Looking to build an Archer Slayer and need advice for mid/late game. We are under the following parameters for the build
Starting lvl: 7
Core / APG / ACG only (ARG with DM approval) (Also, no Point Blank Master)
starting Gold: 33k
20 point build / 16 max - 7 min before racials
Here is what I am setup with so far:
Half-Orc pure slayer
Str: 16 (after +1 @ lvl4)
Dex: 20 (16 +2 racial, +2 Belt)
Con: 14
Int: 10
Wis: 12
Cha: 7
Traits: Indomitable Faith / Reactionary
Racials: Sacred Tattoo
Feats:
L1 - Point Blank Shot
L2 - Precise Shot (Several melee in party)
L3 - Deadly Aim
L4 - Weapon Training (Should I choose Bow or my backup weapon - Falchion)
L5 - Rapid Shot
L6 - Improved Precise Shot (Ranger talent)
L6 - Manyshot (Using slayer talent Combat Trick from Human Favored class)
L7 - Power Attack to start beefing up secondary attack
Money is basically spent on standard resistance/protection gear/ +2 Mithral Breastplate / Adaptive Longbow +2 / +1 Falchion / Haversack / Eff Quiver, etc
Which, if any feats would you change (maintaining Archer focus) and what else should I get for the later levels for the mid/late game.
I like the Slayer over the ranger due to its more fluid use of Studied target, and I like more skills or I would have gone fighter.
Thank you
I'd take weapon training on bow, you'll use it much more often than your back up. For back up consider a good one handed weapon, there may be times that you want to draw your melee weapon while keeping your bow in your offhand, and you can use it in both hands when needed.
I also note that you skipped fates favored, replacing indomitable faith with FF would boost reflex and fort as well as will.
You're never use your backup weapon enough to justify Power Attack. I would drop it, change your belt to STR, and take reckless aim feat.
Thanks for the tips. I will go with training for the bow and I like the 1 handed idea. The Falchion was for a few reasons. Switch hitting with 2 handed style, flavor for the half orc and hitting harder with possible sneak attacks (Large crit range being the incentive).
Unfortunately, with the limited books we are allowed (only Core, Advanced Players guide and Advanced Class Guide) I can't get Fate's Favored or Reckless Aim.
This is why I feel a bit stifled with the build. Looking to see how I can grow this character with the limited selection of abilities beyond this point. Switch hitting with 2 handed seemed plausible since it requires less feats than TWF or sword and board (or so it seems, I am fairly new to PF).
As for growing as an archer the only feat I would consider adding later is improved critical. When you get advanced slayer talents at 10th level I advocate evasion and hunter's surprise.
This is going to leave you open feats and/ or talents. Rather than invest more in your backup fighting style I would go for utility and more defense. Deepsight (apg) will double the distance of your darkvision, depending on your gm's style this is gteat for sniping from outside enemy visual range, or lame is all combat is in small rooms. Stalker's focus (acg) is a short duration variable buff, barroom brawler (acg) is a switchable combat feat.
Defensively you have lots of options, increased saves, toughness, dodge, iron hide,
Shahdoh wrote: Unfortunately, with the limited books we are allowed (only Core, Advanced Players guide and Advanced Class Guide) I can't get Fate's Favored or Reckless Aim. Regional and Campaign traits aren't allowed without approval, but the other traits are (nor is there a one per category restriction since, frankly, so many exceptions have been built into the system that it seems pointless).
I'm not fond of Fate's Favored and have considered reducing it to only affect Saving Throws...and I've also considered making Sacred Tattoo a racial bonus. Either way both are legal for now and you'd have the opportunity to rebuild if anything was changed.
Ah, ok, sorry for my noobness, I now see traits as a whole are an exception from the allowed core/advanced books.
Sacred Tattoo is already a racial bonus isnt it?
The bonus from sacred tattoo is a luck bonus, hence the boost from fates favored.
But still a racially gained ability right? ok, gets confusing, thanks for the explanation.
A racial ability that grants a luck bonus. As opposed to a racial ability that grants a racial bonus.
Hmm, what about having a weapon like Sickle and picking up Improved trip, would allow me to deal with whatever dared to close on me?
Typed this to soon, would need combat expertise, and a rework of ability scores... sigh...
The preferred method for dealing with things that close with you is to back up five feet and pincushion them. Spiked gauntlets are a good backup to your backup, they don't need to be drawn and let you attack in melee and range with no wasted actions, sure they are low damage weapons, but low is better than none. Depending on how combats typically flow you might find quickdraw handy, or useless.
Combat manuevers are poor backups, as you level up they will take more investment to keep them working, feats you want to spend on the awesome power of archery.
What are the thoughts on Vital Strike?
Thinking of going with Spiked Gauntlets (Maybe even magical???)
If I cant 5' step away (They have stepup or whichever) I can still punch em and I have a harder hitting gauntlet. If I need to move and fire I effectively get a many shot and still move.
Some revisions:
Starting lvl: 7
Core / APG / ACG only (ARG with DM approval) (Also, no Point Blank Master)
starting Gold: 33k
20 point build / 16 max - 7 min before racials
Here is what I am setup with so far:
Half-Orc pure slayer
Str: 16 (after +1 @ lvl4)
Dex: 20 (16 +2 racial, +2 Belt)
Con: 12
Int: 12 (Wanted more skill points)
Wis: 13 (for keen scent and gain another wis bonus eventually)
Cha: 7
Traits: Fate's Favored (thanks Java Man/Balkoth) / Reactionary
Racials: Sacred Tattoo
Feats:
L1 - Point Blank Shot
L2 - Precise Shot (Several melee in party)
L3 - Deadly Aim
L4 - Weapon Training (Longbow)
L5 - Rapid Shot
L6 - Improved Precise Shot (Ranger talent)
L6 - Manyshot (Using slayer talent Combat Trick from Human Favored class)
L7 - Keen Scent (enhance his tracking/awareness)
L8 - Sniper's Eye or Fast Stealth
L9 - Dodge
L10 - Evasion
L11 - Iron Will
L12 - Parting Shot (Ranger Talent - for escapes)
L13 - ???
L14 - ???
L15 - ???
Money is basically spent on standard resistance/protection gear/ +2 Mithral Breastplate / Adaptive Longbow +2 / +1 Spiked Gauntlet / Masterwork Buckler / Haversack / Eff Quiver, etc
Improved Critical is roughly a 10% damage increase.
As far as I know Improved Precise Shot renders Sniper's Eye superfluous, but people can correct me if I'm mistaken.
From my research, IPS removes the concealment/cover penalty, but it still exists, thus the sneak attack can not be done.
Sniper's Eye allows you to use Sneak Attack when there is concealment, but does not remove the penalty.
Thus, when both are available, sneak attacks (properly triggered) can be done when the target is in concealment without penalty (Cover still prevents SA).
On the other hand, I suppose the DM could make it situational. Such as:
A target is pearing through a space (not total cover), only thing showing is the targets head.
Could theorize the sneak attack damage happening in such a case. Again, that would be situational and totally DM's call.
After you get scent, pickup some pheromone arrows.
nicholas storm wrote: After you get scent, pickup some pheromone arrows. I'm pretty sure those are only in Elves of Golarion, which isn't in the list of usable books.
they are in the alchemy manual.
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