Playable from level 1 - 40 ..PvM Build

Shadow Archer

Overview
Bard: 8
Shadowdancer: 16
Arcane Archer: 16

Race: Elven
Alignment: Any non-lawful

Starting Stats
STR:10
DEX:20(32)
CON:10
INT:10
WIS:8
CHA:14
Final Skills
Hide:43
Move Silently:43
Perform:13
Tumble:40
Use Magic Device:21
Spot:42

Shadow Archer strengths
1. The shear power of the shadow archers defensive abilities helps to keep the Shadow Archer alive longer than most other characters. Against spells we have concealment, improved evasion, slippery mind to keep him alive. In melee we have the assume combination of epic dodge and permanent 50 percent concealment.
2. Offensively the Shadow Archers no slouch either , with an unbuffed AB of 49 and damage of 1d8+8 rising to AB 53 and 1d8+12 damage with just bard song and greater magic weapon.

Shadow Archer weaknesses
1. Area of effect spells with no save will be able to hurt the shadow archer.
2. Weak will and fortitude saves.
3. Relatively low hit points.

Recommended Spells
Magic Weapon/Greater Magic Weapon
Protection / Magic Circle against alignment
Mage Armor
Summon Creature 1 and 2
Cats Grace
Silence
Ultravision
Haste

Increase DEX every 4 levels.
1 B Hide 4,Move Silently 4,Perform 4,Tumble 1,Use Magic Device 3 Point Blank Shot
2 B (i)Tumble 4(/i)
3 B Hide 2,Move Silently 2 Dodge
4 B Hide 1,Move Silently 1,Perform 2
5 B Hide 1,Move Silently 1,Perform 2
6 B Hide 1,Use Magic Device 3 Mobility
7 B Hide 1,Perform 1, Use Magic Device 2
8 SD Move Silently 1,Tumble 5
9 SD Hide 2,Move Silently 3,Spot 1 Weapon Focus (Longbow)
10 AA Hide 1,Move Silently 1,Spot 2
11 AA Hide 1,Move Silently 1,Spot 2
12 AA Hide 1,Move Silently 1,Spot 2 Rapid Shot
13 AA Hide 1,Move Silently 1,Spot 2
14 AA Hide 1,Move Silently 1,Spot 2
15 AA Hide 1,Move Silently 1,Spot 2 Called Shot
16 AA Hide 1,Move Silently 1,Spot 2
17 AA Hide 1,Move Silently 1,Spot 2
18 AA Hide 1,Move Silently 1,Spot 2 Improved Critical(longbow)
19 AA Hide 1,Move Silently 1,Spot 2
20 SD Hide 1,Tumble 5
21 SD Hide 1,Tumble 5 Great DEX 1
22 SD Hide 1,Tumble 5
23 SD Hide 1,Move Silently 4,Spot 1
24 SD Hide 1,Move Silently 1,Spot 4 Great DEX 2
25 SD Hide 1,Move Silently 1,Spot 2
26 SD Hide 1,Move Silently 1,Spot 1
27 SD Hide 1,Move Silently 1,Tumble 5,Spot 1 Epic Dodge
28 AA Hide 1,Move Silently 1,Spot 1
29 AA Hide 1,Move Silently 1,Spot 1 Epic Weapon Focus (Longbow)
30 AA Hide 1,Move Silently 1,Spot 1 Epic Prowess
31 AA Hide 1,Move Silently 1,Spot 1
32 SD Hide 1,Move Silently 1,Tumble 5,Spot 1
33 SD Hide 1,Move Silently 1,Spot 1 Self Concealment 1
34 SD Hide 1,Move Silently 1,Spot 1 Self Concealment 2
35 SD Hide 1,Move Silently 1,Spot 1
36 SD Hide 1,Move Silently 1,Spot 1 Self Concealment 3
37 SD Hide 1,Move Silently 1,Tumble 5,Spot 1 Self Concealment 4
38 AA Hide 1,Move Silently 1,Spot 1
39 AA Hide 1,Move Silently 1,Spot 1 Self Concealment 5
40 B Hide 1,Move Silently 1,Perform 4,Use Magic Device 13

Ive redone this build based on a few suggestions given in the last thread. I also have a few points to clarify.

Concealment either through my own mistake or because of an interim fix does not affect spells cast on the PC. It affects purely physical attacks.

This build builds on the strengths of the last build by adding a little more offence but taking away from the stats a little. The spells Ive listed above are just a suggestion, better bard players could possibly choose better ones.

Syrath


***** ***** ******
griphook ...Wisdom typo corrected
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It's SHADOWDANCER, dammit, shadowdancer!!!

Edited By griphook on 05/19/05 14:39

Impossible starting stats. I think you meant 8 wisdom, not 10. You are quite correct.

