I want to build an archer whose goal is to stay out of reach of enemies’ melee attacks, and if possible, also out of range of spellcasters and creatures with breath weapons or similar area attacks.
The idea is to close in, shoot, and then move back out of range—another option could be to attack and then stay hidden.
I’d like advice, suggestions, or corrections if needed to make this character work. Improving survival chances against death effects should also be considered.
For the base class, I’m hesitating between monk and ranger.
First, two options for increased Speed:
You can start with an ancestry that provides a base land Speed of 30 feet, such as:
Elf (Speed 30 feet) (Nimble Elf ancestry feat +5 feet + Fleet general feat +5 feet) Total: 40 feet
Centaur (Speed 30 feet) (Fleetwind Centaur heritage +5 feet + Fleet general feat +5 feet) Total: 40 feet
Yaoguai (Speed 25 feet) (Born of Animal heritage – Yaoguai Form: If you have both hands free, you can increase your Speed to 30 feet as you run on all fours [Drawback: Holding the bow]) + Fleet general feat +5 feet) Total: 35 feet
Animal awakened (Heritage Running animal) 35 feet as Yaoguai
Goloma 35 feet max
Or, you can use an animal companion as a mount (Drawback: Requires feats to improve the animal companion and Command an Animal (costs 1 action), or not with Mature Animal Companion feat).
Speed 40 feet or Fly 60 feet (Griffon, Hippogriff).
Monk: "Incredible Movement" can grant up to +30-foot status bonus to your Speed.
Magical items can provide Speed bonuses:
+5 or +10-foot item bonus to your Speed (Propulsive Boots or Boots of Bounding).
Example:
Speed 40 (base) + 30 (status) + 10 (item) = 80 feet
Are there ways to obtain circumstance bonus or untyped bonus to Speed?
For mounts:
Speed 40 or Fly 60 (base) + 30 (status) + 10 (item) = 80 feet or Fly 60 feet
Elemental Gift (spell – requires the ability to cast spells and costs two actions: +30 status)
Alacritous Horseshoes: +5–10 foot item
Counteract teleporting effect :
(greater) Anchoring rune on a bow
Grievous rune, is it useful ?
Next, we need to reduce the enemy’s Speed and explore the different types of bonuses that can lower it.
Immobilized
Bow (Critical Specialization):
The target is immobilized and must spend an Interact action to attempt a DC 10 Athletics check to pull the missile free; it can't move from its space until it succeeds. The creature doesn’t become stuck if it is incorporeal, is liquid (like a water elemental or some oozes), or could otherwise escape without effort.
Advantage: Forces the target to lose an action.
Antler Arrow (magical ammunition): Requires a Manipulate action, with a higher Athletics DC and a low Reflex save at high levels.
Status Penalties
Debilitating Venom (from Vishkanya ancestry, feat 5):
Hampering (level 5)
Stage 1: –5-foot status penalty to Speed
Stage 2: –5-foot status penalty to Speed
Stage 3: –10-foot status penalty to Speed
Drawback: Requires Vishkanya ancestry.
Hamstringing Strike [one-action] (rare) (requires Ranger feat 8):
–5–10-foot status penalty to Speed. The penalty can be removed using any method that removes persistent bleed damage or offers a flat check to do so, such as Administer First Aid.
Drawback: Make a Strike against your hunted prey with a –2 penalty.
Shotalashu (animal companion)
Advanced Maneuver: Telepathic Pounce [two-actions]:
One creature within 30 feet must attempt a Will save.
–5–10-foot status penalty to its Speeds or off-guard and immobilized for one round + Leap.
Drawback: Requires a Command an Animal action, short duration, short range.
Circumstance Penalties
Dupe’s Gold Nugget (item 5) (uncommon) (talisman, consumable) (30 gp):
For 2 rounds, each time the target Strides, it must attempt a DC 23 Fortitude save. On a failure, it takes a –10-foot status penalty to its Speed for that Stride (to a minimum Speed of 5 feet). On a critical success, the Dupe’s Gold Nugget effect ends early.
Drawback: Single use, has a cost, low DC at high levels.
Staggering Fire [one-action] (uncommon) (requires Archer archetype):
–5–10-foot circumstance penalty to its Speed until the end of its turn.
Drawback: Short duration.
Anchoring Arrow [two-actions]:
Make a bow Strike against a demon. In addition to the normal effects of the Strike, the target must attempt a Will save against your class DC.
