So after the horrific death of my original character. I decided to come up with a Fighter Archer and wanted to very much focus on doing a lot of damage. Unfortunately I worked it so I did a total of 4d8 + 52 damage with a full round attack with a combination of rapid shot, many shot and deadly aim. I didn't think that this would be too bad but one of the players in our party (a wizard) has got horribly grumpy about this a snow spends whole encounters casting buffs on him (eg Bulls strength, shield and Mage armour). He's a really good friend and I dont want this to become an argument but the DM doesn't like retraining and I don't know how to minorly nerf myself without it being too obvious...
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If the wizard is upset that the fighter is OP, I think the obvious solution is to level up.
Mage Armor is something that should be cast at the beginning of the day considering how long it lasts. Bull's Strength is usually better off just being a stat item.
Shield is a good buff but wastes an action to cast. I recommend using that Quicken Spell feat (preferably in rod form) to get better action economy going.
Really it's the action economy that's killing your wizard's fun.
Then again, not really sure what the wizard I'd built for.
Wizards aren't supposed to be good at dealing damage. What's the problem? The wizard just needs to focus on other things than trying to out DPR martial characters.
Is he upset because he wanted to be the damage dealer? If so, he didn't chose the right class.
If that's the case, he will be a lot happier rebuilding as a magus.
If the wizard doesn't like spending all his combats casting buff spells then he can just not cast them?
Haha. Should have pointed out that he's just doing it in protest. I think he's just doing it to annoy everyone. And we are sixth level
Haha. Should have pointed out that he's just doing it in protest. I think he's just doing it to annoy everyone. And we are sixth level
Sounds like there's a bigger problem here than your DPR. (Which actually sounds low to me, what level are you?)
Talk to him, see if you can find the real problem.
If it really is damage though, he shouldn't be worrying about DPR. He's got spells and abilities that will bypass hit points and take enemies straight out of the fight. He should be using them.
If the wizard is upset that the fighter is OP, I think the obvious solution is to level up.
I feel like I'm taking crazy pills!
but in all seriousness, trying to outdamage a fighter isn't the only way to contribute to a party. In fact the fighter is generally considered weak because that's the ONLY thing he can do.
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If the wizard is upset that the fighter is OP, I think the obvious solution is to level up.I feel like I'm taking crazy pills!
but in all seriousness, trying to outdamage a fighter isn't the only way to contribute to a party. In fact the fighter is generally considered weak because that's the ONLY thing he can do.
Compared to the wizard who can alter reality nigh at will...
Sounds to me like someone with a stick up his butt who doesn't know how to play to his character's mechanical strengths.
Perhaps rather than weakening himself, the OP could teach his friend a thing or two about playing better.
4d8+52 for a full round at lvl 6? Rapid Shot +1 arrow for Bab and +1 Arrow for Mutitshot (that only gets enhance bonus to damage). So that's 2 shots at -4 (one adding a d8) and a third at -9 (bab 6, 4 dex, 1 WF, 1 enh =12). Some work to hit, vs an auto hit spell, but better damage. Not that OP for dmg, say +4 for str, +4 for DS, +2 for weapon spec, +1 for enhancement ...4 arrows for +11 x 4=+44 (must have +2 more per arrow). Just imagine some magic arrows or gravity bow, you will own damage at this lvl, but the wizard will scale up with more lvls, also they get auto hits and AE.
This assumes 2 18s, str/dex, and a couple of good rolls, but not that OP for an archer build. Betting you miss a lot with the third arrow most of the time and then is 3d8+39 (53 avg), vs a 6d6 base FB that if built with some work an 8d6+ (28 avg, but multi targets and saves). Yeah you can shoot every round, and if the mage is spending time buffing the steady damage will win, bit wizards to have things they can do that you simple can't. If he is spending a round casting bull's strength then he is killing his damage, if he is buffing someone else, its granting that round to them. Looks like he might be giving you the buff and you don't need it.
Wait till the wizard can fly or turn invis, then wave your bow and point out that you can't do that.
A fighter will almost always do more single target damage than a caster. There are very few ways to boost the damage of spells. And there are lots of ways to boost weapon attacks.
Wait till the wizard can fly or turn invis, then wave your bow and point out that you can't do that.
Actually, if they're 6th level, the wizard should already be able to do that.
To the OP:
It might not help, but you could explain that you will not be doing full damage all the time.
You will very quickly start running into things with damage reduction and hardness, and you can't get around DR/slashing with a bow. That will take a serious bite out of your bow damage until you can pick up Clustered Shot (and even then it's iffy whether Clustered Shot works against hardness). The wizard can pick spells that get around DR and hardness.
Concealment and cover will ruin your day. (Not sure if your GM is using the cover rules, but in my experience, about 60-70% of ranged attacks should be taking -4 for cover.) Magic Missile ignores both of these.
Swarms are your downfall unless you can pick up a swarmbane clasp. Wizards are awesome against swarms.
And so on.
Your friend might just not be playing the right class. A Wizard should be happy about seeing the Fighter put out gonzo damage because the Wizard is facilitating it; it means he's doing his job as the most powerful support class in the game. If he's not happy with that then the previous advice of him rebuilding to a Magus would be sound.