I want to play this from level one. I'm assuming Urban Bloodrager will be best. Having never played an archery character before I'm looking for feat advice, build ideas and general must haves for this to work.
I want to be primarily bloodrager, especially across early levels, what will it take to make this optimised for damage and general usefulness? example builds of first 5 levels or more would be a massive help, include races and stat info if important, and thanks! :)
I cannot find Urban Bloodrager as an option, where is it located?
I know Urban Barbarian is an option, and I assume it's similar but would like to see exactly what Urban Bloodrager trades out.
Regardless, you're an archer. There is pretty much one path to success and not a lot of room for deviation. You don't really have the bonus feats to support archery like you really need, but there isn't much to be done about it if you've got your heart set on being a bloodrager.
You're going to need:
Point Blank Shot
Precise Shot
Rapid Shot
Deadly Aim
Many Shot
Improved Precise Shot
Playing as human can help, since you get an extra feat.
You're going to need to focus on dex>str>cha>con>wis>int.
I would go with something like STR: 14 DEX: 16 CON: 12 INT: 8 WIS: 10 CHA: 14, and add your human +2 bonus to dex to make it 18 at the start.
I cannot find Urban Bloodrager as an option, where is it located?
I know Urban Barbarian is an option, and I assume it's similar but would like to see exactly what Urban Bloodrager trades out.
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/hybrid-classes/bloodrager/archetypes/paizo- --bloodrager-archetypes/urban-bloodrager-bloodrager-archetype
Thanks for the list, any order in particular i should pick them up?
As far as feat order, the order listed is fairly standard, some would switch rapid and deadly aim. When you can fit them in arcane strike and riving strike would be great.
Basically pick them up in exactly that order if you're human.
If not, you will qualify for Manyshot before you would take Deadly Aim and should probably choose Manyshot over Deadly Aim.
Your big problem is you can never get access to Point Blank Master, which means your bow shots will always provoke an AoO.
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Treatmonk's Guide to the Ranger has advice for archers. A bloodrager does not gain a ranger's bonus feats that skip prerequisites, so building an archery bloodrager will be more difficult.
Treantmonk also explains the concept of "switch hitter" archer, where the archer starts combat with his bow, but switches to melee the next round. A switch hitter needs fewer feats: he does not need Precise Shot because he won't be shooting into melee, he does not need Point Blank Master because he won't be shooting while threatened.
For example, a human Urban Bloodrager with a 15-point build could go for Str 13 Dex 17 Con 12 Int 8 Wis 10 Cha 14, take Weapon Finesse and Deadly Aim for his 1st-level feats, and wield a longbow and a rapier. In combat, he would gain +4 to Dexterity with Controlled Bloodrage for a +6 to hit for 1d8 damage with the longbow or +5 to hit with 1d8+2 damage from Deadly Aim. Yet once the enemy closed in, he could hold his bow in one hand (Treantmonk suggests dropping it, but I hate dropping expensive equipment), draw his rapier, and attack in melee for +6 to hit for 1d6+1 damage. At later levels, he would learn the other archery feats.
A few bloodlines can aid this. The 1st-level powers of Abyssal and Draconic bloodlines give claws as an alternative to drawing a melee weapon, which lets the bloodrager easily switch back to archery. Black Blood, Elemental, and Infernal bloodlines give 1d6 additional damage on three melee attacks a day, compensating for the lackluster strength. Fey and Kyton bloodlines give a bonus condition on critical hits, both ranged and melee.
Arcane strike has the advantage that it adds damage to both ranged and melee attacks. But a bloodrager does not reach caster level 5, for a solid +2 to damage, until character level 8, so don't hurry to take that feat.
Arcane strike has the advantage that it adds damage to both ranged and melee attacks. But a bloodrager does not reach caster level 5, for a solid +2 to damage, until character level 8, so don't hurry to take that feat.
Bloodragers have full caster level, so Arcane Strike would give +2 damage at 5th level. The problem is without a dip, you don't qualify for Arcane Strike until 4th level.
Arcane strike has the advantage that it adds damage to both ranged and melee attacks. But a bloodrager does not reach caster level 5, for a solid +2 to damage, until character level 8, so don't hurry to take that feat.
One quibble, bloodragers do not bave the reduced caster level that other 4 level casters have. So once they get a caster level at 4th level, it is full level. The first available feat for arcane strike is at 5th, which is the level your bonus goes to 2.
Edit Ninjad
Bloodragers have full caster level, so Arcane Strike would give +2 damage at 5th level. The problem is without a dip, you don't qualify for Arcane Strike until 4th level.
One quibble, bloodragers do not bave the reduced caster level that other 4 level casters have. So once they get a caster level at 4th level, it is full level. The first available feat for arcane strike is at 5th, which is the level your bonus goes to 2.
Thank you both for the correction. I had falsely assumed that since the bloodrager had almost the same spell progression as the paladin and ranger, he also had the same minus 3 to caster level. I have been playing my bloodrager's spells underpowered.
I think that is a common belief, the bloodrager is an odd exception to the typical pattern
A few bloodlines can aid this. The 1st-level powers of Abyssal and Draconic bloodlines give claws as an alternative to drawing a melee weapon, which lets the bloodrager easily switch back to archery. Black Blood, Elemental, and Infernal bloodlines give 1d6 additional damage on three melee attacks a day, compensating for the lackluster strength. Fey and Kyton bloodlines give a bonus condition on critical hits, both ranged and melee.
Im assuming unarmed strikes or orc bite attack would work well too.
Thanks for all the information about this, didnt think to look in non-bloodrager guides, (derp) for this kind of info, I think ill go for a switch hitter style and hopefully i'll be able to wrangle out of melee with a few other tricks.
PS: favorited your post, and i like the look of arcane strike.
If the enemy is adjacent to anyone that is their enemy you will take a penalty on attack rolls against them.
Engaged in melee combat means that your target is currently in the threatened area of an enemy (which is likely your ally and party member, but could be a third party).
If an enemy is near any ally you get a -4.
if the situation is you're shooting "through" your ally your target gets a +4 AC.
So without the right feats and setup you effectively have a -8 to your roll.
Yeah, soft cover (shooting through someone at someone else) causes their AC to increase by 4.
Archery Ranged attacks without the proper feats are actually quite difficult.
Clarification needed: Precise shot says
"Benefit: You can shoot or throw ranged weapons at an opponent engaged in melee without taking the standard –4 penalty on your attack roll."
Does this mean if i dont have this feat and the enemy is adjacent to one of my allies I take a penalty to attack? or just if the enemy is adjacent to me?
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Sorry, as I say, new to ranged.
Shooting or Throwing into a Melee: If you shoot or throw a ranged weapon at a target engaged in melee with a friendly character, you take a –4 penalty on your attack roll. Two characters are engaged in melee if they are enemies of each other and either threatens the other. (An unconscious or otherwise immobilized character is not considered engaged unless he is actually being attacked.)
If your archer is the threatened character, the usual response is to take a 5-foot-step backwards and then shoot. However, in most combats your enemies will crowd your allies in the front line and be engaged in melee. Hence, your archer either will need Precise Shot or will switch to melee himself.
Also read up on cover, especially soft cover.
Soft Cover: Creatures, even your enemies, can provide you with cover against ranged attacks, giving you a +4 bonus to AC. However, such soft cover provides no bonus on Reflex saves, nor does soft cover allow you to make a Stealth check.