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Like at the very least Its not a "OMG get it asap" level feat, at the absolute worse you can hold it off until level 9 assuming you get it at all.
its a lot easier for people to know what you're talking about if you link the relevant thing
ex:
StudiedCombat
Ranged study
that said, it depends on things like whether or not you're a primarily ranged combatant.
If you're an investigator archer you probably want manyshot at level 9. If you're getting 1: PBS, 3: precise shot, then your best picks long term are probably 5: weapon focus, 7: ranged study, but you might instead get 5: rapid shot, 7: {whatever} so that you're more effective earlier.
Being human for the extra feat, Elephant in the Room, wanting extra investigator talents, multiclassing for extra feats or whatever can all throw off the calculations - but a move action for +3 or so attack/damage is not a trap feat.
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Like at the very least Its not a "OMG get it asap" level feat, at the absolute worse you can hold it off until level 9 assuming you get it at all.its a lot easier for people to know what you're talking about if you link the relevant thing
ex:
StudiedCombat
Ranged studythat said, it depends on things like whether or not you're a primarily ranged combatant.
For what i have in mind i feel it would be a support/skill monkey first(Similar to a bard) and an archer second
If you're an investigator archer you probably want manyshot at level 9. If you're getting 1: PBS, 3: precise shot, then your best picks long term are probably 5: weapon focus, 7: ranged study, but you might instead get 5: rapid shot, 7: {whatever} so that you're more effective earlier.
Correct me if im wrong but isn't studied combat damage precision so it doesn't apply to many shot anyway?
so, spend a move action (losing your extra attacks per round) for a single +10 to hit and +10 to damage (at 20th level), that costs 2 feats? yeah, pass
so, spend a move action (losing your extra attacks per round) for a single +10 to hit and +10 to damage (at 20th level), that costs 2 feats? yeah, pass
Studied Combat is not a bonus to a single attack, it last a number of rounds equal to their INT modifier. It is spending a move action to gain a +10 to hit and damage that at 20th level is probably going to last the entire combat. After the first round the bonus applies to all the investigators attacks. Ranged Study allows you to use it with a ranged weapon as long as the target is within 30 feet. While it is probably not worth doing for minions, it is well worth doing for a tough boss.
Investigators are not a full BAB class so when they start taking penalties to hit for the various archery feats it adds up quickly. Ranged Study can offset and still boost their chance to hit. Since archery is about getting as many attacks as you can any extra bonus to hit and damage goes a long ways.
Correct me if im wrong but isn't studied combat damage precision so it doesn't apply to many shot anyway?
Right. But the bonuses of manyshot and studied combat are each good enough even when they don't overlap to be worthwhile.
At 9th, with manyshot and ranged study a full attack does one attack at +4 attack and damage, one at +4 attack but par damage (effectively), and then the iterative attack at -1 attack/+4 damage. Both feats are worthwhile in this example. Though come to think of it manyshot has a prereq of rapid shot which is problematic for that combo unless you dip for feats or are human.
A support/skill monkey investigator might not need feats for that part of their role, but if they do (extra investigator talent perhaps) then yes you'll need to make some sort of compromises.
For what i have in mind i feel it would be a support/skill monkey first(Similar to a bard) and an archer second
Doesn't change anything. The skill stuff needs no support (you're better at it than the rest of the party combined even with zero investment), and the support stuff only needs a single talent (Alchemist Discovery -> Infusion). If you do decide on Questioner, you don't even need that.
Note that with Quick Study, unless you need your swift actions on something different, you can also activate Studied Strike every round. How great that is depends a bit on the order you have to make your attacks in (usually, full BAB attacks like from Rapid Shot or Haste are made up front, but that's not actually mandated by the rules).
My backup-backup character for Iron Gods is going to be an Investigator who uses an Arc-Pistol.
Arc/Laser/etc weaponry all basically give you Rapid Shot for free, so my plan is Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Deadly Aim, Ranged Study ... then whatever I guess. If I were playing from level 1 I'd probably take Ranged Study before Deadly Aim, but meh. Seems like a pretty good feat to me.
