10 lvl Archer with +10 / +10 / +10 / +5 to hit.

[Lao Haeris]

Evening everyone,

I have a Wizard 1/Eldritch Knight 9 focusing on archery. (wizard is divination/scryer for early entry, and the weapons requirements was houseruled by my GM as not necessary mainly because I play as an elf that have proficiency with Longbows).

Even though I am almost full BAB character I struggle greatly with my +hit. I know this is largely because we wear no gear at all (seriously, nothing) but I was wondering if there is something I may be doing wrong. The -2 from manyshot and -3 from deadly aim bring my accuracy down to +10.... at 10 level. Are enchantments and +points in dext really add up to my accuracy that much? Cause I was hoping that my full BAB will be sufficient to the odd no-gear campaign we re playing.

I am sorry if I do sound oblivious or stupid, but I am afraid I might be both when it comes to such stuff.

My stats are:

1 - (1 W) Point Blank Shot, Scribe Scroll
2 - (EK 1) bonus feat: Precise Shot (from EK)
3 - (EK 2) Rapid Shot
5 - (EK 4) Arcane Strike
6 - (EK 5) bonus feat: Deadly Aim (from EK)
7 - (EK 6) Manyshot
9 - (EK 8) Weapon Specialization
10 - (EK 9) Bonus feat: Weapon Focus: Longbow (from EK)

My stats are:

str. 14
dex. 17 + 2 (racial) +1 (8th lvl) = 20
con. 14
int. 15 + 2 (racial) +1 (4th lvl) = 18
wis. 10
cha. 7

What do you guys suggest for me to do?

[Seannoss]

Take greater weapon focus. Memorize spells like cat's grace, greater magic weapon and haste that add to hit.

Hitting is more important than extra damage. If you find yourself missing then don't use feats that lower your to hit.

[Rerednaw]

Also this may not be obvious but the Deadly Aim penalty is optional you don't have to take the penalty if don't apply the benefits.

Manyshot doesn't have an attack penalty. Rapid shot does, but you do not have to use Manyshot with Rapid shot.

I do not know how the GM runs his campaign, but a 10th level party could run into CR 10-12 creatures. The average AC for CR 10 through 12 monsters is 24-27. So +10 for your best attack is probably a bit low.

Your attack sequence then becomes +10+5(dx)+1(wf)=+16/+11. With the first attack doing double damage. With rapid shot +14/+14/+9 which is acceptable.

+1 on buffs, if you don't have items use spells. Greater Magic Weapon at 10th level lasts all day long and would net you another +3 to hit and +3 damage. That brings you up to +17/+17/+12 for Rapid+Manyshot. Also your party should have Heroism (or Heroes Feast). That grants another +2/+2 on top. It lasts 10 min/lvl so normally that's plenty of time if you cast it before battle or heading into the dungeon.

So...Manyshot, Rapid shot, GMW, Heroism: +19/+19/+14.
With Deadly Aim on top of that: +16/+16/+11.

When combat starts, Haste: +17(two arrows)/+17(rapid)/+17(haste)/+12.

If you don't have spells available then I'll need to know more info about this game...what you can and cannot have, wealth, foes, setting, etc...

[Zilfrel Findadur]

Bracers of archery, magic bow, cast heroism, haste and tell your cleric to buff you with divine spells. Aid, divine favor, etc.

[Magda Luckbender]

You have CRB arcane spells that can help a lot with your archery to hit:

3rd level: Greater Magic Weapon at 10th level gives an all-day +2 +2, assuming you don't have a magic bow. Heroism also has long duration and gives another +2 to hit. Haste gives +1 to hit and an extra arrow, but is short duration in-combat only.

2nd level: Cat's Grace gives +2 to hit for 10 minutes, plus other benefits. Alter Self could turn you into a small humanoid e.g. wayang that gives you +2 DEX (+1 to hit) with no STR penalty.

* Does your party have either a Bard or a Cleric/Oracle? Both can toss out a variety of all-party bonuses. Ask them to please do so.

If you stack all your minute-per-level-and-longer buffs before a fight starts you can get at least an extra +7 to hit. Not quite as good as a divine caster can do, but totally respectable.

If you had dimestore access to cheap (under 1000 gp cost) magic items you could situationally add about another +5 to hit. Personally, I'm glad to see no-magic-shop games, and send your GM kudos.

[RainyDayNinja]

You should be able to keep Heroism and Greater Magic Weapon up at all times, which is +4 to hit and +2 damage right there. For the first round of combat, a Cat's Grace or Haste will boost you even more.

[Deadmanwalking]

Well, let's see, assuming a +2 bow and a +2 Belt of Dex, plus Bracers of the Falcon...yeah, that's a +4 right there from gear. Gear matters.

As for what you can do, sans items, as others note Heroism, Greater Magic Weapon, and Cat's Grace add +6 to hit right there. And Haste makes it +7, for a +17/+17/+17/+17/+12 routine. Which isn't too shabby.

[Trogdar]

Poor poor non casters... Unless there aren't any, in which case way to go players :)

[Argus The Slayer]

Greater Weapon Focus is higher priority for you than Weapon Specialization. Weapon Specialization is probably stronger for you than Deadly Aim, although Deadly aim can do more damage, in some situations where you have a lot of offensive buffs up.

As somebody stated above: +attack is way more important for you than +damage.