Str 14
Dex 18
Con 12
Int 14
Wis 10
Cha 8
Fighter 1 (Weapon Master)/Slayer 2/Fighter X
Traits
Armor Expert/ Carefully Hidden
Feats:
1 Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Focused Shot
2 No feat/ Slayer level. Studied Target.
3 Weapon Focus: Longbow. Slayer Talent: Deadly Aim.
4 Improved Initiative
5 Rapid Shot
6 Weapon Specialization. Retrain Focused Shot into Manyshot.
7 Clustered Shots (or Iron Will, if I'm flunking too many Will saves)
8 Disrupting Shot
9 Improved Iron Will or Hammer the Gap
The first four levels of this build are about taking one monster shot. I keep trying to work in Improved Init before level 4, but I really like having a Focused Shot at first level and I really like taking WF and Deadly Aim together, to offset Deadly Aim's penalty to hit.
At fourth level with a +1 Composite Longbow I'm seeing +12/d8+6 or +10/d8+10, with a move action to position or tumble. Or I could five foot and study for +11/d8+11.
The Slayer levels are mostly there to give me Stealth, Acrobatics, and Bluff (every character should be good at least one face skill, right?). The studied strike is icing on the cake; I plan on keeping fairly mobile once I pick up Stealth and all those skill points at level two.
Since she won't be an optimized sneak or acrobat at level one, I'll probably pick up some Medium Armor right away to offset squishiness - Hide for session one and Scale Mail after. After that it's a Chain Shirt plus Ring.
The terrible Will save is bugging me; I'll probably invest in a Cloak of Resistance before getting a Ring.
Slayer does round out your skill options, but thats about all it does it for you.
Have you considered just taking the ranger package? It gets nice skills all the time, and can pretty much do everything else you want. If you're worried about FE being usuable I believe Freebooter archetype is available in PFS.
Slayer does round out your skill options, but thats about all it does it for you.
Have you considered just taking the ranger package? It gets nice skills all the time, and can pretty much do everything else you want. If you're worried about FE being usuable I believe Freebooter archetype is available in PFS.
The Slayer gives me a bucket of skill points, and at 2nd level gives me a bonus feat (either Weapon Training or Crossbow Style Deadly Aim, take your pick). So, no net loss in feats or BAB for the two-level dip, and a massive gain in skills and an ability that will come in very handy at low levels.
Ranger doesn't have the feat slots that I need to keep the arrows flying. And hitting.
EDIT: No, I can't use Studied Target at high levels and still full attack. Dummy.
Why do you need the 14 Int? Just for skills?
Yes. I want the character to be good at something outside of combat.
Also, a 14 Int qualifies her for Focused Shot. At first level that's Deadly Aim without having to miss. And without having her fleet glued to the floor for an extra attack at a -2. (and probably missing twice).
So, not missing because she's going for a headshot and not getting creamed because she stood still and took an extra attack (and probably missed anyway). That's at least a two-point swing.
Once she affords a Compound Longbow she'll be hitting for d8+5, still at level one. This is before buffs from a cleric or a singing bard. With a little luck she'll have an Alchemist handy to poison her arrows.
Later on, when hitting stuff and being mobile isn't such a problem, she can retrain Focused Shot for Manyshot.
Also, I get to play her as clever. I like clever.
Slayer does round out your skill options, but thats about all it does it for you.
Have you considered just taking the ranger package? It gets nice skills all the time, and can pretty much do everything else you want. If you're worried about FE being usuable I believe Freebooter archetype is available in PFS.
Freebooter's Bane doesn't thrill me. It requires my buddies to see and hear me. So, in almost every situation the enemy will also see me, and see that I'm rallying my buddies. That's like a bullseye target.
No thanks. I'd rather hide in the shadows. This is a striker build, not a leader.
Ranger doesn't have the feat slots that I need to keep the arrows flying. And hitting.Huh? Ranger gives you a feat at level 2 from Combat Styles. If you're just going for a 2 level dip it's just as many feats as Slayer.
