User:Quincy/Archer

I am not the author of this class - this is merely a transcribed copy of my favorite revision of the archer class. Please respect the rules of userpages and do not edit my page. Quincy (talk) 18:26, 2 February 2018 (MST)

Archer

An elven woman fires arrow after arrow into the face of an oncoming goblin horde. Refusing to flee even in the face of overwhelming odds, she slowly retreats, surrendering the hilltop. As the goblins crest the top of the hill she releases a powerful barrage of shots, instantly killing five of the remaining goblins. She continues firing at an unbelievably fast rate, but the goblins just keep coming. One lucky goblin gets close enough to attack, taking a wild swing in the hopes that he would be the one to kill the beautiful deadly she-elf. He barely even has time to register the fact that he had completely missed before her next shot wipes the stupid look off his face. The elf rolls safely away to continue her onslaught elsewhere. She smiles grimly as she fires the last of her arrows from her fourth and final quiver. She then draws her daggers and strides forward to face the horde.

A human warrior stands at the ready with his back to the wall and a loaded crossbow in each hand. He waits for the right moment to attack, considering the situation and weighing his options. Suddenly he spins around the corner, repeatedly firing both crossbows as he alternates between right and left. The bolts strike true, cracking against bone and chipping pieces off the skeletons. Unfortunately, for every bolt that connected solidly, two more missed completely or ricocheted harmlessly off of bare ribs. He whispers quietly to his crossbows as he continues firing. Now, as the bolts connect, whether they hit solidly or skitter off of bone, they begin release shocking bursts of electricity that zap and stun the skeletons. Though a few collapse into piles of bones, the rest continue advancing down the hall, too quickly for his liking. He smiles and steps away from the hall, moving deeper into the room and once again whispering words of power to his crossbows. When the first skeleton comes around the corner he fires one final time. The bolt slams home, exploding in a massive fireball that releases a concussive blast and collapses part of the tunnel. The warrior turns and leaves the room through the tunnel in the back, smiling widely.

Archers are masters of ranged combat. They prefer to take down their enemies from afar and generally avoid close combat. Although some races, such as elves, certainly favor this class and are well suited to it, any race can excel at being an Archer, given enough training.

Creating an Archer

Quick Build

You can make an archer quickly by following these suggestions, First, Dexterity should be your highest ability score, followed by Constitution (or Intelligence if you wish to choose the Arcane Archer archetype). Second, choose the Soldier background.

Class Features

As a Archer you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

Hit Dice: 1d8 per Archer level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + Constitution modifier per Archer level after 1st

Proficiencies

Armor: Light armor, medium armor
Weapons: Simple weapons, martial ranged weapons, rapiers, scimitars, shortswords
Tools: Tinker's tools
Saving Throws: Dexterity, Intelligence
Skills: Choose two from Acrobatics, Athletics, Insight, Investigation, Perception, and Stealth

Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

• leather armor, tinker's tools, and an explorer's pack
• (a) a longbow and 20 arrows or (b) a shortbow and 20 arrows
• (a) two hand crossbows and 20 bolts or (b) heavy crossbow and 20 bolts
• (a) light crossbow and 20 bolts or (b) two daggers, or two shortswords, or a rapier

Table: The Archer

Level	Proficiency Bonus	Features
1st	+2	Take Aim, A Talent For Archery
2nd	+2	Sure Shot, Unarmored Defense
3rd	+2	Archer Archetype
4th	+2	Ability Score Improvement, Munitions Modification
5th	+3	Extra Attack, Charge Shot
6th	+3	Archetype Feature, Nimble Brawn
7th	+3	Quickened Movement, Volley
8th	+3	Ability Score Improvement
9th	+4	Overdraw
10th	+4	Archetype Feature, Sure Shot Improvement
11th	+4	Extra Attack (2), Multi-Shot
12th	+4	Ability Score Improvement
13th	+5	Retrieval
14th	+5	Improve Critical
15th	+5	Archetype Feature
16th	+5	Ability Score Improvement
17th	+6	Master Marksman
18th	+6	Archetype Feature
19th	+6	Ability Score Improvement, Power Shot
20th	+6	Master of Archery, Extra Attack (3)

Take Aim

Beginning at 1st level, you have learned to focus on a single target in order to aim more precisely. If you are wielding a ranged weapon, you can use an bouns action to take careful aim at a creature within that weapon's range. So long as the creature remains in the weapon's range and your line-of-sight, you gain advantage on your next attack roll with the focused weapon against that creature.

