The Archer Laureate

Class: Bard17/Blackguard4/Arcane Archer19
Alignment: Neutral or Chaotic Evil
Race: Elf
Playable 1-40 PvM, Low to Mid Magic Settings

Attributes
Str14
Int14
Wis8
Dex16
Con12
Chr14 (30)

Level Guide
1 Bard1, Point Blank Shot
2 Bard2
3 Bard3, WF: Longbow
4 Bard4, Chr15
5 Bard5
6 Bard6, Power Attack
7 Bard7
8 Bard8, Chr16
9 AA1, Cleave
10 BG1
11 BG2
12 BG3, Divine Might, Chr17
13 AA2
14 AA3
15 BG4, Divine Shield
16 AA4, Chr18
17 AA5
18 AA6, Rapid Shot
19 AA7
20 AA8, Chr19
21 AA9, Great Charisma I
22 Bard9
23 Bard10
24 Bard11, Curse Song, Chr21
25 Bard12
26 AA10
27 Bard13, Great Chr II
28 AA11, Chr23
29 AA12
30 AA13, Great Chr III
31 AA14, EWF: Longbow
32 Bard14, Chr 25
33 AA15, Great Chr IV
34 Bard15
35 AA16
36 AA17, Great Chr V, Chr28
37 Bard16
38 AA18, Epic Prowess
39 AA19, Great Chr VI
40 Bard17, Chr30

Combat Vitals
HP: 372
AB: 45 (mundane longbow)
Attack Schedule: 45/40/35/30
Buffed Attacked Schedule: 65/60/55/50/65
AC: 29 (mundane plate)
Buffed AC (with +5 items): 64
Ideal Damage Delivery: +1d6 piercing, +10-16 Divine, +10 Enchant Arrow, +2-8 Mighty, +3 Piercing (Bard Song), +1d6 sneak, +2 PBS

Saving Throws:
Fortitude: 33 (42)
Will: 29 (38)
Reflex: 36 (45)

Skills: 250 points total
Discipline: 42 (44)
Perform: 25 (35)
Tumble: 40 (43)
UMD: 30 (40)
Search: 10 (crossclassed)
Spellcraft: 43 (45)
Taunt: 43 (53)
Lore: 1 (20)
Persuade: 1 (11)
Appraise: 1 (3)
Open Lock: 1 (4)

Special Abilities:
Imbue Arrow(x3): 14d6 Fireball at DC22
Arrow of Death(x1): DC20
Stacking Bulls Strength
Divine Might
Divine Shield: +10 Dodge AC
Bard Song: +2AB, +3Dam, +5AC, +5 Skills, +22hp, +2saves
Curse Song: -2AB, -3Dam, -5AC, -5 Skills, -22hp, -2 Saves

Spells per Day: 1st (7), 2nd (7), 3rd (6), 4th (5), 5th (5), 6th (3)

Bardic Magic
1st: Mage Armor, Cure Light Wounds, Amplify, Grease, Identify
2nd: Bulls Strength, Cats Grace, Eagles Splendour, Ultravision, Clarity
3rd: Wounding Whispers, Dispel Magic, Greater Magic Weapon, Haste
4th: Warcry, Improved Invis, Dismissal, Dominate Person
5th: Greater Dispelling, Ethereal Visage, Mind Fog, Summon V
6th: Dirge (DC26), Ice Storm, Mass Haste

Weaknesses
No Blindfighting
Low Hit Points
Tight on feats

Notes:
As I started dreaming up of a new archer build, it took the shape of a divine damage dealing Bard. I thought there would have been more than just the following that used this class combination, Lolth’s Sting (AA 11 / Bard 16 / BG 13) by Mithdrates, but strangely there was not, and even that one was not ideally suited for what the Laureate was designed for—primarily, all the goodness of a Bard while giving him the ability to deal a good deal of divine damage to those high-level opponents who seem to resist everything. While he is no powerhouse, he seems to do well in PvM and is easily soloed, but shines in party play. His hit points won’t allow him to go toe-to-toe with heavy hitters, but he can pump his AC rather quickly with all the Dodge cap will allow while supplementing it with Improved Invis. His high Charisma gives him a nice built-in ESF: Taunt for lowering enemy ACs as well as assign some teeth to his spell DCs and giving him a nice store of extra castings. He is further bolstered by very high-saves, and should be safe against all but the highest DCs (short of autofail). He won’t bust down any doors with his AB, but given his ability to self-buff, a 45 base will be more than enough in low to mid magic settings for him to riddle his enemy with divine vollies of missile fire.


Fixed leveling guide - Kail Pendragon
_________________
Got Hommlet? World of Greyhawk Action Server
(with 1/2 price ales on Mondays!)

Ariel, Ookla, RIDE!

Edited By Kail Pendragon on 03/30/08 13:52

The damage bonus from PBS is +1, is it not?

Anyway... damn, very cool. And nice to see you still have something in the tank. Nifty build Grizz. I'd almost be tempted to take this guy for a spin on WoG...
_________________
It's rogue, dammit, ROGUE!!! Interesting, thanks to the bump from Arcane Archer you managed to use all your stat increases on CHA and still have a good AB, thus raising divine damage, AC and saves. I like it.
_________________
"My name is Thaxll'ssyllia, but you simians may refer to me merely as "Sir", if you prefer a less... syllable intensive workout."

Edwin Odesseiron - Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn Wow! I had just threatened to post a very similar build. I have to say that if I had to be trumped by anyone, I'd rather it be you. Well done. Maybe I am missing something, but I tried to build this at the Novice to Epic Character Builder and it wouldn't let me select Arcane Archer so soon, due to the character not having a BAB of 6+. Built it with Paladin tho, and it has been proving to be a fun one. Indeed, one needs to go Bard 8 right from the start to reach +6 BAB.

01: Bard(1): Point Blank Shot
02: Bard(2)
03: Bard(3): Weapon Focus: Longbow
04: Bard(4)
05: Bard(5)
06: Bard(6): Power Attack
07: Bard(7)
08: Bard(8)
09: Arcane Archer(1): Cleave
10: Blackguard(1)
11: Blackguard(2): {Smite Good}
12: Blackguard(3): Divine Might
13: Arcane Archer(2)
14: Arcane Archer(3)
15: Blackguard(4): Divine Shield
16: Arcane Archer(4)
17: Arcane Archer(5)
18: Arcane Archer(6): Rapid Shot
19: Arcane Archer(7)
20: Arcane Archer(8)

Dwarflord, I'll fix it this way if you agree.

Regarding the build, I like it. It's neat. A little feat starved and bard flourishing late, but neat. A great addition to any party anyhow.
_________________
They can't stop us
Let them try
For Heavy Metal
We will die
Quote: Posted 03/30/08 11:52 (GMT) -- Kail Pendragon
Dwarflord, I'll fix it this way if you agree.
Sounds good. Me and numbers....
_________________
Got Hommlet? World of Greyhawk Action Server
(with 1/2 price ales on Mondays!)

Ariel, Ookla, RIDE! Very nice build. Damage output looks pretty solid. I think War Cry adds +2 slashing damage on top of what you listed, too. With only minor tweaking, this could make a really solid Lasting Song AA for PvP, too. A little more emphasis on Dex over Cha, and a 20 4 16 level split would it, I think.

Either way, very solid work.