EDIT: The DM refuses to budge. I took the petition for my getting just the specific weapon, but no. He said "No. You have to choose either the elven longbow, aquatic longbow, or the repeating crossbow." WTF do I do now? He's the one that gave me the bow the way it is, and I made it at his suggestion, and now he's screwing me over.
Your DM is simply wrong.
If I were in your position, I'd petition to at least be able to take Weapon Focus for this specific weapon (unable to apply it to other longbows, aquatic longbows, or repeating crossbows). If not, pawn off the weapon you've apparently outgrown for a composite longbow and a composite aquatic longbow (the latter used only when you're fighting the occasional underwater creature).
Or, if you're really attached to this thing, build up to taking 'Ranged Weapon Mastery (piercing).'
If I take Ranged Weapon Mastery Piercing, doesn't that only give me the +2 to hit and damage, but negate the +1 and +2 for hit and damage (respectfully) that I'd get with Weapon Focus and Specialization?
But you're right on the fact that the aquatic bow doesn't say anything about profiencies or focuses being shared with other bows. At least not that I can see. Just composite and regular longbows. I'll try petitioning the feat to only match this specific magic bow.
This sort of situation would just **** me off, frankly, and I probably wouldn't stick around.
What other feats do you suggest? I was originally going to do the chain, but it looks like I'll have three feat slots open. The DM was nice about it though. He suggested the feat Supernatural Weaponbond. I just don't meet the Knowledge: Arcana Rank 1 prerequesite.
"Improved Precise Shot" is an awesome feat, but you're more than halfway through your character's career by the time you get it. You're better off picking up "Sharp-Shooting" (Complete Warrior) to reduce penalties for firing past cover early on. Later, when you are able to get IPS, just retrain SS for something else.
"Woodland Archer" (Races of the Wild) is a good general archery feat, despite the environment-specific name. You need +6 BAB to take it. "Improved Precise Shot" sort of eliminates one of the feat's three benefits, however, and another benefit is tied into sniping.
If you find yourself 30 ft+ above your targets often (I'm guessing you're on a boat, so you might be firing from the crows nest), "Plunging Shot" (Races of the Wild) will net you some extra damage.
"Penetrating Shot" (Player's Handbook II) is a cool line attack with a bow. You need +10 BAB and 15 Strength to take it.
If you find it hard to hit routinely and have "Rapid Shot," you might want to look at "Improved Rapid Shot" (Complete Warrior) to eliminate that feat's attack penalty.
"Ranged Disarm" and "Ranged Pin" (Complete Warrior) are both neat and cinematic. Normally I'd also point out "Ranged Sunder," but you need all the loot you can get (unless the DM plays the "their gear is so crappy nobody will buy it" card, then break that **** all you want!).
Alright. Well, these are all archery-focused feats (though other things like Iron Will and Armor Specialization are always handy). If you find yourself wearing heavy armor, BTW, be sure to check out the Heavy Armor Optimization feats from Races of Stone. They are nice.
"Improved Precise Shot" is an awesome feat, but you're more than halfway through your character's career by the time you get it. You're better off picking up "Sharp-Shooting" (Complete Warrior) to reduce penalties for firing past cover early on. Later, when you are able to get IPS, just retrain SS for something else.
"Woodland Archer" (Races of the Wild) is a good general archery feat, despite the environment-specific name. You need +6 BAB to take it. "Improved Precise Shot" sort of eliminates one of the feat's three benefits, however, and another benefit is tied into sniping.
If you find yourself 30 ft+ above your targets often (I'm guessing you're on a boat, so you might be firing from the crows nest), "Plunging Shot" (Races of the Wild) will net you some extra damage.
"Penetrating Shot" (Player's Handbook II) is a cool line attack with a bow. You need +10 BAB and 15 Strength to take it.
If you find it hard to hit routinely and have "Rapid Shot," you might want to look at "Improved Rapid Shot" (Complete Warrior) to eliminate that feat's attack penalty.
"Ranged Disarm" and "Ranged Pin" (Complete Warrior) are both neat and cinematic. Normally I'd also point out "Ranged Sunder," but you need all the loot you can get (unless the DM plays the "their gear is so crappy nobody will buy it" card, then break that **** all you want!).
I'm a Ranger so that means I only get to keep using my combat style if I'm in Light Armour. I'm currently wearing a chain shirt, but that'll be changing into a mithril breastplate the second we finally get to a town.
Improved Precise Shot I'll be getting for free at lvl 12 for Mystic Ranger, but nothing we've come across has taken cover from me yet. They just make me use up my Arrow's Mind by charging me. Sharp Shooter is the same way. No cover, not needed. Woodland Archer isn't all that bad, but I don't know that I'll ever be able to take advantage of it. Same for Plunging Shot. Most things we face, fly. To which of course get a +1 bonus to attack us, and the dragons in the party usually take care of those buggers.
Penetrating Shot is something that I have most definitely considered taking.
Improved Rapid Shot only gets rid of the -2 penalty. The Targetteer ability, Arrow Swarm, does that already, plus you get to make your regular full attack. Rapid Shot is required first though.
Ranged Disarm and Ranged Pin I used to have, but re-trained them already because they were very useless in our campaign. Ranged Disarm because the opponents never seem to fail a Strength check (fail one who rolled a 1). Ranged Pin because of their defense against grapple checks. They seem to be more oriented for making people run away in terror that I could take them out in a second. Essentially, if this was a campaign where we're not powering through enemies on a regular basis, and had an actual story based plot line, then they'd be perfect. However, in a power gaming campaign, they take up spots that are better situated for damaging the opponents. I know I'm limiting things, and I'm sorry for that, it's just I am actually limited.
You're quite correct on Ranged Sunder though. We don't dare sunder anything because we're so desperate for money. To the point we've even cheated each other out of gold.