Arcane Archer Base Class

[cranewings]

I doubt my game will last longer than 6th or 7th level. If it does, I can retool this class to go up. Of course, Arcane Strike would keep going up.

What do you think?

Arcane Archer

The arcane archer is an alternate class for the bard. In all ways, it has the same attributes, skills, proficiencies, and spell casting as an ordinary bard. All of the bard’s abilities gained per level are replaced by the following chart.

Arcane Archer Spells

The Arcane Archer has the sorcerer / wizard spell list rather than the bardic one. Arcane Archers can cast a number of spells per day equal to the bard but must maintain a spell book and prepare spells as a wizard.

Arcane Archers begin play with 4 zero level spells and 2 first level spells in their spell book.

The primary casting attribute for the Arcane Archer is Intelligence.

The list of spells an arcane archer can learn is expanded from the sorcerer / wizard list. For a list of added spells, see the power, “Magic Arrow,” below.

Level 1: Arcane Strike
Level 2: Magic Arrow, Enchant Weapon +1
Level 3: Radiant Arrow 1d6
Level 4: Bonus Feat
Level 5: Enchant Weapon +2, Radiant Arrow 2d6
Level 6: Explosive Arrow

Arcane Strike

As a swift action, you can imbue your weapons with a fraction of your power. For 1 round, your weapons deal +1 damage and are treated as magic for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

This bonus increases to +2 at 5th level.

Enchant Weapon

At second level, the Arcane Archer’s bow gains a +1 Enhancement Bonus while in his hands. If the archer’s bow is already magical, it gains one of the following instead: Corrosive, Flaming, Frost or Shock. Once the type of magical bonus has been selected, it can’t be changed for that bow.

At fifth level, the Arcane Archer can add an additional +1 Enhancement Bonus or another one of the powers listed above. It can even gain the same one twice, gaining double frost or double flaming.

The Arcane Archer can choose to exchange both of his Enhancement Bonuses in for one of the following powers, assuming his bow is already magical: Anarchic, Axiomatic, Holy or Unholy.

Magic Arrow

The Arcane Archer is able to deliver spells off of the following list with an arrow. In effect, the range of the spell becomes the range of the bow. The archer can even deliver the effects of the spell with his arrow against targets he can’t actually see, such as enemies hidden behind a wall.

Spells on the following list are added to the Arcane Archer’s spell list, even if they aren’t on the Sorcerer / Wizard list.

First Level Spells: Color Spray, Entangle, Flare Burst, Grease, Obscuring Mist, Silent Image, Sleep

Second Level Spells: Darkness, Defoliate, Dust of Twilight, Fog Cloud, Glitterdust, Hypnotic Pattern, Shatter, Silence, Sound Burst, Stone Call, Summon Swarm, Web

Radiant Arrow

At third level, the Arcane Archer can, as a standard action, imbue and fire an arrow which deals 1d6 energy damage to everything within a 10’ radius. The type of energy expelled must be selected by the archer when this power is first acquired and can’t be changed later.

At fifth level, this power’s damage increases to 2d6.

Targets can make a reflex saving throw, DC 10 + ½ Arcane Archer’s level + INT, for half damage.

The Arcane Archer can fire a number of arrows per day imbued with this power equal to his Intelligence modifier.

If a target is dealt damage directly by the arrow, he may not make a reflex saving throw for reduced damage.

Bonus Feat

The Arcane Archer can select a bonus fighter feat. The Arcane Archer’s base attack bonus is considered equal to his level for the purpose of taking this feat.

Explosive Arrow

Once per day, the Arcane Archer can fire an arrow which carries the spell, “Fire Ball.”

[Lyrax]

Personally, I'd recommend using the magus as a base class instead of the bard. The magus has much more appropriate spells to the arcane archer, and you can alter spellstrike to allow touch attacks through missile weapons.

Could be very powerful and fun.

[cranewings]

Lyrax wrote:

Personally, I'd recommend using the magus as a base class instead of the bard. The magus has much more appropriate spells to the arcane archer, and you can alter spellstrike to allow touch attacks through missile weapons.

Could be very powerful and fun.

I'll probably take your advice when the book comes out, for sure.

[Ksorkrax]

I´d like to see an Arcane Ranger.
The advantages of a ranger would be that you can build other chars than archers with it (arcane twfer, arcane variant combat style...) which allows many more stylish characters (I like elven melee chars who dabble a little bit into magic without being a crappy eldritch knight or going full into magic like a magus) and they fully qualify for the Arcane Archer prestige class so they eventually get their class enhanced arrows
(I could even imagine a variant that gives an Arcane Ranger the Bards spell progression and takes some stuff like animal companion)

[Sylvanite]

Just a quick warning:

This seems very high on the power curve for these levels.

