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So, I am thinking very seriously about putting together a halfling mounted archer samurai. I read elsewhere in this forum that a samurai archer can pump out insane amounts of damage. However, I am having a hard time figuring out how it is so insane compared to ranger, paladin, fighter, and rogue archers.
Really, I geuss what I am asking is if someone can help me optimize this character, because I suck at feat selection. I think I am a pretty good roleplayer, and do not view optimization and rp as mutually exclusive. I am just not very good at one of the two.
Right now, assume 20 point build. I am really looking for some sort of plan to get me through an Adventure Path. Also, we are a pretty RAI group of players, so it is safe to assume that Weapon Expertise means that samurai levels will count as fighter levels without needing a dip into fighter. I am not wanting to start that debate again, but it seemed like a pretty big sticking point in a thread that degenerated into a rules argument I read before.
Any assistance will be appreciated!
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Well, First of all, feats would have to include Mounted Combat and Mounted Archery. With this in mind, a human is probably a good idea. High DEX is important for Ride and for hitting with Bows. Even a high INT is good because of a feat called Focused Shot. If you have PBS and Precise Shot, that is. I can see why this is good, free horse and proficiency with all Martial Weapons. Just for conversations sake, what weapon would you prefer having? A shortbow is cheaper than a Longbow, so MWK and +1 are easy to buy, but less damage is going to be annoying at later times.
Unfortunately, Challenge requires melee attacks. So if you were taking my previous advice about them, ignore it now :D
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Cheapy, that was what I was looking at. I had read a few people (maybe you were one of them) state that the mounted archer samurai would outpace the other ranged damage dealers. But, since Challenge only applies to melee, I cannot see how that would work.
I think I would be better served by taking a fighter or paladin with some exotic armor.
Or, is there something I am missing?
Luring Cavalier's challenge does damage on ranged attacks!
Also, rogue archers don't do much damage. At all. Sneak Attack at range is hard stuff.
Luring Cavalier's challenge does damage on ranged attacks!
Samurai don't have all the class abilities that Luring Cavalier replaces so wouldn't be able to take that archetype unless playing an actual cavalier and calling himself "samurai" for flavor.
Well, First of all, feats would have to include Mounted Combat and Mounted Archery. With this in mind, a human is probably a good idea. High DEX is important for Ride and for hitting with Bows. Even a high INT is good because of a feat called Focused Shot. If you have PBS and Precise Shot, that is. I can see why this is good, free horse and proficiency with all Martial Weapons. Just for conversations sake, what weapon would you prefer having? A shortbow is cheaper than a Longbow, so MWK and +1 are easy to buy, but less damage is going to be annoying at later times.
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Well, to counter that, get an Agile Katana. High DEX will be able to do damage with Agile, Samurai get Katana proficiency for free, and Challenges would work well with them! Man, that was a long sentence.
Human or other medium-sized races wouldn't be a great choice as OP's focused on mounts and large-sized mounts would be lot more difficult to play with in certain terrain (indoors/dungeons/etc).
Does anyone know if Mounted Archer (Ex) penalty reduction stacks with the penalty reduction of Mounted Archery (feat)?
At 4th level, the samurai becomes skilled at firing ranged weapons while mounted. A samurai only takes a –2 penalty on attack rolls with ranged weapons while his mount takes a double move. This penalty increases to –4 while his mount is running.
The penalty you take when using a ranged weapon while mounted is halved: –2 instead of –4 if your mount is taking a double move, and –4 instead of –8 if your mount is running.
For a total reduction of -1 on double move, -2 if mount is running? This is probably wishful thinking on my part. I've never planned out an archer samurai before (or any ranged character for that matter) so I'm a bit iffy on mounted archery rules.
Katana aren't finessable so can't use Agile weapon enchantment.