A Talent For Archery

You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls you make with ranged weapons. At 10th level, this bonus increases to +4.

Sure Shot

Beginning at 2nd level, you become more skilled with your ranged weapons. Being within 5 feet of a hostile creature doesn't impose disadvantage on your ranged weapon attack rolls. At 10th level, attacking at long range doesn't impose disadvantage on your ranged weapon attack rolls.

Unarmored Defense

Starting at 2nd level, you have learned that the key to avoiding damage is speed and endurance. While you are wearing no armor and wielding no shield, your AC equals 10 + your wisdom modifier + your Dexterity modifier.

Archer Archetype

At 3rd level, you choose an archetype that defines your area of expertise as an Archer: Crossbow Specialist or Sniper, both of which are detailed at the end of this class description. Your archetype grants you features at 3rd level and again at 6th, 10th, 15th, and 18th levels.

Ability Score Improvement

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.

Munitions Modification

At 4th level, you have learned to craft and modify your ammunition for increased damage and effectiveness. You are able to craft the following types of enhanced ammunition listed below. You must have a set of Tinker's tools as well as meet any other requirements listed for each ammo type. Modified ammunition is harder to retrieve intact, as diamond tips frequently break off on contact and barbed and broadhead arrows and bolts are almost impossible to extract without damaging them. As a result, 75% of enhanced ammunition cannot be recovered after it is used.

Barbed Ammunition - You can add barbs to your ammunition to deal increased damage. Barbed ammunition deals an additional 1d4 piercing damage on a hit and is much harder to pull from a wound. Barbed ammunition requires a DC 15 Strength check to remove, and damage from that piece of ammunition cannot be healed until it is removed. Attempting to remove barbed ammunition results in the target taking 1d4 piercing damage, whether the attempt is successful or not. To craft barbed ammunition, you must have the raw materials and spend 5 minutes per arrow fashioning the barbs. The raw materials required can be purchased from almost anywhere as they are very common materials, such as scrap metal and small pins. The materials cost 5 gp per piece of ammunition you wish to modify. This enhancement can be combined with any other enhancements.

Snared Ammunition - You can make your ammunition ensnare your enemies. Snared Ammunition causes a sticky substance to burst out in a 10 foot radius originating from where the piece of ammunition hits. Targets that are in the area when the sticky substance is released must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw to avoid being slowed. The DC for this saving throw is 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier. Affected enemies have difficulty moving, as their speed is reduced by 10 feet. This effect lasts for 1 minute, after which the sticky substance dissolves into liquid. Enemies can use their action to attempt to remove the sticky substance from themselves. Doing so requires a Strength check against the same DC as the previous Dexterity save. Creating a snared piece of ammunition takes 10 gp and 10 minutes to put together.

Shoving Ammunition - You can create ammunition that shoves away enemies that are too close. When you hit an enemy with this piece of ammunition, you shove them back up to 30 feet. If they hit a solid object, they take bludgeoning damage equal to the number of feet they were pushed. You choose how far the piece of ammunition shoves creatures when you create it. It takes 10 gp and 5 minutes of time to create a shoving piece of ammunition that knocks enemies back 10 feet, 20 gp and 10 minutes of time for 20 feet, and 30 gp and 15 minutes of time for 30 feet.

Extra Attack

Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn to attack with a ranged weapon. The number of attacks increases to three when you reach 11th level in this class and to four when you reach 20th level in this class.

Charge Shot

At 5th level, you may replace an attack to charge up the next attack you make, causing it to deal twice as much damage for every time you charged it up previously, add that much damage again for each time you do this, up to a maximum of three times.