Taking Ranger levels also lets you use wands of spells from the Ranger spell list without UMD.
Before I'm able to cast spells? Doesn't sound right.
A Slayer has access to Bluff and Knowledge Local. I want those more than Knowledge Nature. And I want a Studied Target more than I want spells.
Spells are someone else's job. This build is for removing hit points from enemy.
EDIT: Looked up Spell Trigger. Guess you're right.
15K for a wand of Cure Moderate Wounds. Money better spent on Magic Armor/Ring of Protection/Cloak of Resistance.
At 12th level a fighter would have 12 feats. At 12th level a ranger will have 10 feats. More importantly ranger gets earlier access to improved precise shot.
Ranger gets 6+int skill points per level, Slayer gets the same. No advantage. Ranger and Slayers have the same access to bonus feats up through relevant levels in PFS. The ranger gets more total, but PFS level cap kicks in before then. The Slayer does have Sneak Attack, which is almost impossobile to use with a bow. They also have studied target which scales at half the rate of FE, but works against anyone. However, as I mentioned the Freebooter gets the same sort of scaling. Yes with Freebooter there is an incentive to be close to your allies to provide them a bonus too, but it's not required that you do so. You don't need to use it and be a leader, this just makes it viable against all targets. You do lose your animal companion, but your Slayer Fighter wouldn't have it either.
After the first round of combat you will not be able to successful hide in all likelihood. As even if you employ sniping tactics (assuming you have something to hide behind) you will still take a -20 to stealth for doing so. Without magical help to improve your stealth you just wont be able to successfully stay hidden and attack.
And Rangers can definitely use wands of all their spells before they have spell casting. This is not directed at you specifically, but people really need to read the wand rules. I see this misunderstanding of the rules far too frequently it seems.
Activation: Wands use the spell trigger activation method, so casting a spell from a wand is usually a standard action that doesn't provoke attacks of opportunity. (If the spell being cast has a longer casting time than 1 action, however, it takes that long to cast the spell from a wand.) To activate a wand, a character must hold it in hand (or whatever passes for a hand, for nonhumanoid creatures) and point it in the general direction of the target or area. A wand may be used while grappling or while swallowed whole.
Spell Trigger: Spell trigger activation is similar to spell completion, but it's even simpler. No gestures or spell finishing is needed, just a special knowledge of spellcasting that an appropriate character would know, and a single word that must be spoken. Spell trigger items can be used by anyone whose class can cast the corresponding spell. This is the case even for a character who can't actually cast spells, such as a 3rd-level paladin. The user must still determine what spell is stored in the item before she can activate it. Activating a spell trigger item is a standard action and does not provoke attacks of opportunity.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
15K for a wand of Cure Moderate Wounds. Money better spent on Magic Armor/Ring of Protection/Cloak of Resistance.
You don't buy a wand of cure moderate. You buy a wand of cure light wounds for 750. This is for out of combat healing, not in combat healing. You are not a primary healer, you are healing up between combat.
A wand of Cure Moderate Wounds heals 2d8+3 (minimum cater level for the spell) which is on average 12 hp per casting. This cost 4500 gp. Please note, wand prices are based on cleric wizard pricing if the spell is on their list. A wand of CMW will heal 600 hp before being used up. That is 7.5 gp per hp.
A wand of cure light wounds heals 1d8+1 for 5.5 hp on average. This cost 750 gp. A wand of cure light will heal 275 hp on average before being used up. That is 2.72 gp per hp healed.
Also, as soon as you can make an extra attack Focused Shot become a mistake. It locks you in to a single specific attack as a standard action for a +2 bonus damage. As soon as you get rapid shot, available at level 1 if you really want it then, you do more damage by firing a second arrow than you do by taking a standard to do focused shot.
|
15K for a wand of Cure Moderate Wounds. Money better spent on Magic Armor/Ring of Protection/Cloak of Resistance.You don't buy a wand of cure moderate. You buy a wand of cure light wounds for 750. This is for out of combat healing, not in combat healing. You are not a primary healer, you are healing up between combat.
