Bowman (3.5e Class)

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[Art by Onestepart]

To those who decided to read over the class, glad you enjoyed. To those who thought they needed to change certain things to make this class stronger, or easier for them, go play a barbarian, this class was not meant to be a full BAB class, it was not meant to have enough health to tank, nor was it meant to count as anything other than what I specifically said for it to.

Bowman

Bowmen are those who dedicate themselves to improving their skill with the bow, choosing accuracy and impact over the usual rapid fire of most archers.

Making a Bowman

Bowmen are fragile but deadly accurate, they prefer to stay back rather than get into the thick of things, but much unlike their combat tactics their skill-set can be quite diverse, from diplomats to experts in espionage.

Abilities: Dexterity and Intelligence are this classes main abilities, though Constitution and Charisma help too.

Races: Elves are the most common, though most races have those who follow the Bowman's path, the most uncommon are Dwarves and Orcs.

Alignment: Any, though Chaotic Good is most common.

Starting Gold: 2d8×10 gp (90gp).

Starting Age: As rogue.

Table: The Bowman

Hit Die: D6

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Saving Throws			Special
		Fort	Ref	Will
1st	+0	+0	+2	+2	Dexterous impact, Trapfinding, Archer's Imperative+1
2nd	+1	+0	+3	+3	Evasion
3rd	+2	+1	+3	+3	Trap Sense+1, Close Combat Shot, Archer's Imperative+2
4th	+3	+1	+4	+4	Deep Wounds +1d8
5th	+3	+1	+4	+4	Studied Aim, Archer's Imperative+3
6th	+4	+2	+5	+5	Trap Sense+2
7th	+5	+2	+5	+5	Piercing Aim, Archer's Imperative+4
8th	+6/+1	+2	+6	+6	Deep Wounds +2d8
9th	+6/+1	+3	+6	+6	Archer's Imperative+5, Trap Sense+3
10th	+7/+2	+3	+7	+7	Barbed Tips, Ghostly String
11th	+8/+3	+3	+7	+7	Archer's Imperative+6
12th	+9/+4	+4	+8	+8	Trap Sense+4, Deep Wounds +3d8
13th	+9/+4	+4	+8	+8	Archer's Imperative+7
14th	+10/+5	+4	+9	+9	Phase Arrow
15th	+11/+6/+1	+5	+9	+9	Archer's Imperative+8, Trap Sense+5
16th	+12/+7/+2	+5	+10	+10	Punishing Reflex, Deep Wounds +4d8
17th	+12/+7/+2	+5	+10	+10	Archer's Imperative+9
18th	+13/+8/+3	+6	+11	+11	Trap Sense+6
19th	+14/+9/+4	+6	+11	+11	Archer's Imperative+10
20th	+15/+10/+5	+6	+12	+12	Deep Wounds +5d8, Headshot
Class Skills (8 + Int modifier per level, ×4 at 1st level) Appraise (Int), Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Int), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Forgery (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (local) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Open Lock (Dex), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Speak Language (n/a), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), Use Rope (Dex).

Class Features

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A Bowman is proficient with all simple weapons (except for simple ranged weapons) and Bows, and with light armor.

Dexterous Impact (Ex): A Bowman adds his Dexterity modifier to all damage dealt with bows, this damage is multiplied on a critical strike, and if the Bowman is using a Composite bow he adds half of his strength modifier rounded down. (Ex... medium bowman has 14 strength 18 dexterity and is using a composite longbow, on an average hit he deals 5(1d8)+1(half his strength modifier)+4(full dex modifier) for an average of 10, if he were to critically strike, then it'd be 30)

A bowman's levels in bowman count as levels in fighter when qualifying for feats.

Trapfinding: Bowmen can use the Search skill to locate traps when the task has a Difficulty Class higher than 20.

Finding a nonmagical trap has a DC of at least 20, or higher if it is well hidden. Finding a magic trap has a DC of 25 + the level of the spell used to create it.

Bowmen can use the Disable Device skill to disarm magic traps. A magic trap generally has a DC of 25 + the level of the spell used to create it.

A bowman who beats a trap’s DC by 10 or more with a Disable Device check can study a trap, figure out how it works, and bypass it (with his party) without disarming it.

