Hey fellow threadgoers I want to design a really nasty NPC sniper preferably with a crossbow. Right now I want him around level 13-14, and I'm not sure which direction to take. With the myriad of classes that have crossbow proficiency and the new archetypes in the APG and with multi-classing its kinda hard to know where to get the best bang for my buck. The only reason I'm really trying to wonk this guy is I want him to be able to kick out a lot of damage from far away preferably without using spells. I envision him as kinda a veteran of boarder skirmishes that has now taken to selling his talents for hire, might have some magical doodads but not a caster himself. I would also like him to have a companion spotter with a spyglass. (maybe even a cohort)
Any suggestions?
Give me a point buy and i'll give you my best effort.
lets say 20
Sniping for Sneak Attack sadly only works within 70 or so feet. Which hardly can be called sniping. Build a halfling ranger (with the Guide archetype if he is hitting solo targets), get the racial option for sniping being -10 instead of -20 and much is done.
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I'm getting ready for my Sunday game so I can't stat up a full build but I did want to throw out a frame of an idea.
Halfling rogue with Swift as Shadows and Stealthy Sniper. Throw in Sniper Goggles to make sneak attack from any range. Bleeding Attack to keep the pressure up since you'll only be making one attack per round. At 14 you'll be doing 7d6 sneak with 7 points of bleed. Attack from 240 feet away, putting you outside detect spells and true seeing and granting a +24 to your stealth check* for a -1 attack.
A couple spells to think about to have on scrolls or wands:
Reduce Person, +2 dex +1 attack and AC, +4 stealth all for -2 str is a pretty fair trade.
Chameleon Step, Cheap +4 stealth and concealment
Improved Invisibility if you're feeling dastardly.
I've seen debates on how Swift of Shadows and Stealthy Sniper interact. My table plays as if they stack. If yours doesn't replace halfling with goblin.
*Edit: I now it's actually a -24 to the opponents perception check but I interchange them since it yields the same result.
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13th level? with a crossbow hmm.
I like the above mentioned halfling ranger/ guide suggestion. If you give him a heavy crossbow (unholy or perhaps human bane), have him cast gravity bow before he attacks. Using Improved Vital Strike and Deadly Aim, then he can use the sniping action. I would suggest he focus on stealth and give him non-detection (a wand or spell).
At that level some sort of teleportation is a must also. Maybe a Cape of the Mountback...