Author Topic: The Swift Hunter's Handbook  (Read 200634 times)

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zugschef

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Re: The Swift Hunter's Handbook
« Reply #160 on: November 18, 2010, 07:44:10 PM »
sorry for the double post, but i'd like to mention the possibility to skirmish via dimension hop (freedom mantle) which you can get with a one-level-dip into ardent or with two levels of psychic warrior (mantled warrior acf). for me this is a much more elegant way to solve the movement problem than travel devotion.

Dusk Eclipse

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Re: The Swift Hunter's Handbook
« Reply #161 on: November 18, 2010, 11:25:49 PM »
How would you deal with the issue of extremely low power points? and some DM's rule that teleports don't trigger skirmish, (I would not rule it like that, bit I know some DM who do that)

Garryl

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Re: The Swift Hunter's Handbook
« Reply #162 on: November 18, 2010, 11:50:47 PM »
Power points shouldn't be a problem. As long as you're manifesting lower PP cost powers (<=5 PP per manifestation) you can use +1 Manifesting Arrows to fuel it. Just draw one (as a free action), manifest your teleport, drop the arrow, and load your bow with the real arrows. They're cheap enough that even if you forget to pick up a few after battle, it's not a big deal.
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Dusk Eclipse

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Re: The Swift Hunter's Handbook
« Reply #163 on: November 18, 2010, 11:52:50 PM »
Some DM's ](including my usual) consider that a cheesy trick and they won't let it work; true it works by RAW, but in my particular case, rule 0 supersedes that.

Garryl

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Re: The Swift Hunter's Handbook
« Reply #164 on: November 19, 2010, 01:56:26 AM »
In that case, I would suggest either storing PP in cognizance crystals (expensive), or just going with the Cloistered Cleric route. Travel + Undeath domains gives you 4 minutes Travel Devotion per day even with a Charisma of 8 (1 base use, 2 turn attempts/extra use, 2 turns + 4 from Extra Turning via Undeath domain). Nab a 12 Charisma or another method of +2 turn attempts if you want the leeway for an extra encounter or two per day. You also get Knowledge Devotion from this if you want it, and a couple of 1st level spells.

Getting enough PP to fuel dimension slide it tough if you only want to spend one level on it. At 1 PP/round, that means an average of 16-20 PP/day. Ardent 1 + Practiced Manifester + Wis 18 gives only 12 PP, a little short. You can make up for it with another level of Ardent (18 PP), a 1 level dip into Psychic Warrior (taking Practiced Manifester as your bonus feat; 22 PP), a 1 level dip into War Mind (16 PP), a Wisdom of 22 (17 PP), or a proper Manifesting weapon (your bow or sword or whatever; 17 PP). Each of these options has advantages and disadvantages compared to the others. Any way you do it, you're expending more resources for the same or less benefit that Cleric would give.
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Midnight_v

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Re: The Swift Hunter's Handbook
« Reply #165 on: November 19, 2010, 02:56:59 AM »
Sometimes this... feels like Drizzt... - Swift hunter revalations. Book 1.

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zugschef

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Re: The Swift Hunter's Handbook
« Reply #166 on: November 19, 2010, 04:21:31 PM »
delete

Garryl

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Re: The Swift Hunter's Handbook
« Reply #167 on: November 19, 2010, 04:29:57 PM »
How would you deal with the issue of extremely low power points? and some DM's rule that teleports don't trigger skirmish, (I would not rule it like that, bit I know some DM who do that)
ok... and exactly how often does travel devotion work? i'd say you can use dimension hop as often as travel devotion.

Once you activate Travel Devotion, you can move as a swift action 1/round for the next 1 minute. Every 2 uses of Turn/Rebuke Undead that you give up allows you to active Travel Devotion for another minute each day (which can be at a completely different time from any prior activations).

Cleric 1 with Travel Devotion, Undeath domain (for Extra Turning), and a Charisma of 8 can use Travel Devotion 4 times per day for 1 minute each.
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The Opposed Checks Handbook - Under construction.
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Sinfire Titan

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Re: The Swift Hunter's Handbook
« Reply #168 on: November 20, 2010, 04:53:11 PM »
Once you activate Travel Devotion, you can move as a swift action 1/round for the next 1 minute. Every 2 uses of Turn/Rebuke Undead that you give up allows you to active Travel Devotion for another minute each day (which can be at a completely different time from any prior activations).

Cleric 1 with Travel Devotion, Undeath domain (for Extra Turning), and a Charisma of 8 can use Travel Devotion 4 times per day for 1 minute each.


