Hello, people!
My brother is going to be making a guest appearance at the game table this weekend. He moved to another state, did some college, got a job, got married, . . . . You know. Anyway, he's basically been away from the rpg table for about 5 years, and has not played Pathfinder before. He would like to play an archer ranger -- a riff on a character from a campaign many years past. I've been trying to get the build ready for him to take it and run, but I wanted to check with you guys before I handed him a completed character sheet.
Here's what we've got so far:
Human
STR 16
DEX 20
CON 12
INT 11
WIS 15
CHA 11
Level 6
Gear value -- 16,000 to 18,000 gp
Legal source material -- all official Paizo publications; EXCEPTION -- no traits.
The single greatest element I need to focus upon is feat selection, I think. Considering the party is only level 6, it seems that the pincushion approach is the best, so a lot of the feats seem obvious: Point-Blank Shot, Rapid Shot, Precise Shot, Manyshot -- but what to do with the other two choices?
And, regarding the gear -- I'm guessing that a +1 mighty (+3) composite longbow is the most reasonable bow to use at this point? Or should I boost Str and go for mighty (+4) ?
Thanks, folks! Game on.
For another two feats - you could go with mounted combat & mounted archery, or deadly aim & weapon focus, or defiant & inexplicable luck, or nimble moves & acrobatic steps. Not an exhaustive list. Deadly aim/wpn focus amplifies the pincushion best, the others provide other capabilities.
A +3 strength is plenty for an archer.
Make sure he has a couple potions, just in case. They're not that expensive. A good archery ranger should probably have a basic healing potion and an invisibility potion at the least. Don't spend TOO much. If he's going up against demons, devils, lycanthropes or anything interesting like that, give him the proper damage reduction overcoming arrows he'll need - at least a few of them. Alchemical silver arrows, cold iron arrows, etc.
That's a reasonable bow, yeah.
Feat-wise: deadly aim + weapon focus is probably best. You're the DM I assume, right? Consider what your party is going to be fighting that week since you want him to feel useful.
Weapon Focus and Point Blank Master would be useful. You have to use your 6th level bonus feat for Point Blank Master and it requires weapon focus even when a ranger uses his bonus feat.
Point Blank Master allows him to use a bow in melee without provoking an attack or opportunity.
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I would drop int, wisdom and cha by 1 point and increase Con to 14.
You don't get any benefit of having a 15 wisdom as opposed to a 14. Same goes for the 11 compared to 10s.
As for feats give him the ones you listed, deadly aim, and boon companion. This will increase his damage output. Tell him to be careful about combining deadly aim and rapid shot. Sometimes on high AC targets you just have to give up one of them for the other.
I recommend giving him a wolf companion just for iconic reasons and combat effiency. If he wants more of a mount I'd avoid boon companion feat. But take the camel over the horse. I like having my camel spit in people's face.
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I agree with Markov Spiked Chain
+1 Adaptive Composite Longbow- 3,450
-> 20 Cold Iron Arrows and 40 Regular Arrows (we will call them freebies)
Bracers of Falcon Aim- 4k
+2 Belt of Dex- 4k
+1 Mithral Shirt- 2,100
+1 Cloak of Resistance- 1,000
M.W. Cold Iron Greatsword- 400
Wand of Cure Light Wounds- 750gp
Cracked Dusty Rose Prism Ioun Stone- 500gp (+1 to initiative)
Potion of Bless Weapon- 50gp
Alchemist Fire x2 -40gp
Antiplague- 50p
antitoxin- 50gp
Everburning Torch- 110gp
Starting gear:
Kit, Ranger's- (backpack, a bedroll, a belt pouch, a flint and steel, iron pot, mess kit, rope, trail rations (5 days), and a waterskin.)
Adventurer's Outfit- (one free outfit all characters get)
Total: Roughly 16,500
>>>>> Fruian
The stats were die-rolled, and therefore are locked into place; I know I'd love to make those few changes, but it's nixed.
The bracers of falcon aim are crazy good; I'm sold -- and my brother doesn't know it yet, but so is he. Coolest new thing I've found in Pathfinder . . . at least until next week, anyway.
>>>>> Markov
Thanks for the tip on the adaptive ability; I only have direct access to the Core book, so the new-fangled stuff (lol) is exactly that for me.
Is that a Sorin Markov shout-out? If so, beaucoup props.
>>>>> Stranger
We're a melee heavy crew, already, so the concern about provoking AoOs is significantly reduced. It's a good thing, for sure, but I doubt it would be relevant often enough to make it worthwhile. We've got a greatsword-wielding bloodrager, a bastard sword tank, a weird monk/warpriest multiclass with a stupid-dumb AC (he's a roadblock, and that's about all -- and it works both ways), and I'm running a chaotic neutrevil cleric of Rovagug with a 4-skeleton security team.
>>>>> Inlaa
I'm not the DM; which is a bit of a new thing. A long-time gamer buddy from high school is doing the honors. I've been doing the majority of the DMing for my two crews over the past 10 years, but he's doing a great job.
>>>>> avr
Where can I find those luck feats?
Thanks, folks!!
>>>>> Markov
Ugh. "Math". *horks*
Though I can certainly appreciate the links of reasoning in that chain. Har.
Did I ever tell you I hate math, though?
lol
>>>>> avr
A feat slot for a once per day ability? He's played enough 3.0/3.5 to know he much prefers consistency over flash.
>>>>> Summary
Well, last night my brother and I finalized everything for his character except for gear (that one's all mine, and thanks for y'all's input there).
Selected feats:
1) Point-Blank Shot
2) Precise Shot
3) Rapid Shot
4) Endurance
5) Boon Companion
6) Weapon Focus (longbow)
7) Manyshot
I rolled the Hit Dice for his wolf companion, and got something like 3 8s, a 7, and a 6; that dog has 55 hp, and *he* has 60!! I only make good rolls when I'm doing something for somebody else -- rolls for my own characters *suck*. *eye roll*
I'm hoping that his not choosing Deadly Aim isn't too much a hindrance on his dpr. I *think* that his favored enemy bonuses will cover the difference (undead and humans) as we're headed into the very last part of the Skinsaw Murders from Rise of the Rune Lords. We've never played through it before, and we have avoided "researching" the "cheat" methods, so those two may be kinda far off . . . .
Anyway -- thanks for all the help and humor, people!