Angelic Archer

[Will_Ferrer]

There have been few FvS ranged builds, but that's mostly due the face that ranged combat is awful. I'm purposing a pew pew searing light build that can many shot and even be an Arcane Archer (if you sacrifice most of the casting abilities). It may even be able to support the new Angel of Vengeance PrC coming in U9. Its a low HP build, it heals and can reach as much as 400 hp which ain't bad for ranged toon. It can reach normal DCs but needs some TR'n

This build uses a different approach:
Zen Archery (to hit and Caster DC)
Half Elf Dilettante Ranger (instead of Bow Strength)

The idea is to many shot when its timer is up and cast the rest of the time.

Character Plan by DDO Character Planner Version 3.8.0
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Akroma 
Level 20 Chaotic Neutral Half-Elf Female
(20 Favored Soul) 
Hit Points: 240
Spell Points: 1962 
BAB: 15\15\20\25\25
Fortitude: 15
Reflex: 15
Will: 20

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
Abilities        Base Stats          Modified Stats
(32 Point)       (Level 1)             (Level 20)
Strength             14                    16
Dexterity            15                    17
Constitution         14                    16
Intelligence          8                    10
Wisdom               16                    26
Charisma             10                    16

Tomes Used
+2 Tome of Strength used at level 7
+2 Tome of Dexterity used at level 7
+2 Tome of Constitution used at level 7
+2 Tome of Intelligence used at level 7
+2 Tome of Wisdom used at level 7
+2 Tome of Charisma used at level 7

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
                 Base Skills         Modified Skills
Skills           (Level 1)            (Level 20)
Balance               2                    10
Bluff                 0                     3
Concentration         2                     3
Diplomacy             0                     3
Disable Device       n/a                    n/a
Haggle                0                     3
Heal                  3                    10
Hide                  2                     3
Intimidate            0                     5
Jump                  6                    25
Listen                3                     8
Move Silently         2                     3
Open Lock             n/a                   n/a
Perform               n/a                   n/a
Repair               -1                     0
Search               -1                     0
Spot                  3                     8
Swim                  2                     3
Tumble                n/a                   n/a
Use Magic Device      n/a                   n/a

Level 1 (Favored Soul)
Feat: (Diety) Favored by the Silver Flame
Feat: (Half-Elf Dilettante) Half-Elf Dilettante: Ranger
Feat: (Selected) Quicken Spell


Level 2 (Favored Soul)


Level 3 (Favored Soul)
Feat: (Selected) Zen Archery


Level 4 (Favored Soul)


Level 5 (Favored Soul)
Feat: (Favored Soul Bonus) Energy Resistance: Fire


Level 6 (Favored Soul)
Feat: (Selected) Point Blank Shot


Level 7 (Favored Soul)


Level 8 (Favored Soul)


Level 9 (Favored Soul)
Feat: (Selected) Rapid Shot


Level 10 (Favored Soul)
Feat: (Favored Soul Bonus) Energy Resistance: Acid


Level 11 (Favored Soul)


Level 12 (Favored Soul)
Feat: (Selected) Manyshot


Level 13 (Favored Soul)


Level 14 (Favored Soul)


Level 15 (Favored Soul)
Feat: (Favored Soul Bonus) Energy Resistance: Electricity
Feat: (Selected) Maximize Spell


Level 16 (Favored Soul)


Level 17 (Favored Soul)


Level 18 (Favored Soul)
Feat: (Selected) Empower Spell


Level 19 (Favored Soul)


