Archer build 2020 - any suggestion welcome

[Carpone]

My comments are focused on endgame. Since heroic content goes by so quickly, there's little reason to optimize for it. And if you're only doing heroic lives, there are better choices for racial or Ranger past lives.

Scion of Arborea < Scion of the Ethereal Plane for ranged and TWF. Math wise, Arborea only comes out ahead for THF.

I consider Spring Attack to be be essential since Ranger has no native movement speed bonuses. Mobility for ranged is an important defense.

Arcane Archer just isn't good enough to justify spending 41 points in it, especially since this build doesn't have the WIS to make the specialty shots like Banishing/Smiting work reliably in reaper. I'd spend 41+ in DWS, and get AA Metalline Bypass (core 3). Unlimited SA range is powerful, and you'll have 12d6 SA between DWS and Ethereal, 45 from Deception and 3 from rogue past lives. Another 6d6 if you choose Shadowdancer, 3d6 more with Halfling (more optimal than Scourge), and 3d6 from Artifact. 24d6+48 sneak attack damage from any distance is amazing because it scales 150% with Ranged Power. That's 198 sneak attack damage before RP scaling. Reliable SA damage > acid arrows. It also frees up two gear slots, which you can use for LGS 2pc Opposition. That's especially important if you don't yet have enough reaper points/PLs/HP from getting one shot.

Select FE based on the most difficult content. FE: Fey is obviously missing. I wouldn't ever select FE: Animal as a Ranger feat. For 2 AP, it's available in Falconry. With the resurgence of LOB/MA, I would absolutely select FE: Construct. Also, plenty of constructs in Sharn content. I'd also highly consider FE: Plant.

I wouldn't bother with Alignment Bypass (core 4) -- slot an augment in a spare Twisted Willow if it's really needed. That frees up plenty of AP to dip into Falconry for FE: Animal, FE in T5 DWS and an easy 60 HP in DWS. I'd also pick up Deflect Arrows from 6 AP in VKF, along with FE: Undead so you can go Halfling, and 4 in Tempest for 2 second Deflect Arrows. Archers and spells are what's going to kill you.

You don't have a Spellcraft +19 augment slotted.

The Celestial Sapphire Ring is a wasted slot. You don't need to slot Improved Deception thanks to Sniper Shot, and 21 INT provides an underwhelming 10 Spellpower. If you really want INT, you can craft it on the Wildwood Wrists or slot a +12 INT augment. You can also slot Profane now, not that it's required for a ranged build since you aren't building for DCs. Ring of Prowess will net you +8 RP, more if you have a mythic or reaper version.

I'd prioritize Shattered Device 4pc if you're glued to the acid arrow concept, since it's both PRR and MRR reduction. And your Alchemist will thank you too. Even without acid arrows, I'd slot 4pc Shattered Device.

Even with these changes, I still wouldn't play a bow-focused build until the bow revamp is released. Bows are great 16.6% of the time, and terribad 83.3% of the time. If you want ranged, throwers are the optimal choice today.

[C-Dog]

Since heroic content goes by so quickly...

Spoken like a true veteran player.

[Carpone]

My SA calc was off by 2d6, since I neglected to include Martial Hymn. So it's 26d6 SA total.

[Tilomere]

This isn't how I design a weapon build. I start by working backwards. A red named in Sharn has ~180 fortification, that is bypassed by:

(list approach here)

That will be enough choices the rest of build picks itself to fill in gaps. Basically, the game dictates your entire build.

[magaiti]

This isn't how I design a weapon build. I start by working backwards. A red named in Sharn has ~180 fortification, that is bypassed by:

(list approach here)

That will be enough choices the rest of build picks itself to fill in gaps. Basically, the game dictates your entire build.

Okay so... Ranger 20, DWS 41, Falconry 24, AA 15
Fort Bypass: 5 ship + 50 falconry + 45 DWS + 25 precision + 33 item + 25 set + 5 filigree = 188%

[MariaMeTaBle]

Okay so... Ranger 20, DWS 41, Falconry 24, AA 15
Fort Bypass: 5 ship + 50 falconry + 45 DWS + 25 precision + 33 item + 25 set + 5 filigree = 188%

I update my build in few days, i test that thinks in that month.
If you can post images with trees

[magaiti]

I update my build in few days, i test that thinks in that month.
If you can post images with trees

It was a quick sketch, I don't know how viable this is, but I guess it should not be worse that any other archer build.

Destiny: maybe Shadowdancer for extra Dex, sneak attack dice and chance to make enemies vulnerable to sneak attacks, plus Executioner's Shot/Consume/Puppetry; Twist Stay Frosty from Shiradi.
Maybe I'm overthinking it, and plain Shiradi will work better.

DWS Leg Shot seems to work on bosses

[majorhavoc]

Bows aren't worth playing until they are revamped, which is coming in 2021 according to Strimtom's recent dev interview.

The problem with bows today:

* The number of attacks don't scale as well as throwers and Inquisitive. Alacrity is also capped much lower than what bonuses provide today. On a full BAB character, anything over 21% Alacrity is wasted. 3/4 BAB characters benefit from a touch more Alacrity.

* Dated enhancement trees. While DWS is a solid tree for bows/throwers, Arcane Archer hasn't been updated since U28.1 -- five years ago. Also, because not all bow characters should have to be Rangers, certain trees like EK where you'd expect bows to be supported, aren't (no doubleshot bonuses and Eldritch Shot doesn't exist -- similar to KotC before the recent revamp that supported ranged). Fighters are effectively limited to Kensei, unless they access AA as an Elf, since there's not enough juice in the universal trees. While monks technically support bows via feats like Zen Archery, monkchers have been dead for years as an archetype.

Correct, if you want to play a range build and do even mediocre DPS play an Inquis, other than that, the only effective bow build is a CC paralyzer build.

[MariaMeTaBle]

Stay tuned for new Update 49 build changes