Hello, I am a relatively new player in D&D (been part of 3 campaigns) and I decided to try out Pathfinder. I am in the middle of the character creation and I would like some help with picking the correct feats and weapons (and also some guidance on magical weapons).
My character so far looks like this:
Lvl 9 elf, 5 Samurai/4 Bogyu, Order of the warrior.
Str 12, Dex 19, Con 10, Int 16, Wis 11, Char 12.
I am planning on using an Oathbow if my DM allows it.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks
Well...you get five feats. One of them will need to be Skill Focus(Diplomacy) to qualify for the Bogyu Prestige Class. Since Bogyu levels count twice for leadership and since the whole point of a Bogyu is being a leader you will also want the Leadership Feat. Probably get some sort of buffer or healer maybe a cleric or a Shinto inspired shaman.
This leaves you with three feats. My First recommendation for an archer focused character would be:
Point Blank Shot (it's a prerequisite for the following)
Precise Shot (Because you will want to fire into melee)
Rapid Shot (cause an extra attack is great)
If you are less archery focus and wield a katana I would definitely recommend improved critical (katana) for your Lv. 9 feat, probably instead of Precise Shot.
Later on you will probably want Clustered Shot it's good if your fighting things with DR, which ends up being most things in the monster manual. Requires Precise Shot
Side Notes: If your allowed alternative racial traits I'd recommend Envoy and Fleet.
Also maybe the alternative favored class Cavalier(Samurai's count as variant Cavaliers) bonus to give your mount an extra point of HP for every level of Samurai you have. Bogyu does not continue to advance your mount and no one wants a dead horse.
For your Bogyu skill focus you might choose Ride for the ride checks though you never really need more than DC 20.
Weapons
As an archer your primary weapon will be your mighty +1 Composite Longbow, +1 damage and can be fired from horseback. Maybe more bonus damage if you get a strength belt which I would recommend unless your pretty sure you will always be a ranged combatant.
As for backup weapons katana, wakizashi, and naginata are all good backup weapons for different situations. Probably keep your katana and wakizashi with you at all times. (Though since in pathfinder your allowed to grapple with medium weapons you would probably never use your wakizashi. If you were in my game i enforce that you can only use a light weapon while grappling)
For Armor you will probably want Kikko (+5 AC +4 max dex, -3 armor check) Mithril if you can get it because mithril is awesome!
As far as magic items goes that really depends upon the availability of them in your game. I run a pretty low magic item world these days. If you have access to whatever you want then...
I'd recommend a +2 Str&Con belt but that is thinking you might get into some melee. 9 extra HP +1 on Fort Saves, +1 on all damage with your bow +1 on to hit and +2 to damage if you katana (two handed)
+1 (or more) Keen Katana *no need for improved critical this will be your primary backup weapon.
If you don't get an oathbow probably just as high as +x on your bow that you can afford. If you have a particular enemy that you encounter a lot maybe bane, maybe seeking if your GM uses concealment.
Pelor's Tears! I forgot deadly Aim! take the Deadly Aim Feat!
Those are some good suggestions but I forgot to mention I am using the Yabusame archtype. So rapid shot isn't useful since it would negate shin no ya. I think.
Yeah, I am 100% going to stay in ranged fighting unless I am forced to go melee. I'm glad some of your suggestion are already in my build. Looks like I started of on the right path. I tried getting the oathbow, but he DM said max 10k on any one item.
Well In that case you should take six levels in Samurai to get shin no ya and only three in Bogyu. Go for a Dex belt as you get double benefit out of it. Maybe take vital strike chain if your GM says it stacks with shin no ya (I think it should though two doubles make a triple not a quadruple).
Id recomend
-Deadly Aim
-Point Blank Shot
-Precise Shot
So all in all I should have something like Deadly Aim, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Cluster Shot and Leadership as feats?
Thanks for the catch there, I missed that. Wouldn't be a point in my samurai build if I can't use shin no ya.
What kind of dex belt should I get? Should I drop 8k on the +4 dex belt, even though I am wearing the armor that limits my dex to +4, and I already have +4 dex from my ability score?
Well if you get 46k I'd recommend something like:
Offense
+2 Mighty Composite I Composite Longbow 8.5K
*Just realized its not called mighty composite anymore but whatever +1 Str bonus to damage
+1 Keen Katana 8.2 K
*A little expensive right now but this will be your backup weapon for a long time.
Defense
Cloak of Resistance +2 for 4k
Ring of Protection +1 2k
Amulet of Natural Armor +1 2K
+1 Mithril Armor (5k +cost of masterwork Armor, Probably Kikko or Breastplate whatever floats your boat 0.2ish)
+1 Breastplate for your Horse 1.9k
Misc
Belt of +2 Dex for 4k
TOTAL: 35.8k
*If I did the math properly.
You need Skill Focus(Diplomacy) for your prestige class and clustered shot is for synergy with rapid shot so you don't need that.
The cost of things generally increases as the square of the bonus. +2 Dex belt is 4000 +4 dex belt is 16000 which you cannot afford. Generally better to go with lots of cheap things as opposed to one bit thing.
Also mithril armor increases your max dex bonus in armor which is why you want mithril if available.
I have a max of 30k
would getting an adaptive +2 composite longbow be worth it?
Also Mounted Archery vs Skill Focus (Dipolomacy)?
If you want that prestige class you need skill focus diplomacy. If not you don't really need mounted archery as you will spend full rounds fiering from your horse mostly also you basically get that bonus from the normal samurai class. Not sure if adaptive is worth it. If you have a buddy who will give you bulls strength it could be.
If you want that prestige class you need skill focus diplomacy. If not you don't really need mounted archery as you will spend full rounds fiering from your horse mostly also you basically get that bonus from the normal samurai class. Not sure if adaptive is worth it. If you have a buddy who will give you bulls strength it could be.
Since skill focus is part of the bugyo class, do I still need to take it? I get a free sill focus feat at level 4 bugyo. So why should I take it before that?
Thanks a lot for your help. Finally got my character done. If you would like to look over it and maybe give some pointers and tips, that would be awesome. Character Sheet
Well I believe you calculated your bow wrong:
Total Bonus to attack rolls should be +14 (+9BAB +4 Dex +1 Magic)
Then situationally:
+1 if you're within 30ft due to point blank shot
+4dex (again if your using your super single shot ability)
-3 for Deadly Aim
-2 if on a moving horse
It should deal 1d8 normal damage +1 magic +2 Str
Then situationally
+1 if you're within 30ft due to point blank shot
+4dex +1d8 double arrow damage ( if your using your super single shot ability) *maybe you double the magic and Str bonus as well but I'm not sure.
+6 for Deadly Aim
+6 vs target of your challenge
And your critical should be on a natural 20 x3 damage and +2d8 sonic for thundering and another 1d8 if using your super single shot ability.
Oh wow I missed a lot of things. Thanks for the corrections.
Does everything else look fine? I updated the character sheet with your corrections.
Mithral medium armor does not reduce your speed. So it is still 30ft.
Also since thundering only activates on a crit and bows only crit 5% of the time I'd recommend against the thundering ability. It you want the storm moteif go with shocking. +1d6 lighting on all attacks.