This character has been rolling around in my head for a while and I thought I'd finally take some time to put him down on paper. I was looking for a Ranger who could get more use out of the longbows the Harsk, which tend to use your unmodified strength die. So I wanted a d10 for strength. Looking through some Paizo Pathfinder stuff there seemed to be some kind of prestige or advanced class named "Arcane Archer" so I decided to make that one of his roles. So here is what I've got. Your feedback is appreciated:
Male
Human
Ranger
Skills
Strength: d10 []+1
Dexterity: d10 []+1 []+2 []+3
--Ranged: Dexterity +2,
--Acrobatics: Dexterity +1
Constitution: d6 []+1 []+2 []+3
--Fortitude: Constitution +2
Intelligence: d4 []+1 []+2 []+3
Wisdom d6 []+1 []+2 []+3
--Survival: Wisdom +2
--Perception: Wisdom +3
Charisma: d6 []+1 []+2
Powers
Hand Size: 5 []6 []7
Proficient With: [x] Weapons [x]Light Armor
When you play a weapon with the ranged trait, you may recharge it ([]or another card) instead of discarding it.
At the start of your turn you may recharge a card to examine the top card of another location.
[]If you are dealt damage before the encounter, succeed at a Perception 8 check to reduce the damage by 2.
Cards
Weapons: 4 []5 []6
Spells: – []1 []2 []3
Armors: 1
Items: 3 []4
Allies: 3 []4 []5
Blessings: 4 []5 []6
Role: Marksman
Hand Size: 5 []6 []7 []8
Proficient With: [x] Weapons [x]Light Armor
When you play a weapon with the ranged trait, you may recharge ([]or shuffle into your deck) it ([]or another card) instead of discarding it.
At the start of your turn you may recharge a card to examine the top card of another location.
[]If you are dealt damage before the encounter, succeed at a Perception 8 check to reduce the damage by 2 ([]3) ([]4).
[]When you play a weapon with the Ranged trait, you may draw a card.
[]Treat any 1 rolled on your combat check as the maximum number for that die.
[]You gain the skill Disable: Dexterity +1.
[]When you play Blessing of Erastil, add d12 instead of the normal die.
Role: Arcane Archer
Hand Size: 5 []6 []7 []8
Proficient With: [x] Weapons [x]Light Armor
When you play a weapon with the Ranged trait, you may recharge it ([]or another card) instead of discarding it.
At the start of your turn you may recharge a card to examine the top card of another location.
[]You gain the skill Arcane: Intelligence +4
[]Add 2 ([]4) ([]6) to your Arcane check to recharge a card.
[]You may recharge a spell to add 1d4 ([]+1) ([]+2) and the traits of the spell to a combat check when you play a weapon with the Ranged trait.
[]When you play Blessing of Erastil, add d12 instead of the normal die.
Comments: His ability to get a great modifier on his Arcane skill worries me a bit, but given that it is only a d4 to start with, I think it is necessary. His max role will still only be an 8 with out some skill or other power feats.
The use of another card when playing a ranged weapon feels to me like pulling arrows quickly out of a quiver. It also lets him use the weapons for combat assistance to others sort of like Harsk, but only with his weapon cards.
His scouting ability is also a twist of Harsk's. I though about adding a limit that he could not move to that location, but I felt like balancing staying a location he is probably good at with the fact he was scouting other locations made sense.
The perception 8 check to avoid before the encounter damage feels like he is scouting things out ahead of time and can usually avoid the effects.
Hey Hawkmoon,
This sounds like a fun, powerful character. Not necessarily OP, but definitely strong since he'll have d10 in STR and DEX which all weapons base combat off of.
However, I do think some of the powers underneath need toning down a bit. One thing I think is cool about the iconic characters is that MOST of their power feats are all along the same levels of power, there isn't always and obvious choice of what feat to take next. Sure there are play style preferences, and the Virtuoso Lem feat of using his own skill on himself is perhaps a no-brainer. But most everything else is nice and even keel.