Archer's Imperative: A Bowman gets a +1 to hit with all bows, this bonus rises every odd level (1 at 1, 2 at 3, 8 at 15 ..etc)

Bowmen do not have this bonus on any attacks made with any extra attacks from feats or abilities that give extra attacks (ex... at level 7 with a bow, you have a +9 to hit, using Rapid Shot you have two attacks at a +3 to hit)

Evasion (Ex): At 2nd level and higher, a bowman can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with great agility. If he makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, he instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if the bowman is wearing light armor or no armor. A helpless bowman does not gain the benefit of evasion.

Trap Sense (Ex): At 3rd level, a bowman gains an intuitive sense that alerts him to danger from traps, giving him a +1 bonus on Reflex saves made to avoid traps and a +1 dodge bonus to AC against attacks made by traps. These bonuses rise to +2 when the bowman reaches 6th level, to +3 when he reaches 9th level, to +4 when he reaches 12th level, to +5 at 15th, and to +6 at 18th level.

Trap sense bonuses gained from multiple classes stack.

Close Combat Shot(Ex): At 3rd level, a bowman can attack with a ranged weapon while in a threatened square and not provoke an attack of opportunity.

Deep Wounds: Starting at 4th level critical hits deal 1d8 extra damage, this bonus is increased by 1d8 every 4 levels for a total of 5d8 (4,8,12,16,20)

Studied Aim(Ex): A bowman may add his intelligence modifier to his bows critical threat range, this is not effected by improved critical or keen (ex... int modifier of 2 gives an 18-20x3 critical threat range, with improved critical it becomes 17-20x3 critical threat range)

Piercing Aim(Ex): A bowman's arrows ignore up to 5DR per arrow.

Barbed Tips: At 10th level a bowman starts using barbed arrowheads causing his targets to bleed for 2/round until a heal check DC:15 is made to remove them, anything immune to precision damage is immune to bleeding.

Ghostly String(Su): At 10th level a bowman is able to apply Ghost Touch to all arrows fired from his bow.

Phase Arrow(Sp): At 14th level, a bowman can launch an arrow once per day at a target known to him within range, and the arrow travels to the target in a straight path, passing through any nonmagical barrier or wall in its way. (Any magical barrier stops the arrow.) This ability negates cover, concealment, and even armor modifiers, but otherwise the attack is rolled normally

Using this ability is a standard action (and shooting the arrow is part of the action).

Punishing Reflex: A bowman's threat range with a bow becomes 30ft, otherwise the basic attack of opportunity rules apply.

Headshot All critical hits preformed by a Bowman has a 10% chance of instantly killing his target.

Epic Bowman

Table: The Epic Bowman

Hit Die: d6

Level	Special
21st	Archer's Imperative+11, Trap Sense+7
22nd	Deep Wounds 6d8
23rd	Archer's Imperative+12, Bonus Feat
24th	Trap Sense+8, Bonus Feat
25th	Archer's Imperative+13
26th	Deep Wounds 7d8
27th	Archer's Imperative+14, Trap Sense+9
28th	Bonus Feat
29th	Archer's Imperative+15
30th	Deep Wounds 8d8, Trap Sense+10
8 + Int modifier skill points per level.

Elf Bowman Starting Package

Weapons: Longbow, Spiked Gauntlet, and Club.

Skill Selection: Pick a number of skills equal to 4 + Int modifier. Focusing Hide, Move Silently, Spot, Listen, Balance, Diplomacy, Climb, Open Lock

Feat: Quick Draw.

Gear: Leather, Thieves' tools, Backpack, Sleeping bag, Rations.

Gold: 15 Gp.

Campaign Information

Playing a Bowman

Religion: Typically bowmen worship Solonor Thelandira.

Other Classes: Bowmen give no special preference to other classes in social settings, though they do tend to make friends with fighters and barbarians, strategically speaking.

Combat: Back line damage dealer.

Advancement: It's not unheard of for bowmen to take some levels of fighter or wizard.

Bowmen in the World

“	"Ye' can call me a coward, but yer' kids'll call me pa' 'fore yer' stone's set"	”
—Kragheart, Dwarven Bowman

Most bowmen find employment as sentries, guards to important nobles, or Assassins to those same Nobles.

Daily Life: Most bowmen are early to rise, and head into the forest to train their skill, returning when most other people are just waking, and they're always willing to gain some more knowledge.

Notables: Hilde Shadowfeather, Gnome assassin wanted in 80% of the world for over 200 counts of murder and 30 counts of treason. Vector Stronghold, Human King of the Western FRPTA (Five Race Peace-Talk Association), Strongly opposed to the death penalty and is rumored to train Paladins in Law and Self Restraint

Organizations: Archery competitions around the world.

NPC Reactions: As they would a plain fighter.

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