A wand Cure Moderate Wounds heals 2d8+3 (minimum cater level for the spell) which is on average 12 hp per casting. This cost 4500 gp. Please note, wand prices are based on cleric wizard pricing if the spell is on their list. A wand of CMW will heal 600 hp before being used up. That is 7.5 gp per hp.
A wand of cure light wounds heals 1d8+1 for 5.5 hp on average. This cost 750 gp. A wand of cure light will heal 275 hp on average before being used up. That is 2.72 gp per hp healed.
Extremely handy! More than once my bard has been the group's only healer in PFS, and he's wand only.
Extremely handy! More than once my bard has been the group's only healer in PFS, and he's wand only.15K for a wand of Cure Moderate Wounds. Money better spent on Magic Armor/Ring of Protection/Cloak of Resistance.You don't buy a wand of cure moderate. You buy a wand of cure light wounds for 750. This is for out of combat healing, not in combat healing. You are not a primary healer, you are healing up between combat.
A wand Cure Moderate Wounds heals 2d8+3 (minimum cater level for the spell) which is on average 12 hp per casting. This cost 4500 gp. Please note, wand prices are based on cleric wizard pricing if the spell is on their list. A wand of CMW will heal 600 hp before being used up. That is 7.5 gp per hp.
A wand of cure light wounds heals 1d8+1 for 5.5 hp on average. This cost 750 gp. A wand of cure light will heal 275 hp on average before being used up. That is 2.72 gp per hp healed.
Indeed, and usually in combat healing is poor use of combat turns unless someone is about to be knocked unconcious or die, as the ability to deal damage is so much greater than the ability to heal. It is better to kill than enemy than heal most of the time. So out of combat healing is the primary concern.
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
I have a PFS fighter-archer character who is a Seeker.
Firstly, I would advice you not to go with just 10 wis, try placing more points into it. Even if it is just to a 12.
I have seen way too many games ending badly due to the damage dealer getting dominated. Carefully Hidden is a very good choice!
As a damage dealer you will want great will save, because if you get dominated, chances are the party is doomed.
Secondly, Your explanation for Focused Shot is sound, but I would still advise you take up Rapid Shot or some other feat instead. The extra damage for a single shot is just not worth it.
Playing an archer from lv 1, you will realize your play style changes as you level up. You start off as more of a support role, playing second fiddle to front loaded classes like the barbarian or summoner, but as you level, you will get a lot better and outpace the other classes
As a Fighter-archer, you want to focus on getting as much static damage on your arrows. Weapon training + dueling gloves, weapon specializations and its greater version, are what separates a fighter archer from rangers or zen archers.
Basically, you fire 1-2 less shots, but you hit better and deal more damage per shot.
Your selection of Clustered Shots is well chosen! That feat is almost a must have at higher levels. Especially in the face of robots and demons, all with DR. While others cry over DR, you can scoff at it.
Finally, I would suggest Combat Reflexes + Snap Shot and Improved Snap Shot line over Disrupting Shot.
The reasons are:
1) The Snap Shot line is almost a fighter exclusive, due to the number of feats required. Most other archer types like the zen archer or ranger can't afford the feats to enter this line.
2) As you have mentioned above, you want to remove hit points from enemies. And from my own experience in PFS games, it is almost always better to full round attack and deal as much damage as possible to an enemy, instead of readying an action to disrupt their spellcasting.
A dead enemy can do nothing!
3) While Disrupting Shot is good, it requires a ready action. This means you are dealing no damage that turn. As a damage dealer, you should be hurting something every turn.
4) The snap shot line give you the ability to dead damage to other out of your turn. And with the Improved version, you just need to stay (15ft) of a spell caster and most of them will start casting spells, think you can't do anything cos you are just an archer.
All archer builds are good, each bring something different to the table. The most important ability is to not get mind-controlled!
EDIT!: One VERY IMPORTANT thing to add. Grab the following Ranged Weapon Qualities on your Bow ASAP!: (from most important to least)
1) Impervious - Your Bow is your life! Don't allow it to be sundered, or made useless with a simple spell like Warp Wood. Impervious will protect your bow and make it tougher and protected from spells like Warp Wood or a rust monster.
