I'm about to hit lvl 5 with my Zen Archer and am unsure of the feat I should choose. Here's the build so far: Dwarven Zen Archer lvl 4, stats: str17 dex17 con14 int12 cha 7 wis20 (roll 4d6 drop lowest) feats/traits: Deadly aim, improved unarmed strike, indomitable faith, perfect strike, point blank shot, point blank master, precise shot, weapon focus longbow, toughness, and reactionary. At lvl 6 I'll get improved precise shot as a monk feat. I'm just not sure what to take next. I was thinking maybe iron will or improved initiative. Any suggestions?
Thanks for the advice. Question though, why would you select Rapid shot if you can't use it with flurry of blows?
For the Snap Shot line, I would imagine.
How about Steel Soul? Otherwise, I quite liked Reckless Aim, even if my other party-members didn't.
The problem with the snapshot line is that I just can't seem to justify taking combat reflexes at this point. There are 2 Barbarians in our party and I have literally never been forced anywhere near the melee combat. I really like steel soul though. Likewise, my party members objected reckless aim as well. I'm thinking either steel soul or improved initiative at this point. Any cool feats I'm forgetting??
Steel Soul
Weapon Specialization
Clustered Shot = awesome
I took Glory of Old Trait too, saves are everything in PF.
You must be a fighter for weapon specialization and have a BAB +6 for clustered shot. Deepsight could be very useful as we are currently underground. So many good choices but I have to make it count because our DM has us on the slow level progression and also because our DM is brutal. It's a good day when you survive to the next level in our sandbox adventure so I'm kind of looking to be optimized at every lvl.
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I have a Dwarf Zen Archer-Qinggong 7/Inquisitor 1
Feats: Deadly Aim, Improved Initiative, Steel Soul and Toughness
(I picked up Toughness because I knew there would be times where I'd get caught out of position in a surprise round or I would voluntarily wade into melee with my buffed AC to help set up flanks. It's save my bacon several times.)
Monk Bonus Feats: Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Improved Precise Shot. Level 9 feat will be Clustered Shots to overcome DR.
Qinggong abilities: Barkskin, True Strike & Gaseous Form.
Deep Sight is fun: it puts your darkvision just past the first range increment of your bow. Even if the bad guys double move, you can get off 4-8 shots before they can see you. And you can just keep backing up... (Now if I could just combine this with a couple of rogue levels and Snipers' Goggles.)
I second the recommendations for Clustered Shots and Deadly Aim, but I waited on Deadly Aim until after BAB 4 where it kicks up to -2/+4.
So far, my Qinggong abilities are Deny Death and High Jump. Because of that, I took Dodge/Mobility/Shot on the Run. Right now, my Zen Archer can do a standing forward leap of 70ft (take 10 on Acrobatics) and fire off a shot anywhere along the arc.
I would skip Snap Shot because Zen Archers get it for free at level 9. Until then, you can just AoO with your unarmed strike.
Consider Crane Style if you need more AC--it works with melee and ranged, and you can do Crane Wing because your string hand is free unless you're actually in the process of firing (or, say, readying an action to fire).
And of course, when in doubt, Extra Ki is always good.
Yes, Dodge, Crane Style, Crane Wing is a good feat line up for Zen Archers. You can actually fight defensively, and you don't need two hands on the bow out of turn (unless you plan to make an AoO build off the 9th level class feature -- I wouldn't), so it's a big defensive boost. Unfortunately you have none of the feats so its a bit late to start now.
Monkey Style is nice because the pre-reqs are easy and the base style feat has a great benefit. Being prone means you can't shoot your bow and standing as a move action means no flurrying, so being able to stand as a swift is very useful. The follow up monkey feats just aren't good, is all.
Also, never discount Additional Traits to pick up some more useful traits. Many are better than an actual feat, and you can get two of them. I don't know what your traits are, but Lessons of Chaldira (reroll any save 1/day), Defensive Strategist (basically Uncanny Dodge), Dangerously Curious (UMD as class skill and +1 bonus; get a wand of gravity bow and enjoy), Glory of Old, etc... are all potentially very useful.
Also, if it helps... my handbook, which I really need to update...
I forget if they fixed Prone Shooter or if that was sarcasm.
In any case, if he DID have a crossbow, he'd be out a feat for Rapid Reload anyway.
Oh, and the fact that he can only flurry with bows by strict RAW is also kind of a downer on that plan.
"Starting at 1st level, a zen archer can make a flurry of blows as a full-attack action, but only when using a bow (even though it is a ranged weapon). He may not make a flurry of blows with his unarmed attacks or any other weapons."
Unless your claim is that "crossbow has the word 'bow' right there in the name! See?!" Or something...
Thanks for all the advice everyone. Our DM did not allow me to take the Qinggong archetype along with Zen archer
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I forget if they fixed Prone Shooter or if that was sarcasm.
In any case, if he DID have a crossbow, he'd be out a feat for Rapid Reload anyway.
Oh, and the fact that he can only flurry with bows by strict RAW is also kind of a downer on that plan.
"Starting at 1st level, a zen archer can make a flurry of blows as a full-attack action, but only when using a bow (even though it is a ranged weapon). He may not make a flurry of blows with his unarmed attacks or any other weapons."
Unless your claim is that "crossbow has the word 'bow' right there in the name! See?!" Or something...
Warning! Warning! sarcasm level high
I appreciate sarcasm, for sure. It was just...kind of out of left field. The advice given thus far (except for the Snap Shot thing, which got disputed quickly) has been decent, not really inviting mockery.
Also, it's kind of a Poe's Law thing; I've grown accustomed to some on this board actually, earnestly recommending the most horrible, worthless crap because they seriously don't know any better.