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Hi,
I am still checking out the PrCs and try to make an decent build for a "Pathfinder Society" Char.
I was thinking about the Arcane Archer, but the requierements are too high, too less Wizard/Socerer too much BAB. Also the spell progression sucks. Given this, the arcane bond feature (from the Wizard or the Sorcerer Bloodline), which would have bestowed the archer a nice tool, isn't expedient anymore.
With no "practiced spellcaster" on the horizon and the "magical knack" trait disallowed in the campaign...
- Why should anyone play an Arcane Archer?
Sure, not every Prc choice has to be effective, but the archer can't even compensate this with fancy or unique roleplaying abilities.
Hi,
I am still checking out the PrCs and try to make an decent build for a "Pathfinder Society" Char.
I was thinking about the Arcane Archer, but the requierements are too high, too less Wizard/Socerer too much BAB. Also the spell progression sucks. Given this, the arcane bond feature (from the Wizard or the Sorcerer Bloodline), which would have bestowed the archer a nice tool, isn't expedient anymore.
With no "practiced spellcaster" on the horizon and the "magical knack" trait disallowed in the campaign...
- Why should anyone play an Arcane Archer?
Sure, not every Prc choice has to be effective, but the archer can't even compensate this with fancy or unique roleplaying abilities.
Well, not that this is an argument to play one, but did you see what the arcane archer was before in 3.5? Talk about useless...
That said, the class should be viewed as an archer with some cool arcane abilities, not as an arcane caster with some cool archery abilities. That said, I've been playing with a couple of builds on this front...
Ranger 6/Wizard 1 (evoker)/Arcane Archer 10/Eldritch Knight 3.
You can pretty much fill the role of the archery-focused ranger just as well as a ranger 20 with this combo, with some nifty special abilities. You end up with 10 arcane caster levels, 19 BAB, lots of good skills, most of the archery focused feats, and some other goodness. You just need to focus on spells that either buff you or are area effect spells you can place on your arrow. Burning Hands is an obvious one. Who doesn't want to shoot somebody 100 feet away with an arrow and then have it spray a 15 foot cone of fire?
Also, depending on what you want to do with the Arcane Bond, you get a few choices. A familiar is going to have killer skill ranks, hit points, and BAB. Improved Familiar might even be a decent choice for this. You'll also get a weak animal companion out of the mix, but maybe a horse so you can do full archery attacks on the run? Also, I think that Master Craftsman is a must have feat for this build. If you take it in Craft (bowyer) or whatever that is, you can enchant your bow as early as 5th character level, make spell storing arrows, and a bunch of other goodness. Master Craftsman should work with your arcane bond if you choose a weapon, but it might be worth while to just take the Craft Arms and Armor feat. You could also take Master Craftsman for a different craft to work with the amulet, but I think it gets less use.
Anyway, these are my thoughts. I think it could be fun. Oh, another possibility is Fighter 1/Wizard 5/Eldritch Knight 4/Arcane Archer 10
That would get you 15 caster level, but your BAB and Feats would suffer.
... Wrong question: The correct one (IMO) is "what do I want to do with this class"
Ok lets look at this:
First off the arcane archer gives full BAB, that's a point of note, and good HP because of it too. The requirements aren't really that bad, and a half elf is a great choice currently, Point Blank and Precise work wonderfully for a ray caster so you have a starting point in there too. The +6 BAB is a bit hefty, but then so is the ability to change up your bow between 5 different +6 weapon choices each day (at 9th level you can choose between the alignments, choose an elemental bursting, the bow is distanced, and the arrows are +1). This can save a lot of wealth since any old Masterwork Composite Mighty Longbow is good enough for you now. Seeker Arrow could be a nice means of deliverying a sneak attack, and Imbue Arrow has many applications. Hail of Arrows could be nice (depends on situation) and the Death arrow has lots of use (no longer once per day, you can save it for a year and the DC is actually work considering). Most importantly you still continue to get spells. 7/10 is a good split and no where near as horrible as you make it out to be (or as it was in 3.5 with no spell progression). Two good saves means you don't have to worry so much about Fort or Ref stuff either.
So the question is what leads into this well?
A Bard could make good use out of the class, gets in as easily as anyone else, and gains benefits at every turn. The weapon proficiencies and medium armor means that he could buy a mithral breatplate and get full use out of it, and Arcane strike (the quinessential bard feat now) can be used with ranged weapons which only helps his damage more. Once he gets all the use he wants out of AA the bard could finish up with Eldritch Knight for more BAB and a feat, at no cost to himself.
A sorcerer/rogue half elf might be another option. Dose with some Arcane Trickster and now one will really know what to make out of you. Sneak attack on spells, sneak attack on arrows, and lots of choices of how to deliever them. The earliest you could enter into both of the classes would be eight level (again) but could be done with Sorcerer 2 / rogue 6, or sorcerer 4/ rogue 3 / Arcane Trickster 2+ / Arcane Archerer +.
With the last choice you would have 13 levels to spread between Arcane Trickster and Arcane Archerer, A phase arrow impromptu sneak attack would be a nasty way of delieverying a fireball or vampiric touch!
Of course the basic fighter/sorcerer (or wizard) can go straight from arcane archerer to eldritch knight and do even more with his fighter feats. With an arcane bond to a melee weapon such a character could easily have an answer for any situation that comes up, and save gold on the bow (agian) meaning that he doesn't care what he is facing, undead, golems, dragons, or goblins he has the correct tool to kill them all, be it spell, sword, or bow. His use would still be great in an anitmagic field since he can wear armor, has good HP and BAB, and good feats to use with his (now) mundane gear.
I guess it depends on how you want to play the Arcane Archer. How you build into the class really determines how it will work in combat. If you are looking to be a caster Archer and use Imbue Arrow as a way to delver very close range area spells there are some tactics to make that more effective.
For example shooting a spot on the ground is only an AC 5 (plus modifiers), precedent from thrown splash weapons. Remember the area effect is centered at the arrow, which doesn't need to hit an arrow. Even with a lousy BAB from being mainly a caster heading into Arcane Archer you've got good chances of delivering area spells at major range.
As for crafting the magic bow with bonded item... you need a caster level 15 to cap out at +5, that means 8 levels of Wizard by 20th. The question is if that is worth it to you to get? Again do you want to be a magically favored martial archer, or an archaist that fires magical arrows to save his spells for bigger fights? Fighter 2/Wizard 8/ Arcane Archer 2 for PF Society play.
Back in 3.5 your only option was magically favored martial archer with maybe one or two minor area effect spells per day.