Level 20 (Favored Soul)
Enhancement: Favored Soul Ascendency: Silver Flame
Enhancement: Silver Flame Exorcism
Enhancement: Favored Soul Longbow Specialization I
Enhancement: Favored Soul Longbow Specialization II
Enhancement: Improved Ranger Dilettante I
Enhancement: Improved Ranger Dilettante II
Enhancement: Improved Ranger Dilettante III
Enhancement: Human Adaptability Wisdom I
Enhancement: Favored Soul Improved Empowering I
Enhancement: Favored Soul Improved Empowering II
Enhancement: Favored Soul Prayer of Smiting I
Enhancement: Favored Soul Prayer of Smiting II
Enhancement: Favored Soul Prayer of Life I
Enhancement: Favored Soul Prayer of Life II
Enhancement: Favored Soul Prayer of Incredible Smiting I
Enhancement: Favored Soul Prayer of Incredible Smiting II
Enhancement: Favored Soul Prayer of Incredible Life I
Enhancement: Favored Soul Prayer of Incredible Life II
Enhancement: Favored Soul Smiting I
Enhancement: Favored Soul Smiting II
Enhancement: Favored Soul Smiting III
Enhancement: Favored Soul Smiting IV
Enhancement: Favored Soul Life Magic I
Enhancement: Favored Soul Life Magic II
Enhancement: Favored Soul Life Magic III
Enhancement: Favored Soul Life Magic IV
Enhancement: Favored Soul Energy of the Scion I
Enhancement: Favored Soul Energy of the Scion II
Enhancement: Favored Soul Energy of the Scion III
Enhancement: Favored Soul Energy of the Scion IV
Enhancement: Favored Soul Charisma I
Enhancement: Favored Soul Charisma II
Enhancement: Favored Soul Wisdom I
Enhancement: Favored Soul Wisdom II
Enhancement: Favored Soul Wand and Scroll Mastery I
Enhancement: Favored Soul Wand and Scroll Mastery II

With 2 ranger TRs and +3 dex tome you could max Wisdom for full DCs by dropping DEX to 14 and still meet the prereq for Many shot. This makes you a **** good caster/healer and decent at ranged combat

If you drop Quicken and Empower, then with Mental Toughness(Arcane Prodigy) and Weapon Focus Ranged you could still get Arcane Archer and still maintain AofV PrC (as its written now) You lose a lot of caster power but if you like ranged combat....

Has anyone else made this build or at least something similar. I wondering if its worth going any further then conception. I dont normally do ranged combat but I think this might be a stepping stone for serious consideration.

Im spending a little time on this build every week, I'm currently working on my main(monk) but this build is the next in line. I figure after 2 TR's as a ranger and a +3 dex tome she'll end up with:

ManyShot: every 2 mins
Searing Light Capstone: every 6 seconds
Silver Flame Exorcism: every 5 mins (doesn't looks like it affected by smite enhancements and the damage it does it fire meaning devils and demons are immune)
AoV PrC II Summon Archon
36~40 Wisdom
Light/Smite Damage spec
Max/Empower/Quicken
30% increase on BB
Condemnation/Retribution
and a very capable healer

[Cheswick]

Since nobody replied. I at least wanted to let you know that I have subscribed to this thread as an interesting build to try later. Possibly as a TR for my sorcerer to step into with Past Life feats.

[Will_Ferrer]

I tried it out as a lvl 4 and OMG its painfully slow. Seems like its best to just take on the roll as a caster at low levels. Ranged Combat is not enough at low levels, although it might be better with some ranger past lives boosting damage

[Will_Ferrer]

I've gotten my first life nearly done and already got the dex tome I need to qualify for many shot

[Will_Ferrer]

The toons name is Irro. She is a lot of fun to play. Many shot is awesome for boss fights, lit II of course. I'm working on trying out other type of bows, ones that do status effects or have a chance to outright kill.

Shes pretty much a divine caster but on boss fights she summons an Archon, casts Blade Barrier, uses the free searing light, starts Divine Punishment and activates many shot. Its a lot to keep track of all the clickies.

Ranged Capacity: 6 out of 10

Not as good as I would have liked, but its what I expected without IPS and the Arcane Archer PRC. No improved precise shot means you cant just mow down a whole hallway of mobs. No precise shot means sometimes your target gets blocked by others mobs. Point Blank Shot forces you to close distance rather then shot from afar which is nice. The Ranger Past Lives really help with damage as well as the faith feats/enhancements and the Divine Favor/Power spells.

Caster Capacity: 7 out of 10

No spell pen feats, enhancements or past lives. No school focuses. No heighten spell Metamagic. This build lacks the DC needed to dish out insta-kills with spells like Destruction and Slay Living in both spell pen and spell level. Any content past level 16 elite and there is a some problems landing insta death. Right now she sits at 36 wisdom but can buff to 40 with ship buffs and pots. With an exceptional wisdom item(I still need a good ring) I can get it to 42, but without spell pen, I don't see it being too much more different. I see some Wizard past lives in her future Still Blade Barrier lands often, and so does Destruction on non epic low fort mobs. I do find myself casting and landing Slay Living from time to time. Searing Light does great damage when it crits but from a caster point of view its not really all that impressive. 500+ on most crits.