I'll probably never actually play this character, but you know, it seems workable to me.
I put together an Investigator 9/Gunslinger 4 for a gambler build someome was asking for help with that was very much focused on picking up Ranged Study as soon as possible... ended up with:
Sleuth-Steel Hound
1. PBS
2. Amatuer Gunslinger
2. Gunsmithing
3. Precise Shot
3. Rapid Reload (as talent)
Maverick
5. Amatuer Gunslinger becomes Extra Grit
5. Weapon Focus
7. Ranged Study
8. Rapid Shot
Sleuth-Steel Hound
9. Snap Shot
9. Swift Study (talent)
11. Effortless Aid (talent)
11. Far Shot
13. Weapon Trick
13. open Investigator Talent
At 13:
BAB +10
Base saves +7/+10/+7
Ranged Study and Swift Study were more important to this build than Gun Training... although, taking that all-important 5th level of Gunslinger at level 14, then the rest back into Sleuth-Steel Hound wouldn't be a bad idea.
I think it is a fine feat for plenty of applications, honestly. I hardly consider Weapon Focus as any sort of tax. With Point Blank Shot, Swift Study, Studied Strike, and Weapon Focus you are plenty capable. PBS + WF negates the penalty for Rapid Shot, everything is good.
Bosses usually don't survive more than 3-4 rounds. I think my party crunched the last part of Carrion Crown in 7 and that was the end boss.
Crunched the nightshade in 2 rounds. 1 round to wtf at the guy turning into an exploding lich, fighting the dude for 2 rounds and The Whispering Tyrant teleporting the Ravener on top of us whom we avoided previously. Crunching the Lich first then finishing off the Ravener.
So about 7 rounds roughly.
Doesn't the flat bonus last every attack once activated as long as you don't apply/use Stupied Strike?
So you can Rapid Shot with the flat bonus over and over up to a number of rounds equal to your Intelligence modifier.
Or, combine those flat bonuses with Studied Strike, and possibly any other special single attack you can use together within the dumb action economy language of attack actions.
Studied Combat is not a bonus to a single attack, it last a number of rounds equal to their INT modifier. It is spending a move action to gain a +10 to hit and damage that at 20th level is probably going to last the entire combat. After the first round the bonus applies to all the investigators attacks. Ranged Study allows you to use it with a ranged weapon as long as the target is within 30 feet. While it is probably not worth doing for minions, it is well worth doing for a tough boss.Studied Combat also says
"or until he deals damage with a studied strike".And it says " and once a creature has become the target of an investigator’s studied combat, he cannot become the target of the same investigator’s studied combat again for 24 hours unless the investigator expends one use of inspiration when taking the move action to use this ability."
So, I don't understand how it would last an entire combat against a boss? You cannot even reapply studied combat to the boss unless you spend inspiration.
This doesn't seem like a good ability to combine with typical ranged build. Although might be interesting with a sniper type build.
Let's say I have a 10th level Investigator with 18 INT, Quick Study and Ranged Study .
As a swift action I apply Studied Combat. This costs 0 Inspiration because I haven't used Studied Combat on this enemy within the last 24 hours. Then for the next 4 rounds all my attacks with melee weapons or with a Shortbow get +5 to hit and +5 to damage .
If I decide to use a Studied Strike before the 4 rounds is up - let's say at the end of round 3 - I get to apply my Studied Strike damage to the attack . But then I no longer have Studied Combat bonuses against that enemy.
Then at the beginning of the next round I use a swift action I apply Studied Combat. This costs 1 Inspiration because I have used Studied Combat on this enemy within the last 24 hours. Again this lasts 4 rounds and gives me +5 to hit and damage.
Just to be clear: Studied Strike does NOT trigger automatically when you hit someone with Studied Combat. Studied Strike is something you can choose to do when you hit your Studied Target.