Which is why Prestige Ranger is such a good option for a Swift Hunter build. Cleric 2/Scout 4 gets you a massive array of useful abilities (and boosting your CL is easy).


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zugschef

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Re: The Swift Hunter's Handbook
« Reply #169 on: November 22, 2010, 11:53:25 AM »
i just dislike selecting a god only based on a need for the corresponding domains...

Sinfire Titan

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Re: The Swift Hunter's Handbook
« Reply #170 on: November 22, 2010, 03:44:45 PM »
i just dislike selecting a god only based on a need for the corresponding domains...

Invent a Pantheon then. Only the DM can stop you from doing so. An Ideal also works.


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Yuukale

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Re: The Swift Hunter's Handbook
« Reply #171 on: January 04, 2011, 06:20:39 PM »
So... I was doing some superficial math here and it turns out that a: C. Cleric 1 / Fighter 2 / Scout 3 / Rogue 14 - easily outdamages a swift hunter -

Having 7d6 skirmish damage and 7d6 sneak attack damage, provided that he is able to leave his opponents flat-footed all time (not hard to achieve).

He delivers only 3 attacks VS the swift hunter's 4, but factoring in the splitting property and a belt of battle, he gets (using rapid shot) 16 arrows each dealing a bonus 14d6 / While a swift hunter would get: 20 arrows each dealing a bonus 7d6 dmg.

Do you think that the ranger spells and non-combat-related abilities (hide in plain sight, camouflage, woodland stride, etc...) make up for it ? I know it's primarily based on playstyle, nonetheless, I would like your opinion.

bearsarebrown

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Re: The Swift Hunter's Handbook
« Reply #172 on: January 04, 2011, 08:21:02 PM »
Ranger spells blow slight amounts of damage out of the water. Hell, the Ranger can cast Hunter's Eye for 4d6 Sneak Attack himself. Or if he's Mystic he can goddamn Polymorph.

Dusk Eclipse

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Re: The Swift Hunter's Handbook
« Reply #173 on: January 04, 2011, 08:25:39 PM »
He would need sword of the arcane order, not mystic to get polymorph as it is a wizard spell.

Bozwevial

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Re: The Swift Hunter's Handbook
« Reply #174 on: January 04, 2011, 08:25:55 PM »
Or Rhino's Rush to double your damage on a charge.

Yuukale

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Re: The Swift Hunter's Handbook
« Reply #175 on: January 04, 2011, 08:34:01 PM »
charge? I'm talking about ARCHERY - I even mentioned "Rapid Shot and Splitting Property"

Dusk Eclipse

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Re: The Swift Hunter's Handbook
« Reply #176 on: January 04, 2011, 08:36:00 PM »
Using sword of the arcane order to polymorph into an arrow demon (MM III or fiendish codex I) and using the spell arrow split (champions of ruin), but I don't know and I am too lazy to run the math.

Bozwevial

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Re: The Swift Hunter's Handbook
« Reply #177 on: January 04, 2011, 08:43:59 PM »
charge? I'm talking about ARCHERY - I even mentioned "Rapid Shot and Splitting Property"
Yeah, but not all swift hunters are archers, are they?

bearsarebrown

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Re: The Swift Hunter's Handbook
« Reply #178 on: January 04, 2011, 11:59:40 PM »
He would need sword of the arcane order, not mystic to get polymorph as it is a wizard spell.
I'm pretty sure it's a 5th level spell for Mystic Rangers.

stranglebat

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Re: The Swift Hunter's Handbook
« Reply #179 on: January 05, 2011, 05:53:28 AM »
So... I was doing some superficial math here and it turns out that a: C. Cleric 1 / Fighter 2 / Scout 3 / Rogue 14 - easily outdamages a swift hunter -

Having 7d6 skirmish damage and 7d6 sneak attack damage, provided that he is able to leave his opponents flat-footed all time (not hard to achieve).

He delivers only 3 attacks VS the swift hunter's 4, but factoring in the splitting property and a belt of battle, he gets (using rapid shot) 16 arrows each dealing a bonus 14d6 / While a swift hunter would get: 20 arrows each dealing a bonus 7d6 dmg.

Do you think that the ranger spells and non-combat-related abilities (hide in plain sight, camouflage, woodland stride, etc...) make up for it ? I know it's primarily based on playstyle, nonetheless, I would like your opinion.

Swift hunters ablity to deal his skirmish damage to immune targets really help with this regard that rogue build would struggle against certain creature types, by raw it would even work if you took favoured enemy arcanist and attacked a wizard who was wearing a mithral buclker of heavy fort.