Arcane Archer [Tome]

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erik
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Arcane Archer [Tome]

Post by erik »

Arcane Archer
"The archer and the target are not two opposing objects, they are one connected reality."

Image

The Arcane Archer has refined skill and timing to target enemies from afar with devastating results. Arcane Archers represent talented and studied individuals with unerring aim. With the first Arcane Archers hailing from an elven tradition, Arcane Archers have some affinity for the wilderness that is still a part of their discipline.

Playing an Arcane Archer: Arcane Archers are not front line fighters, they are ranged artillery. Able to approach unseen, mete out destruction and disappear once again.

A level or more of Arcane Archer can give some ranged and utility casting versatility to many martial builds.

Alignment: Every alignment has its share of Arcane Archers, however most are of Lawful alignment owing to their intense study and deliberate focus.

Races: Arcane Archers are especially prevalent among races that prize magical talent, archery, and especially both. Elves lay claim to the lions share, but there are many kobold, halfling, and human Arcane Archers as well. Despite the name, Arcane Archers do not need to use bows, they can apply their powers on any projectile; halfings often prefer sling stones and kobolds their crossbows. An orc or ogre Arcane Archer is a rare sight, but may use their powers with an orcish shot put or large javelins respectively. If using firearms in your setting then an Arcane Gunslinger could fit right in.

Starting Gold: 4d6x10 gp (140 gold)

Starting Age: As Ranger.

Hit Die: d6
Class Skills: The Arcane Archer's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Knowledge(Arcana) (Int), Knowledge(Geography) (Int), Knowledge(Nature) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Search (Int), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex) and Use Rope (Dex).
Skills/Level: 4 + Intelligence Bonus
BAB: Moderate (+3/4)
Saves: Fort: Poor; Reflex: Good; Will: Good
Spells Per DaySpells Known
Level:Abilities:1st2nd3rd4th5th6th0th1st2nd3rd4th5th6th
1Enhance Arrow (+1), Perfect Aim (Koumei FPL)1-----42-----
2Imbue Arrow, Sphere2-----53-----
3Trackless Step, Enhance Arrow (+2)2-----54-----
4Woodland Stride, Point Blank Perfection (Koumei FPL)21----542----
5Energy Bolt, Sphere32----543----
6Enhance Arrow (+3), Improved Imbue Arrow33----543----
7Phase Arrow331---5442---
8Evasion, Sphere332---5443---
9Enhance Arrow (+4)332---5443---
10Hail of Arrows3321--54442--
11Sphere3332--54443--
12Enhance Arrow (+5)3332--54443--
13Esoteric Energy Bolt33321-544442-
14Sphere43322-544443-
15Enhance Arrow (+6)43332-544443-
16Supreme Imbue Arrow4433215544442
17Sphere4443325554443
18Enhance Arrow (+7)4444325555443
194444435555544
20Sphere4444445555554


All of the following are Class Features of the Arcane Archer class:
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: An Arcane Archer is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, light armor and bucklers. An Arcane Archer can cast spells while wearing armor they are proficient in without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance.

Enhance Arrow (Su): At 1st level an Arcane Archer can as a free action conjure a magical projectile (not just arrows, despite the name) or enhance an existing projectile each time she fires, granting an enhancement bonus to the projectile.

Unlike magic weapons created by standard means, the archer need not spend experience points or gold pieces to accomplish this task. However, the enhanced arrows only function for her. For every three level in Arcane Archer the magic arrows she fires improve their enhancement bonus by +1 (+1 at 1st level, +2 at 3rd level, +3 at 6th level, etc.).

