In the thread about my Drakebow build ( Click Here ), fernandooa mentioned that he always wishes, upon seeing Devestating Crit archers, that they had Epic Dodge. An exercise sprang to mind: Is it possible to have both. The answer is, "Yes, but just barely." Here are the results of my efforts: The Shadow Archer.


Elf


Str – 16
Dex – 18
Con – 10
Int – 10
Wis – 8
Cha – 12


1. Bard 1 – Dodge
2. Bard 2
3. Bard 3 – Mobility
4. Bard 4 – Str 17
5. Bard 5
6. Bard 6 – Point Blank Shot
7. Bard 7
8. Shadowdancer 1 – Str 18
9. Arcane Archer 1 – Weapon Focus (Longbow)
10. Arcane Archer 2
11. Arcane Archer 3
12. Arcane Archer 4 – Power Attack, Str 19
13. Arcane Archer 5
14. Arcane Archer 6
15. Arcane Archer 7 – Cleave
16. Arcane Archer 8 – Str 20
17. Arcane Archer 9
18. Arcane Archer 10 – Great Cleave
19. Shadowdancer 2
20. Shadowdancer 3 – Str 21
21. Shadowdancer 4 – Improved Critical (Longbow)
22. Shadowdancer 5
23. Shadowdancer 6
24. Shadowdancer 7 – Great Strength 22, Str 23
25. Shadowdancer 8
26. Shadowdancer 9
27. Shadowdancer 10 – Overwhelming Critical (Longbow)
28. Shadowdancer 11 – Str 24
29. Shadowdancer 12
30. Arcane Archer 11 – Great Strength 25
31. Arcane Archer 12
32. Arcane Archer 13 – Dex 19
33. Arcane Archer 14 – Devestating Critical (Longbow), Great Dex 20*
34. Arcane Archer 15
35. Arcane Archer 16
36. Arcane Archer 17 – Great Dex 21, Dex 22
37. Arcane Archer 18 – Great Dex 23*
38. Arcane Archer 19
39. Arcane Archer 20 – Dex 24
40. Shadowdancer 13 – Dex 25, Epic Dodge**

*Arcane Archer bonus feat

**Shadowdancer bonus feat


Skills: Max UMD on Bard levels. Max Hide and Move Silently. Max Tumble when possible, up to 40 ranks. I think that leaves you with 62 leftover skill points. I put them into Spot and Listen.


NOTE: If you are powergaming, a better version of this build would drop Int to 8 and Cha to 11 at creation, putting one more point into Str, and then take Rapid Shot instead of one of the Great Strength feats. For RP reasons, I hate playing characters with less than 10 Int, so I prefer this version, but the other is probably more powerful.


*IMPORTANT* - I realized that I had done something extremely n00bish and dumb...unfortunately, after testing the build. In theory, I fixed it, but the current version is, as yet, untested. Don't make this on a multiplayer server until you've checked it out. I intend to test this version of the build tonight or tomorrow, at which point I'll put the detailed stats up, but I don't have time right now. Sorry.

Edited By griphook on 08/26/05 14:02

Just so you know, Shadow Archer is actually already the name of one of the more famous builds in the guild, by Syrath.

Also, you currently have Weapon Focus (Longbow) taken on your first Arcane Archer level at level 9. But that's a prerequisite for Arcane Archer, so you'd have to already have it. You'll need to move Shadowdancer level 2 earlier, to character level 9, and take weapon focus there, then start your AA levels at level 10.

It also would probably make the character more playable in early epic if you take a lot more of your epic Arcane Archer levels earlier. You can keep all the feats the same (except moving the Great Dex feats to your 14th and 18th AA levels), and get your AB higher sooner.

Steve

Edited By Stravinsky00 on 08/02/05 02:18

Quote: Posted 08/02/05 02:06:59 (GMT) -- Stravinsky00

Just so you know, Shadow Archer is actually already the name of one of the more famous builds in the guild, by Syrath.