2) Seeking - Got an invisible enemy? Facing a caster with the Blur spell? Or Mirror image? Fog? Seeking solves all those problems. Target the right square and you won't have to roll for a miss chance.
3) Adaptive - Planning to get a Str boost from bull strength? Or a +2 str belt/ioun stone later? Adaptive is a cheap way to up your Str rating on your bow, when you need it as you need it.
4) Holy (optional) - You should not much problems hitting targets as you reach higher levels. Holy is a great way to get more damage per hit. More so as your an archer! With 4-6 attacks at mid lvls, each hit by an arrow nets 2d6 damage against the most common enemy alignment type.
5) Glamered (optional) - Some times... you will have no choice, but to enter a location without your weapons, or your weapon may be peacebonded. This helps in sneaking your bow across.
Now a bow is useless without arrows so get a normal quiver or 2 in a handy haversack or better yet a Pathfinder Pouch and your set to pull out a weapon, when your enemies expect none.
Hope all this helps! And enjoy playing a fighter-archer.
I have a PFS fighter-archer character who is a Seeker.
Firstly, I would advice you not to go with just 10 wis, try placing more points into it. Even if it is just to a 12.
I have seen way too many games ending badly due to the damage dealer getting dominated. Carefully Hidden is a very good choice!
As a damage dealer you will want great will save, because if you get dominated, chances are the party is doomed.Secondly, Your explanation for Focused Shot is sound, but I would still advise you take up Rapid Shot or some other feat instead. The extra damage for a single shot is just not worth it.
Playing an archer from lv 1, you will realize your play style changes as you level up. You start off as more of a support role, playing second fiddle to front loaded classes like the barbarian or summoner, but as you level, you will get a lot better and outpace the other classes
As a Fighter-archer, you want to focus on getting as much static damage on your arrows. Weapon training + dueling gloves, weapon specializations and its greater version, are what separates a fighter archer from rangers or zen archers.
Basically, you fire 1-2 less shots, but you hit better and deal more damage per shot.Your selection of Clustered Shots is well chosen! That feat is almost a must have at higher levels. Especially in the face of robots and demons, all with DR. While others cry over DR, you can scoff at it.
Finally, I would suggest Combat Reflexes + Snap Shot and Improved Snap Shot line over Disrupting Shot.
The reasons are:
1) The Snap Shot line is almost a fighter exclusive, due to the number of feats required. Most other archer types like the zen archer or ranger can't afford the feats to enter this line.
2) As you have mentioned above, you want to remove hit points from enemies. And from my own experience in PFS games, it is almost always better to full round attack and deal as much damage as possible to an enemy, instead of readying an action to disrupt their spellcasting.
A dead enemy can do...
You're probably right about the Will save. I had actually toyed around with dipping a level or two of Investigator - far as I know, this is the only non-monk class with good saves in Will and Reflex (what the fighter lacks). I couldn't justify nerfing my BAB and didn't want to bother with extracts.
I am considering dropping Charisma another point to get that +1.
1) I had played around with this, but I feel like it just eats up too many feats, and worse, it puts me toe-to-toe with the enemy. I dumped Constitution down to 12 because I wanted to avoid this. I should be nowhere near the rabid trollbears or whatever when they're full attacking. Also, my 6th level feats are full and Improved Snap doesn't even kick in until level 9, when I REALLY shouldn't be standing within 15' of the dire dragon devils with their crispy skunk auras or whatever. This feels more like a Switch Hitter/Stabbing Shot kind of feat.
3) I agree that Disrupting Shot is circumstantial. It wouldn't really come out until the the party is getting Pwned by a major caster. Probably one I can hardly hit with a full attack due to something like Displacement. This is when my Weapon Master reroll will come in handy.
