Weird question about prestiges

[manumase]

I am just wondering, if i chose elf fighter, would i be able to choose both kensei and arcane archer? am thinking about it because the thought of it seems nice, arcane archer is an elf prestige aswell as ranger, (also, would power attack work on a bow?)

[QuantumFX]

I am just wondering, if i chose elf fighter, would i be able to choose both kensei and arcane archer? am thinking about it because the thought of it seems nice, arcane archer is an elf prestige aswell as ranger, (also, would power attack work on a bow?)

Yes. However you will need to splash a spellcasting class to make it happen.

[hydra_ex]

I am just wondering, if i chose elf fighter, would i be able to choose both kensei and arcane archer? am thinking about it because the thought of it seems nice, arcane archer is an elf prestige aswell as ranger, (also, would power attack work on a bow?)

Yes you can. Unfortunately, ranged combat is lacking in power. And you cannot use Power Attack with a bow.

[manumase]

meh, bet i could get it to work (would take a while to get the balance), would be hard work at the beginning but don't need to go dex crazy, my armor won't allow it, and dex is mainly just for the armor class anyway, the to hit usually suffices if ya have mith plate on (also should be able to waste 1 ap on elvish arcanum)

[hydra_ex]

meh, bet i could get it to work (would take a while to get the balance), would be hard work at the beginning but don't need to go dex crazy, my armor won't allow it, and dex is mainly just for the armor class anyway, the to hit usually suffices if ya have mith plate on

No matter your build ranged combat does not keep up with the Damage of a melee character, and the survivability of one is not much higher than a properly built melee either.

[manumase]

problem with range is just the equipment, not many people find it, the abilities of a rangers dmg are there, but only if the equipment will show up, (its just too darn hard to find bows that will make good dmg stacking)

[hydra_ex]

problem with range is just the equipment, not many people find it, the abilities of a rangers dmg are there, but only if the equipment will show up, (its just too darn hard to find bows that will make good dmg stacking)

No, equipment is not the problem. Assuming a WF barbarian dual wielding lightning II khopeshes, and a pure elven arcane archer ranger with the same bow,the WF barbarian will kill the target almost twice as fast when the ranger is using manyshot, and more than 3 times as fast when he's not.

Its the fact that ranged combat often does not have a use; it deals less damage than melee, and slows the group down. Its unfortunate, since I like ranged combat, but more often than not, with a competent group (especially with a good healer), any tactical benefit provided by ranged combat is negated by its general inferiority to THF/TWF melee combat.

[RobbinB]

should be able to waste 1 ap on elvish arcanum

Not sure, but I thought that the arcanum enhancement only became available once you actually took a caster level. So you are stuck with either taking a caster level or spending a feat for mental toughness if you wish to be eligible for arcane archer.

(Also, I'm not sure that the extra damage afforded by kensai III fighter versus standard ranger justifies what you lose in terms of skill points, evasion, etc...).

[OldAquarian]

Mythal did just that with a very nice explanation (and a poor poor man's version by me )
http://forums.ddo.com/showthread.php?t=222343