Steve

It is indeed. As soon as I saw this I thought, "Uh-oh." It's an honest mistake, though, as there are so many builds these days that you really have to dedicate 30 minutes just to ensure that A). Your name is original, and B). that any similar builds be mentioned for points of comparison and contrast.
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Ariel, Ookla, RIDE! An elven rogue(13)/wizard(1)/AA(26) could get Devastating Critical, Epic Dodge and Rapid Shot and Epic Weapon Focus.

Plus you could start with 'normal' stats (16/15+2/12-2/10/12/10). With these stats you would end up with STR/DEX 25 though.

No HIPS of course, no slippery mind, but 7d6 sneak attack, better AB and more damage.
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Character Build Calculator(works with Excel, Open Office) 2.83: updated to NWN 1.69. My apologies about the name thing. If a mod wants to change the name, I won't be at all offended; it's my mistake.

Anyway, I caught the inconsistencies when I tested it this morning, so I've got an updated version.

Elf

Str – 16
Dex – 18
Con – 10
Int – 10
Wis – 8
Cha – 12

1. Bard 1 – Dodge
2. Bard 2
3. Bard 3 – Mobility
4. Bard 4 – Str 17
5. Bard 5
6. Bard 6 – Point Blank Shot
7. Bard 7
8. Shadowdancer 1 – Str 18
9. Shadowdancer 2 – Weapon Focus (Longbow)
10. Shadowdancer 3
11. Arcane Archer 1
12. Arcane Archer 2 – Power Attack, Str 19
13. Arcane Archer 3
14. Arcane Archer 4
15. Arcane Archer 5 – Cleave
16. Arcane Archer 6 – Str 20
17. Arcane Archer 7
18. Arcane Archer 8 – Great Cleave
19. Arcane Archer 9
20. Arcane Archer 10 – Str 21
21. Arcane Archer 11 – Improved Critical (Longbow)
22. Arcane Archer 12
23. Arcane Archer 13
24. Arcane Archer 14 – Great Strength 22, Great Dex 19*, Str 23
25. Arcane Archer 15
26. Arcane Archer 16
27. Arcane Archer 17 – Overwhelming Critical (Longbow)
28. Arcane Archer 18 – Great Dex 20*, Str 24
29. Arcane Archer 19
30. Arcane Archer 20 – Great Strength 25
31. Shadowdancer 4
32. Shadowdancer 5 – Dex 21
33. Shadowdancer 6 – Devestating Critical (Longbow)
34. Shadowdancer 7
35. Shadowdancer 8
36. Shadowdancer 9 – Great Dex 22, Dex 23
37. Shadowdancer 10
38. Shadowdancer 11
39. Shadowdancer 12 – Dex 24
40. Shadowdancer 13 – Dex 25, Epic Dodge**


AB (mundane longbow): +45/+40/+35/+30 (+1 within 30 meters, can benefit from Cat’s Grace)

Damage (mundane longbow): 1d8+10 (+1 within 30 meters, up to +7 from Mighty, can benefit from Bull’s Strength)

AC (mundane padded): 26 (30 with Mage Armor, can benefit from Cat’s Grace)

Max HP: 306

Saves: Fortitude 20, Reflex 32, Will 18

Devestating Critical DC: 37 (can benefit from Bull’s Strength)


The version done with Rogue levels is probably better, but it's a different build, so I'm not going to remake this one. You can post the rogue version . About taking more AA levels earlier, you're right. I fixed it.
Quote: Posted 08/02/05 01:45:35 (GMT) -- Nimueh_Leafbow

Don't make this on a multiplayer server until you've checked it out.

Good advice.

Methinks sometimes we need a forum Sticky advising players to test the posted builds offline in a training module before venturing out into their favorite online gameworld.

Kaliban.
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"Where there is life, there is hope." - Grover I'd tend to agree with others that a rogue version would be much stronger. With that you could basically have the saem build but the potential for sneak attack damage as well as more skill points.
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