I recently started playing in a new campaign. I am playing a human slayer and am getting ready to progress to 2nd level. I paid the feat tax for archery already, having taken Point Blank Shot and Precise Shot. The natural thing to do is to take Rapid Shot as my 2nd level talent (Ranger Combat Style) and continue the archery path.
But there is a twist to things. The party also includes a (goblin) rogue who could really use a flanking partner. I know how to get to Snap Shot and Point Blank Master by 6th level, but that doesn't help my little buddy in the meantime.
Also, my GM has ruled two things in favor of character versatility: I can delay deciding on Stygian Slayer until level 4 as long as I eschew medium armor and shields before that point; and by taking the human favored class bonus up until that point, I will be allowed to take 2 Ranger style feats at 6th level (the normal one allowed and the the one gained 1/6th per level).
So I could potentially use regular feats to become a competent archer and style feats to grab the basics for two-weapon fighting (or another style path). This would probably entail me forgoing the Stygian Slayer just to retain the 4th level talent (probably needed for Rogues Finesse, if nothing else).
I am open to any ideas. Thrill me hive-mind, thrill me!
Snap shot lets you threaten enemies with AoOs, but RAW it does not let you flank. That requires a melee attack specifically. Empty quiver style or quick draw might help there.
If you're going to use archery at all you want at least one of the damage boosting/extra attack feats: rapid shot, deadly aim and/or manyshot.
Snap shot lets you threaten enemies with AoOs, but RAW it does not let you flank. That requires a melee attack specifically. Empty quiver style or quick draw might help there.
If you're going to use archery at all you want at least one of the damage boosting/extra attack feats: rapid shot, deadly aim and/or manyshot.
Point Blank Master adds the threat. The threat allows the flanking. I don't see where it says melee attack specifically.
To clarify things, this was my plan (odd levels are feats, evens are talents):
1st: Point Blank, Precise Shot
2nd: Rapid Shot
3rd: Deadly Aim
4th: None (Stygian Slayer)
5th: Focus (longbow)
6th: Snap Shot (Feat, Combat Trick), Point Blank Master
7th: Manyshot
8th: Snap Shot (Rogue Talent)
9th: Improved Snap Shot
What I was considering instead was this:
1st: Point Blank, Precise Shot
2nd: Two-Weapon Fighting
3rd: Rapid Shot
4th: Finesse Rogue
5th: Focus (longbow)
6th: Improved Two-Weapon, Quick Draw
7th: Manyshot
8th: Snap Shot (Rogue Talent)
9th: Improved Critical (melee weapon)
When making a melee attack, you get a +2 flanking bonus if your opponent is threatened by another enemy character or creature on its opposite border or opposite corner.
Better than I remembered - your goblin friend will get the flanking bonus though you won't.
Snap shot is the feat which provides a 'threat' not point blank master BTW.
The second plan relies on having 3 different weapons, which will rapidly get expensive, and dropping your bow to use TWF won't always be a good idea. The first seems to have you getting snap shot twice. It otherwise looks OK though it doesn't benefit from flanking. I'd probably go with the first over the second.
avr: Yes, I listed the wrong one as the ability that enabled the threat. Oops. The part I am interested in is giving the flanking/flat-footed penalty to enemies for the benefit of our rogue. Getting it for myself would have been nice, but "oh well". And the Snap Shot feat is different than the rogue talent of the same name. The latter lets you treat your initiative roll as a 20 for the surprise round but only to take an attack action with a ranged weapon.
Axl: I am going to check with my GM to make sure he thinks this is legit, but I was thinking spiked gauntlet. I want to keep the Stygian Slayer option open, so I want to stick with light armor, which cannot get spiked.
There is nothing in the rules that state that armor spikes cannot be added to light armor. They count as light weapons for purposes of making attacks, but that does not mean they cannot be added to light armor.
Mithral Agile Breastplate is treated as light armor to keep your Slayer/Ranger types of abilities. That's what I always use on my Dex-based martials. And you can surely have a gauntlet on that armor to provide flank. Then just keep with the bow; just be sure to use your last free action of your turn to include that you are focusing on the gauntlet.
https://rpg.stackexchange.com/questions/102021/can-i-threaten-adjacent-squa res-while-using-spiked-gauntlets-and-a-bow
After you get Snap Shot, you threaten adjacent squares, and can drop the gauntlet shenanigans.
Mysterious Stranger: I don't know what made me think that. Previous edition game? Maybe, I don't know. But I stand corrected. Well, sitting corrected. :)
JoeElf: Probably will be my go-to armor down the road, unless I can get my hands on Celestial. And thanks for the link!
After checking with my GM, I am going with a cestus to provide the threat. Better crit range than spiked gauntlet, and it does two types of damage rather than just one (was his suggestion!). And I will probably not have to reiterate the free action of focusing on it after every round (very copacetic GM).
Mythril armor does count as one category lighter than normal for most things, but you still need to be proficient in the original category of armor. So a stygian slayer will take -1 on all attack rolls, as well as on all DEX and STR based checks and skill rolls when wearing a mythril breastplate. The trait armor expert can reduce that to 0. It is kind of strange but that is the what the rules say under special material for mythril. Elven chain and celestial armor on the other hand specifically states it is considered light armor.