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So, I wanted to roll a mounted archer who gets in people's faces and shoot them. He would be using snap shot alot, and so weapon specialization - point blank master are vital.
I was looking specifically at the cavalier and the samurai. Cavalier's can't qualify for weapon spec, because of no fighter levels (requiring a 3 level dip into zen archer or a 4 level dip fighter). Samurai, on the other hand can get it with the longbow....
The longbow... "A longbow can't be used while mounted".
Isn't that a little counter intuitive to the samurai class? The class, being almost entirely based on being mounted, and in fact having mounted archery as a pseudo free feat can't use the weapon that was intended for that play style while mounted?
Anyone else notice that?
So, I wanted to roll a mounted archer who gets in people's faces and shoot them. He would be using snap shot alot, and so weapon specialization - point blank master are vital.
I was looking specifically at the cavalier and the samurai. Cavalier's can't qualify for weapon spec, because of no fighter levels (requiring a 3 level dip into zen archer or a 4 level dip fighter). Samurai, on the other hand can get it with the longbow....
The longbow... "A longbow can't be used while mounted".
Isn't that a little counter intuitive to the samurai class? The class, being almost entirely based on being mounted, and in fact having mounted archery as a pseudo free feat can't use the weapon that was intended for that play style while mounted?
Anyone else notice that?
I don't think Cavaliers and Samurai are as mount-dependent as some make them out to be, but I may be in the minority on that.
If you look at the druid, they get the option between a domain or an AC. While the AC is almost always better, it goes to show how powerful/important the designers consider ACs.
In my one experience with the Cavalier (multiclassed with rogue for a highwayman), I did not find his horse to be so important to his efficacy. Liekwise, when a friend of mine played a Samurai, I don't think the horse was so important.
That's true, the mount isn't too important...
The thing that gets me is that the ranged weapon intended for use was the longbow, and they are given mount archery for free. Yet they can't be used together.
I hear you, especially considering the yumi (Japanese samurai bow) was used from horseback.
I'd probably throw that in as an eastern weapon in any game I ran. Just a longbow you could use from horesback.
Composite longbows can be used from horseback.
Composite longbows can be used from horseback.
That solves that, then.
A longbow is longer than a composite bow. Not trying to defend the rule, I don't enforce it as a GM.
I think I'd go cavalier 4/ roughrider fighter x
But this would only make sense for games going into the higher levels because you'd only get full mount and weapon spec at level 8.
But there is a way around that if you can use the retraining rules:
Start with cavalier 1 with boon companion, then go fighter 4 (you now have weapon spec and full mount up to now. If you go cavalier 4 after that you can retrain boon companion to horse master and are set.
You might increase fighter to level 5 some time between for mounted mettle (weapon training while mounted or adjacent to your mount). The one level of mount progression should not be that bad. You get a bonus to mount AC from steadfast mount, after all.
As it is too late now for an edit I add another posting:
If you go cavalier you should take a look at the luring cavalier because this archetype gets the challenge bonus on ranged attacks.
And in addition, at level 3 you get to ignore range penalties for the first attack per turn.
And while this isn't crucial for your plan it might come in handy from time to time.
The yumi was also designed differently from standard longbows so that it could be fired from horseback. You drew and knocked the arrow about 1/3 of the way up from the bottom of the bow stave where a longbow would be knocked in the middle.