I recently got invited to join a long-running Pathfinder game with a few close friends. Great players, super into the roleplaying aspect of the game, and as an actor myself, I'm quite excited to join the group, however, I'm struggling in making the character I'm hoping to play.
I was hoping to make a Tiefling Archer with, thanks to permission from my DM, the appearance of a goat-legged, antlered Tiefling of the wilds, serving as a skilled scout and sniper. However, I'm unsure about which class to pick. I skimmed over Zen Archer first, but then I glanced over how Ranger was basically the initial Archer/Hunter class prior. Then, with Archetypes for Rogue, Fighter and Slayer, and other kinds of characters... I kind of got a bit lost and confused, as I'm more used to the Spellcasting classes. Wanted to try something different this time, as the Epic Archer seems like an awesome character trope to play.
I feel as if ultimately, the class choice depends on the background and personality of my character, but I feel unsure which direction to take her. Character-wise, I was hoping for someone who was attempting to hunt a legendary Cerynitis and has been tracking it down for some time, although I'm unsure of the motivation she'd have behind it. Mechanics-wise, I was hoping for the badass bowman, and with how loose my DM's playing arrows (unlimited ammo), I was wondering about someone who'd be able to fight with just her bow and arrows, relying on hitting targets fast and from a distance as a quiet hunter/sniper character.
If there's any suggestions, advice or directions you guys might have, I'd love to hear!
I feel as if ultimately, the class choice depends on the background and personality of my character, but I feel unsure which direction to take her.
That is something that I generally agree with. Perhaps you could share some information on her background and personality? Alignment? Does she worship a deity or pay homage to several? Is she much of a team player, or a loner by nature that seeks the safety of a group?
Each of the classes have their own strengths and weaknesses.
If you are looking to focus on archer first a rogue or hunter is probably not the way to go. A hunter focuses too much on spells and his companion. A rogue is lacking in both BAB and feats so will probably be disappointing to you.
The fighter’s lack of skills and not having access to perception and stealth make it difficult to fulfill the role of scout. Fighter make good archers, but they are more soldiers than hunters. They are usually trained by the military as archers.
Zen archers would work, but the alignment issue may be a problem. They are also less of a hunter and more of a weapon master. Pretty much all the feats you need for an archer are included in the class, or have a class feature that serves the same purpose. About the only feat you need to add is deadly aim. There are of course others feats you will probably want but the core feats are hard baked into the class.
Slayers have all the necessary skills and features you are looking for. Ranged sneak attacks are great for when you have surprise, but after that are difficult to get.
A ranger has a good blend of abilities including spells. Their spells are not powerful enough to be a major focus of the class, but provide a useful boost. They also get a lot of nature oriented class features. What they really excel at is taking down a specific type of target. A ranger with a maxed our favored enemy will be incredibly effective against that type of creature. If the campaign focuses on a particular type of creature a ranger will be very effective. If you are focused on hunting down a specific creature or type of creature a ranger is a good choice.
If you want to be Robin Hood, splitting arrows and stuff, then the Toxophilite Ranger archetype is what you are looking for. Bonuses to shooting small and smaller targets (like familiars and holy symbols), shoots incoming arrows out of the air, does full damage to objects with a bow, stuff like that. Stack it with the Infiltrator archetype AND either Flamewarden or Skirmisher archetypes.
If you want a one shot, one kill, from the shadows archer... then the Slayer class, stacking the Sniper and Stygian Slayer archetypes will get you there nicely with the Rogue Talent: Ninja Trick (Vanish).
And if you want archery delivered to you on a silver platter, then Zen Archer Monk just throws it at you, all of it... but you're a monk.
If want to be a badass archer as well as a full caster: nature fang druid (includes option for animal companion) or wood mystery oracle.
If you want to forgo most spellcasting: ranger or warpriest of a nature-themed god.
If you want to forgo all spellcasting: slayer or ranger with archetype that trades away spells.
Bards and skalds also make good archers but would be straying pretty far from your proposed concept, I suspect.
Personality-wise, I was thinking she’d be a loner type of character. Someone who’s been hunting down her target for ages in a desperate attempt to finally catch it, like the dreaded white whale. So far, I think she’ll be joining the party while traveling on her hunt and fight more out of a sense to preserve herself than to help. Initially, she’s starting out somewhat selfish, albeit with a small nice side to her.
