Pimp My Class: Pimp My Archer
Pimp My Archer Part-1 of 5 “The Setup / Feats & Skills”
Hmm this write up was originally written in word and moved over. The web site’s text space is pretty little so everything is squished in.
The long awaited third write up in the popular Pimp My Class series.
It’s been a while since I’ve done a PMC write up. So rather than jump into a spell caster, I will do something a little simpler, one of my favorite archetypes, The Archer. Because this little monster has grown out of proportion from when I started I’m going to break it up into parts.
Part-1 “The Setup / Feats & Skills”
Part-2 “The Bowmen”
Part-3 “The Sniper”
Part-4 “The Skirmisher”
Part-5 “The Hybrid”
The Archer in D&D has gotten a lot of love in general from Wizards of The Coast. Making a good archer is pretty easy. You don’t have to really go beyond the player’s handbook to make a good archer. (But you know we will) For this write up we will be using the following books.
The Archery Feats:
A brief run down of the “Archery” feats and where to find them.
(PHB) = Players handbook (CW) = Complete Warrior
(PHB-II) = Players Handbook II (CS) = Complete Scoundrel
(XPH) = Expanded Psionics Handbook (CP) = Complete Psionics
(R-Wild) = Races Of The Wild (CA) = Complete Adventurer
(R-Stone) = Races Of Stone (HoB) = Heroes Of
Battle
(E-Storm) = Stormwrack (MM-I) = Monster Manual I
FEAT: BRIEF DESCRIPTION:
Aquatic Shot: (E-Storm) Can use ranged weapons underwater
Able Sniper: (R-Wild) +2 on ranged attacks against distant flat footed
Targets; +4 bonus on hide checks after sniping.
Alertness: (PHB) +2 Spot/Listen checks
-Keen Eared Scout (PHB-II) gather more precise information with listen check
Deadeye Shot: (PHB-II) Ready action to fire, denying foe Dex bonus to AC on your attack after ally hits.
Dodge (PHB)* +1 dodge to AC
*Mobility (PHB) +4 AC vs attacks of opportunity/melee
–Shot On The Run: (PHB) While moving may interrupt movement to
perform an ranged attack action.
–Spring Attack (PHB) Can interrupt movement with melee attack action.
–Elusive Target (CW) {Tactical} – Builds off of spring attack.
Fly-By Attack: (MM-I) While flying may interrupt movement to
perform a standard action.
Martial Stalker (CS) Fighter/Ninja levels stack
Mounted Combat: (PHB)*
*Mounted Archery: (PHB) Reduce ranged penalty while mounted
–Improved Mounted Archery: (CW) Further reduce or remove mounted ranged penalties
Point Blank Shot: (PHB)* +1 to attack/damage when firing within 30 feet
-Defensive Archery: (R-Wild) +4 dodge AC against attacks of opportunity
*Precise Shot: (PHB) Ignore -4 penalties for firing into melee
–Plunging Shot: (R-Wild) +1d6 vs opponents at least 30 feet below you.
–Improved Precise Shot: (PHB) Ignore less than total cover/concealment at range
–Sharp-Shooting: (CW) Halve opponent’s cover bonus
–Penetrating Shot: (PHB-II) Ranged attack targets every foe in a 60ft line
*Ranged Disarm: (CW) Use ranged weapon to disarm for within 30ft
*Ranged Pin: (CW) Use ranged weapon to grapple for within 30ft
–Ranged Sunder: (CW) Use ranged weapon to sunder foes weapon at
reduced damage penalty.
*Plunging Shot: (R-Wild) +1d6 damage vs target’s at least 30ft below you.
*Psionic Shot: (XPH) Ranged weapon deals +2d6 damage
–Greater Psionic Shot: (XPH) Ranged weapon deals +4d6 damage.
-*Fell Shot: (XPH) Resolve ranged attacks as touch attacks
–Return Shot: (XPH) Deflect ranged attacks back at the attacker
*Rapid Shot: (PHB) Fire one extra shot -2 on all shots fired
–Improved Rapid Shot: (CW) Ignore penalties for using rapid shot feat.
–Manyshot: (PHB) Shoot two or more arrows simultaneously
–Greater Manyshot: (XPH) As Manyshot but may fire at multiple targets
*Ready Shot: (HoB) Can set ranged weapon vs charge successful hit
adds +2d6 damage.
*Woodland Archer: (R-Wild) [Tactical]
Adjust for range: +4 on remaining shots if your first one misses.
Pierce the Foliage: Automatically see through foliage once you’ve hit a covered target once.
Moving Sniper: Snipe and move, hiding as a free action after one
successful snipe attack.
