So I have been trying to figure out a good build for an arcane archer and with the release of the Blood of the Beast Player Companion that has the alternate trait that allows kitsune the option to take a +2 for Intelligence instead of Charisma I thought it would be cool to make a Kitsune Arcane Archer. I think the Myrmidarch magus archetype is the best for the arcane archer route, but the archetype kind of makes you choose between taking multiple attacks with feats like rapid shot and multishot or taking one shot that is backed up with spell power. I know many will say that archers need to use rapid shot and multishot, but I compared the damage potential and with some work the one shot route can actually be just as good. With the rapid shot and multishot at level 11 (this is for pfs)if all four shots hit I'd be doing 1d8+1d6(elemental damage from the arcane pool)+7(2 enhancement bonus, 2 weapon specialization, 2 weapon training with dueling gloves, and 1 from point blank shot)for an average of about 11 damage per shot, where as if I took one shot with an intensified rime snowball on it(using magical lineage with snowball) it would deal 1d8+1d6+10d6+7 for an average of 44 points of damage but also staggering and entangling the target. The average damage potential is actually almost the same. I'm curious to see what people think of this idea, but also if I choose to build around making that one shot matter what feats or other options would help that build?
Are you just using myrmidarch to get weapon and armor training? Because otherwise you can just go Eldritch Archer.
Deadly Aim can also raise the damage if your attack bonus is high enough to afford it, and while a kitsune may lack strength bonus it's a standard part of archery damage. Without either it's going to skew the comparison obviously. Note that at 11th level you could alternately cast Scorching Ray and use a full attack to add one ray to each of the first 3 shots.
For levels 1-10 though you won't have that option. Ranged Spellstrike will be a standard action from levels 4-10 - you could possibly get Bullseye Shot to use your move action for a +4 attack.
If you don't go for rapid shot etc. at all then you might be able to afford Mounted Archery and buy a horse or something.
Myrmidarch also stacks with Eldritch Archer, so you can be both simultaneously and not give up much.
Yeah, but EA isn't PFS legal for some reason.
Myrmidarch also stacks with Eldritch Archer, so you can be both simultaneously and not give up much.
Huh, I'll be damned. I didn't know that until you mentioned it and I went to go look to make sure.
Yeah, but EA isn't PFS legal for some reason.
To be fair, he didn't say anything about PFS. Also as I recall PFS banned EA basically because they took one look at a ranged archer-style magus that didn't give up any of its important bits (Like saddling it with Diminished Casting or taking away Spell Recall like Myrmidarch) and said, "NOPE. Too OP"
To be fair, he didn't say anything about PFS.
at level 11 (this is for pfs)
Also as I recall PFS banned EA basically because they took one look at a ranged archer-style magus that didn't give up any of its important bits (Like saddling it with Diminished Casting or taking away Spell Recall like Myrmidarch) and said, "NOPE. Too OP"
IMO losing the ability to hold the charge is an important bit. Swing and miss with a shocking grasp-loaded scimitar and you can try again on the next attack. Shoot someone with a snowball-loaded arrow and miss and it's gone. EA loses the ability to do the former, Myrmidiarch doesn't.
Derp, yeah, I missed it. It wasn't capitalized. :P
I'm sure that doesn't matter to the PFS mods.