Archer Fighter Archetype and Trick shots

[Human Fighter]

With this archetype you can preform combat maneuvers with a ranged weapon (longbow) using Trick Shot and later on you have the ability to not provoke with ranged weapon attacks with a bow with Safe Shot.

My question is should Trick Shot combat manuvers like Disarm and Trip be subjected to provoking AoO's if you don't have the improved versions, and should they also be subjected to the failing by 10 or more rules? I can understand that it looks like RAW you provoke without the improved versions, but it seems ridiculous that you drop your own weapon, or fall down when you shoot someone who isn't even near you (to threaten) to attempt these CMB's.

[TGMaxMaxer]

You only provoke if they are within reach of you when you shoot, which also means you were provoking for firing in the first place (until safe shot).

So far as dropping your weapon, if you fail by 10 or more, then indeed, I would expect you to drop the arrow, which is the only part of the weapon making the attempt.

[Human Fighter]

I never thought of it as the arrow dropping in the situation, but what are your thoughts on the trip attempt failing by 10 or more?

[Claxon]

You will provoke if you try the action in someone's threatened range. Combat Maneuvers don't just provoke from the person you're targeting.

What's worse, is that without Point Blank Master (which you can get at level 6) you would provoke once for the combat maneuver, and once for making a ranged attack. You better make sure no one is next to you when you do it, unless you have the feats to negate those AoOs.

Safe Shot is basically the same thing as Point Blank Master, but in a class ability instead of a feat. It will get rid of the AoO for making a ranged attack.

[Human Fighter]

Claxon, I'm aware of the ranged attack provoking, but to correct you, combat maneuvers like disarm and trip only provoke from the target you're using it on, and not from anyone who is threatening you. I don't know for sure, but I believe all combat maneuvers work that way.

[Gwen Smith]

My recommendation is to just skip the Archer archetype and go with the Ranged Disarm and Range Trip feats from Ranged Tactics Toolbox. Or just use the text from those feats to clarify the vague areas of the Trick Shots feature.

But you're correct about combat maneuvers only provoking from the target of the maneuver.

[Human Fighter]

Already level 11 Archer Fighter in PFS, and I would never invest in those feats. It's just nice to have for situational things, especially when you don't want to kill someone. It's just weird stuff RAW.

[Gwen Smith]

Ah, I see.

Well, I would just ask the GM before each game how they want to rule it, and potentially show them the Ranged Disarm and Ranged Trip text as an example/comparison.