Arcane Archer build, please give comments

[aresm16]

Want to know if this is a solid arcane archer build. Please tell me what you think. This does not include enhancements or items, just a skeleton.

Level 16 Lawful Good Elf Male
(2 Fighter / 14 Ranger)
Hit Points: 168
Spell Points: 276

BAB: 16/16/21/2626
Fortitude: 13
Reflex: 13
Will: 6

Starting Feat/Enhancement
Abilities Base Stats Modified Stats
(32 Point) (Level 1) (Level 16)
Strength 16 20
Dexterity 18 18
Constitution 12 12
Intelligence 8 8
Wisdom 14 14
Charisma 8 8

Level 1 (Fighter)
Feat: (Selected) Point Blank Shot
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Weapon Focus: Ranged Weapons

Level 2 (Fighter)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Dodge

Level 3 (Ranger)
Feat: (Favored Enemy) Favored Enemy: Undead
Feat: (Selected) Mobility

Level 4 (Ranger)

Level 5 (Ranger)

Level 6 (Ranger)
Feat: (Selected) Mental Toughness

Level 7 (Ranger)
Feat: (Favored Enemy) Favored Enemy: Giant

Level 8 (Ranger)

Level 9 (Ranger)
Feat: (Selected) Improved Critical: Ranged Weapons

Level 10 (Ranger)

Level 11 (Ranger)

Level 12 (Ranger)
Feat: (Favored Enemy) Favored Enemy: Chaotic Outsider
Feat: (Selected) Shot on the Run

Level 13 (Ranger)

Level 14 (Ranger)

Level 15 (Ranger)
Feat: (Selected) Weapon Finesse

[Aesop]

why weapon finesse?

you havea higher srtength than Dex ... so its unnecessary


Aesop

[Aesop]

Why the 14 Wisdom? Are you picking up a Monk level later or something?

I'd drop the Wisdom down a bit and raise Con

[Aesop]

I'd suggest changing FE: Chaotic OUtsider to FE: Evil Outsider


we fight more Evil Outsiders that aren't chaotic than Chaotic ones that aren't evil

Aesop

[aresm16]

the 14 wis so I can get all spells, and after ranger and elf dex enhancements my dex will end up much higher than my str

[Aesop]

the 14 wis so I can get all spells, and after ranger and elf dex enhancements my dex will end up much higher than my str

Items and Tomes count for spells the Wis is not really needed

Elf and Dex enhancements get you 5 Dex... which is 3 higher than your Str ... unless you take Fighter Strength 1 which you get with level 2 fighter


thus dropping the difference down to 2 ... a +1 to hit with light weapons is not worth a feat

whooopes forgot about the 2 spell effects that you can get Rage and Ram's Might which will put your Strength up by 2 so -1 to hit with light weapons really isn't worth a Feat

[aresm16]

as far as the wis, i did not want to waste an item spot on it

as for the feat, what would you take instead? I was thinking maybe toughness for the fighter toughness

or perhaps just take the 1 lvl of ftr and 15 ranger

[Aesop]

yeah toughness is probably the best bet. Though many will tell you Power Attack for when you have to melee (and you will have to at some points in the game just for expediance)

Aesop

[aresm16]

Or should I replace that extra ftr lvl with 1 monk lvl?

[Aesop]

Or should I replace that extra ftr lvl with 1 monk lvl?

I don't think so... maybe at level 17 you could take a Monk level but monks get Bonus Feat as well...

I am off though now so someone else I'm sure will pick up on this

Aesop

[Furysetzer]

If you replaced Ftr2 with Mnk1, your hit points and BAB will go down, but your saves would go up slightly. Their class feats are sort of weak, but might be worth it for your build(Power Attack, Toughness, Weapon Finesse, Dodge and Deflect Arrows).

I think you're overlooking whether you want Ranger Arcane Archer or Elven Arcane Archer. Elven gets you to be able to conjure +3 Arrows while Ranger can get you +4 Arrows. For Ranger, you need 15 Ranger. If I were you, I'd put this one on the back burner until next mod, where they said they're going to upgrade the Specialties.

[QuantumFX]

Ranger should be your character class at level 1. Especially if you plan on playing an archer build. Bow Strength is a ranger exclusive feat. You also have more skill points to spend. Fighter levels are better spent after ranger level 11. This is so you can use them on things like Improved Crit.

If you're going to put all your stat level ups into STR then you should take weapon finesse at low levels and then trade it out. At level 16 you're easily going to be pushing a 28 STR (16 Base + 4 Level ups + 2 Ram's Might +1 Tome +1 Fighter enhancement) and a 30 DEX (18 Base +5 Enhancements +1 tome +6 Item). Since you're playing an Elf that feat would be better spent on something like Oversized TWF. (+1 to hit with rapiers vs. avoiding a -2 penalty to hit with rapiers and longswords.)

As for a class split... Ho boy... If the Kensai PrE works on ranged weapons you may want to keep your ear to the ground on details about it. An elf would be able to take Arcane Archer and Kensai if they have the correct number of fighter levels.