Rapid Reload: (PHB) Reload Crossbows more quickly
Swift Hunter (CS) Ranger/Scout levels stack
Swift Ambusher (CS) Rogue/Scout levels stack
Speed Of Thought (XPH) Increase run speed by 10ft
Spectral Skirmisher (PHB-II) Gain bonuses when invisible
Up The Walls (XPH) Can run on walls and ceilings
Weapon Focus : (PHB)* +1 to hit with chosen weapon
-Greater Weapon Focus: (CW) +2 to damage with chosen weapon. (Precision)
-Crossbow Sniper: (PHB-II) Half Dex bonus to damage, Sneak/Skirmish 60ft
*Weapon Specialization: (PHB) Additional +1 to hit with chosen weapon
-*Greater Weapon Spec:(CW) Additional +2 to damage with chosen weapon.
-Ranged Weapon Mastery: (PHB-II) Gain weapon Focus/Specialization benefits with
multiple weapons.
Zen Archery: (CW) Use Wis instead of Dex for ranged attacks
FEAT: BRIEF DESCRIPTION:
{Ambush Feats}
Concussion Attack (CS) Trade 2d6 precision for -2 Int/Wis checks
Deafening Strike (CS) Trade 3d6 precision to deafen target 3/rounds
Disembowel Strike (CS) Trade 4d6 precision to deal 1d4 con damage
Eldritch Erosion (CS) Trade 3d6 precision to reduce SR/PR by 5
Head Shot (CS) Trade 5d6 precision to confuse for 1 round
Impeding Attack (CS) Trade 3d6 precision for -2 Str/Dex checks
Merciful Strike (CS) Trade 1d6 precision to do non lethal damage
Mind Drain (CS) Trade 1d6 precision to drain power points
Important Skills:
There are many skills an archer will find handy. Here is the short list of what I feel are the most important. For a greater examination of skills and skill tricks see the new book “Complete Scoundrel” from wizards of the Coast.
Balance: Balance is a key movement skill. You may at times find yourself perched in a precarious location. Balance will make sure you keep your purchase. You need a bare minimum of 5 ranks in balance for the synergy bonus to Tumble. You need 10 ranks to be ale to substitute a balance check to resist a trip attempt.
Balance DC’s tend to cap out around 25. I suggest enough ranks to take 10 and hit at least a DC20 balance check.
Climb: Another important movement skill for archers. The ability to climb up to an out of the way location is a great boon for both Snipers and Bowmen. Though heavy bowmen will have a harder time climbing due to armor check penalties light bowman won’t have any trouble. As with balance most DC’s cap out around 25. Most situations will not require a check this high. So climb is not usually considered a primary skill. Put extra points into it.
Craft: {Fletcher} : Many GM’s don’t bother having you keep track of your arrow supply. Others do. It’s better to be prepared. Take enough ranks in this skill that you can repair your equipment or make new arrows. A few ranks is usually all you need unless you want to make masterwork arrows.
Craft: {Poison Making} : On the other hand for those of you wanting to use and make your own poisons you’ll need enough ranks in craft Poison Making to make your own.
Jump: Rather you’re running away, chasing someone, or gaining a location advantage the ability to leap over or above obstacles can save your life. Enough ranks to easily make a DC20 check is usually sufficient. This skill is helped out by your base movement. You gain +4 to your jump skill for every 10 feet over 30 your total run movement score is.
Hide: A primary skill for skirmishers, snipers, & light bowman. Because hide is a VS skill you want to max this skill at all levels. This skill is a must for snipers as they need to remain hidden to get off their snipe attack. The skill can in some ways become redundant at higher levels as you gain access to invisibility, but magic doesn’t always work. You need to know how to do it the hard way.
Move silently: Move silently holds the same amount of importance as hide. The ability to blend into any terrain doesn’t do you any good if your stomping about get’s you cought.
Listen: The counter to the move silent skill. As a stealth character many archers are in prime position to detect other stealth characters. Many archers have fallen prey to melee rogues, rangers, or barbarians who managed to sneak up on you in your supposedly secure archery post. It’s a vs skill yet it’s still not as important as move silently or hide. Put as many points as you can into it, but if getting strapped for points you can afford to drop a few from listen.
Spot: Spot is to Hide as Listen is to Move silently. All the same parameters apply.
Survival: This skill is important for archers who stalk their prey. Survival can help you overcome harsh terrain and increase both your movement and that of your party when tracking targets over long distances.
Swim: Like jump and climb movement skills are always handy when you need them. You generally don’t need a ton of points in the swim skill. Enough to make a DC10 skill check easily is usually sufficient, but I’d suggest putting in enough to make a DC15-20 roll.
That’s it for part 1. In part two, I will lay out the first of my three basic archer archetypes.
The Bowmen
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