One that jumps out at me as OP is treating 1's as MAX die. Say on a d10, that's a 9 point combat swing from just 1 power feat. Even on an average skill d6... with the potential for multiple 1's to come up, this particular power feat seems like a game-changer.
Here's my suggestion: []During a combat check, you may reroll any 1's one additional time, and keep that result. Limiting it to combat and rerolling only 1 time lets you benefit with a likely increase to your roll, but not a guarantee and also not such a static huge jump.
Also, on the Arcane Caster side... I do think jumping his Arcane by 4 points in one shot is a bit much. Maybe break it up into two feats []Arcane+2[]+4 ? Perhaps you could remove the recharge[6] to make room. After all, if he's got Arcane+4, he's not likely to need recharge+6.
I am working on a custom character of my own, I still haven't got it all worked out yet but it is essentially a specific world's version of Halfling rogue. I'll try my best to get it worked out and posted soon so I can have your and everyone else's help and input.
But I leave you with the race and perhaps the most terrifying two words one could ever hear him utter.
Kender: "I'm bored!"
|
I don't think maximising the ones is that overpowering. It has a slightly higher mean and minimum, but it doesn't let you defeat checks stronger than without the feat; it only gives you a better chance of defeating those you already could. I like that effect
Thanks for the feedback.
The 1s are max is only slightly better than reroll on 1. I felt like the 1s were "bullseyes" for the marksmen.
The arcane part is something I'm wrestling with. He can't use it until deck 4, and by that point the spells are decently high recharge. Look at Lightning Bolt from deck 2 even: Arcane 10 check to recharge. Even with d4+4 without some skill feats or the other power feats (which are meaningless without the arcane feat) he can't make that. So to make that 10 he'd either need to invest 2 skill feats ahead of time, plan to fail recharge checks until he can take another power feat (at which point other spells will be available with even higher recharge checks) or play a blessing. Scorching Ray is an 8, so with Arcane as d4+4, he's got a 25% shot to recharge that.
I'm really hesitant to reduce that, since it will likely require him to wait a while for more feats or invest virtually all his skill feats into intelligence before having a shot to recharge anything. You really think it is too much? I could make Arcane: Wisdom +2, which would be a bit of a curveball.
Hey Hawk, what if his Arcane was under his Dex?
Perhaps make his Charisma a D4 instead of Int.? That's a far better (harder) weakness...
I'd maybe bump the Fortitude and Acrobatics modifiers.
Weapons: 3 []4 []5
Spells: 1 []2 []3
Armors: 1 []2
Items: 3 []4
Allies: 3 []4 []5
Blessings: 4 []5 []6
Maybe a Divine Markman and a Arcane Archer?
Or is that too cheesy? One role could grant Divine plus one (under dex?) and one role could grant arcane plus one (under dex?)
-Support/damage roles?
|
In the PFSRD, one qualification of the arcane archer is that they can cast 1st-level arcane spells...usually a bard or some other class that has taken at least a level in wizard or sorcerer. Rangers are divine casters (eventually) in the RPG, so I'm guessing that they won't become arcane archers in the card game, either...
Besides the fact that a character with a d4 intelligence (which I would assume translates into a 10 or lower in the RPG) probably wouldn't have the wherewithal to understand arcane magic at all - unless it's charisma-based arcane (which is a possibility - but it wouldn't be INT+4).
I really do hope they have an arcane archer in the card game sometime, but I don't think it's going to be a ranger. My guess is that it'll be some other class besides ranger (bard, sorcerer, or maybe some of their own base classes like witch) that takes the game there. I'm betting on a bard, but I'm not sure if we'll see it come August when they release the bard class deck.
Overall, I like him. I agree the reroll 1's feels a lot more powerful than it actually is, but it's definitely something to play with.
I'm more worried about the number of skills. He has 5 skills, with a total modifier of +10. That feels very high to me, particularly considering his base dice array is already quite strong.