Healing Capacity: 8 out of 10

Using a bow can be very distracting with trying to find and select the right mob you want to be attacking and your Barb is 2 hits from death. I feel like that's the case with anyone that not a nannybot so I don't think that should weigh very heavy on the build. I was surprised to notice that there are some strange things that start happening with animation when using Quicken and Rapid Shot while moving, shooting and casting a spell. I have yet to pin them down in a way that can be explained just yet.

There are more then enough spells for me to choose from and still be able to cast the healing spells that I wanna use whilst buffing myself with stuff I need... except True Seeing... oh how I miss you. Oh well there's always scrolls. I have found as most battle clerics and other melee FvS already know. Less healing is required if you can contribute to damage, although often the same amount SP is expended.


Synergy: 8 out of 10

Past 30 feet the damage is pretty low, I use the Capstone clicky "Light of the Flame" to draw them in. Once they enter that 30 feet range all kinds of goodies start to kick in.. Double base damage, -2 to saves, AC and to-hit and the Archon begins plucking away often doing more damage then the bow. Every 2 arrows fired is accompanied by a cannon blast. and every 6 seconds "Light of the Flame". Improved Cursespewing of Shattermantle is fun for preparing pesky stranglers for their Destruction. Many Shot works great for cleaning up mobs in your Blade Barrier or those that have just been hit with Greater Command. Against bosses its best to use the Many Shot then switch back to divine caster/healer. I like not being married to the bow.


Loose ends

Silver Flame Exorcism; I have yet to fall in love with this 4 point AP cost that only works on extra planer mobs, and is unaffected by my smiting enhancements

Diplomacy; Surrounding a mob inside a Blade Barrier, shooting it with a shoulder cannon and Many shot volleys cannot be forgiven even with 2 diplomacys.

HP; I'm currently at 455 HP which is not awful but its not that great considering everything I'm doing to get it that high. All that is left is Superior False Life and a +4 con tome and that would give me 30 more HP. Pretty ridiculous how much HP a single Toughness feat adds.

Future

Well at this point shes heaps of fun to play but she has a lot of room for improvement. I'm currently thinking of adding...
Wizard
Wizard
Wizard
Favored Soul same build
Sorc
Sorc
Sorc
Favored Soul same build
Monk
Monk
Monk
Ranger
Finale with Favored Soul same build

...shrug, I'm bored need stuff to tinker with

[Entelech]

Were I you, I'd consider something like FvS 14 / Monk 6.

It'd get you evasion (to go with the nice Monk / FvS saves), some fast movement, the Ten Thousand Stars thing as a secondary boost when Manyshot is on cooldown, and some extra Wisdom due to water stance. Also, three badly-needed bonus feats.

Also, it'd give you the triple Wisdom synergy of Monk AC bonus, Zen Archery for attack, and FvS spell DC's.

Unfortunately, you'd lose a huge chunk of your casting, and FvS wings. You'd keep the Angel of Vengeance II autoblaster guy though.

Also, don't forget Ranger past lives. +2 to bow damage is nothing to sneeze at.

[wax_on_wax_off]

This is the FvS archer build that I came up with.

Pros:
Competitive single target and AoE bow damage
Scroll and single target raid healing capable
Excellent kiter

Cons:
Can't raid heal

[Will_Ferrer]

Since nobody replied. I at least wanted to let you know that I have subscribed to this thread as an interesting build to try later. Possibly as a TR for my sorcerer to step into with Past Life feats.

Wow its been a long time since I've even looked at this thread. I figured I'd add to it and see if anyone has created anything worth mentioning

[Will_Ferrer]

Greetings Forumites

So nearly everything about the original build is outdated. It can still be seen every now and then wandering around G-land. Its current form remains true to the original concept but its useful has only dwindled. Mostly played as a concept character. She used to be able to heal but thankfully that is no longer needed.

Ive been toying around with DPS caster, Shiradi Caster/Ranger, DPS ranger and PK ranger. All of them sub-optimal. the PK ranged option had merit but didn't offer anything a pure ranger couldn't do and then was worthless in boss fights. The notable features of this build are


20 FVS
10 Epic levels

Point Blank Shot
Many Shot
Precise Shot
Improved Precise Shot
Double Shot
Arcane Warrior
Guardian Angel
Maximize
Empower
Quicken
Intensify
Master of Light
Ruin

I run in FoTW, Shiradi and EA