This build is completely my own work. I did not reference any other build while I was creating this one. I did not start with another build and modify it. Unfortunately, despite all that, the build is unoriginal, derivative, and virtually identical to Dimundome's Power Archer ( Click Here ). Therefore:

DISCLAIMER: Other people were there first.

Anyway, it's a solid build, even if it's nothing particularly new.


Elf

Non-Lawful

Str 14 (30)
Dex 16 (20)
Con 12 (14)
Wis 8
Int 14 (16)
Cha 14 (16)

1. Bard 1 – Point Blank Shot
2. Bard 2
3. Bard 3 – Weapon Focus (Longbow)
4. Bard 4 – Str 15
5. Bard 5
6. RDD 1 / Bard 5 – Rapid Shot
7. RDD 2 / Bard 5 – Str 17*
8. RDD 3 / Bard 5 – Str 18
9. RDD 4 / Bard 5 – Power Attack, Str 20*
10. RDD 5 / Bard 5
11. RDD 6 / Bard 5
12. RDD 7 / Bard 5 – Imp. Crit. (Longbow), Str 21, Con 14*
13. RDD 8 / Bard 5
14. AA 1 / RDD 8 / Bard 5
15. AA 2 / RDD 8 / Bard 5 – Cleave
16. AA 3 / RDD 8 / Bard 5 – Str 22
17. AA 4 / RDD 8 / Bard 5
18. AA 5 / RDD 8 / Bard 5 – Great Cleave
19. AA 6 / RDD 8 / Bard 5
20. AA 7 / RDD 8 / Bard 5 – Str 23
21. RDD 9 / AA 7 / Bard 5 – Overwhelming Crit. (Longbow), Int 16*
22. RDD 10 / AA 7 / Bard 5 – Str 27*, Cha 14*
23. Bard 6 / RDD 10 / AA 7
24. AA 8 / RDD 10 / Bard 6 – Devestating Crit. (Longbow), Str 28
25. AA 9 / RDD 10 / Bard 6
26. AA 10 / RDD 10 / Bard 6
27. AA 11 / RDD 10 / Bard 6 – Toughness
28. AA 12 / RDD 10 / Bard 6 – Str 29
29. AA 13 / RDD 10 / Bard 6
30. AA 14 / RDD 10 / Bard 6 – Epic Prowess, Epic Weapon Focus (Longbow)**
31. AA 15 / RDD 10 / Bard 6
32. AA 16 / RDD 10 / Bard 6 – Str 30
33. AA 17 / RDD 10 / Bard 6 – Armor Skin
34. AA 18 / RDD 10 / Bard 6 – Great Dex 17**
35. AA 19 / RDD 10 / Bard 6
36. AA 20 / RDD 10 / Bard 6 – Called Shot, Dex 18
37. AA 21 / RDD 10 / Bard 6
38. AA 22 / RDD 10 / Bard 6 – Great Dex 19**
39. AA 23 / RDD 10 / Bard 6 – Epic Skill Focus (Taunt)
40. Bard 7 / AA 23 / RDD 10 – Dex 20

Skills: Don’t cross-class. Take Lore to 8. Take Perform to 9. Take Concentration to 28. Take Tumble to 40. Max Discipline, Spellcraft, Taunt, Use Magic Device.

Important Spells: Haste, Mage Armor, Bull's Strength.


Stats:

AB (mundane longbow): 46/41/36/31 or 44/44/39/34/29 with Rapid Shot. +1 within Point Blank Shot range.

Damage: 1d8 + 12 (mundane longbow). Gets up to 10 Str bonus with Mighty bows.

AC: 32 (chain shirt). 29 naked. 40 armored, hasted, and with Mage Armor.

HP: 380 (if I did the RDD hit dice right)

Saves (vs spells):
Fortitude: 24 (33)
Reflex: 26 (35)
Will: 21 (30)

Devastating Crit. DC: 40


Advantages:
-High Dev. Crit. DC for an archer (40).
-Pretty good saves, great vs spells.
-Can cast Haste.
-Can take very significant advantage of Mighty bows.
-Huge Taunt skill (56 unbuffed).
-Maxed Discipline and UMD.
-Good HP for an archer (380).
-Called Shot.

Disadvantages:
-Low AB for an archer (+46).
-Low AC for an archer (32).

Edited By Nimueh_Leafbow on 07/11/05 05:30

I would not push str higher than 25 (maybe to 26) unless playing in a world with +10 mighty bows or trying to make an hybrid archer/melee fighter. I would go for more dex in order to get better AB and AC.

I know you invested there for high dev crit DC, but you can raise it with your bulls str spells and have a bit more consistent dex.

I think you could start with a bit less int, take less concentration skill and put those int into con for more HP and +1 fortitude saves.

Also your cha is fairly high, If you dont care losing a few cast-per-day and getting your spells a bit later, I would put the points in con (and leave the int at 14, I love having enough skill points).

I know it isn't your fault, but I always feel that this kind of builds, and the famous ftr/wiz/AA lack Uncanny Dodge.

Despite my comments, I like the fact of a singing winged devastating archer.
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Edited By fernandooa on 07/11/05 09:50

Agreed with Fern, though if your point was to have a high-dev crit archer, then you met your goal admirably.
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Ariel, Ookla, RIDE! I did want to give the build a high dev. crit. DC, so as to make some small distinguishing feature that differentiated it from similar builds. If you want to go for a higher dex variant, it would be very easy to change. Just take dex at 28 and 32. If you want to drop str to 26, then take dex at 16 and 20 as well, take toughness at 21, and shift forward the epic crit feats by three levels.

About int to con, as an Elf, I get -2 to con, meaning that I would have to drop int by 2 to get an increase of 1 to con, for no gain in stat bonus.

About charisma, I took it that high because Bards know lvl 3 spells at lvl 7, but have 0 castings per day, so you need a +3 cha bonus to be able to cast haste, which I wanted to be able to do.