Paladin Archer Question

[Jaxon5]

Really simple question - should I dip into Ranger a level or two?

My pally just hit level 7. I can take another paladin level, or take a ranger level. I figured a ranger level would give me the favored enemy bonus and also allow me to use a Gravity Bow wand on myself.

Frankly, as a paladin archer, I'm not sure what more levels in paladin are going to give me at this point.

Any advice for optimizing this guy?

[DeathlessOne]

No. A ranger can not use wands until they gain their spellcasting ability at 4th level (minus UMD of course). You are better off dipping into wizard, Sorcerer, or arcanist for the flexibility their spell lists offer. This also opens the way towards Arcane Archer if you want to go that route.

If you really want a favored Enemy, just pick up the Creature Focus feat, and perhaps the Flexible Foe feat later.

[Meirril]

Continue on leveling Paladin. At 8th you pick up 2nd level spells. Righteous Vigor looks good. 2nd level paladin spell, you get +1 to hit each time you hit an enemy until you miss, up to +4 max, and you get 1d8 temps that stack to 20 total each hit. The paladin exclusive spells tend to be very good for their level.

If you want Gravity Bow star throwing points into Use Magic Device. While it isn't a class skill for Paladin, it is based on Cha. Activating a wand is a flat 20.

If you don't see any value in higher level Paladin spells, or mercies then go Fighter. Grab weapon specialization, and once you get Weapon Training go get the magic item that boosts it by 2. That is 5 levels of fighter to get weapon training 1. That will give you a ton of extra feats to dump into your bow. I don't know what you've spent your feats on, but the extra 2 or 3 feats from fighter can't hurt.

[Wicky1976]

Meirril wrote:

Continue on leveling Paladin. At 8th you pick up 2nd level spells. Righteous Vigor looks good. 2nd level paladin spell, you get +1 to hit each time you hit an enemy until you miss, up to +4 max, and you get 1d8 temps that stack to 20 total each hit. The paladin exclusive spells tend to be very good for their level.

If you want Gravity Bow star throwing points into Use Magic Device. While it isn't a class skill for Paladin, it is based on Cha. Activating a wand is a flat 20.

If you don't see any value in higher level Paladin spells, or mercies then go Fighter. Grab weapon specialization, and once you get Weapon Training go get the magic item that boosts it by 2. That is 5 levels of fighter to get weapon training 1. That will give you a ton of extra feats to dump into your bow. I don't know what you've spent your feats on, but the extra 2 or 3 feats from fighter can't hurt.

Righteous vigor seems very good, it does however specify MELEE, so it doesn't help the OP

[Melkiador]

DeathlessOne wrote:

No. A ranger can not use wands until they gain their spellcasting ability at 4th level (minus UMD of course).

A first level ranger gets to use wands too.

Quote:

Spell Trigger: Spell trigger activation is similar to spell completion, but it's even simpler. No gestures or spell finishing is needed, just a special knowledge of spellcasting that an appropriate character would know, and a single word that must be spoken. Spell trigger items can be used by anyone whose class can cast the corresponding spell. This is the case even for a character who can't actually cast spells, such as a 3rd-level paladin. The user must still determine what spell is stored in the item before she can activate it. Activating a spell trigger item is a standard action

[Mysterious Stranger]

Don’t forget that 7th level also gives you an extra smite evil as well as 2nd level spells. For second level spell you get bull’s strength, divine arrow and litany or righteousness among other. Since you are probably pumping your DEX to increase your chance to hit having a way to also increase your STR for damage is good. Continuing as a Paladin not gets you more smite evil it also improves the damage. You are also giving up or delaying higher level abilities. At 10th level you get access to daybreak arrow. 11th level gives you aura of justice.