Nimble Brawn

Starting at 6th level, you can add both your Strength and Dexterity modifiers to the damage rolls of your ranged attacks.

Quickened Movement

When you reach 7th level, your base walking speed increases by 10 feet while you are wearing no armor heavier than light and wielding no shield.

Volley

At 7th level, you can use your action to make a ranged attack against any number of creatures within 10 feet of a point you can see within your weapon's range. You must have ammunition for each target, as normal, and you make a separate attack roll for each target.

Overdraw

Beginning at 9th level, you have learned to draw your bows and crossbows past their normal limits. Your damage die for these weapons is increased by one size. A d6 becomes a d8, a d8 becomes a d10, and a d10 becomes a d12. The normal ranges for these weapons also increase by 10 feet.

Multi-Shot

At 11th level, you can fire multiple arrows with one shot, placing up to three arrows on your string at once. You can fire all arrows at one enemy or at separate enemies. All targets must be within a 90 degree firing angle and within normal range. You can 2 times per long rest.

Retrieval

At 13th level, you gain the ability to recover nearly twice the amount of ammunition as normal. You can now recover 50% of the enhanced arrows you use, instead of 25%. Additionally, you can now recover almost all of your regular ammunition that you expend in battle. At your DM's discretion, you may recover 100% of your regular ammunition that you use, instead of 50%. This does not work in extenuating circumstances such as shooting at enemies swimming in a river. You also gain twice the number of munitions from crafting.

Improved Critical

Beginning at 14th level, you score a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20 when making an attack with a ranged weapon.

Master Marksman

At 17th level,choose one of the following.

Sentinel On your turn you can watch up to two creatures that you can see. If one of those creatures makes an attack against a creature other than you, and is within range of a ranged weapon you are wielding, you can make a ranged weapon attack against that creature as a reaction.

Sharpshooter Before making an attack with a ranged weapon, you may choose to take a -5 penalty to the attack roll. If the attack hits, you add a +10 bonus to the attack's damage.

Power Shot

When you reach 19th level, once per turn when rolling damage for a ranged attack, you can choose to reroll the dice and take either total.

Master of Archery

When you reach 20th level, your Dexterity score increases by 4. Your maximum for this score is now 24. In addition, you are no longer affected by difficult terrain, and whenever a creature that you can see moves closer to you, you can use your reaction to move a number of feet equal to the number of feet they moved in any direction. Double the range of any weapon you use with a range longer than melee.

Archetypes

Arcane Archer

Arcane Archery

Starting at 3rd level, you augment your martial prowess with the ability to cast spells. See chapter 10 of the Player's Handbook for the general rules of spellcasting and chapter 11 for the wizard spell list.

Cantrips. You learn two cantrips of your choice from the wizard spell llist. You learn an additional wizard cantrip of your choice at 10th level.

Spell Slots. The Arcane Archer Spellcasting guide shows how many spell slots you have too cast your spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these spells, you must expend a slot of the spell's level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest. For example, if you know the 1st-level spell shield and have a 1st-level and a 2nd-level spell slot available, you can cast shield using either slot.

Elemental Shot

At 6th level, you gain the ability to enchant your ranged weapon with elemental damage. You can enchant your ranged weapon with an element of your choice: fire, cold, lightning, acid, or thunder. While enchanted your shots deal additional elemental damage equal to your Intelligence modifier (min.1). You can only have one ranged weapon enchanted at a time and every bolt fired from it becomes elementally charged. You can spend time during a short or long rest to change the elemental damage type your ranged weapon is enchanted with, or which ranged weapon is enchanted.

Rapid Force Fire

At 10th level, you unlock a new special ability for use with your ranged weapons. When you use this feature you fire a number of shots in rapid succession at any number of targets within your normal range. Roll 2d4 and add your Intelligence modifier, this is the total number of shots you can fire. Each bolt does 1d4 force damage + your Intelligence modifier. Make an attack roll against a target, your attack modifier for this ability = your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier. You continue making attack rolls until you successfully hit your target at which point every successive bolt gains automaticly hits. At any point you can choose to change which enemy you are targeting as long as you have shots remaining, but if you choose a new target you must make a new attack roll against that target. You can choose any number of targets in range as long as you have enough shots, and you can fire any number of bolts at each target. You can use your rapid fire ability a number of times per day equal to your Intelligence modifier (min. 1). This fires magic bolts and does not require or use any of your regular ammunition. This feature requires use of your action and cannot stack with the elemental shot feature and replaces any number of attacks you would normally make. You can however still use your bonus action and reaction.

