Author Topic: Optimizing Hunter's Mercy (without Masters of the Wild or Silver Marshes...)  (Read 7598 times)

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rypta

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I'm in the process of applying to PbP game (RHoD set in Eberron) and I'm pretty much set on playing an archer.  I've been wanting make particular use of the Hunter's Mercy spell (auto-crit with a bow) since it seems like a legitimate way to build an actual sniper in 3.5. 

How can I get the most damage out of a single shot?

Starting level is 6, no flaws.  Humans get a +2 to any ability score.
Stats are (rolled!) 18, 17, 16, 15, 14, 13
Mystic Ranger and Targetteer Fighter are allowed.  Unfortunately, Peerless Archer and Deepwood Sniper are not.

Vicerious

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(Posting from my phone, I'll fix any wonky formatting when I get home. Sorry for any inconvenience.)

If you're just looking to optimize purely for big single-shot damage for huge crits, you're going to want to get your weapon dice as big as possible.

Get the Strongarm Bracers (MIC) to let you wield a weapon one size bigger than normal to move your longbow from 1d8 to 2d6. Then go ahead and eat the -2 penalty to go another size up for 3d6.  -2 for, on average, +3.5 more damage is almost as efficient as Power Attack with a two-hander, so that feels like a fair trade.  More weapon sizes boosts get even more efficient from there.

This may be one case where including Pathfinder material could help you out. Namely, a spell and a feat chain.

The spell is called gravity bow. It's a 1st level ranger spell that increases the damage of your bow by one size category for 1 minute. It's great for putting in a wand because nothing about it cares about caster level; get a wand compartment (Dungeonscape) put in your bow so you always have it ready. If you're using hunter's merc from a wand as well (wise decision), get a wand compartment for your armor spikes, too. The spikes are also great for threatening adjacent squares.

The feat chain is the Vital Strike line. Vital Strike is a standard action to add your weapon dice as bonus damage. The first requires +6 BAB, Improved (+weapon dice x2) at +11, and Greater (+weapon dice x3) at +12.  As bonus dice, these don't get multiplied on a crit but they can be substantial with big enough weapons.

Beyond size boosts, look for static +X bonuses that will get multiplied on a crit. Str bonus composite bows are the place to start. If you're expecting your Str bonus to vary a lot, think about working in a bow of the moon, a relic weapon of Corellon Larethion (MIC). It auto-adjusts to your Str.  Knowledge Devotion (CC) is also a decent source.
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bearsarebrown

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Manyshot will add to your damage significantly if you're focusing on Standard Action attacks. Only the first hit will actually be a critical but whatever, you get another hit. Smite will add lots of damage that multiplies as well. If you go Myster Ranger then you eventually get Polymorph and you take the form of an Arrow Demon right away.

But it's moot IMO. Hunter's Mercy is a Standard Action to cast right? So you take a Standard action one turn, then attack the next. It's a bad strategy when combat only lasts 3 or 4 rounds. But if you're dead set on it, I hope the above helps.

rypta

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I'll definitely inquire about Pathfinder material.  

Since I'll probably be taking at least one level in Targetteer Fighter, I'll have DEX to damage with my bow and I'll be proficient with compound greatbows which will provide even greater benefits from increases in size.  

Also, given that we're running the RHoD, focusing on favored enemy damage seems like it could be viable.  Either goblinoid or arcanist are two obvious choices.  The enemy spirit pouch from MiC would be a cheap +4 damage.  I believe there is also a hunting weapon enhancement, as well as a feat that improves favored enemy damage.  Not sure if the latter two are actually worth it though.

I was hoping there would be some other way to increase the critical multiplier of my bow (since Deepwood Sniper is not available) but I cannot seem to find anything.
« Last Edit: February 14, 2011, 04:11:26 PM by rypta »

rypta

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Manyshot will add to your damage significantly if you're focusing on Standard Action attacks. Only the first hit will actually be a critical but whatever, you get another hit. Smite will add lots of damage that multiplies as well. If you go Myster Ranger then you eventually get Polymorph and you take the form of an Arrow Demon right away.

But it's moot IMO. Hunter's Mercy is a Standard Action to cast right? So you take a Standard action one turn, then attack the next. It's a bad strategy when combat only lasts 3 or 4 rounds. But if you're dead set on it, I hope the above helps.

You're completely right and I will not argue that there are more effective strategies.  I've always wanted to try this though.  I figure that if I can initiate some of the fights, the first round of set-up wont cost me (or the party) anything.  Ideally, I would also be doing enough damage to kill whatever I shot at.

I had not thought about smite damage at all.  Is there a feat that stacks Paladin smite progression with Ranger levels?  


EDIT: Also, I'm assuming Craven bonus damage is considered precision damage?
« Last Edit: February 14, 2011, 04:11:05 PM by rypta »

bearsarebrown

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Craven is a great idea. It doesn't say it's precision damage, it only requires precision damage to activate. I believe Devoted Tracker stacks Paladin and Ranger levels. Vicerious's idea to use bigger bows is a good one, I've never compared it to Power Attack like that. I guess you could use Order of the Bow from CW, that adds d8s to standard action attacks.Scratch that, just dip Paladin and progress Ranger for the spellcasting. Take Azure/Cobalt Smite and be an Azurin instead of human, that will get you a couple more smites per day with a little damage boost. Don't waste a feat for Ranged Smite, just convince your DM to let you take the Elf ACF for it because it's stupid to have to spend resources on it.

rypta

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I'm away from my books right now, but would Killoren be an option?  One of their aspects is essentially smite evil right?

bearsarebrown

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Kiloren could work but Azurin with Cobalt Smite as a bonus feat will be strictly better then a Kiloren without a bonus feat and his racial smite.

rypta

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Hmm.  I have never actually used any MoI material before, but does this summary look accurate?

