Have there been any good crossbow builds on here?
I don't expect to get bow-type damage, but if I can get to two round an opponent with a CR equal to my level that would be nice. At the most 3 rounds.
Multiclassing is ok. I will even do the DPR math if someone has links. I just don't want to dig through every Pathfinder book in existence since I'm not even currently in a position to create a new character for an actual game.
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In general terms there's an alchemist with explosive missile, using extracts and/or mutagens to buff, possibly with the grenadier archetype to add acid etc. to the bolts; or bolt ace gunslinger 5, followed by savage tech. barbarian 1-2, then inquisitor; or you could go with a sorcerer or wizard, aiming for named bullet ASAP. One guy went with my build for a wildblooded arial sorcerer, he said it started off slowly but was fun once it got going. That did involve a bow rather than a crossbow but the changes wouldn't be huge.
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If not PFS, then Overwatch Style from Weapon Master's Handbook makes the Crossbowman fighter archetype an interesting option, despite the archetype nominally losing Weapon Training that is otherwise boosted by WMH. (Most GMs I know would rule outside of PFS that Crossbow Expert is functionally similar enough to Weapon Training that it should count for AWT, but if not, Overwatch Vortex is the real gem for the build moreso than any AWT option.)
A 2-level dip in Rogue after 7th level could let a Crossbowman get a Sneak Attack talent like Slow Reactions or Hamstring Strike. Plus Evasion, since they'll have a great Dex.
Probably not as good at fighting solo opponents as an archer, but covering four enemy casters with readied shots at flat-footed AC with Dex to damage could be fun and tactically different. Or covering two enemy casters with two readied attacks each to interrupt their Quickened spells as well as their regular ones.
the crossbow gunslinger would be my best guess. Targeting touch, dex to damage, full bab.
I'm literally just making this up as I go, but here's something that might be good. Gunslinger (Bolt Ace) 5/Fighter (Crossbowman) X. The Crossbow Maven class feature states that you are proficient with all crossbows and can choose to start with any Masterwork Crossbow. Nothing stops you from choosing a Heavy Repeating Crossbow as your weapon of choice. You can craft additional bolts and clips with Craft (weapons), which governs crafting of crossbows and bolts - if the GM is using background skills, that makes it easy. Feat breakdown would look something like this, assuming Human:
Bolt Ace 1: Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot (Human)
Bolt Ace 3: Rapid Shot
Bolt Ace 5: Rapid Reload (reduce loading time from full-round to standard)
Bolt Ace 5/Crossbowman 1: Crossbow Mastery (Fighter Bonus, reloading of any crossbow type is a free action)
Bolt Ace 5/Crossbowman 2: Weapon Focus (Heavy Repeating Crossbow), Overwatch Style
Bolt Ace 5/Crossbowman 4: Overwatch Tactician, Deadly Aim
Bolt Ace 5/Crossbowman 6: Overwatch Vortex, Clustered Shots
After your 7th level in Crossbowman, you can take Aldizog's suggestion of a 2-level Rogue dip, and also possibly an Alchemist dip to get to Explosive Missile and to get some extracts and mutagen buffs. Damage may not be up to the level of a regular bow, but it might be decent.
Not sure why you'd bother with the Crossbowman archetype. Many of its class features don't stack with the Bolt Ace's class feature (you can't stack dex to damage with dex to damage), and most of those features only work on readied actions anyways which is really niche. That leaves little to nothing that the archetype is actually offering you. The Bolt Ace Gunslinger archetype is the way to go with Crossbows; take 5 levels of that, and you're good to go in whatever direction you want from there.
I'm aware about Dex to Damage. I was working in Aldizog's suggestions for using Overwatch Style with the Crossbowman Archetype - I like the anti-spellcaster options it presented, plus you can ready 4 attacks to take advantage of those readied action abilities. Crossbow Expert from Bolt Ace and Crossbow Training from Crossbowman stack nicely as well - although admittedly, you can get the same benefit from a straight fighter via Weapon Training, and all the Advanced Weapon Training features that come with that.
Chess Pwn wrote: the crossbow gunslinger would be my best guess. Targeting touch, dex to damage, full bab. I was looking at that one, but you have to burn grit for every attack that targets touch AC. The dex to damage is still not a bad thing so I might take it up to level 5, and then multiclass into something else.
With Overwatch Vortex letting you get four readied attacks in a round, and Crossbowman letting you add Dex to damage and denying Dex to AC (not flat-footed, this even beats Uncanny Dodge), it's an interesting option to me.
In my experience readied attacks are somewhat under-rated. I am not saying they are just as good as full attacks for pure DPR; not even close (though closer with Vortex). But the ability to interrupt spells (including Quickened spells and SLA) can make it situationally very good. And more tactically interesting IMO.
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I've had a considerable amount of fun with
Acebolt 5
Feral Hunter X (or Inquistor)
Gravity bow and Vital striking with a double Xbow (or minotaur I guess).
Well if you didn't like grav and vital, then shadowshooting ammo enchantment so you don't have to reload the double xbow can make for some enjoyment with many static bonuses.
In particular, the Inquisitor with Bane version with the shadowshooting can have a lot of fun.
Granted in PFS I suppose some folks might not accept shadowshooting's phrasing. Or might apply its "min damage" to apply to things like bane as well.. which I don't think is correct but its not like I looked into details for PFS since it doesnt' come up in my circles.
I played with someone who played a crossbow-wielding Warlord (Path of War), with Tempest Gale attacks (ranged combat maneuvers, using Sleight of Hand, he was a big fan of using a ranged Dirty Trick, called Dust-Catching Breeze). He also used Golden Lion (buffing) and Veiled Moon (teleportation, movement, utility). He wasn't the highest damaging party member, but he was great at support and crowd control.
Oh, and there is a Charisma-to-damage (for Warlords, as they are Charisma-based) ability in Tempest Gale, as well.
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