Elf Cleric 1, Ranger 2

14 str
18 dex
12 con
14 int
16 wis
16 cha

and have the precise shot, rapid shot, and point blank shot feats.
#2
Blade2718
May 05, 2008 20:42:22 Seeker of the Misty Isle is a good PrC for aspiring Cleric archers, with high skills, a good list, 8/10 spellcasting, and a bunch of goodies.
#3
stormbrooke
May 05, 2008 21:33:45 There's also the feat Zen Archery from Complete Warrior that may of be use...

Your intuition guides your hand when you use a ranged weapon.

Prerequisite: Wis 13, base attack bonus +1.
Benefit: You can use your Wisdom modifier instead of your Dexterity modifier when making a ranged attack roll.

#4
mattblacke
May 05, 2008 21:42:36 What domains are you taking? I'd strongly consider Elf (free Point Blank Shot, some good archery feats) and maybe Time (free Improved Init, more good spells). You'd get Travel from Seeker of the Misty Isle. The War domain isn't a bad choice, for that extra +1 to hit with a longbow.
The two ranger levels give you a boost on the Survival ranks needed to get in to Seeker. Downside: Because of Caster level loss, you don't get 9th level spells.

Alternately, you could pick up the Weather Domain, which grants Survival as a class skill and ditch the Ranger levels. You'd still have the same feats if you took the Elf Domain.
#5
eldariel
May 05, 2008 21:57:37 I suggest straight Cleric as you've got all your necessary skills and stats from Cleric-levels alone (and being Elf), so getting higher caster level for Divine Favor et al. is great. Also, straight Cleric is much faster Divine Power-access, which is a spell you really want.

Beyond that, it may be worth focusing on Str and Wis, taking Zen Archery, allowing you to make do with 14 Dex (not a problem with your rolls). Later on, you could pick up Divine Metamagic and Divine Might. That allows you to focus exclusively on Wisdom for both, your casting and your archery.

Really though, more info. What books?
#6
beckettvampire
May 06, 2008 20:32:36 So it's not just me, but there are no Cleric archer Prestigue Classes? Thats what I was hoping for. Seeker of the Misty Isle was what I was going to default to if I could find nothing else.

I have the Trickery and Magic Domain, and will get Travel and War or Protection if I go Seeker. At character chreation, only PHB was allowed, so no Elf or Time Domain.
#7
eldariel
May 06, 2008 20:42:20 It's not just you. Not only are there no Cleric Archer Prestige Classes, but 3.5 has a chronic lack of overall Archer Prestige Classes. Complete Warrior has Order of the Bow Initiate, but it's much worse than straight Fighter, and god knows straight Fighter is a horrible Archer. Darkwood Stalker has no bow affinity and is better served TWFing and is even better served taking Rogue-levels.

The only decent 3.5 Archer Prestige Class is the Justice of Weald and Woe from Champions of Ruin (an obscure source to boot; for some reason it has all the good archery stuff even though it's directed to evilish characters) and even that is a medium BAB and uses its own spell list as opposed to adding to your present one (even though it's Wis-based). Even there, your substantial gains are only few points of Sneak Attack, Poison Use, Hide in Plain Sight, Death Attack - Lucky Shot, their only Archery-only ability, is once per day.

