So my PFS inquisitor is up to level 11 and since I can only play every so often and unable to go to cons he is pretty darn close to retired. I have a 6th level investigator and a lvl 4 skald. So anyways I got to thinking I really like the options archery gives you...also like the nuking option of bane. I've thought about doing another inquisitor but would like to avoid it. I like the idea of doing a full caster and a nature fang druid really might fit...but the spells seem meh and really wish there was a way to get divine favor. Would like a min 4+int..I'm spoiled I know. Is there anything I should look at?
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It looks like you really do want it all.
I think Eldritch Archer Magus is a good compromise. Doesn't actually get 4+int skill tanks per level but int is high so he's effectively skilly.
Like an Inquisitor he makes a pretty killy Archer. Not quite as good with shooting alone but can cast spells and shoot on the same turn.
Full caster he is not but you can't have it all.
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Nature's fang is amazing. It's my top choice.
The list has great control. Solid blasting to deal with Dr. Stone discus can even give you multiple choice attacks for a standard action.
Eagle domain mean that at level 6 you can really make your many shots stick.
Cast aversion and wreck house.
Cloud spell cast by familair, echolocation, sneak attack with you bow. Its amazing!
Spontanious summons. 'nuff said. Summon a grappling monster and and fill the enemy with arrows.
Some gets close hydrolic in push.
The spells require a little more thought than haste or divine favor.
Inquisitors, warpriest are the obvious choices. Grenadier is a fun option. Arrow song minstrel is good. Magus has options.
An oracle with the wood mystery is the full-casting, divine-favour-getting, 4+int skill-having, archery-capable answer to your dilemma. No nuke like bane but it fulfills all your other desires and it works out to be a better archer in the long run than a nature fang, just with less interesting spells.
Agreed the inquisitor just matched everything fir me. It was a happy accident.
I'll have to read up on the magus
The eagle domain might be cool.. ever since I saw sage familiar I wanted to give it a shot. Spells never stuck out to me.
I always look at the oracle, honestly they match everthing.. but the cha thing always holds mr back
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Agreed the inquisitor just matched everything fir me. It was a happy accident.
I'll have to read up on the magus
The eagle domain might be cool.. ever since I saw sage familiar I wanted to give it a shot. Spells never stuck out to me.
I always look at the oracle, honestly they match everthing.. but the cha thing always holds mr back
The sage familiar gets you extra skills which are really nice. The new fey from spells adds a lot to the druid list.
Sangoi + blood rage is an awesome buff.
If you want divine favour go evangelist with a god that offers it.
But it is really not necessary. By the time divine favour gets really good I'm hitting flat-footed ac every attack from the sky with 50% concealment and an additional 2d6 sneak attack, I have evasion, and (I used a protector familiar) more HP than the barbarian. My weak save is covered by high dex and my other two saves are jacked. Resinous skin gives me DR. Freedom of movement means not getting grappled and so forth. Druid spells take more skill to prep but their list is amazing. It is a good class to test your system mastery.
Oracles (wood) have a higher attack bonus (when divine favor is active), approximately the same static damage but no sneak attack and are behind on feats at most levels levelling the playing field. Druids will likely have better fort and will saves. The major drawback is they require the casting of divine favour to get their edge (study covers the attack bonus of the wood revelation and gives a damage bonus). This means you have to case divine favor to not remain behind. Which of coarse means losing a turn of damage. So, even when the oracle is ahead it is playing from behind.
Magus has solid damage. There is a bit of a lack of static attack bonuses. But the build can NOVA hard.
Bane Baldric: 10,000 to gain bane as a 5th level inquisitor. light or one handed melee only, but you could ask the GM to waive that. Alternatively, find a way to treat a bow as a one handed melee weapon. Possibly Empty Quiver Style.
Silver Spindle Ioun Stone: 24,000, can cast Divine Favor (1st level cleric spell) at character level = caster level 3/day.
Wondrous items make everything better.
Agreed the inquisitor just matched everything fir me. It was a happy accident.
I'll have to read up on the magus
The eagle domain might be cool.. ever since I saw sage familiar I wanted to give it a shot. Spells never stuck out to me.
I always look at the oracle, honestly they match everthing.. but the cha thing always holds mr back
The sage familiar gets you extra skills which are really nice. The new fey from spells adds a lot to the druid list.