You're right that it limits me to once per round. But on the other hand I get to do it every round, which could potentially swing the battle. Say if my melee troops are bogged down with the enemy caster's entangle spell, or if he's summoning more undead trollbear minions every round, it might turn the tide if I'm goofing up his spells every round. The penalty to concentration doesn't care about a bad guy's DR or his immunity to piercing damage or his fast healing.
EDIT!: One VERY IMPORTANT thing to add. Grab the following Ranged Weapon Qualities on your Bow ASAP!: (from most important to least)
1) Impervious - Your Bow is your life! Don't allow it to be sundered, or made useless with a simple spell like Warp Wood. Impervious will protect your bow and make it tougher and protected from spells like Warp Wood or a rust monster.2) Seeking - Got an invisible enemy? Facing a caster with the Blur spell? Or Mirror image? Fog? Seeking solves all those problems. Target the right square and you won't have to roll for a miss chance.
3) Adaptive - Planning to get a Str boost from bull strength? Or a +2 str belt/ioun stone later? Adaptive is a cheap way to up your Str rating on your bow, when you need it as you need it.
4) Holy (optional) - You should not much problems hitting targets as you reach higher levels. Holy is a great way to get more damage per hit. More so as your an archer! With 4-6 attacks at mid lvls, each hit by an arrow nets 2d6 damage against the most common enemy alignment type.
5) Glamered (optional) - Some times... you will have no choice, but to enter a location without your weapons, or your weapon may be peacebonded. This helps in sneaking your bow across.
Now a bow is useless without arrows so get a normal quiver or 2 in a handy haversack or better yet a Pathfinder Pouch and your set to pull out a weapon, when your enemies expect none.
1) This is a good suggestion. Also note that a Weapon Master gets a (tiny) bonus vs. all that stuff with his chosen Weapon.
2) Seeking? Natch.
3) Is this worth a +1? Couldn't I just adjust the level of the Compound Bow?
4) 3rd level sneak attack damage against ALL CREATURES OF AN EVIL ALIGNMENT? Well, how often is that going to come up in PFS? (Yes, please). Hmm, this could also serve as a poor man's detect evil.
5) Glamered - this is interesting, but kind of circumstantial. For four grand I think I'll pass. If I can't take my bow into the party, I think I'd rather not enter the club and instead use stealth to sneak in through the back or sit up in the rafters and keep a bird's eye view of the party.
Ideally I should have an intelligent Seeking Weapon that can cast Echolocation once a day. I have no idea if this even feasible in PFS.
Of note on the will save - you can always spend a trait to get as much benefit as 2 points of wisdom. Not an amazing trait - but good if you don't have any other traits you really want.
What do you mean exactly?
|
3) Adaptive - Planning to get a Str boost from bull strength? Or a +2 str belt/ioun stone later? Adaptive is a cheap way to up your Str rating on your bow, when you need it as you need it.
4) Holy (optional) - You should not much problems hitting targets as you reach higher levels. Holy is a great way to get more damage per hit. More so as your an archer! With 4-6 attacks at mid lvls, each hit by an arrow nets 2d6 damage against the most common enemy alignment type.
3) Is this worth a +1? Couldn't I just adjust the level of the Compound Bow?
4) 3rd level sneak attack damage against ALL CREATURES OF AN EVIL ALIGNMENT? Well, how often is that going to come up in PFS? (Yes, please). Hmm, this could also serve as a poor man's detect evil.
3) Only if you plan on buying a completely new Composite bow every time your strength gets adjusted. And if someone hits you with a drain and you can no longer use your non-adaptive bow then you're screwed.
4) I can pretty much guarantee at least once a scenario as the bad guy at the end is almost always evil (at least in my experience). I do remember a Chaotic Neutral one once, though..
Of note on the will save - you can always spend a trait to get as much benefit as 2 points of wisdom. Not an amazing trait - but good if you don't have any other traits you really want.What do you mean exactly?
Indomitable Faith: You were born in a region where
your faith was not popular, yet you never abandoned it.
Your constant struggle to maintain your own faith has
bolstered your drive; you gain a +1 trait bonus on Will
saves as a result.