As an Azurin, I could start off as Mystic Ranger 4/Paladin 1/Targetteer Fighter 1 with Sapphire Smite, Devoted Tracker and two open feats.  Smite would be usable 3/day for +7 damage.

As a Killoren, I could start off as Mystic Ranger 5 (or 4)/Targetteer Fighter 1 (or 2) with three open feats and smite usable 1/hour up to CHA mod/day (effectively 1/encounter) for +6 damage. 

Eviltedzies

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Going Archivist has a lot to offer your idea. A simple build could look something like this...

Race: Human
Class: Archivist 7/Divine Disciple 5/Runecaster 6/Archivist 4
Domain: Rune

Feats:
1. Knowledge Devotion, EWP Greatbow (Human), Scribe Scroll (Archivist)
3. Item Familiar (Insert your bow weapon here.)
6. Heighten Spell
9. Quicken Spell
12. Inscribe Rune
15. Free Feat
18. Free Feat

* Full Divine Caster Levels
* Item Familiar allows you to invest skill ranks into knowledges and your rune scribing skill.
* Runecaster 6 will not only allow your to load up your arrows with multiple spell effects, but at 6th level you can Maximize the effects of said runes as well. If your wanting to build a sniper esque build I would focus on making sure the first thing you shoot goes down hard.
* Arcane Archer can eat its' heart out.
* Alternatively by giving up some levels in archivist, you can take 1 level of Sacred Exorcist and go Divine Metamagic (Quicken or Persistant)
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Darkness in the Light.
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bearsarebrown

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Hmm.  I have never actually used any MoI material before, but does this summary look accurate?

As an Azurin, I could start off as Mystic Ranger 4/Paladin 1/Targetteer Fighter 1 with Sapphire Smite, Devoted Tracker and two open feats.  Smite would be usable 3/day for +7 damage.

As a Killoren, I could start off as Mystic Ranger 5 (or 4)/Targetteer Fighter 1 (or 2) with three open feats and smite usable 1/hour up to CHA mod/day (effectively 1/encounter) for +6 damage. 

Looks right. Maybe I was wrong about Kiloren, I thought it was 1/day, not 1/hour. Which is better heavily depends on how many encounters you expect per day. For RHoD Kiloren might be better.

rypta

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Yea, but now I'm realizing that unless I invest stats and/or money into CHA, the Killoren smite is only going to be 3/day anyway.

I was thinking about setting my stats up like this:

STR 17 (18 with item)
DEX 18 (20 with item)
CON 14
INT 13
WIS 15
CHA 16


Against my favored enemy and with Strongarm Bracers, Enemy Spirit Pouch, and a +1 Huge Composite (+4) Greatbow, I'd be doing the following damage at level 6 (3/day):

3d8(base)+1(enhancement)+6(favored enemy)+4(composite)+5(DEX from vital aim)+7(smite) = 36.5 average damage, 109.5 damage with Hunter's Mercy.  I'm pretty sure that would kill pretty anything we could face at that level...
« Last Edit: February 14, 2011, 06:27:00 PM by rypta »

skydragonknight

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Devoted Tracker is the Supermount feat. It does not stack Smite Evil damage.
It always seems like the barrels around here have something in them.

Lycanthromancer

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Well, there's always factotum/chameleon with Extra Spell (hunter's mercy).

Factotums make awesome archers/snipers (+Int and +Str to every single arrow? Yes please!), and chameleons...well, they can do practically anything well.
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skydragonknight

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That and Factotum negates the "takes a standard action" downside for the spell.
It always seems like the barrels around here have something in them.

bearsarebrown

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At the risk of spoiling parts of the adventure, 37 average damage is enough to one hit over 2/3rd of the first half of the module.

rypta

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Damn, the factotum is a good call.  With INT to damage, that would definitely be viable.  There is, however, someone else planning to play a factotum (although not as an archer) and I would rather not step on his toes too much.

Devoted Tracker is the Supermount feat. It does not stack Smite Evil damage.

It actually stacks smite damage, wild empathy and mount/animal companion benefits.

« Last Edit: February 14, 2011, 11:27:47 PM by rypta »

skydragonknight

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Devoted Tracker is the Supermount feat. It does not stack Smite Evil damage.

It actually stacks smite damage, wild empathy and mount/animal companion benefits.

Huh. Better than I remembered then. ...Move along! Move along!
It always seems like the barrels around here have something in them.

Lycanthromancer

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Damn, the factotum is a good call.  With INT to damage, that would definitely be viable.  There is, however, someone else planning to play a factotum (although not as an archer) and I would rather not step on his toes too much.
There's always room for factotum! Just ask him what skills he's using, then gear your skills and feats away from his.
[spoiler]Masculine men like masculine things. Masculine men are masculine. Therefore, liking masculine men is masculine.

I dare anyone to find a hole in that logic.
______________________________________
[/spoiler]I'm a writer. These are my stories. Some are even SFW! (Warning: Mostly Gay.)
My awesome poster collection. (Warning, some are NSFW.)
Agita's awesome poster collection.
[spoiler]
+1 Lycanthromancer
Which book is Lycanthromancer in?
Lyca ... is in the book. Yes he is.
 :D
shit.. concerning psionics optimization, lycan IS the book
[/spoiler]

skydragonknight

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Make a Super Sentai team entirely of Factotums?
It always seems like the barrels around here have something in them.