The target takes a –5–10-foot circumstance penalty to all their movement Speeds for 1 round/1 minute/10 minutes. Attempts to counteract any teleportation effect.
Advantage: Long duration, can counter teleportation.
Drawback: 2 actions, specific to one creature type.
Sharpshooter:
–5–10-foot circumstance penalty if hit.
Drawback: Requires Captain archetype, feat to upgrade follower, and actions to Direct Follower.
No-Type Penalties
Ooze Ammunition (activated):
If you hit a creature with activated ooze ammunition, it deals acid damage instead of its normal damage type, and the creature then takes the listed penalty to Speed and persistent acid damage until it ends the effects. On a critical hit, the creature is immobilized for 1 round in addition to the other effects. The target can end the effects by Escaping the sticky foam.
–5–15-foot penalty to Speed
Advantage: Can last a long time, forces the enemy to use an action to reduce the effect.
Item Penalties
Crackling Bubble Gum:
Secondary Effect [two-actions required]: The pop deals sonic damage to all creatures in a 15-foot cone with a basic Fortitude save. A creature that fails its save is also bound with sticky gum, taking a –10-foot item penalty to its Speed for 1 minute. The creature can remove the gum with a total of 3 Interact actions. These actions don’t have to be consecutive, and other creatures can provide the actions as well.
Advantage: Long duration, the enemy wastes 3 actions.
Drawback: Requires two actions to activate, must be within 15 feet of the target.
Total Potential Speed Reduction:
–5–10 (status) + –5–10 (circumstance) + –10 (item) + –5–15 (no type) = –25 to –45 penalty to Speed
I have questions about which feats to choose and which archetypes might be suitable.
Monk: Gakgung as Bow
Monastic Archer Stance (1)
You can use Flurry of Blows with these bows. You can use your other monk feats or monk abilities that normally require unarmed attacks with these bows when attacking within half the first range increment (normally 50 feet for a longbow and 30 feet for a shortbow), so long as the feat or ability doesn't require a single, specific Strike.
Special: When you select this feat, you become trained in the longbow, shortbow, and any simple and martial bows with the monk trait. If you gain the expert strikes class feature, your proficiency rank for these weapons increases to expert, and if you gain the master strikes class feature, your proficiency rank for these weapons increases to master.
Questions:
Mystic Strikes, Weapon Specialization, Metal Strikes, Adamantine Strikes, Perfected Form for the arrows?
Qi Spells (1): Inner Upheaval or Qi Rush?
Elemental Fists (2)
Stunning Blows (2): Fortitude DC = class DC, stunned 1 or 3
Deflected Projectile (4)
Harmonizing Self (4)
Advanced Qi Spells (6): Shrink the Pan = teleport distance = Speed
One Inch Punch (6)
Return Fire (6): Only arrows
Pinning Fire (8): 2 hits + Reflex save = Immobilized (better than Critical Specialization (Bow) with a critical hit?)
Knockback Strike (10)
Prevailing Position (10)
Wind Jump (10)
Disrupt Qi (12)
Focused Shot (12): Ignore concealed condition and cover
Improved Knockback (12)
Meditative Focus (12)
Overwhelming Breath (12)
Reflexive Stance (12)
Peerless Form (14)
Master of Many Styles (16)
Master Qi Spells (16): Medusa’s Wrath or Touch of Death
One Millimeter Punch (16)
Diamond Fists (18): Forceful, deadly d10, arrows also?
Grandmaster Qi Spells (18): Embrace Nothingness or Qi Form
Triangle Shot (18): 3 ranged Strikes, same MAP, –2 penalty, persistent bleed damage
Impossible Technique (20)
Archetypes
Archer
Dedication (2): Critical Specialization
Parting Shot [two-actions] (6)
You Step and then make a ranged Strike with the required weapon. Your target is off-guard against the attack.
Archer’s Aim [two-actions]
Make a ranged Strike with a weapon in the bow or crossbow weapon group. You gain a +2 circumstance bonus to the attack roll and ignore the target's concealed condition. If the target is hidden, reduce the flat check from being hidden from 11 to 5.
Question: More powerful than Focused Shot?
Eldritch Archer
Dedication (2): Eldritch Shot activity costs 3 actions, Cantrip with spell attack roll
Magic Ammunition (8)
Transform Ammunition [free-action] (magical)
Frequency once per round;
Effect: You transform a non-magical arrow or bolt on your person into a piece of magical ammunition of one type you chose for the Magic Ammunition feat. You must shoot the ammunition before the end of your turn or the magic dissipates. If the ammunition has an Activate entry, you still need to spend the required actions to activate the ammunition before shooting it. You can choose a type of magical ammunition that is typically not available to the type of ammunition you're using—for example, you can use climbing bolt on an arrow, even though that magical ammunition is normally only found on bolts.
