So another forum made me consider a cleric archer (perhaps an elven one), and I worked this up - improvements?:
Robynae H'ud
Female Half-Elf Cleric 9 of Erastil
LG Medium Humanoid (Elf, Human)
Init +6
Senses Lowlight vision (Ex), Perception +4
----------Defense---------------------------
AC 25, Touch 19, FF 19
(+6 armor, +6 Dex, +3 deflection) [Magic Vestment and Shield of Faith cast]
hp 53 (9d8+0+9)
Fort +7, Ref +10, Will +9, +2 Saves vs. Enchantment.
Defensive AbilitiesImmune: Sleep, Channel Energy (heals living: 5d6, 2/day)
----------Offense---------------------------
Spd 40
Melee +9/+4 (Spear, 1d8+4/crit x3)
Ranged +14/+9 [Soulburner (Longbow) 1d8+4 + 1d6 fire (20/x3/range 220')]
with Bless, Divine Power, Greater Magic Weapon:
+19/+19/+14 [Longbow 1d8+8 + 1d6 fire (20/x3/range 220')]
with Bless, Divine Power, Greater Magic Weapon, Touch of Good, Point Blank Shot, Rapid Shot, Deadly Aim, Manyshot:
+25/+16/+16/+11 [Longbow 2d8+26 + 2d6 fire (manyshot), 1d8+13 + 1d6 fire (after first), (20/x3/range 220')]
Special Attacks: Channel Energy (vs. Undead: 5d6, DC 13 Will 1/2, 2/day)
--------------------------------------------
STATISTICS
Str 16, Dex 22, Con 10, Int 10, Wis 15, Cha 8 [20 point buy, +2 racial on Dex, Belt]
Base Atk +6; Combat Maneuver Bonus +9; Combat Maneuver Defense 28 (w/Shield of Faith +3)
Feats Deadly Aim, Manyshot, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Rapid Shot, Skill Focus (Acrobatics)
Skills mod (ranks) Acrobatics +23 (9r), Craft (bowmaking) +12 (9r).
*: Sight and Sound based Perception checks, +10 otherwise.
Languages Common, Elven
Special Abilities: Low-light vision, Keen Senses, Elven Immunities
Domain Powers: Animal: Summon Companion (Summon Nature's Ally II - Horse, Wolf, etc.), and Animal Form (9 rounds); Good: Touch of Good (+9 to single roll), and Holy Lance (9 rounds).
Spells Prepared (4/5+1/5+1/3+1/2+1/1+1):
0 Guidance,
1 Bless, Entropic Shield (extended), Sanctuary, Shield of Faith x2 + Protection from Evil
2 Bear's Endurance, Resist Energy x2, Lesser Restoration, Silence + Align Weapon (good)
3 Prot. Energy (extended), Magic Vestment (extended), Invisibility Purge + Dominate Animal
4 Greater Magic Weapon, Divine Power + Holy Smite
5 (Breath of Life, Disrupting Weapon, or Spell Resistance) + Commune with Nature
Weapons Soulburner, +1, Flaming, Distance MC Longbow Str(16); Spear
Armor Mithril Shirt (Magic Vestment +2)
Magic Belt of Physical Might +2 (Str,Dex); Bracers of Archery, Lesser; Lesser Rod of Metamagic, Extend; Cloak of Resistance +1; Efficient Quiver; Boots of Striding & Springing
Potions: Invisibilityx2, Blurx2, Barkskinx2
Goods Coin: pp (11), gp (12), sp (9) cp (10)
XP: 50,000/71,000
Notes: I went Erastil for Longbow Proficiency instead of choosing Elf - really this would have made very little difference (raise con by 2, drop int by 2, indentical stats).
Animal domain (if the same) provides a near constant tank for the archer, moving up to a Boar at the next level. Good domain has a very nice +Level bonus to attacks, etc., to use when you *really* need to hit. Law Domain would have been a good choice as well, giving an "Take 11" on attacks.
Good Domain's "Holy Lance" ability, if still around, is melee only in the Beta - good for using that Spear at least if forced into melee. Divine Power + Rapid Shot gives 3 primary attacks, while Manyshot makes the first one 2 arrows with a lot of bonuses.
Deadly Aim is assumed to be -2/+4 at BAB +6. I know I could drop the build by one level by taking fighter at 8th to get the last feat earlier. Wisdom is minimum to cast spells. First mid-upper level cleric I've seen with a best save of Reflex :)
Resist and Pro Energy is to handle incoming evocations mostly, since she should be able to keep her distance.
It's a bit crunchy...
Why are you amping up dex in a cleric? Just take zen archery, your ranged attacks go off wisdom mod.
Thanks for the compliments! As for Zen Archery - I don't use that feat.. and it doesn't seem needed! :)
The high Dex also helps with taking less damage from spells (ranged touch and reflex saves). HP are a bit low.
And "Soulburner" is a silly name for the bow, but was the best I could come up with at 2 a.m. :)
Ahh, I was wondering if anyone saw anything that would reduce the Manyshot damage, and it just occurred to me that Point Blank Shot and Deadly Aim could be considered "precision damage".
That would reduce the last row Manyshot damage to 2d8+23.
Erastil and his chosen weapon, the longbow provide interesting possibilities.
Robynae looks pretty rockin'. I'm definitely mining your build for inspiration for an archer cleric in a PbP. (Although I'm planning to dip into ranger for a couple of levels for extra outdoorsy type skills. )
One improvement: The name. Change it. Doesn't matter much what you change it to, just don't just spell stuff differently.
That's my schtick ;-P
Why are you amping up dex in a cleric? Just take zen archery
Dex works better if you don't like cheeze.