Pure and only arcane archer build ?

[Elindel22]

I am new to the game. In older D&D games, I loved to play arcane archer.

All the builds I have found on this site don't use all the arcane archer skills. They use the other ranged tree as well) (I forget the name of that tree, sorry).

Is there a build that only uses arcane archer skills, and that is still very good dps ?

Thanks

[Enoach]

I play a 12/8 Fighter Wizard Elf the primary tree is Arcane Archer but I also use Eldritch Knight.

But I play him more Crowd Control with a bow then DPS.

My point is, don't knock the other trees. You cannot get everything you need from a single tree.

Deep wood Sniper is a popular mix for Rangers, and the Monk version also has the assassin tree which adds some nice defense.

[unbongwah]

Hi, welcome to DDO. Always good to know there's still new blood coming here.

Is there a build that only uses arcane archer skills, and that is still very good dps ?

If you're talking about pure rangers: yes, you could make a build which used only one tree...it's just not a very good idea, because most of the class trees have been designed in ways to have complementary power sets. E.g., the Arcane Archer (AA) tree boosts your ranged DPS via things like the Elemental Arrows imbues and Doubleshot / critical multiplier bonuses in the level 18 & 20 abilities; while the Deepwood Stalker (DWS) tree boosts your ranged DPS via special attacks like Sniper Shot, the Ranged Power action boost, the crit range bonus, extra sneak attack die, more Doubleshot, and so forth. There's no real incentive to put all your Action Points (APs) into only one tree, assuming there's even 80 pts worth of abilities to take; you're just gimping your character if you're not taking advantage of more than one tree.

In Ye Olden days of DDO, you were restricted to a single set of Enhancements called "Prestige Enhancements" (I guess because it sounded reminiscent of the prestige classes of PnP D&D) per class. I.e. a pure ranger had to choose Tempest or AA or DWS, but couldn't combine them like you can now. So ironically, DDO's mechanics back then are closer to what you describe. You should've joined us a lot sooner!

Or maybe not: playing a pure AA back then was a pretty miserable experience, IMO; you're much better off now.

Now, things could get more complicated if you're talking about an Arcane Archer which uses the racial AA tree rather than the class (rgr) one. Elves and half-elves can use the AA tree as an inherent racial ability, allowing them to combine it with other classes that have different trees. Due to the high AP cost of unlocking the AA tree, I can imagine a build which spends say 20+ APs in the racial tree then 42-ish in the AA tree, with only a few left over for a different class tree. E.g., here's a pure elf rogue which uses AA.

[C-Dog]

I am new to the game. In older D&D games, I loved to play arcane archer...

Welcome to DDO!

First, DDO is NOT D&D - or, at least, not any version/edition you've played before. Treat it as a new edition, D&D 6.i - and accept that your "old favorite characters" may not translate directly, or at least not as you might expect (and, rarely, not at all - tho' not in this case).

Is there a build that only uses arcane archer skills, and that is still very good dps ?

Probably not; I'd say almost certainly not.

First you have to ask yourself, what is more important - style, concept and flavor, or "very good dps".

The equivalent in DnD would be to say "I want a build with a single class that is not focused on dps, and that is still very good dps" - just ain't gonna happen, one contradicts the other.

The AA tree is part of a good build, not a good build by itself. The final build can focus on AA or on the Ranger's DWS, or (by multi-classing) on Sneak Attack or other sources of DPS from other trees - but a good build meshes multiple trees. That's how DDO (aka D&D 6.i edition) works.

All the builds I have found on this site don't use all the arcane archer skills. They use the other ranged tree as well) (I forget the name of that tree, sorry).

Deepwood Stalker - it's the Ranger class's "ranged" tree.

o http://ddowiki.com/page/Enhancements

It's a new edition of the game - accept that you will get your best AA character by NOT sticking slavishly to one and only one enhancement tree. Hell, by level 20 you'll have 80 points to spend on enhancements - I don't think there's room in AA alone for even 70 of that, even if you took every last (arguably weak) bell and whistle.

Any of the archer builds in this list are solid, and you can pick and choose which ones lean more heavily on AA than other trees. People will still see/recognize your build as AA.

o https://www.ddo.com/forums/showthrea...=1#post5759361


Have fun!