Perfect Aim (Ex): The Arcane Archer gains Perfect Aim as a bonus feat.
http://tgdmb.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=57248 wrote:Perfect Aim
You're really good at shooting people, no matter the range.
Against foes within 30', you gain a +2 Bonus to attack and damage rolls with ranged weapons.
For projectile weapons, multiply Range increments by 1.5, and for thrown weapons, double the Range increments.
You suffer no penalty for making ranged attacks against foes engaged in melee.
Reloading a Crossbow other than Heavy is a Free Action for you, and a Heavy Crossbow is a Move-Equivalent Action.
Spells: An Arcane Archer casts arcane spells, which are drawn from the Druid or Ranger spell lists. She can cast any spell she knows without preparing it ahead of time. To learn or cast a spell, an Arcane Archer must have an Wisdom score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against an Arcane Archer's spell is 10 + the spell level + the Arcane Archer's Wisdom modifier.
Like other spellcasters, an Arcane Archer can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. Her base daily spell allotment is given on the table above. In addition, she receives bonus spells per day if she has a high Wisdom score.
The Arcane Archer's selection of spells is limited; however, they can cast their cantrips at will. At each new Arcane Archer level she gains one or more new spells, as indicated on the table above. Unlike spells per day, the number of spells an Arcane Archer knows is not affected by her Wisdom score.

Sphere: At 2nd Level Arcane Archer gains basic access to a Sphere and at every third level thereafter she gains either a new Sphere or expanded access to a known Sphere. If the Arcane Archer selects a Sphere that she already has basic access to, she upgrades it to advanced access. If she already had advanced access, she gains expert access. An Arcane Archer uses her Wisdom as her casting attribute where applicable for her Spheres.

An Arcane Archer can only use Sphere granted spell-like abilities via Imbue Arrow unless the range is Personal or Touch.

Spheres available to the Arcane Archer are: Clouds, Cold, Electricity DR, Ether, Hellfire, Illusion, Plant, Sand, Sleep, Weather, or Wind

Imbue Arrow (Sp): At 2nd level, an Arcane Archer as a standard action may use a spell-like ability known from a Sphere to place it within a projectile and fire it. When the projectile is launched, the spell’s area is centered on where it lands, even if the spell could normally be centered only on the caster. If a touch spell is so imbued then her spell is treated as a ranged touch attack (she must still hit normally to deal damage from the projectile). The projectile must be fired in the round the spell is cast or the spell is wasted.

Trackless Step (Ex): Starting at 3rd level, an Arcane Archer leaves no trail in natural surroundings and cannot be tracked. She may choose to leave a trail if so desired.

Woodland Stride (Ex): Starting at 4th level, an Arcane Archer may move through any sort of undergrowth (such as natural thorns, briars, overgrown areas, and similar terrain) at her normal speed and without taking damage or suffering any other impairment. However, thorns, briars, and overgrown areas that have been magically manipulated to impede motion still affect her.

Point-Blank Perfection (Ex): At 4th level the Arcane Archer gains Point-Blank Perfection as a bonus feat.
http://tgdmb.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=57248 wrote:Point-Blank Perfection
You are really good at shooting people who are close.
You threaten squares out to 15 feet when using a Ranged Weapon, and can make Attacks of Opportunity into those squares. You also do not provoke Attacks of Opportunity for using ranged weapons.
Energy Bolt (Su): At 5th level when using Enhance Arrow the Arcane Archer can infuse the projectile with an energy type (selected from Cold, Electricity or Fire) changing damage dealt into that type and dealing 1d6 bonus damage of that type.

Improved Imbue Arrow (Su): At 6th level the Arcane Archer may once per round use Imbue Arrow as an attack action rather than as a part of a standard action. Spells fired through Imbue Arrow are treated as though affected by Spell Focus (+1 to DC) and Spell Penetration (+2 to CL check to overcome SR) versus the target struck.

Phase Arrow (Su): At 7th level, an Arcane Archer can launch phased projectiles at will at a target known to her within range, and the projectile travels to the target in a straight path, passing through any non-magical barrier or wall in its way. (Any magical barrier stops the projectile.) This ability negates cover modifiers, but otherwise the attack is rolled normally. This ability cannot be used on an Energy Bolt, but it can be used with Imbue Arrow.

Evasion (Ex): At 8th level and higher, an Arcane Archer can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with great agility. If she makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, she instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if the Arcane Archer is wearing light armor or no armor. A helpless Arcane Archer does not gain the benefit of evasion.

Hail of Arrows (Su): As a full-round attack, an Arcane Archer of 10th level or higher can fire a projectile at each and every target within range, to a maximum of one target for every Arcane Archer level she has earned. Each attack uses the archer’s primary attack bonus, and each enemy may only be targeted by a single projectile.

