I've often thought of trying to create a character that's decent at both melee and ranged attacks. Most of my attempts turned out poor to just plain awful. Then I began considering the fact that AA gets +1 to AB and damage at every odd AA level, which got me thinking you may not really need to go the DEX route as seems the logical choice. So I figured why not go with STR? That way, you can wear plate, not have to worry about losing a bucketload of AC if you don't have Uncanny Dodge (and many AA builds don't), and you still get good damage from both your ranged and melee attacks. The AA levels serve to boost your ranged attack in much the same manner that adding extra STR does to your melee attacks. This is what I came up with, and I think it's pretty decent for its intended goals. This is the original version, and I also have a Bard version as well: Bladed Archer, version 2

FTR 12/WIZ 10/AA 18

Playable from level 1 to 40, PvM.

Elf, any alignment

STR: 16 (30)
DEX: 14
CON: 14 (16)
INT: 14 (16)
WIS: 8
CHA: 8

1 )FTR1: WF:Longbow/ WF:Scimitar
2 )FTR2: Blind Fight
3 )FTR3: PBS
4 )WIZ1: STR (17)
5 )WIZ2
6 )FTR4: WS:Longbow/ WS:Scimitar
7 )WIZ3
8 )WIZ4: STR (18)
9 )AA1: Rapid Shot
10)AA2
11)AA3
12)AA4: Called Shot/ STR (19)
13)AA5
14)FTR5
15)FTR6: Toughness/Knockdown
16)AA6: STR (20)
17)AA7
18)AA8: Still Spell
19)AA9
20)AA10: STR (21)

21)FTR7: GRT STR I (22)
22)FTR8: EWF:Scimitar
23)WIZ5: GRT INT I (15)
24)AA11: GRT CON I (15)/ CON (16)
25)WIZ6
26)AA12
27)AA13: GRT STR II (23)
28)AA14: EWF:Longbow/ STR (24)
29)FTR9
30)FTR10: EWS:Scimitar/ EWS:Longbow
31)WIZ7
32)WIZ8: STR (25)
33)WIZ9: GRT STR III (26)
34)AA15
35)AA16
36)AA17: GRT STR IV (27)/ STR (28)
37)AA18: Epic Prowess
38)FTR11
39)WIZ10: GRT STR V (29)/ GRT INT II (16)
40)FTR12: Armor Skin/ STR (30)

BAB: +28
AB with mundane melee weapon: +42
AB with mundane longbow: +42

AC in mundane plate (with tower shield): 25 (28)

HPs: 484

Saves (vs spells):
Fort: 26 (35)
Refl: 22 (31)
Will: 18 (27)

Skills (209 points):
Discipline: 43 (53)
Spellcraft: 42 (45)
Tumble: 20
Listen: 40 (39)
Heal*: 43
1 point left.
*Or whatever you like.

So, an Elf with decent HPs (imagine that!), some spells to buff himself and his weapon, good AB and damage from both the ranged and melee weapons, and some interesting options to use in each encounter. There are certainly some changes to feats one could make if desired, but I like the ones I've chosen, as they lend some interesting combat options to really hinder the opponent(s).

Saves aren't great, but the against spells, they're better, although the Will save just plain sucks. However, that's generally the easiest save to cover with items/spells, so it's not that big a deal.

*edit* Forgot to add: depending on what you feel is more important (and whether you're finding yourself doing ranged or melee combat more often), you could easily switch some of the pre-epic levelling a bit and take KD a bit sooner and Called Shot later.
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Edited By Cinnabar Din on 08/14/06 01:15

Heh, same melee and ranged AB, that AA really makes you AB go high, so high DEX isn't all that much needed, with a high mighty bow this build can be one of the biggest damage dealing on ranged.

Creative.

Edited By Thaxll'ssyllia on 08/14/06 03:39

Nicely done. Neither the melee or ranged AB are stellar, but they are good. This is one of the better melee/ranged builds I've seen.
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