I can understand your point on the arcane checks, but I agree with motrax that +4 arcane just looks wrong in this situation. Maybe you'd consider upping his int to a d6 and using the d4 in con or cha? Then with a +2 he has a chance to recharge scorching ray, and with a +4 it's 50/50.
Edit: Alternatively, you could consider tying the arcane to a different skill. Maybe Cha would make sense?
So, maybe I'll drop acrobatics (I can't actually remember why I hand that in there to being with. Like I said, this has been something I've been thinking about for a while). Rangers are supposed to have Fortitude aren't they? That seemed to be what I could glean from the RPG stuff I read.
For the Arcane, suppose I make it a D6+2, then what makes more sense? Swapping it to Charisma based (and moving the +3 skill feat with it) or switching the dice between Intelligence and Charisma? Maybe switching the dice? It makes more sense that he could spend some time studying and learn arcane then that he would find he had some innate power he never knew about.
I also feel that while having d10 strength and dexterity looks strong, he isn't going to carry Melee weapons. He'll always prefer Ranged due to the Ranged skill and his power feats. So he's only going to be using strength in pretty much non-combat situations.
@MundoBot: I don't want his deck to start with a spell card because if he doesn't take Arcane Archer it will be forcing a spell on him that he will have to banish, and it will do it from the outset. Though I might switch a weapon for another item. Weapon was going to be his favored card, so he'll be guaranteed to have one to start with.
Ya sorry, it does make more sense to start without spells. Was thinking about the role change. But even then any spells added would just get banished until a role was picked.
Arcane + 1 under Dex does make sense. I'd wouldn't want a Charisma focused arcane caster...
It could be interesting not to start without weapons though. With all the recharge effect happening, he should be cycling cards a lot. Eventually he'd have to decide whether to use spells, or bows. Seems like that'd be a hard to decision to make? You'd want to keep both in your hands, but you'd also want other cards to recharge to explore?
[]You may recharge a spell to add 1d4 ([]+1) ([]+2) and the traits of the spell to a combat check when you play a weapon with the Ranged trait.
I like this power. What if you had it from the get go? Then you wouldn't have to choose spells or weapons? The strategy would be having to decide which spells to discard. (Though how would upgraded spells cards come into play) Perhaps not even have to worry about the Arcane effect?
I'm probably just rambling, sorry if this isn't helpful! Food for thought
Edit: I think I've been thinking of this character as an Arcane Archer as a whole. Not a Ranger with the possibility to become an Arcane Archer as role. Srry folks..
Nothing to be sorry about. Your input has been helpful.
Am i the only one that is startled by the fact that the Arcane Archer role loses a power the base class had?
Whoops. I will get that fixed. I will post an update faded in feedback later. Thanks.
Ok. Here is an updated version. Tweaked the skills by swapping intelligence and charisma dice. Fixed the missing power on role and changed Arcane Archer's Arcane to Intelligence +2. Also dropped Acrobatics, and Disable power for Marksman. Gave him 1 less weapon card feat and 1 more armor card feat.
Male
Human
Ranger
Skills
Strength: d10 []+1
Dexterity: d10 []+1 []+2 []+3
--Ranged: Dexterity +2
Constitution: d6 []+1 []+2 []+3
--Fortitude: Constitution +2
Intelligence: d6 []+1 []+2 []+3
Wisdom d6 []+1 []+2 []+3
--Survival: Wisdom +2
--Perception: Wisdom +3
Charisma: d4 []+1 []+2
Powers
Hand Size: 5 []6 []7
Proficient With: [x] Weapons [x]Light Armor
When you play a weapon with the ranged trait, you may recharge it ([]or another card) instead of discarding it.
At the start of your turn you may recharge a card to examine the top card of another location.
[]If you are dealt damage before the encounter, succeed at a Perception 8 check to reduce the damage by 2.
