Hi, everyone. I'm working on a new character and I'd like to know if you think it can be improved. It's an archer ranger, and there are three conditions it has to meet:
- Small race, preferably halfling (I know medium-sized races, specially human, would work better, but bear with me on this one)
- Trapfinding (no one else in the group has this)
- Focused on ranged attack (plenty of melee and magic power already in the party)
This is what I have so far, a small bastard with a small longbow:
Ranger (Guide,Urban Ranger)
Starting Attributes (using 20-point buy):
Str 13 (15-2), Dex 18 (16+2), Con 12, Int 10, Wis 13, Cha 10 (8+2).
Increments at levels 4, 8, 12, 16 and 20: STR, WIS, DEX, DEX, ?.
Race: Halfling ("fleet of foot" alternate racial trait)
Favoured Class: Ranger, which will go from level 1 to 20 (I'll always choose +1 hp/level).
Feats by level:
- 1: Point Blank Shot
- 2: Precise Shot (ranger archery combat style)
- 3: Rapid Shot
- 5: Deadly Aim
- 6: Improved Precise Shot (ranger archery combat style)
- 7: Combat Reflexes
- 9: Snap Shot
- 10: Manyshot (ranger archery combat style)
- 11: Improved Snap Shot
- 13: Clustered Shots
- 14: Point Blank Master (ranger archery combat style)
- 15: Shot on the Run
- 17: Weapon Focus (Longbow)
- 19: ?
Thoughts? Ideas? Comments?
Thank you very much in advance!
Hi, everyone. I'm working on a new character and I'd like to know if you think it can be improved. It's an archer ranger, and there are three conditions it has to meet:
- Small race, preferably halfling (I know medium-sized races, specially human, would work better, but bear with me on this one)
Actually, small size is pretty solid for ranged builds. The primary concerns of small size (bad CMB, Dex>Str) aren't necessarily a problem for a ranged build, also, a stealth build benefits nicely from that nice +4. You are going to be hitting pretty consistently between the small size bonus and the increase to Dex.
The main concern with going halfling is doing damage. This makes Deadly Aim all that much more important, as well as picking those favored enemies carefully.
Starting Attributes (using 20-point buy):
Str 13 (15-2), Dex 18 (16+2), Con 12, Int 10, Wis 13, Cha 10 (8+2).
Increments at levels 4, 8, 12, 16 and 20: STR, WIS, DEX, DEX, ?.
Here's where I might make a switch. If I had 20 points with a Halfling archer-ranger I would probably go:
Str: 14 (10 points) Dex: 18 (10 points) Con 12 (2 points) Int 10 (0 points) Wis 12 (2 points) Cha 9 (-4 points).
Then with Stat increases I would go Str/Str/Dex/Dex
1) Consider the small size longbow. With 13 Str it's 4.5 average damage (not point blank, no favored enemy), with 14 it's 5.5 - that's a significant % difference (not going to calculate - somewhere around 20%)
Giving up 1 Wis really doesn't hurt. You actually can probably get by without ever raising it to 14. You can probably get a +2 wis item by level 11 (the first time you'll really need it).
Also, 9 Cha is plenty for a Ranger that probably will not have social skills...
The other option is to get Deadly Aim at level 1. Then you might get by with a Str of 12. You could then go Dex 19 for the quick up to 20 at level 4.
Oh, and get a pipe. All halfing characters need to smoke a pipe. I think it's a rule.
Race: Halfling ("fleet of foot" alternate racial trait)
Have you considered grabbing a wolf as your animal companion and going mounted? If so, you can get by without sure-footed (Outrider probably a better choice.) I'm particularly fond of halfings as mounted archers since their mounts can usually go in dungeons and the like. You can probably get by with a riding dog until level 4... (Just a suggestion. Archers have to full attack to get use of their feats - a mounted archer can move and full attack)
Also, maybe consider adaptive luck. It's a bit more paperwork, but it's pretty awesome.
Feats by level:
- 1: Point Blank Shot
- 2: Precise Shot (ranger archery combat style)
- 3: Rapid Shot
- 5: Deadly Aim
If you go Str 14 off the bat, this is a decent order - otherwise at least consider getting Deadly Aim at level 1.
- 6: Improved Precise Shot (ranger archery combat style)
- 7: Combat Reflexes
- 9: Snap Shot
- 10: Manyshot (ranger archery combat style)
- 11: Improved Snap Shot
- 13: Clustered Shots
- 14: Point Blank Master (ranger archery combat style)
- 15: Shot on the Run
- 17: Weapon Focus (Longbow)
- 19: ?
I would take Manyshot at level 6 everytime. That's an extra shot at your highest attack bonus every round. I know IPS sounds better because the requirements are more, but it's ultimately circumstantial. Get the extra arrow and you'll be hitting MORE.