3) Adaptive - Planning to get a Str boost from bull strength? Or a +2 str belt/ioun stone later? Adaptive is a cheap way to up your Str rating on your bow, when you need it as you need it.
4) Holy (optional) - You should not much problems hitting targets as you reach higher levels. Holy is a great way to get more damage per hit. More so as your an archer! With 4-6 attacks at mid lvls, each hit by an arrow nets 2d6 damage against the most common enemy alignment type.
3) Is this worth a +1? Couldn't I just adjust the level of the Compound Bow?
4) 3rd level sneak attack damage against ALL CREATURES OF AN EVIL ALIGNMENT? Well, how often is that going to come up in PFS? (Yes, please). Hmm, this could also serve as a poor man's detect evil.
3) Only if you plan on buying a completely new Composite bow every time your strength gets adjusted. And if someone hits you with a drain and you can no longer use your non-adaptive bow then you're screwed.
Sure, worth a thousand bucks.
3) Adaptive - Planning to get a Str boost from bull strength? Or a +2 str belt/ioun stone later? Adaptive is a cheap way to up your Str rating on your bow, when you need it as you need it.
4) Holy (optional) - You should not much problems hitting targets as you reach higher levels. Holy is a great way to get more damage per hit. More so as your an archer! With 4-6 attacks at mid lvls, each hit by an arrow nets 2d6 damage against the most common enemy alignment type.
3) Is this worth a +1? Couldn't I just adjust the level of the Compound Bow?
4) 3rd level sneak attack damage against ALL CREATURES OF AN EVIL ALIGNMENT? Well, how often is that going to come up in PFS? (Yes, please). Hmm, this could also serve as a poor man's detect evil.
3) Only if you plan on buying a completely new Composite bow every time your strength gets adjusted. And if someone hits you with a drain and you can no longer use your non-adaptive bow then you're screwed.
4) I can pretty much guarantee at least once a scenario as the bad guy at the end is almost always evil (at least in my experience). I do remember a Chaotic Neutral one once, though..
Of note on the will save - you can always spend a trait to get as much benefit as 2 points of wisdom. Not an amazing trait - but good if you don't have any other traits you really want.What do you mean exactly?Indomitable Faith: You were born in a region where
your faith was not popular, yet you never abandoned it.
Your constant struggle to maintain your own faith has
bolstered your drive; you gain a +1 trait bonus on Will
saves as a result.
The dude said worth two points of Wisdom. So I assumed there was a trait that would give you +1 to Perception checks, sense motive, heal checks in addition to Sense Motive. I already picked Carefully Hidden, which is +1 on Will saves AND +2 vs divination (like Discern Lies).
BTW, has anyone ever heard of a spell or effect that's divination and offers a save that doesn't target Will?
Since most of the nasty spells that target Will saves are also Mind-Affecting, I like Sound Of Mind better for this purpose.Firstly, I would advice you not to go with just 10 wis, try placing more points into it. Even if it is just to a 12.
I have seen way too many games ending badly due to the damage dealer getting dominated. Carefully Hidden is a very good choice!
As a damage dealer you will want great will save, because if you get dominated, chances are the party is doomed.
Interesting.
Actually, after doing a little research, pretty much all the offensive Will saves are mind-affecting, even fear effects or illusions like our good friends Color Spray, Phantasmal Killer, Rainbow Pattern. In fact, even divinations like Seek Thoughts are mind-affecting. Necromancies that aren't mind-affecting tend to be Fort saves anyway. Certainly Murderous Command qualifies, which
Done.
Good suggestion.
|
|
The dude said worth two points of Wisdom. So I assumed there was a trait that would give you +1 to Perception checks, sense motive, heal checks in addition to Sense Motive. I already picked Carefully Hidden, which is +1 on Will saves AND +2 vs divination (like Discern Lies).
It's worth 2 points of wisdom in the context of will saves. Sorry if I wasn't clearer.
But yes - if you're going human - Carefully Hidden is better.
Isn't "Deadly Archer" Redundant? All archers are deadly.
Clever Archer, then.
Why use a bow when you can throw a rock?
Because no?