At 6th level this character will do 1d8+3d6+10 damage per arrow. That'll average out to about 25 damage per shot at 6th level! If a wizard drops flame arrows (a 10 min/level buff) and the bard gets a chance to put Gravity Bow up, you're looking at 31 avg. damage per shot. Add in haste and this guy is going to rip CR appropriate monsters apart, or change action economy by doing ridiculous damage AND getting a good spell out there.

If you're game is played at this kind of power level across the board, then it's not an issue, but if you throw this into a group with other regular classes against just regular monsters, it could become an issue.

[Marc Radle]

I would like to suggest that you take a look at the Vanguard class from Super Genius Games. If you choose the bow as your arcane bond weapon, you get a very nice arcane archer type class.

[cranewings]

Sylvanite wrote:

Just a quick warning:

This seems very high on the power curve for these levels.

At 6th level this character will do 1d8+3d6+10 damage per arrow. That'll average out to about 25 damage per shot at 6th level! If a wizard drops flame arrows (a 10 min/level buff) and the bard gets a chance to put Gravity Bow up, you're looking at 31 avg. damage per shot. Add in haste and this guy is going to rip CR appropriate monsters apart, or change action economy by doing ridiculous damage AND getting a good spell out there.

If you're game is played at this kind of power level across the board, then it's not an issue, but if you throw this into a group with other regular classes against just regular monsters, it could become an issue.

Would it make a difference if I pointed out that "radiant arrow" is a standard action, so he can't use it with rapid shot. Also, he has a bard's bab, and needs a high int and dex before strength. Probably no deadly aim, probably just +2 for strength.

My players already agreed to ban haste. Every fight started with both sides casting it every fight, because it is the best buff spell in the game. Casting anything else is a handicap, so I don't have to worry about that now.

[Sylvanite]

Bard BAB isn't far behind at all at the levels you are playing, so it's much less of a balancing factor aside from maybe getting to certain feats.

I was accounting for a +1 elementally enhanced weapon, with two more elemental enhancements from the class's ability. Then I added enhancement bonus, point blank, deadly aim, only 2 from Str as I noticed the MAD issue, and 2 from Arcane Strike.

Even if you take out Deadly Aim in favor of rapid shot, you're looking at 21 damage per shot, with a solid chance to hit twice. I also didn't even factor in radiant shot as it is a standard and has limited uses. I was only really talking about what he could do all day.

Add all that to good skills (better than Bard normally as you are Int based!), casting in armor, decent spell progression that carries a high amount of utility, and a break in the action economy by being able to deal high damage WHILE casting a battlefield control spell.

I just think it shines on too many levels for a low level character is all. Though I am a big fan of what you're making and would certainly take it were it offered me in a game.

[cranewings]

Sylvanite wrote:

Bard BAB isn't far behind at all at the levels you are playing, so it's much less of a balancing factor aside from maybe getting to certain feats.

I was accounting for a +1 elementally enhanced weapon, with two more elemental enhancements from the class's ability. Then I added enhancement bonus, point blank, deadly aim, only 2 from Str as I noticed the MAD issue, and 2 from Arcane Strike.

Even if you take out Deadly Aim in favor of rapid shot, you're looking at 21 damage per shot, with a solid chance to hit twice. I also didn't even factor in radiant shot as it is a standard and has limited uses. I was only really talking about what he could do all day.

Add all that to good skills (better than Bard normally as you are Int based!), casting in armor, decent spell progression that carries a high amount of utility, and a break in the action economy by being able to deal high damage WHILE casting a battlefield control spell.

I just think it shines on too many levels for a low level character is all. Though I am a big fan of what you're making and would certainly take it were it offered me in a game.

Yeah, I just wrote one up. I wasn't feeling what you are saying until I made the guy.

Sample Arcane Archer – 6th Level Human - 25 Point Buy, Nothing Under 10

Strength: 18
Dexterity: 16
Constitution: 10
Intelligence: 15
Wisdom: 10
Charisma:10
HP: 31 /
AC: 19 Chainmail +6 Dexterity +3
Base Attack +4
Melee Attack +8
Range Attack +7

Feats
Point Blank Shot
Precise Shot
Arcane Strike
Deadly Aim
Weapon Focus Bow

Composite Longbow +2 Magic, +4 Strength
Total Damage: 2d6 Frost, 2d6 Burst Electricity, 1d8 Arrow Damage, +4 Strength, +2 Arcane Strike, +1 Point Blank, Deadly Aim +4
Strike +8
Damage 1d8+4d6+11 (32.5)

Bracers of Archery – Lesser +1 Strike
Cloak of Resistance +2

What if I took away the armor proficiency? I was picturing them running around more like a traditional wizard than an armor wielding fighter.

Asides from that, what else can I do to hamstring him a little bit?