For this reason, Archers tend to just ignore Prestige Classes and go all-primary; Scout 4/Ranger 16, Cleric 20 (with the usual Radiant Servants, Sacred Exorcists and so on), Fighter 2/Warblade 8/Eternal Blade 10 (Eternal Blade isn't designed for archers, but happens to work extremely well in the role - since the most important abilities come at 2 and 10, it's fully possible to just go Fighter 2/Martial Rogue 2/Cragtop Archer 1/Ranger 1/Warblade 16, or Warblade 14/Eternal Blade 2 instead), etc. generally are just base classes with few accidential Prestiges. The two most common powerful archers, Cleric and Swift Hunter, are completely Prestigeless and Swift Hunter tends to be better off without Prestiges. So yea, we lack archer Prestiges in 3.5 and we lack them sorely. But we make do with what we've got.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 beckettvampire May 05, 2008 19:45:05	I'm looking to play a Elf Cleric, archer style. I'd heard it was a very fun idea once, and was looking for a build, and preferably a decent prestigue class to go into. So far I am Elf Cleric 1, Ranger 2 14 str 18 dex 12 con 14 int 16 wis 16 cha and have the precise shot, rapid shot, and point blank shot feats.
#2 Blade2718 May 05, 2008 20:42:22	Seeker of the Misty Isle is a good PrC for aspiring Cleric archers, with high skills, a good list, 8/10 spellcasting, and a bunch of goodies.
#3 stormbrooke May 05, 2008 21:33:45	There's also the feat Zen Archery from Complete Warrior that may of be use... Your intuition guides your hand when you use a ranged weapon. Prerequisite: Wis 13, base attack bonus +1. Benefit: You can use your Wisdom modifier instead of your Dexterity modifier when making a ranged attack roll.
#4 mattblacke May 05, 2008 21:42:36	What domains are you taking? I'd strongly consider Elf (free Point Blank Shot, some good archery feats) and maybe Time (free Improved Init, more good spells). You'd get Travel from Seeker of the Misty Isle. The War domain isn't a bad choice, for that extra +1 to hit with a longbow. The two ranger levels give you a boost on the Survival ranks needed to get in to Seeker. Downside: Because of Caster level loss, you don't get 9th level spells. Alternately, you could pick up the Weather Domain, which grants Survival as a class skill and ditch the Ranger levels. You'd still have the same feats if you took the Elf Domain.
#5 eldariel May 05, 2008 21:57:37	I suggest straight Cleric as you've got all your necessary skills and stats from Cleric-levels alone (and being Elf), so getting higher caster level for Divine Favor et al. is great. Also, straight Cleric is much faster Divine Power-access, which is a spell you really want. Beyond that, it may be worth focusing on Str and Wis, taking Zen Archery, allowing you to make do with 14 Dex (not a problem with your rolls). Later on, you could pick up Divine Metamagic and Divine Might. That allows you to focus exclusively on Wisdom for both, your casting and your archery. Really though, more info. What books?
#6 beckettvampire May 06, 2008 20:32:36	So it's not just me, but there are no Cleric archer Prestigue Classes? Thats what I was hoping for. Seeker of the Misty Isle was what I was going to default to if I could find nothing else. I have the Trickery and Magic Domain, and will get Travel and War or Protection if I go Seeker. At character chreation, only PHB was allowed, so no Elf or Time Domain.
#7 eldariel May 06, 2008 20:42:20	It's not just you. Not only are there no Cleric Archer Prestige Classes, but 3.5 has a chronic lack of overall Archer Prestige Classes. Complete Warrior has Order of the Bow Initiate, but it's much worse than straight Fighter, and god knows straight Fighter is a horrible Archer. Darkwood Stalker has no bow affinity and is better served TWFing and is even better served taking Rogue-levels. The only decent 3.5 Archer Prestige Class is the Justice of Weald and Woe from Champions of Ruin (an obscure source to boot; for some reason it has all the good archery stuff even though it's directed to evilish characters) and even that is a medium BAB and uses its own spell list as opposed to adding to your present one (even though it's Wis-based). Even there, your substantial gains are only few points of Sneak Attack, Poison Use, Hide in Plain Sight, Death Attack - Lucky Shot, their only Archery-only ability, is once per day. For this reason, Archers tend to just ignore Prestige Classes and go all-primary; Scout 4/Ranger 16, Cleric 20 (with the usual Radiant Servants, Sacred Exorcists and so on), Fighter 2/Warblade 8/Eternal Blade 10 (Eternal Blade isn't designed for archers, but happens to work extremely well in the role - since the most important abilities come at 2 and 10, it's fully possible to just go Fighter 2/Martial Rogue 2/Cragtop Archer 1/Ranger 1/Warblade 16, or Warblade 14/Eternal Blade 2 instead), etc. generally are just base classes with few accidential Prestiges. The two most common powerful archers, Cleric and Swift Hunter, are completely Prestigeless and Swift Hunter tends to be better off without Prestiges. So yea, we lack archer Prestiges in 3.5 and we lack them sorely. But we make do with what we've got.