For example you choose to use rapid fire and start by rolling your 2d4's to determine the number of shots you can make. You roll a 2 and a 3 and with an Int. mod. of +3 you have a total of 8 shots. You decide to fire at your first target with an AC of 16. After rolling a 5 and adding your proficiency bonus of +4 at level 10 and your Int. mod. of +3 your attack modifier = +7 giving you a total attack roll of 12, not enough to hit. You reroll your attack for your next shot and get a 13 adding your +7 modifier gives you a 20, a hit. You now roll 1d4 + your Int mod for your force damage. You decide to fire 3 more shots at this same target and since you already hit they automatically hit as well so you make no other attack rolls with the bonus. At this point you decide to switch targets. You have fired 5 of your 8 total shots leaving you with 3. When you choose a new target you must make a new attack roll to hit, but all of the same rules apply. So after a successful attack roll all consecutive shots on the same target automatically hit.

Arrow Imbuement

Starting at 15th level you can imbue your arrows with a spell and make a ranged attack with it. You cast one of your offensive spells onto the arrow. You then make an attack with the arrow as normal. The spell is triggered when it hits something. For example if you imbue your arrow with the firebolt spell then you make a ranged attack with the arrow. If the arrow hits the enemy would take damage from the arrow and the firebolt spell. If the arrow misses the spell is triggered and the firebolt would be wasted. If a spell allows a dexterity save and the imbued arrow hits, the target doesn't get a dexterity save. If an arrow misses and the imbued spell is an area of effect spell such as fireball it is triggered where the arrow hit.

Explosive Bolt

When you reach 18th level, you can fire an explosive bolt dealing massive damage in a small area. You add your Intelligence modifier to the hit. On a hit your shot deals 8d12 fire damage and an additional 4d12 thunder damage. Every other creature in a 20 foot radius must make a dexterity saving throw or take 4d12 fire damage and an additional 2d12 thunder damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. This explosion emits a thunderous boom audible out to 300 feet when it goes off. This ability recharges on a long rest. If you miss with this shot nothing happens and the ability is expended.

Crossbow Specialist

You have practiced extensively with crossbows, and you know how to kill effectively with them.

Quick Reload

Starting at 3rd level, you gain the following benefits:

• You ignore the loading quality of crossbows with which you are proficient.

• You can ignore the two-handed property of crossbows with which you are proficient.

• When you take the Attack action and attack with a crossbow that you are holding in one hand, you can use a bonus action to attack with a different crossbow that you are holding in the other hand.

Extra Munitions

Starting at 6th level you gain extra modified munitions that can only be used with a crossbow.

Large Arrows - You can create arrows that are larger than normal and fire them out of your crossbow. It costs 5gp per arrow made this way and requires 2 arrows to make. (20 arrows + 50gp =10 large arrows) This takes 5 minutes to do. Large arrows are harder to hit with due to their size but they can hit two enemies next to each other. Large arrows take a -3 to hit but add 1d4 extra damage. When attacking multiple targets roll attack rolls as if you were attacking them separately. This can be combined with any other modifications. If combined with barbed arrows you must use two barbed arrows in creation in place of regular arrows.

Disrupting Arrow - By spending 10gp and taking 10 minutes you can create an arrow that interferes with a spellcaster's ability to cast spells. The next time a spellcaster hit by this arrow must make a concentration check.

Deadshot

Starting at 10th level, when you attack with a crossbow you ignore the enemy's Dexterity bonus to AC.

