Current best archer build?

[Foxmoon]

I've been wondering what the best pure archer build might be (ok, with the ability to switch to melee if something closes in).

I read somewhere that Ftr 18 + Rogue or Ranger 2 is good?

[Diib]

The beauty of DnD is that this is not an open and closed question. Best how?

Best for pure bow dps numbers? I strongly believe thats an 18/1/1 fighter kensai aa.

Best at being able to do decent bow damage and having very high end melee? Probably ranger 20. Ranger 20 loses to the fighter in bow damage, but with favored enemy outdoes the fighter by a bit in hand to hand.

Best at good bow damage with a high ability to solo? Any one of the bard or favored soul combos. 12 fvs/ 6 fighter/ 2 monk would be my pick for a solo archer... although 12 fighter/ 8 bard can get very very high bow damage numbers with decent self healing.

Best at being a healer and still managing all bow dps feats? 16 fvs/2 ranger/ 2 fighter.

The real question is what kind of archer do you want to play? Are you going to be in parties or soloing? Do you want to be a healer at all? Do you care about evasion? Do you even want spells? Are you looking to swap out the bow often and do a lot of melee, or are you going to keep on firing in the face of 20 mobs pounding on you?

[Pwesiela]

20 elven ranger AA.

You get all the bow enhancements, the ranger capstone, and the AA pluses.

[sirgog]

20 elven ranger AA.

You get all the bow enhancements, the ranger capstone, and the AA pluses.

Yep, I'm pretty sure that's the least bad Archer build possible.

[Dark-Star]

For a different twist on AA's, check out my Special Forces build and Blade Kiter build in the Character Builds section.

[BalanceFx]

Personally if i could remake my archer...

Elf
1 rogue
2-19 = Ranger
20 - Monk

Slaying arrows. You can do traps and lock. Great AC. Not a bad deal all around. You sacrifice the ranger capstone... but do so for rogue abilities, Armor class and great UMD.

The capstone seems weak by comparison.

[Dorian]

18 fighter - 2 bard

Kensei - Arcane Archer

with ToD set for increased bow speed

[LordArkan]

I'm playing a Kensei AA build, currently Bard 1/Fighter 8. Having lots of fun killing things with it, and can always swap over to sword/tower shield and play at tanking when the aggro is too much. Also, you're always looking forward to SOMETHING next level, since you have so many feats and enhancements that you need to pick up...
Once you have Improved Critical to go with your Silver Longbow and start regularly getting multicrits while manyshot is active, you will have forgotten a lot of the badmouthing ranged combat gets from the community.

[toughguyjoe]

Obviously we're using "Best" as a Subjective term...and I would have to say both the 18ftr/1rogue/1monk and the 20 Pure AA are probably the best ways to go if you want to beat your head against a wall doing ranged combat in a system that does not favor it.

[ssgcmwatson]

You sacrifice the ranger capstone...

Ranger Capstone: 25% speed increase on ranged attacks once you hit level 20

-OR-

Rogue Haste Boost (lvl 1 Enhancement): 15% increase in attack speed, ranged or melee, for 20 seconds... for every level from 1 to 20

Personally, I'm with BalanceFx... wouldn't even call it a "sacrifice"

[Diib]

And in testing the ranger capstone doesn't give a full 25%. Its closer to half that.

[Diib]

Obviously we're using "Best" as a Subjective term...and I would have to say both the 18ftr/1rogue/1monk and the 20 Pure AA are probably the best ways to go if you want to beat your head against a wall doing ranged combat in a system that does not favor it.

18 ftr/ 1 rogue/ 1 monk wouldn't work unless you had past life: sorc, and then you couldn't use the arrow imbues anyway.

You need to include an arcane class or a divine class and take mental toughness. 1 bard (umd, wand use) or 1 wizard (free feat) are really the best ways to go there.

[Pwesiela]

18 ftr/ 1 rogue/ 1 monk wouldn't work unless you had past life: sorc, and then you couldn't use the arrow imbues anyway.

You need to include an arcane class or a divine class and take mental toughness. 1 bard (umd, wand use) or 1 wizard (free feat) are really the best ways to go there.

Good point.

Elven AA requires one of: Mental Toughness, Elven Arcanum I, Sorcerer Energy of the Dragonblooded I, Wizard Energy of the Scholar I, Bard Energy of Music I.

Mental toughness requires the ability to cast spells. ftr, rog, monk all can't do that.

As such, I stand by my original statement: 20 ranger elven AA.

[Diib]

I'd be wary of people who recommend 20 ranger but have never played the fighter version to know how awesome it is.

The ranger is more well rounded.

The fighter does a lot more ranged damage while leveling, and a little more ranged damage at level 20 with its improved crit range... and can make up for the loss of spells with its superior umd stat. The fighter is not as good as the ranger in hth, but is no slouch as it still is able to take a full hth weapon chain and gets its power surges and haste boosts. The fighter also has more strength and hit points, which help in hand to hand (ranger does more damage in hand to hand against favored enemies).

[Pwesiela]

I'd be wary of people who recommend 20 ranger but have never played the fighter version to know how awesome it is.

Done both.

20 ranger.