Tomorrow night I start a new campaign. It's a custom setting, and through discussions with the DM I have decided to play what is the equivalent of an elf. Role-Play wise, I'm playing the Final Fantasy race the Viera with only some societal changes.
As for what I'm wanting to build and what I have...
Viera, Ranger 3
Str: 18
Dex: 20
Con: 12
Int: 14
Wis: 13
Cha: 14
Feats:
1 - Power Attack (depending)
CSF (Archery) - Rapid Shot
BF - Endurance
3 - ???
Gear:
Masterwork Mighty (+5) Composite Longbow
Masterwork Curve Blade, Elven
Alternative Features:
Silent Hunter - I didn't think the +2 versus Spell Resistance wasn't as important as a bonus for stealth as a ranger.
Infiltrator - I'm picking Favored Enemy (Magical Beast) so that I can pick darkvision 60. I figured this would help me more than favored terrain. Though I could definitely use some input on this.
Here's my dilemma... I can't decide if I want to attempt to play strictly an archer or a switch hitter as proposed by Treantmonk. The party already has a BSF, an Eidolon, and a summoning cleric if that makes a difference.
Also I have to talk it over with my DM, but I plan on taking the Boon Companion feat if my DM allows me to use it as the author intended. That way I'll have a more powerful animal companion.
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If you can't decide, I suggest playing a switch-hitter for a while. That way, even you go with pure melee or archery later, you have something to fall back on if something gets to close/far away.
Either way, I think Point Blank and Precise Shot are good feats to pick.
I'd also like to point out that you'll be taking penalties to hit with your bow if it stays a Mighty(+5) bow. You would need a STR of 20 to use it properly.
I could always wait to make it +5, but I'm hoping that I'll be able to get a +2 strength item ASAP. Perhaps a bad strategy, but if for some reason I choose to either increase my strength or get an item for it, I 'd hate to miss out on that +1 damage. I'd also hate to buy a +4 and then replace it later with a +5. I may be able to negotiate with my DM about 'recrafting' the bow later and either paying 100 as normal or more to increase it's strength bonus potential. Unless it is already possible to pay to increase the potential strength bonus after the bow is made?
Point Blank Shot is good, but I'd probably go with Precise Shot over it. Truly if I do the switch hitter hopefully I won't be firing into melee all that often, but I see it as having more effect over the character's career than the +1 within 30 feet. Unless I discover that I prefer archery then I'd probably pick it up later anyway.