Syrath
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It's SHADOWDANCER, dammit, shadowdancer!!! Still a great build, but one problem with your strategy. Magic Weapon/Greater Magic Weapon only work on melee weapons. If you attempt to use it on a bow or on a creature weilding a bow, it doesn't work, and you get the following message:

*Spell Failed - target must be a melee weapon or creature with a melee weapon equipped*

Steve As for spell choice, you should probably pick up Bull's Strength too. It can give you a little bit more damage with a Mighty bow.

Steve With starting stats of dex 20, can't you take Epic Dodge at 24 instead of 27?
Quote: Posted 05/09/05 23:53:57 (GMT) -- Dropbear1967

With starting stats of dex 20, can't you take Epic Dodge at 24 instead of 27?

The dex isn't the problem. The prerequisites for epic dodge are:

21st Level
DEX 25
Dodge
Defensive Roll
Improved Evasion
1 rank of tumble (it's supposed to be 30 ranks, but it's a known bug that you only need 1)

A shadowdancer doesn't get Improved Evasion until level 10, and this build doesn't get it's 10th shadowdancer level until level 27.

Steve Hmmm Defensive Roll at 5 for SD.. I've played with a lot of builds that allowed me to get Epic Dodge at lvl 21 taking my fifth level of SD.

And thats Monk 12/Assassin 4/Shadow Dancer 5

Edited By Dropbear1967 on 05/10/05 03:09

Thats due to the Improved Evasion from Monk Lvl 9.
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If everyone is thinking alike, then someone is failing to think. I see, thanks.
Quote: Posted 05/10/05 02:33:01 (GMT) -- Stravinsky00

Quote: Posted 05/09/05 23:53:57 (GMT) -- Dropbear1967

With starting stats of dex 20, can't you take Epic Dodge at 24 instead of 27?

The dex isn't the problem. The prerequisites for epic dodge are:

21st Level
DEX 25
Dodge
Defensive Roll
Improved Evasion
1 rank of tumble (it's supposed to be 30 ranks, but it's a known bug that you only need 1)

A shadowdancer doesn't get Improved Evasion until level 10, and this build doesn't get it's 10th shadowdancer level until level 27.

Steve

To be accurate you dont actually need dodge either.

Syrath
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It's SHADOWDANCER, dammit, shadowdancer!!! Well technically you need dodge for shadowdancer if memory serves me correctly, so in essense you do need dodge in this build. A very nice revamp of the original. Like stated though lose magic weapon spells. To my knowledge it still wouldn't stack with your AA bonus even if it did work on ranged weapons. Get grease isntead.
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Click Here How would this build be affected if you replaced your last bard lvl (40) and took it at 20 instead. Seems to me that you'd get one more BAB, and a bit more playability during your level ups. But I don't know how this would affect the feat selection later on. Having a higher UMD earlier might be usefull for leveling up.
Quote: Posted 06/20/05 16:05:04 (GMT) -- Bromium

How would this build be affected if you replaced your last bard lvl (40) and took it at 20 instead. Seems to me that you'd get one more BAB, and a bit more playability during your level ups. But I don't know how this would affect the feat selection later on. Having a higher UMD earlier might be usefull for leveling up.

That wouldn't increase the BAB at all. He's currently taking his 3rd SD level at level 20, which also gives him +1 BAB just like the bard level would. He'd have the same BAB regardless of what class he took at level 20. He also would not be able to pump his UMD if he did that as you suggest. This build gets very few skill points due to its INT 10. The only reason he was able to get UMD that high was because he put the bard level at the end after saving a few points throughout his epic levels. He uses up every skill point each level all the way up to level 20. A bard level would give him 4 points only, meaning his UMD would be 9 lower than it ends up being his way. Plus, the level of SD there allows him to boost tumble to the next highest point at that level, raising his AC by 1.

Steve

Edited By Stravinsky00 on 06/20/05 17:49

Quote: Posted 06/20/05 16:05:04 (GMT) -- Bromium

How would this build be affected if you replaced your last bard lvl (40) and took it at 20 instead. Seems to me that you'd get one more BAB, and a bit more playability during your level ups. But I don't know how this would affect the feat selection later on. Having a higher UMD earlier might be usefull for leveling up.

It wouldn't affect your BAB, since you'd be replacing SD3 with Bard8 (each increases your BAB by 1, so it's a wash).

You'd push your 10th SD level to level 28 though, so wouldn't be able to select Epic Dodge until level 30. Other than that, I think you'd still be able to get all your feats, but at later levels for the SC and Epic Dodge.
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It's rogue, dammit, ROGUE!!! Ok, that makes sence. I guess I just had the "multiples of 4, pre-epic" drumed into my head to much.