Hello everyone! I was trying to build an Arcane Archer and I met some diffulties.
1) The Arcane Archer's Imbue Arrow ability says you can fire an arrow as part of the casting. If I take a full attack action and quicken a spell to use Imbue Arrow with, can I both full attack and shoot an imbued arrow?
2) Vital strike is an attack action, is it compatible with Imbue Arrow? If not, is it compatible with Imbue Arrow + Quicken spell? If this second case is legal, do I shoot 2 arrows or just one?
3) Do an arrow shot with the Imbue Arrow ability deal normal damage + spell damage, or just the spell damage?
Benefit: When you use the attack action, you can make one attack at your highest base attack bonus that deals additional damage. Roll the weapon’s damage dice for the attack twice and add the results together before adding bonuses from Strength, weapon abilities (such as flaming), precision-based damage, and other damage bonuses. These extra weapon damage dice are not multiplied on a critical hit, but are added to the total.
Benefit: Casting a quickened spell is a swift action. You can perform another action, even casting another spell, in the same round as you cast a quickened spell. A spell whose casting time is more than 1 round or 1 full-round action cannot be quickened.
Level Increase: +4 (a quickened spell uses up a spell slot four levels higher than the spell’s actual level.)
Casting a quickened spell doesn’t provoke an attack of opportunity.
Special: You can apply the effects of this feat to a spell cast spontaneously, so long as it has a casting time that is not more than 1 full-round action, without increasing the spell’s casting time.
1. Imbue Arrow says the "arcane archer can fire the arrow as part of the casting." So, if you cast a Quickened spell, you will get the Imbued Arrow as the swift action. You will get your Full Attack and your Imbued Arrow.
2. Imbue Arrow says you CAN fire the arrow as part of casting a spell. It also says the arrow must be fired during the round that the casting is completed or the spell is wasted. So, it is implied that you could cast a spell, and decide not to shoot the arrow immediately. Although, I would consider this a highly unusual situation, as you probably would have used your standard action to cast the spell and won't have an opportunity to shoot an arrow before the spell expires. Vital Strike is a standard action. So, technically, if you could cast a spell and still have your standard action, you should be able to Vital Strike with your Imbued Arrow. Of course, this means that Quick Spell + Imbue Arrow + Vital Strike all work together. Alternatively, if you cast a spell with a casting time of 1 round or longer, then the spell is "cast" immediately at the start of your turn, and you'd have all the actions of your turn, so could Imbue Arrow, hold the arrow, then take your turn and Vital Strike. When you Quick Spell + Imbue Arrow + Vital Strike, you would shoot your Imbue Arrow as a swift Action (Arrow 1) and still have the standard action to Vital Strike (Arrow 2). Alternatively, you could Quicken Spell to Imbue Arrow (Arrow 1), but not shoot it. Then Vital Strike (Arrow 1) with that specific arrow, though I'm not sure why you would do this.
3. The arrow does damage as normal and then the spell effect is centered on the arrow. The arrow does arrow damage only. The spell does spell damage only.