I’d toyed around with the idea of her worshipping Erastil, and after rolling on the random Background generator and my DM, got a reincarnated servant of Erastil who let one of his Cerynitis loose. With the personality I want to play her as, however, I don’t think Erastil will work, as he promotes hunting primarily for sustenance only, while my character just enjoys taking down things with her arrows and getting payed for it. Mercenary might work too, for this. The Bounty Hunter role could fit her just as much, too though if I wanted to switch her focus from hunting beasts/monsters to hunting everything. Making a Name for Herself is primarily what she aspires to after her hunt. Start a hunting lodge, hold all her trophies there, with the golden Cerynitis’ head mounted as a masterpiece above the hearth.
I was initially thinking Ranger, with pooling everything into my favored enemies for Magical beasts, Animals and Monstrous Humanoids, since I’ll be joining at Level 11, possibly 12. Although, glancing at Slayer, I think that one could definitely work too. Is it possible to combine the Stygian Slayer with the Sniper archetypes for the single class?
Yes, you can stack archetypes. Those two in particular.
Ranger at level 12, means you have Instant Enemy if you keep your spells. I would stack Flamewarden, Infiltrator, AND Toxophilite archetypes. Make sure you keep putting the advancement into your first chosen Favored Enemy, whatever it may be, so you have a +6/+6 against anything you want with Instant Enemy. Flamewarden allows you to give your weapon the flaming property, you get access to fire based druid spells, a variant of breath of life, and you explode when you die harming enemies but healing allies, plus you rise out of your own ashes. Infiltrator gives up Favored Terrain for Adaptation Ex, which allows you to pick up survivability feats associated with your Favored Enemies. Toxophilite shoots small things like familiars and holy symbols well, can shoot incoming arrows out of the sky, and deals full damage to objects with a bow.
Assuming your Tiefling has the standard + 2 dex + 2 int racials, you might consider the Edritch Archer Magus archetype. It won't be as good a 'pure' archer as others, but Ranged Spell Combat and Ranged Spellstrike make up for that quite a bit.
I'd also tone down the 'loner' aspect a bit. One reason is that it is a team game, and you need to be part of a team and another is that Pathfinder mechanics don't really support a 'one shot one kill' motif so you will want to have backup. In my opinion, it is more important to have a background that explain why your are part of the party and interested in the campaign than a background that tells an interesting story. The bulk of the interesting story should happen during the game, not before it starts.
In some ways this is especially true of starting a higher level character. Although their is more room to have an interesting background at that point, it is also harder to make it fit with a group if you weren't part of one before. After 10 levels of working alone, why would a character switch that up now?
Not every golden Dragon is missing a scale allowing a single archer to be effective. Maybe after 10 levels of doing this alone, the backwards kneed tiefling wants bigger and better trophies for her collection, and thus, reluctantly, joins a party to effectively gain access to the aforementioned bigger and better trophies for her collection.
But, yes, this is a team game. And unit cohesion is paramount.
Alright, spent a bit of time with my DM working on the character and think I found a good idea to work with;
Tiefling Mother with elven blood. Married a human during her time adventuring in their younger years, he wound up being a carpenter, and she wound up hunting game for the small town they settled down in. Had a half-elf daughter with (seemingly) no sign of fiendish blood in her, although people around town began questioning the woman with horns on her head, hooves and a tail. One night, she came home from a hunting trip and found her house burning down, her husband dead and her daughter nowhere to be found. Townsfolk immediately guessed she did it and tried to arrest her, however she just barely managed to escape into the wilds. Now, she seeks out the people who murdered her husband and wants to find her daughter, following any lead that might reunite her with her daughter again, or at least with justice and revenge.
I think it gives enough of an idea for my character, giving goals for them to work towards, and find connections with, as well as give the party a Parental figure, since they all seem to act like Children with handling things, it seems. DM gave the go-ahead meaning she has a character hook in mind, and definitely getting excited personality-wise to play them. Keeping the hunting lodge idea towards the end though; some place to settle down and have a nice life would be a nice goal again for her.
Unfortunately also got word from DM that books are limited for the campaign, and unless she has the books herself, she won’t allow outside options.
Meaning Spells and Archetypes that aren’t allowed in these books are a no-go:
CRB
APG
ARG
ACG
UM
UC
UE
And the Inner Sea Gods Book.
So while I would like to try Flamewarden, and stuff from Ultimate Intrigue and Ultimate Wilderness, DM says no for now.
Class-wise though, I am liking Slayer and the feel it gives. Going to try to build one or two builds when I get the chance.
Ranger is not a bad choice for your background. You could go traditional ranger and have a standoffish Tiefling with a super friendly dog and use that as your primary connection to the party. But I think you should consider the Guide archetype (APG). It trades favored enemy for a bonus against a single target but would let you use it for big game or your vengeance pact. Also it trades animal companion for an ability to help your party in a specific terrain. Thematically, it let's you boss everyone around when they are stomping through the forest.
Good luck!