Crossbow Mastery

Starting at 15th level you gain the following abilities

• When you use two hand crossbows and take the attack action you can make an extra attack by taking a -2 penalty to hit on all of your attacks that round.
• When you are using a heavy or light crossbow you gain an increasing hit chance(no higher than +5) if you keep attacking the same enemy. If you miss this restarts. This also restarts if you attack another enemy even if you miss. Example: you hit your enemy with the first attack, so on the second attack you gain a +1 to hit that same enemy. If you hit with the second attack then you gain a +2 on the third attack. If you missed on the third attack then you don't gain any additional bonus to hit against that enemy.)

Legendary Crossbower

Starting at 18th level your ability with crossbows is legendary. Whenever you attack with a crossbow and hit you deal an additional die of weapon damage.

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Sniper

Stealth Feature

Starting at 3rd level, you gain proficiency in the stealth skill. In addition you gain advantage on stealth rolls.

Unnoticed Threat

At 5th level, you have become a master of avoiding notice in combat. As long as you remain 40 feet or further away from enemies they are much less likely to notice or attack you. Enemies that wish to attack you must first make a perception roll against a stealth roll you make. If they fail they cannot target you with an attack until they make a successful perception check. Any enemies you have successfully hit with an attack or that are within 40 feet of you do not need to make this check to notice you. If you have fired at a target that is more that 40 feet away and missed they must still make the perception check, but they gain an advantage on it. Enemies may reroll their check to notice you on every new turn they take.

Perfect Aim

At 6th level, your ranged weapon attacks now ignore half cover and three-quarters cover. You also suffer no disadvantages or penalties to your attack rolls on enemies that are partially obscured or in dim light. As long as you can identify targets general location you can attempt to make an attack against that target. You can make an attack against any target so long as you can see any part of them whether they are obscured or in dim light or affected by any other conditions that affect visibility.

Crippling Shot

By 7th level, you have become an expert marksman and can attempt a crippling shot. After choosing a target you then choose a specific limb on said target to aim for. You must be able to see the target clearly and also be able to see the targeted limb, therefore this special attack does not benefit from your perfect aim ability. The one exception is that you can benefit from the "ignoring cover" portion of the aforementioned ability at your DM's discretion. For example your DM might allow you to make a crippling arm shot against a target that is behind a low wall since they are still visible from the waist up. To make a crippling shot you pick your target and identify the limb being targeted and then make an attack roll as normal. You can target the same creature multiple times, although you can only make one crippling shot per turn. Crippling shots also deal reduced damage. The target takes only half of the total damage. On a hit your target becomes crippled, and is subjected to the following conditions:

1. If you cripple a leg the target's speed is reduced to 10 feet

2. If you cripple an arm the target has disadvantage on attack rolls provided the arm is necessary to the task. Spellcasters must make a concentration check if they try to cast a spell provided the spell has somatic components.

3. If you cripple both legs the target falls on the ground and can't move.(they may attack) Because they can't move they no longer add their dexterity to their AC.

4. If you cripple both arms the target is unable to use its arms to attack, cast spells etc.

These conditions can be ended if the arrow(s) are removed and the target regains at least one hitpoint.

Head Shot

When you reach level 18, you can attempt to make a deadly headshot against an enemy. You must use your action to make a headshot. On a successful attack roll with a ranged weapon, you roll an additional 1d6 of damage for every point of difference between your total attack and the targets AC. On a critical hit, you roll your normal damage die and all d6's twice. You may use this ability a number of times per day equal to your Dexterity modifier. For example, you make an attack with a longbow and roll a 10. At level 11 you have a proficiency bonus of +10 and assuming a Dexterity modifier of +5 your total for your attack roll is 10+6+5=21. If your target has an AC of 16 with an attack of 21 you have a total difference of 5 (21-16=5). For damage, you would then roll your normal 1d10 (overdraw feature), as well as 5d6s for the bonus headshot damage.

Multiclassing

Prerequisites. To qualify for multiclassing into the Archer class, you must meet these prerequisites: Dexterity: 15

Proficiencies. When you multiclass into the Archer class, you gain the following proficiencies: Simple ranged weapons, martial ranged weapons, and Tinker's tools

Created by --Blewsbro (talk) 01:05, 4 September 2015 (MDT)

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