Drawback: Limited in terms of ammunition power? Advantage: Ammunition not normally arrows.
Incorporeal Shot [one-action] (16): Only 1/day
Fatal Shot [three-actions]: Only 1/day
Guerrilla
Dedication (2)
When you are in this location and undetected by all enemies, you can Sneak without attempting a Stealth check as long as you move no more than half your Speed. During exploration, this also allows you to automatically approach within 15 feet of other creatures while Avoiding Notice, as long as they aren’t actively Searching or on guard.
You can change your favored location by spending 1 week of downtime in the new location you would like to set as your favored location.
Hit and Run [two-actions] (4)
You Stride or Step, then attempt a melee or ranged Strike against a creature. After your Strike, you Sneak away. None of the movement taken as part of this activity triggers reactions.
Rally Support (skill) (8)
Once per day, you can attempt a check to Request or Coerce against an easy DC for your level when speaking with someone who is a non-hostile, long-term resident of your favored location. On a success, choose one of the following to obtain:
A nonmagical item of your level or lower (useful for alchemical ammunition)
A safe place to shelter for 24 hours
3 days' worth of food and water for you and up to 5 allies
Terrain Ghost (skill) (18)
Within your favored location, you're permanently under the effect of vanishing tracks, and you're always concealed from all foes unless you choose not to.
Ancestry Feats
Elf
Weapon Familiarity (1): Critical Specialization (Bow)
Elven Instincts (5) or Incredible Initiative
Elf Step (6): Step twice
Anchoring Arrows (13): Useful?
Heritage: Whisper Elf
You gain a +2 circumstance bonus when using the Seek action to find hidden or undetected creatures within 30 feet of you. When you target an opponent that is concealed from you or hidden from you, reduce the DC of the flat check to 3 for a concealed target or 9 for a hidden one. This benefit doesn’t apply if you can’t hear or if the creature is incapable of making sound (for example, if it’s affected by a silence spell).
Heritage: Ancient Elf
Multiclass Dedication: Commander
Basic Field Training (4): Rapid Assessment [free-action]
Advanced Field Training (16): Unrivaled Analysis
Centaur
Distant Archer (5)
Incredible Sprint (13): Stride three times for 2 actions
Starshot Arrow (17) [1 action]: Force or spirit damage, ghost strike rune. When the arrow Strikes its target, it unravels into a constellation of starlight that wraps around the target's limbs, imposing a –10-foot circumstance penalty to its Speeds for 2d4 rounds or immobilizing it if the Strike was a critical hit. The target can untangle itself by spending an Interact action to break free.
Yaoguai
Natural Mutagen (1)
Polymorph Escape (1)
Awakened Heritage (5)
Signature Weapon (5): 1 action to teleport the weapon into your hand
Brilliant Vision (9)
Unleash Yaoguai Might (9)
Improvised Signature Weapon (13): Duskwood, Peachwood, Dawnsilver
Gentle Death and Rebirth (17)
Legendary Monster (17)
You can Unleash Yaoguai Might any number of times per day. Once per day when you Unleash Yaoguai Might, you can gain one of the following additional benefits, which persists for 1 minute or until you Change Shape again:
Your body grows to impossible heights. Your enlarge effect is heightened to 4th rank.
Your spiritual power erupts to punish your enemies. You deal an additional 1d4 spirit damage with all Strikes and attack spells, and your Strikes and attack spells gain the spirit trait.
You can leap off the air itself. You gain the effects of the fly spell.
Countering Concentrate Actions (Including Affected Spellcasters)
Blister Ammunition (alchemical ammunition)
A creature hit by activated blister ammunition must attempt a Fortitude save or begin to itch uncontrollably in addition to the damage the attack normally deals. On a critical hit, increase the Fortitude DC by 2, and the target is dazzled for 1 round. For the duration, each time the target attempts a Concentrate action, it must attempt a DC 8 flat check, losing the action on a failure. An affected creature can use a single Interact action to scratch and sneeze, allowing it to automatically pass the flat check. The effect ends early once an affected creature spends 3 Interact actions scratching and sneezing. These Interact actions don’t need to be consecutive.
Thanks for your future answer.