Esoteric Energy Bolt (Su): At 13th level when using Enhance Arrow the Arcane Archer chooses one energy type (selected from Force, Light, or Sonic) that they can infuse the projectile with and changing damage dealt into that type. In the case of sonic arrows, the arrow deals 1d6 bonus damage and on a critical hit the arrow deals an additional 1d8 bonus damage per critical multiplier. (Force and Light do not deal bonus damage)

Supreme Imbue Arrow (Su): At 16th level the Arcane Archer may twice per round use Imbue Arrow as an attack action rather than as a part of a standard action. Spells fired through Imbue Arrow are treated as though affected by Greater Spell Focus (+2 to DC) and Greater Spell Penetration (+4 to CL check to overcome SR) versus the target struck.
Last edited by erik on Sun Aug 20, 2023 2:01 pm, edited 20 times in total.
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erik
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Post by erik »

This was inspired by AH's thread about making classes and in the discussion I realized there was no tome 1-20 Arcane Archer. Iaimeki did a decent prestige class version but I wanted to start off with magic and magic arrows.

And then I decided since I wanted at will spells for launching artillery I'd try to include Kaelik's Spirit Shaman mechanic.

It may be a bit overboard though since it uses wizard list. I tried to compensate by giving even less spells "prepared" available per day... and conspicuously avoided giving unlimited Time Stop until level 20.

Maybe spheres (plus some spell adaptation ability) would be a better fit than the Spirit Shaman mechanic. Hrm.
AcidBlades
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Post by AcidBlades »

erik wrote:Maybe spheres (plus some spell adaptation ability) would be a better fit than the Spirit Shaman mechanic. Hrm.
If you were to include Spheres, then maybe having some SLAs at the beginning when Spheres cant' just be dipped for easy would be alright. Spells like Shield or something minor, yet generally helpful?
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erik
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Post by erik »

Having a sphere at level 1 wouldn't be that bad a tease for dippers, especially if it is not Expert level.

I wanted to mix a dash of the utility of wizardry + heavy artillery potential (thus the need for at-will), but I think it didn't mix well and it's too much.

Maybe I'll give bardish casting to start and then some artillery-esque spheres over time.
AcidBlades
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Post by AcidBlades »

erik wrote:Having a sphere at level 1 wouldn't be that bad a tease for dippers, especially if it is not Expert level.

I wanted to mix a dash of the utility of wizardry + heavy artillery potential (thus the need for at-will), but I think it didn't mix well and it's too much.

Maybe I'll give bardish casting to start and then some artillery-esque spheres over time.
I don't really think that mixing up spheres and generic 2/3rd spell casting really goes over that well, but whatever man. More power to you? It just seems like a conflict of themes, of being able to handle whatever you want with vancian spell-casting and the focus of Sphere casting.
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Post by Kaelik »

The biggest problem I see is that while buffs may be the intention, to me the thing to do with this to pick the best possible AoE save or die/cripple, use that, then clean up with a bow.

IE, Web/Glitterdust, into Stinking Cloud (wiuth something to pierce concealment or not) ect.
DSMatticus wrote:Kaelik gonna kaelik. Whatcha gonna do?
The U.S. isn't a democracy and if you think it is, you are a rube.

That's libertarians for you - anarchists who want police protection from their slaves.
radthemad4
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Post by radthemad4 »

How about using the Durational Spellcasting thing from the Kaelik Wizard, but with more slots?
Spellcasting (Durational): A Kaelik Wizard may cast some spells with a duration longer than 15 minutes. These spells must have a duration that is 10 minutes per level, hours per level, or have a duration longer than 30 minutes. Any spell which requires concentration may not be cast in this way. A Kaelik Wizard may cast one such spell in 15 minutes, or she may cast as many durational spells as she is capable of maintaining in one 15 minute block. After casting the spell, the duration becomes permanent so long as the Kaelik Wizard expends a duration slot to keep the spell active.

The Kaelik Wizard gains one level 1 duration slot at level 1. At each level that a Kaelik Wizard gains access to a new spell level, she gains a duration slot of that spell level, to a maximum of 9 duration slots total, one for each spell level at level 17.

A Kaelik Wizard may cease to use a duration slot to maintain a spell as a swift action, and at that time the spell immediately ends.

