Hi, everyone.
I'm working on an archery-focused archaeologist bard build. I'd really like to have a way to get point blank master in order to be able to shoot a bow while in melee, but one of its prerequisites is weapon specialization, which I can't get because I'll never have 4 fighter levels.
Is there ANY way I can pull this off without more than a ONE LEVEL dip in another class? Any feat that lets you ignore one prerequisite? Any magic item that counts as meeting one prerequisite or having one feat? Any class feature that allows me to emulate any of those feats at level one? Any spell? Any trait or alternate racial characteristic? Anything?
The ONLY thing I can think of is getting a Nimble Shot bow, but that's AWFULLY expensive and it would also prevent me from getting other nice things (like holy) in it.
Thanks in advance for your time!
Not that i know of.
You could take a one level dip into Warpriest and use the Air blessing. You'd have to worship a deity that gives the air domain, though.
Air blessing is the kind of obscure knowledge that I was looking for! Unfortunately, activating a blessing is a standard action, and that wouldn't be very useful. The idea is to be able to full attack when I'm in melee with an enemy whose reach negates the simple solution of a 5-foot step. Losing a standard is no real answer for that problem, which is relatively common at high levels (where most monsters have reach).
That came really close, though. Is there any way to use a blessing with a swift action? As an alternative, is there any way to gain bowstaff as a known spell? The spell's short duration makes a wand useless (I understand using a wand is always a standard action, even if the spell would normally have a casting time of a swift action), and I assume ring of magic knowledge won't work since bowstaff is always a divine spell.
It won't work with 2 levels of ranger. You can only get it as a combat style feat at ranger level 6,10,14 or 18.
Zen Archer will give you the feat at lv 3, but you also get Weapon Focus and two archery bonus feats along the way.
dip two lvls of ranger
Point Blank Master (Combat)Special: Starting at 6th level, a ranger with the archery combat style may select Point Blank Master as a combat style feat, but he must have Weapon Focus instead of Weapon Specialization in the selected weapon.
At 2nd level, a ranger must select one combat style to pursue. The choices depend on if the APG is being used.
Core Rules only: archery or two-weapon combat.
Weapon Focus (Combat)
Choose one type of weapon. You can also choose unarmed strike or grapple (or ray, if you are a spellcaster) as your weapon for the purposes of this feat.
Prerequisites: Proficiency with selected weapon, base attack bonus +1.
Benefit: You gain a +1 bonus on all attack rolls you make using the selected weapon.
Special: You can gain this feat multiple times. Its effects do not stack. Each time you take the feat, it applies to a new type of weapon.
Weapon Specialization (Combat)
You are skilled at dealing damage with one weapon. Choose one type of weapon (including unarmed strike or grapple) for which you have already selected the Weapon Focus feat. You deal extra damage when using this weapon.
Prerequisites: Proficiency with selected weapon, Weapon Focus with selected weapon, fighter level 4th.
Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus on all damage rolls you make using the selected weapon.
Special: You can gain this feat multiple times. Its effects do not stack. Each time you take the feat, it applies to a new type of weapon.
maybe i am thinking loop holes into this but it says at 6th lvl a ranger can do it not that he has to be a 6th lvl ranger just take the first dip of ranger first or second lvl then the second lvl at 5th or 6th lvl and make sure your main mode of dmg is with the bow. but then i am not your dm so don't rely on any of this to work.
You have to be a sixth level ranger because it does not get added to the list of bonus feat available before 6th level of ranger. All class abilities are based on the class level not the character level unless specifically stated as being class level.
You could always take four levels of Fighter or six levels of Ranger.
*shrug*
He'd be better off with one level in Fighter (or Swashbuckler) followed by three levels in Eldritch Knight. At least he would only end up two levels behind with regards to spells. The Magical Knack trait would be a good idea for this build.
Crossbows can't get me STR bonus to damage, so I'd rather go with composite bows. 5' step works at low levels, when most enemies don't have reach.
Oh, well, I knew it was unlikely. I'd rather lose a full attack now and then than dip 3-4 levels of anything (eldritch knight is not bad, but I'd still lose other class features plus the two levels of spellcasting, which are really annoying on a 2/3 caster class). In those situations, I'll just have to withdraw with acrobatics (or cast defensively) and use my standard to cast some useful spell. Now that I think of it, that wouldn't be in any way less fun than yet another burst of arrows.
Crossbows can't get me STR bonus to damage, so I'd rather go with composite bows. 5' step is a reliable solution at low levels, where most enemies don't have reach.
Oh, well, I knew it was unlikely. I'd rather lose a full attack now and then than dip 3-4 levels of anything (eldritch knight is not bad, but I'd still lose other class features plus the two levels of spellcasting, which are really annoying on a 2/3 caster class). In those situations, I'll just have to withdraw with acrobatics (or cast defensively) and use my standard to cast some useful spell. Now that I think of it, that wouldn't be in any way less fun than yet another burst of arrows.
Thanks a lot everyone for your ideas!
Isn't there a magic weapon enhancement that does that?
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He mentioned that. I don't think anyone mentioned that there is an Ioun stone, rather pricey, that can give a feat.
Edit: Could also consider going Kensai Magus with the bow as your weapon. Won't be able to use Spellstrike, unless you can stack Myrmidarch with Kensai, but it gives full spell progression, if a different spell list, and Kensai levels count as Fighter levels (at a discount) for Combat feats, IIRC.