Sorry for such a newbie question, but I just picked up PF and I'm wanting to play an archer Ranger, built from the PF core book only. So, where can I find builds for a core only archer Ranger?
Thanks in advance,
Dan.
Have you thought about coming up with your own character? :P
Have you thought about coming up with your own character? :PSorry for such a newbie question, but I just picked up PF and I'm wanting to play an archer Ranger, built from the PF core book only. So, where can I find builds for a core only archer Ranger?
Thanks in advance,
Dan.
That was uncalled for..
anyways to answer your question Cpt. Caine
What I would do is look at the archery feats. You're going to probably want most of those. Find out how long your campaign is going to run. A lot of those abilities you can take really early either as feats for leveling up or as a combat style feat. Improved precise shot you can get at 6 as a combat style feat, but it's going to take 11 ranger levels and 19 dex to qualify for it normally. Hint, you might want to take it at 6.
Most ranger archer builds if human probably look something like
1 Human: point blank shot
1 weapon focus(longbow)
2 ranger: rapid shot
3 Precise shot
5 Deadly aim
6 Ranger: Improved precise shot
7 Manyshot
You may want to take more archery stuff or you may be ok with those feats. At this point you have a caster level so some magic item crafting could be nice, or you could start taking some melee combat feats to use when a bow isn't an option(windstorms are a good example)
However you may decide you don't want to do the flurry of arrows and focus on stealth and sniping using vital strike(not my recommendation for max damage, but could be a cool fun character if done well)
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for archery ranger, you only need a few things, everything else will depend on your particular game/environment.
1: Dex. This is your #1 stat, as it's your attack bonus.
2: Con/Str: ALMOST equally important. Str = damage with your composite longbow (you got one of those, didn't you?) and Con = HP. Can't have too many of those
3: Feats: Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot. Get these ASAP, or you will spend your rounds rolling naught but misses (-8 to hit targets in melee is NOT your friend)
thats about it. gear, skills, favored enemy and favored terrain are all dependent on the particular game you're playing; I recommend you ask your DM what favored enemies to pick (or at least to avoid). By the time you get to the terrain bonuses, you should have a decent idea about where you'll be fighting.
As far as tactics go, you can't beat: I stand still (or move 5') and full attack. Add in Deadly Aim when you get up in level, and your damage output will be considerable.
good luck,
-t
Let's see... DEX should be your highest priority if you're creating an archer, and WIS should be a close second (for Survival, Perception, casting and some of the other fun stuff the Ranger gets). You'll be wanting weapon finesse and a light weapon - a short sword would probably be best - so that if you're forced to fight in melee your neglected STR won't be a liability any more. You'll be needing to invest in Stealth, Perception and Survival at minimum; Climb, Swim and Heal would probably be useful skills to have, and Knowledge: Nature depending on whether it's likely to be used in the campaign. Point Blank Shot is all but required, as is Precise Shot. After that, you might as well just pick stuff that you reckon looks cool. That's what I generally do.
Actually rangers have the benefit of not having to pump dex so much. They can start with a decent dex, put a lot in strength and get a nice damage output with compound bows.
Have you thought about coming up with your own character? :PYea, I've all ready started building my pc, but since I don't know enough about PF looking at other example would help avoid pitfalls or miss something good.
So do you have an example to share?
Well, there's an archer ranger in one of the games I play in, played by someone relatively new to the game (though he does get some advice from the more experienced players), and I can tell you about that character:
He's an elf, mostly because he wanted his character to be an elf - though the race is nice enough for a ranger.
Dex is the highest score, followed by str, and con and wis aren't too shabby, either. Dex is important for an archer, of course, and strength helps with the damage dealing. Con is always useful (for HP and fortitude saves), and wis is not only important for ranger spells, it helps will saves and perception (as well as survival). Int would have given more skill points, but rangers aren't really lacking in that regard, and the character wasn't supposed to be the scholarly type. Cha wasn't important, either (which isn't that bad, since the guy still needs to come out of his roleplaying shell).
The composite longbow is pretty much a given, and, being an elf, he chose a curve sword as backup. I think he wears light armour.
He has humans and giants as favoured enemies, and forests and hills as favoured terrain, because that's what's going on where he comes from.
Two juicy little jewels, rules-wise: For your 6th-level ranger feat, get Improved Precise Shot, and at 10th, get pin-point targeting. Other classes need to wait a lot longer to get those feats, and they're quite nice. Shoot out some midget fly's eyes out one at a time, while it's in melee with an enemy fly, hiding behind leaves.
2: Con/Str: ALMOST equally important. Str = damage with your composite longbow (you got one of those, didn't you?)I've looked at the composite longow and started with STR14 for future levels, but how do you get a composite bow at level 1?
Kill a gnoll. If you take 1 level of wizard it can be your arcane bond. Otherwise just save your money up. Just cause you can't have it at level one doesn't mean it's not a good thing :)
Actually since truestrike has no somatic components thus no arcane spell failure 1diviner 6 ranger is a great lead-in to arcane archer.
Yea, they are good. I wast just making sure there was no way of starting with a composite bow.
Kill a gnoll. If you take 1 level of wizard it can be your arcane bond. Otherwise just save your money up. Just cause you can't have it at level one doesn't mean it's not a good thing :)
Go to the DM and with your best Diplomacy check, say 'Please.'
2: Con/Str: ALMOST equally important. Str = damage with your composite longbow (you got one of those, didn't you?)I've looked at the composite longow and started with STR14 for future levels, but how do you get a composite bow at level 1?
Unless your GM states otherwise a ranger starts with 175 GP, more than enough to buy yourself a composite bow :)
But each point of STR bonus-damage cost an extra 100gp. What good is a composite bow that doesn't have a STR rating?
Unless your GM states otherwise a ranger starts with 175 GP, more than enough to buy yourself a composite bow :)
Ah true enough, didn't think of that :)
Yea, they are good. I wast just making sure there was no way of starting with a composite bow.
Kill a gnoll. If you take 1 level of wizard it can be your arcane bond. Otherwise just save your money up. Just cause you can't have it at level one doesn't mean it's not a good thing :)
You can start with one. If you are starting as a level 1 wizard you can choose it as your arcane bond. The only limitation is it can't be a special material. If you do that I would suggest being an elf so you don't take -4 for nonproficiency, and diviner because it is the most awesome level 1 wizard dip.
edit: Or you can just wait a couple levels and you'll probably find one or be able to purchase the one you want.