Zen Archer looking for multiclass

[Bufa, The Dog]

Hello everyone ^-^

My searching skills has failed me several times so, I come to you all looking for guidance. But first, I have to say that I'm not used to write to people I don't know so, if I make any weird mistake writing, I pologize in advance.

Some time ago, when some friends and I decided to play Kingmaker, I ended up making a Monk (Zen Archer). After talking with my GM, we agreed on letting me play it if I never get more than 9 levels of it (the main reason is to not be able to use 3 dice with Perfect Strike). We agreed on letting me take the favored class bonus in one more class because of the "required multiclassing" past level 9.

Right now I'm at level 8, halfway of the 9th level and I'm thinking on multiclass and not take the 9th level as a monk but, after a few hours looking other classes, I have no idea of what should I take. Preferably, I'm looking for some class that continues with the "monk stuff" (so say it dirty and fast) and, if it exist somewhere, a way to put the "Ki focus" enhancement to my bow as per "Ki Focus Bow" ability of the Zen Archer would be pretty awesome.

- In your opinion, what class (or prestige class) would be a nice add to a level 8 monk (zen archer)?

[Cylyria]

I'd go with Inquisitor. It's a wisdom based class, your initiative modifier will be insane, and you'll have spellcasting. Plus the Bane will help the damage even more.

Could also consider warpriest. Also wisdom based, will get more feats, and you can insta-Divine Favor.

Or, do both.

[SmiloDan]

Maybe some levels in Sage Sorcerer (which uses Wisdom instead of Charisma) to get gravity bow and truestrike and maybe a few other spells, and then go into Arcane Archer.

Cylyria's advice is also very sound. I was going to suggest magus, but warpriest is much better for a Wisdom-based chassis.

Ranger and/or slayer levels would be good, too.

[Darigaaz the Igniter]

SmiloDan wrote:

Maybe some levels in Sage Sorcerer (which uses Wisdom instead of Charisma) to get gravity bow and truestrike and maybe a few other spells, and then go into Arcane Archer.

Empyrial wildblooded sorcerer, not Sage.

[TheZombiePunch]

I second Inquisitor, get the Conversion Inquisition and use wisdom for all social skills.

[Khelreddin]

I made the switch a little earlier, at 4th level, but I ended up multiclassing into Ecclesitheurge cleric. It's not as straight up fighty as the warpriest or inquisitor, but I found it game me a ton of options. During my levels of Zen Archer, my options were to shoot at things or not, now I can cast spells, use Domain abilities, or abilities of the archetype.

Here's the alias for Zinkyudo. I had originally planned to go zen archer/inquisitor with him, but a couple of friends suggested this archetype of cleric and it's been fun. He's still quite good with the bow, has a decent array of spells, and because the only stat he really needs to care about is Wisdom, his spells actually have pretty good save DC's even though he's not a pure caster.

In Zinkyudo's case, he started out a monk, saw what chaos reigned in the sewers of Castomir and in the Shackles, and set himself to spreading civilization through the church of Abadar. He's managed to end or avoid quite a few encounters by casting calm emotions and just nodding sagely as his party walks by their would-be opponents.

[Sir Thugsalot]

09 barb1 or blood1, Extra Rage, <shift alignment one step to neutral><retrain least-useful feat to Power Attack><buy +1/keen/furious bardiche>

...now you're not a one-trick-pony archer anymore.

Usage: your allies are getting mauled by something your arrows suck against. Round 3 or so (when that has become clear to you), you enter melee with a fresh mountain of hitpoints and save their hides.

Since you've left monk and aren't coming back to it, you don't need to remain lawful -- but you do retain all class abilities because monks are kinda chill like that.

[Scott Wilhelm]

My first thought is don't multiclass with a Zen Archer.

Zen Archers increase in damage/arrow and number of arrows/round as per Monks and Flurry of Blows, so the more you just stick with levels in Monk, the better.

But, if you really want to dip,

Maybe dip a level in Ranger, so you can use a Wand of Gravity Bow and inflict damage as if you were 1 size bigger? I like the Freebooter Archetype, which lets you enjoy and grant to your whole party a +1 Attack and Damage to any opponent you designate as a Move Action. It's the Freebooter version of Favored Enemy.

If you dip a level in Magus or Wizard or something, you could cast Enlarge Person on yourself. Carry with you a bundle of Large Arrows, drop them just before you Enlarge, then pick them up after you Enlarge. The Game Designer Mark Seifter once told me he had a character that did that. Between Enlarge Person and Wand of Gravity Bow, you can buff yourself 2 size increases: 1 real, 1 virtual.

Sir Thugsalot suggested Barbarian. Maybe use and Adaptive Bow so that when you Rage your Bow will do more damage as per your ST bonus? But who goes into a Barbarian Rage to use a Bow?

Um, if you took 3 levels in Bard with the Flame Dancer Archetype, you could get the ability to see through fire and smoke and give that ability to your whole party so that then you could get an Eversmoking Bottle and Blind all your opponents?

If you are doing much dipping at all, take a look at the Monastic Legacy Feat. That Feat lets 1/2 your nonmonk levels count as Monk levels for your Unarmed Strikes, so I guess that would work Zen Archers' arrows, too. But I'm not sure.

[Sir Thugsalot]

Scott, the OP has to multiclass in this particular campaign.

[SmiloDan]

Alternatively, you can come up with an alternative to rolling 3 times, like gaining Greater Weapon Focus or something like that instead.

[Scott Wilhelm]

Sir Thugsalot wrote:

Scott, the OP has to multiclass in this particular campaign.

Oops, so he does.

Still, I do stand behind my advice as lovely multiclassing options for a Zen Archer.

Also, it might work for the OP to become an Arcane Archer.

[Ahkavady]

If someone was going to multiclass to the inquisitor, would it be best to stay as a Zen archer until level 3, or just a 1 level dip?

[deuxhero]

Don't really see 3 die Perfect Strike as being broken (though I could understand if the problem was table time). Zen Archer 9/Empyrial Sorcerer 1/Arcane Archer is a pretty good option anyways. See about taking a bloodline familiar because your first level bloodline ability sucks and you'll never get the bloodline spells anyways.