Spider Archer Build

[Rexmundis]

Ok, so Arcane Archer makes ranged *slighty* more feasible in the long term. But, how can we make it a really good build, so much so that ranged builds will be more common like melee. I say, the webbing archer.

Essentially, this focuses around 1 spell, web (a REALLY GOOD 2nd level spell) that can be used to trap *most* creatures for at least a few seconds (maybe 10 or maybe more). Web however is sorta useless with melee, seeing how as you get toward your target you'll be webbed yourself and the target can attack back. BUT, with archery it's a different story.

A hasted archer especially can use web to delay opponents and then fire and recast to delay again until all his enemies are dead. For those really strong monsters you can cast mass hold or hold (depending on numbers) to delay the target.

Further summoning creatures to assist you ( dont know how many you can summon) can also delay single appearing monsters.

What do you think?

[sly_1]

It's more complex than cast web = gg.

1st of all, what is the dc going to be on that web? If you focus on getting your web dc high enough, you need to max out your casting stat, otherwise later on in the game that piddly low dc web isn't going to snare anything.

But if you max out your casting dc, what does that do to your bow ab and damage? You need to max dex and str (with lvl 1 ranger or the fighter ability) out to get ab and damage outta that bow, how will you manage to keep a viable dc while also pumping 2 other stats?

And that lvl 2 web spell, to be effective, needs to be heightened, meaning you need a lot of sp and caster lvls to be able to cast higher lvl spells. That means sacrificing your ab.

So at the end of the day, the character capable of effectively using web all the way thru endgame isn't going to also be good at hitting things and also doing any substantial damage with a bow.

So at the end of the day this idea has a lack of synergy, which imo is going to prevent it from being viable at higher levels.

[tihocan]

It's probably doable to some extent with an Elf Wizard. I'm not sure it'd work great though, and feat selection is going to be tough.

[Crann]

Another point is that you do not get caught in friendly webs. Had a "Goggles of Web" on my ranger AA and it was a blast to cast a web and blast stuff stuck in it.....at 4th level. You are going to have to give up a great deal of dps with your ranged attack if you want to focus enough on your caster side to have effective DC's to make web work.

[unbongwah]

You could team up, say, a pure ranger AA with a pure wizard or sorcerer: the mage focuses on rooting mobs with Web while the archer picks them off. Probably sub-optimal in terms of DPS, but if you and your partner(s) find it fun, why not?

[Jasimine]

You could team up, say, a pure ranger AA with a pure wizard or sorcerer: the mage focuses on rooting mobs with Web while the archer picks them off. Probably sub-optimal in terms of DPS, but if you and your partner(s) find it fun, why not?

The problem is as you level up the wizard/sorc is probley going to get bored waiting for you to take 20 minutes to clear a room on your own and just start fingering everything instead of waiting for you.

Right now archery does lack in DPS to some degree, but it's not as bad as most think. The problem is players have not adapted to use archery's strengths and mitigate it's weaknesses. I.E. It's not that archery is bad, it's that most archers are lousy.

Once an arcane archer gets death arrows and has a decent bow equipped they suddenly become a little mini machine gun of doom when manyshot is up and running. However many many archers get the mentality that they must keep that bow out even when something is right in their face beating on them and many shot is on cool down.

This mentality is the leading cause for archer deaths and for poor archer DPS. The only build I could see were ranged DPS could be substantially higher than their personal melee capabilities is a ranged specced arcane archer/kensai build. This is because you lock yourself into ranged combat by taking all feats and enhancements in archery and even if you have GTWF/GTHF you only have your raw strength and maybe power attack to help the damage. However your more common pure ranger archer gets their favored enemy bonus no matter what weapons they use. Pull out a pair of khopeshes, rapiers, scimitars, dwarf axes, and kick butt with them from time to time. You'll be amazed at what you can accomplish in melee as an arcane archer.

The unwillingness to enter melee also comes from poor building and planning. Many arcane archers I have run into dump strength AND constitution citing they only need dexterity to hit with a bow and they are ranged so don't need HP. These are so untrue! Strength boosts bow damage for a dedicated archer since you are going to be taking bow strength in one form or another, and constitution lets you survive blows when you MUST melee.

Finally, even a purely range specced Kensai-Arcane Archer can slap on a pair of vorpals, banishers, paralyzers, destruction, smiting, disrupter weapons. Even stat damagers work! Then you can get in melee and be helpful atleast with trash and come boss time you can turn on many shot and turn him into a pin cushion as you crank off a few thousand damage in seconds. Just be ready to pull out your weapons to join the melee when he comes rushing after you.