Hit WITH more by getting clustered shots at level 7 (I'm mimicking the first response I guess). DR is a pain with arrows, but that takes care of the problem.
Unfortunately Snap Shot requires Weapon Focus so you have to rearrange the order of the rest of your feats to make it legal.
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I'd go IPS at 6th because it creeps up in just about every combat. Manyshot at 7th because you can. If you do it the other way you have to wait until 10th or 11th to get IPS - which sucks.
Also, drop the Guide Archetype. If you are playing to 20th level, you'll regret taking guide for half the game. Instant Enemy is just too good and gives you the flexibility that Ranger's Focus gives you.
That's what I'd do.
Thanks for the help everyone!
I forgot to point out that, in order not to slow down play too much, my DM only allows one animal companion/follower/eidolon in the whole party, and since there is already one I can't get hunter's boon in the form of an animal companion (one of the reasons I took Guide Archetype is because the loss of hunter's boon wouldn't hurt as much).
Maybe Favored Enemy with Instant Enemy is still better, in which case I can drop the Guide archetype nevertheless. Do you think the Hunter's Bond bonus to companions is worth losing a move action? Or should I stick to making full attacks and forget about Hunter's Bond? There are four other weapon attackers in the party, and my wisdom should be around 14 for most of my build, so I would lose a move action every other level.
I chose combat reflexes at 7 (thus delaying either Manyshot or IPS) in order to be able to make full use of Improved Snap Shot as soon as I hit level 11 (the campaign will probably only get to level 15, 17 tops). Now that I know I have to take Weapon Focus before Snap Shot (I missed that one!) maybe i will forget about the whole Snap Shot feat tree (I would only benefit fully for a couple of levels, after all, and that's neglecting other very useful feats for most of my progression). This way I will be able to focus on getting Manyshot, IPS and Clustered shots as soon as possible, but then I'm looking at some empty feats from level 11 or 13. Any ideas with this new feat progression?
- 1: Deadly Aim
- 2: Point Blank Shot (ranger archery combat style)
- 3: Precise Shot
- 5: Rapid Shot
- 6: Improved Precise Shot (ranger archery combat style)
- 7: Manyshot
- 9: Clustered Shots
- 10: Point Blank Master (ranger archery combat style)
- 11: Weapon Focus (Longbow)?
- 13: ?
- 14: Shot on the Run (ranger archery combat style)
- 15: ?
- 17: ?
Lastly, do you consider Gravity Bow a must for small characters too? For medium characters it implies +2.5 damage bonus (from 1d8 to 2d6), but for small characters it's only +1 damage bonus (from 1d6 to 1d8).
Thanks again everyone for your comments and suggestions.
Well no, Gravity Bow isn't important for small archers. Aspect of the Falcon may be handy if you want a direct combat buff spell but IME you often won't have time to cast such - if the enemies are already in sight and there's no surprise round it's probably better just to shoot them. The latter spell may occasionally be useful for its perception buff too.
As far as later feats go it might be worth picking up Craft Magic Arms & Armor to make your own arrows. It requires a little investment in Craft or Spellcraft.
Other useful feats might be Iron Will (boring but worthwhile), Impact Critical Shot (rarely useful but fun when it occurs) and Improved Initiative.
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I think you still need Weapon Focus before Pointblank Master. I think your running into the problem faced by non-human archer rangers: not enough feats!
If you can't have an animal companion (Treatmonks advice yo ride a wolf/dog is very good), you may want to consider either a dip into fighter for an extra feat or have you thought about a Zen Archer?
I play a "Ranger" that is actually a Zen Archer that worships Erastil and has ranks in survival. The nice things about ZAM is that they get all the archery stuff for free.
@avr, having checked Aspect of the Falcon, I think I agree that it's better than Gravity Bow for small archers, thanks for the tip. It also synergizes nicely with Impact Critical Shot!
@Krojdin, I thought If I got Pointblank Master as a Ranger Combat Style bonus feat I could ignore any feat prerequisites, am I mistaken? Zen Archer is a neat concept, but I really wanted trapfinding (I am aware that it may not be that important, but still). I also agree with Treatmonk on the usefulness of a medium-sized mount allowing me to move and full attack, but I guess my wizard can always conjure a pony for me (level 1 spell), and I can always use Wartrain Mount (level 1 ranger spell) on it to ride it in combat. Fragile but very easily replaceable.
BTW, I know there are cheap arrows (blunt arrows, I think) that deal bludgeoning damage. Are there similar arrows that deal slashing damage?
I'm learning a lot, thanks!
Nadlor, you're right about prereqs for the combat style feats. Not an issue ("He can choose feats from his selected combat style, even if he does not have the normal prerequisites.")
No slashing arrows that I know of, though Elves of Golarion has a lot of specialised ammo & the APG and Adventurer's Armory have some more.