SPECIAL NOTE: For most spells, the distinction between instantaneous creation and permanent is just a question of whether the effect should be dispellable. However, for the Kaelik Wizard, it determines whether the spell uses up a duration slot. While I don't know of anything off the top of my head, there might exist an Instantaneous Duration spell that the DM should require to use a duration slot.

Shorter Durations: At level 5 a Kaelik Wizard can now use Duration slots to make permanent spells with a duration of 1 minute per level in addition to the other stated durations.
Last edited by radthemad4 on Mon Sep 07, 2015 5:41 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by vagrant »

Not enough elf.
Then, once you have absorbed the lesson, that your so-called "friends" are nothing but meat sacks flopping around in the fashion of an outgassing corpse, pile all of your dice and pencils and graph-paper in the corner and SET THEM ON FIRE. Weep meaningless tears.

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erik
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Post by erik »

One of the things I hate most about Arcane Archers are their elf-requirement. The game does not need Elves to dominate a generic magic archer class. So no, that won't be making an appearance. The head nod I gave in fluff text is as close as it will get.

Anywho, updated with Bard-ish casting (I bumped the 0 spell/day levels), and limited sphere access mostly pointing towards the stuff you'd imbue into arrows.

I wanted the casting and everything to be based upon Intelligence modifier, but since I'm going with spontaneous casting and spheres I suppose Charisma was inevitable.




[edit]
AcidBlades wrote:
erik wrote:Having a sphere at level 1 wouldn't be that bad a tease for dippers, especially if it is not Expert level.

I wanted to mix a dash of the utility of wizardry + heavy artillery potential (thus the need for at-will), but I think it didn't mix well and it's too much.

Maybe I'll give bardish casting to start and then some artillery-esque spheres over time.
I don't really think that mixing up spheres and generic 2/3rd spell casting really goes over that well, but whatever man. More power to you? It just seems like a conflict of themes, of being able to handle whatever you want with vancian spell-casting and the focus of Sphere casting.
But now having seen it, it works right? Riiight? You have some limited utility shite, and you have your SLA blasterizing.

I'll grant that I just use Spheres for the mechanic of a domain of SLAs that you can upgrade to at-will SLAs if desired... and I have next to no interest in them being spooky fiendishy things which may have been their original intent.

My main concern now is that it's too strong. You got a decent archer who also gets some limited sorcery and blaster chops that comes on line at level 8 (assuming you focus on getting to Expert level Sphere ASAP... sooner if there's a feat to boost Spheres?). I've considered having the Shere SLAs only function via use of Imbue Arrow (which works for 98% of them... just not Fire Shield). If AA's Sphere SLAs only work via Imbue Arrow unless the range is Personal, or Touch in which case you have the choice of Touch or Imbue Arrow. That should lock it down and make it more thematic. I'll edit something to that effect in now.

Maybe I was too harsh on elves. No. Nope. I regret nothing. Fuck Elves. They're my second favorite race (well, third if you count Shocker Lizards) but making them mandatory rustles my jimmies like a jackhammer with a dildo attachment.
Last edited by erik on Wed Sep 09, 2015 1:34 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Post by erik »

Sidebar regarding the Tome [Combat] feat Point Blank Shot.

+BAB as a damage bonus to every arrow fired... seems a bit hot. Like over compensation for 3.5 taking the piss out of archers by not stacking arrow and bow enhancement mods.

Having that makes me want to scale back everything else, and that annoys me since +TEXA$ damage is a lot less interesting than firing arrows some of which contain fireballs.



Anywho I scaled the spheres back to just the 3 most evokery, and got rid of Acid as an available energy bolt option mostly because a soggy arrow is a thousand times less cool than an ice arrow, lightning arrow, flaming arrow. Cold, Electricity and Fire it is.

Got rid of force arrows just to scale things back and focus on core conceits. Nerfed Phase arrow to only negate cover, rather than turning every shot into a touch attack.

[edit: I teased at the language some to make it explicit that arcane archer can be for any projectile user. A halfing with sling stones, a human with playing card (or bat-shaped) shuriken, a lightning javelin throwing giant. Whatever.]
Last edited by erik on Mon Sep 14, 2015 1:28 am, edited 1 time in total.
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