Cards
Weapons: 4 []5
Spells: – []1 []2 []3
Armors: 1 []2
Items: 3 []4
Allies: 3 []4 []5
Blessings: 4 []5 []6
Role: Marksman
Hand Size: 5 []6 []7 []8
Proficient With: [x] Weapons [x]Light Armor
When you play a weapon with the ranged trait, you may ([]shuffle it into your deck or) recharge it ([]or another card) instead of discarding it.
At the start of your turn you may recharge a card to examine the top card of another location.
[]If you are dealt damage before ([]or after) the encounter, succeed at a Perception 8 check to reduce the damage by 2 ([]3) ([]4).
[]When you play a weapon with the Ranged trait, you may draw a card.
[]Treat any 1 rolled on your combat check as the maximum number for that die.
[]When you play Blessing of Erastil, add d12 instead of the normal die.
Role: Arcane Archer
Hand Size: 5 []6 []7 []8
Proficient With: [x] Weapons [x]Light Armor
When you play a weapon with the Ranged trait, you may recharge it ([]or another card) instead of discarding it.
At the start of your turn you may recharge a card to examine the top card of another location.
[]If you are dealt damage before the encounter, succeed at a Perception 8 check to reduce the damage by 2.
[]You gain the skill Arcane: Intelligence +2
[]Add 2 ([]4) to your Arcane check to recharge a card.
[]You may recharge a spell to add 1d4 ([]+1) ([]+2) and the traits of the spell to a combat check when you play a weapon with the Ranged trait.
[]When you play Blessing of Erastil, add d12 instead of the normal die.
Looks really interesting. I like the idea of the arcane archer.
One thing I wonder- how likely is it that the Arcane Archer will actualy be able to acquire spells? His intelligence is only a D6 - even with max power feats, that's D6+5 for Arcane.
obviously, a basic spell will still work for his recahrge ability, but I wondered whether there was scope to upgrade the Arcane bonus- maybe something like this
"[]add 2 ([]4) to your Arcane check to recharge ([] or acquire) a card."
|
|
I was thinking the other day: I kind of hope that Clairian Arrowsong makes it into the Bard character deck as a character that has the arcane archer on the role card.
http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/npcCodex/prestige/arcaneArcher.html
The coolest power here is the idea of recharging a spell to make it "power" an arrow and add the traits to the arrow (fire arrow, ice arrow, acid arrow, etc.).
Overall, I think it's a pretty interesting character. One suggestion I would make is that your perception to reduce damage power be changed to stealth.
I like your recharge weapon (the checkbox for another card is perfect btw).
One of the things I'm wondering is: if you have no melee focus (at all), why do you have 1d10 strength? As a hyper ranged focus character, you might get more mileage out of having (say) 1d8 int, especially if you plan on having arcane at a later date.
Overall, I think it's a pretty interesting character. One suggestion I would make is that your perception to reduce damage power be changed to stealth.
I like your recharge weapon (the checkbox for another card is perfect btw).
One of the things I'm wondering is: if you have no melee focus (at all), why do you have 1d10 strength? As a hyper ranged focus character, you might get more mileage out of having (say) 1d8 int, especially if you plan on having arcane at a later date.
Well, I thought him having another skill like Stealth wouldn't maybe make sense. Perception does (he has to have good eyesight) and thematically, I though he was seeing things coming and getting out of the way (or at least partially out of the way).
The d10 strength is for the longbows. I wanted him to be the best with longbows. That was really the whole place he started. Harsk, by comparison, doesn't tend to do well with longbows since he only has d6 for strength. If you factor out his range bonus, Merisiel, Sajan, Valero and even Amiri get better dice from a longbow than Harsk does. Compared to the crossbows, they do tend to give an extra die for discard more commonly, but for just their reveal Harsk would seem to be better off with almost any crossbow than a longbow. So I wanted a character with the Ranged skill who would really want longbows.
fair enough. I tend to forget about longbows in general.