Hidden Archer (3.5e Prestige Class)

Hidden Archer

The Guild of Hidden Archers is widely spread all through Faerun. Their specialty is to sneak near an enemy silently, and to kill him from a safe distance. They seem to be moving shadows, as sometimes not even an arrow is found in the corpses of their victims. At advanced levels, they learn to manipulate the shadows themselves, and use their abilities to form them as they wish.

Basic Properties

Hit Die: 1d8

Class Skills: as Rogue

Skill points: 8+int / lvl

Saves: Good Reflex save, poor Fortitude and Will saves

Requirements

To become a Hidden Archer, a character must fulfill all of the following criteria:

Skills: Hide 10 Ranks, Move silently 10 Ranks

Feats: Point Blank shot, Precise Shot, Rapid Shot

Special: Sneak attack or skirmish damage +2d6

Table: The Hidden Archer

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special
1st	+1	+1	+2	+1	Sneak Attack or skirmish +1d6, Hide in plain sight
2nd	+2	+1	+3	+1	Sniping +4, Darkvision, Improved Critical (bow)
3rd	+3	+2	+4	+2	Arrow of Shadows, Sneak Attack or skirmish +2d6, Uncanny Dodge
4th	+4	+2	+5	+2	Improved Precise Shot, Sniping +8, Shadow jump 200 ft.
5th	+5	+3	+6	+3	Ranged Death Attack, Sneak Attack or skirmish +3d6
6th	+6	+3	+7	+3	Sniping +12, Shadow jump 250 ft.
7th	+7	+4	+8	+4	Sneak Attack or skirmish +4d6
8th	+8	+5	+9	+5	Phasing Arrow, Sniping +16, Shadow jump 300 ft.
9th	+9	+6	+10	+6	Sneak Attack or skirmish +5d6
10th	+10	+6	+10	+6	Hail of Arrows, Sniping +20, Shadow jump 350 ft.

Class Features

All of the following are the Hidden Archers Class features. They are only applicable while using a bow.

Sneak Attack/Skirmish: As the Rogue's or Scout's respectively.

Sniping (Ex): The Hidden Archer is used to stepping out of the shadows, shooting at a target precisely, and then re-concealing herself before she can be identified, this is a standard action, allowing her to have one attack and hide.The Hidden Archer gets a circumstance bonus to his hide checks equal to twice the number of her level following a ranged attack. In addition, the Hidden Archer can increase the range for ranged sneak attacks by an additional 30 feet. ( See hide skill Sniping for more details )

Hide in Plain Sight (Su): A Hidden Archer can use the hide skill even while being observed. As long as she is within 10 feet of some sort of shadow, a Hidden Archer can hide herself from view in the open without anything to actually hide behind. She, cannot however, hide in her own shadow.

Darkvision (Su): Starting at 2nd level, a Hidden Archer acquires darkvision to 60 feet.

Arrow of Shadows (Sp): As the Hidden Archer is able to form shadows, he can create an arrow made of pure shadow, which is invisible for everyone except him, so the attack is unavoidable. The Hidden Archer forms such an arrow as a free action. The arrow finds the target flat-footed, and thus deals sneak attack damage, even if a sneak attack wouldn't be otherwise possible. The arrow hits as a normal arrow against creatures immune to sneak attacks. The Arrow of Shadows has to be used within the next round, otherwise the arrow dilutes. The Hidden Archer can use his own shadow to form one. For each level of Hidden Archer he can create one Arrow of Shadows per day.

Shadow Jump (Su): At 4th level, a Hidden Archer gains the ability to travel between shadows as if by means of a Dimension Door spell. The magical transport must begin and end in an area of shadowy illumination. A Hidden Archer can jump up to a total of 200 feet each day in this way; this may be a single jump of 200 feet or two jumps of 100 feet each, or some other combination (each jump 10 feet minimum). Every two levels higher than 4th, the distance a Hidden Archer can jump each day increases by 50 feet (for 250 feet at level 6, 300 feet at level 8, and 350 feet at level 10).

Improved Precise Shot (Sp): The Hidden Archer gains the Improved Precise Shot feat.

Ranged Death Attack (Ex): Continuing his career as Sniper, the Hidden Archer knows the body well enough that he can fire an arrow to the deadliest spots. Functions as the Assassin's Death Attack (quoted here and only modified to change "assassin" to "hidden archer," as well as use the Dex mod instead of Int):

"If a Hidden Archer studies his victim for 3 rounds and then makes a sneak attack with a ranged weapon that successfully deals damage, the sneak attack has the additional effect of possibly either paralyzing or killing the target (Hidden Archer's choice). Studying the victim is a standard action. The death attack fails if the target detects the Hidden Archer or recognizes the Hidden Archer as an enemy (although the attack might still be a sneak attack if the target is denied his Dexterity bonus to his Armor Class or is flanked). If the victim of such a death attack fails a Fortitude save (DC 10 + the Hidden Archer's class level + the Hidden Archer's Dex modifier) against the kill effect, she dies. If the saving throw fails against the paralysis effect, the victim is rendered helpless and unable to act for 1d6 rounds plus 1 round per level of the Hidden Archer. If the victim's saving throw succeeds, the attack is just a normal sneak attack. Once the Hidden Archer has completed the 3 rounds of study, he must make the death attack within the next 3 rounds.

If a death attack is attempted and fails (the victim makes her save) or if the Hidden Archer does not launch the attack within 3 rounds of completing the study, 3 new rounds of study are required before he can attempt another death attack."

Improved Critical (Ex): The Hidden Archer receives the Improved Critical (bow) feat.

Phasing Arrow (Sp): The Hidden Archer now can form an arrow out of the shadows, which is deadly, though intangible. The arrow will pass every non-magical barrier, thus negating bonuses from cover, concealment, and even from armors and shields. A normal attack roll is necessary. The Hidden Archer can launch a Phasing Arrow as a standard action (shooting the arrow inclusive) once per day for each 5 levels of Hidden Archer (so 1 on lvl 8 and 2 on lvl 10).

Hail of Arrows (Su): On the summit of his power, the Hidden Archer can now shoot many arrows, hitting several enemies at once, or bigger enemies multiple times. The Hidden Archer can, five times per day, expend one single arrow as a volley of arrows: every enemy within a 60 ft. cone is dealt 2d6 damage from flying arrows, with reflex save for half damage. Enemies occupying multiple spaces take damage for each.

---

Back to Main Page → 3.5e Homebrew → Classes → Prestige Classes