Sangoi + blood rage is an awesome buff.
If you want divine favour go evangelist with a god that offers it.
But it is really not necessary. By the time divine favour gets really good I'm hitting flat-footed ac every attack from the sky with 50% concealment and an additional 2d6 sneak attack, I have evasion, and (I used a protector familiar) more HP than the barbarian. My weak save is covered by high dex and my other two saves are jacked. Resinous skin gives me DR. Freedom of movement means not getting grappled and so forth. Druid spells take more skill to prep but their list is amazing. It is a good class to test your system mastery.
Oracles (wood) have a higher attack bonus (when divine favor is active), approximately the same static damage but no sneak attack and are behind on feats at most levels levelling the playing field. Druids will likely have better fort and will saves. The major drawback is they require the casting of divine favour to get their edge (study covers the attack bonus of the wood revelation and gives a damage bonus). This means you have to case divine favor to not remain behind. Which of coarse means losing a turn of damage. So, even when the oracle is ahead it is playing from behind.
Magus has solid damage. There is a bit of a lack of static attack bonuses. But the build can NOVA hard.
I have built both a nature fang archer and a wood mystery oracle archer to level 20 though I have not played either. A few observations and questions:
Their saves are pretty equal throughout progression. That may have to do more with my choices than the classes but neither are in a bad spot.
Nature fangs don't get swift study until level 9 so they are spending the same standard action to buff themselves that the oracle is for a good portion of the time. I guess it depends what levels your games tend to start and finish at when weighing this.
Where are you getting the second d6 of sneak attack? Surely you have better feats to choose than accomplished sneak attacker with such a feat intensive combat style...
What are you doing that grants you 50% concealment and allows you to attack flat footed AC when flying? I'd like to use this tactic should I ever play my nature fang so please share your secret.
What level are you playing at with this character currently and did you start from level 1 with it?
Thanks!
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Started at one the pfs version is 4 the one I used for some one-offs was 9.
They never spend a standard, they spend a move to study then cast a control spell, or a spell like stone discus for 4d6 + PBS + Deadly Aim
If you are high in initiative they get sneak attack and thus immediate action study. With your extra feats it is easy to find room for improved initiative.
I had every feat I need by 6 so I took dazing spell, accomplish sneak attack, improved initative, and with either quicken or divine interferance at 11.
Many shot at 6 means being superior 6-8. Eagle domain means 1/2 level to your many shots 3+wis/day. This means when you need to hit your manyshots outperform almost any building in the game.
Cloud of arrows
There are lots of ways of doing this. Buy the 2000gp spell storing ioun stone cast obscuring mist into it. Use any number of items or abilities to see through fog. Be within 30ft have the familiar casts, full attack. I play this archer close to the front because with the protector familiar it is really hard to kill.
As for the flying you get fly, airwalk and overland flying and your familiar is an eagle. or animal domain and do the whole thing riding on a bird.
Side note Lens of predators gaze bump DCs, attack, skills and damage and are very nice.
I'm interested in the stats on the 2 builds that have comparable saves.
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For something completely different, consider a Reliquarian Occultist. They are Divine casters which use Int for casting and Wis for Mental Focus. Half-elf is usually optimal because of the flexible ability score and access to 1/2 point of Mental Focus per level as a Favored Class Bonus. Elf and Halfling get the same FCB and are decent choices for an archer.
Choosing the Nobility Domain, Good Domain with the Archon Subdomain, or Law Domain with the Archon Subdomain will add Divine Favor to your Spell List and Spells Known. (I particularly like the Good Domain with the Archon Subdomain since it also gives you Align Weapon/Good.) The Legacy Weapon Base Focus Power is amazing! Use it to add Special Abilities like Bane or Holy, or just add Enhancement Bonuses. Other Implement Powers like Third Eye or Sudden Insight (from Divination) are also useful for archers. They also have access to a wide selection of useful spells for archers. Just a few from levels 1-3: Gravity Bow, Longshot, Magic Weapon, Greater Magic Weapon, Daybreak Arrow, Flame Arrow, Bowstaff, Versatile Weapon, Weapon of Awe, Unerring Weapon, Shield, and Fly.
If you want something similar to an Inquisitor, a Zealot Vigilante might fit the bill. Zealot Smite might be a decent replacement for Bane.