Author Topic: [3.5] My bow is my god, but it doesn't grant me divine spells?  (Read 7084 times)

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Risada

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So, I got some time with my work, but no access to Internet. So, I attempted to fix yet another class - the Order of the Bow Initiate, from Complete Warrior.

Before I started this, I wanted to know if the other fixes around the net were better than what I had in mind. My google-fu did not fail me - found a lot of them.

In the end, I did some mix-and-match with all these fixes (plus my own touch, of course  ;)) and this is the result.

Special thanks to dman11235 and archerpwr/Ubernoob, whose ideas can be found here.

Order of the Bow Initiate



   
"When you fire an arrow... don't you feel like you're flying with it for a second?" - Llewelyn, half-elf Order of the bow initiate

The Order of the Bow Initiate seeks ultimate perfection with his bow, physically and mentally, following the teachings of the Way of the Bow. Capable of fighting at range or at close quarters with little to no difficult, Initiates are powerful and deadly archers, harmonizing themselves with their bows.

Becoming an Order of the Bow Initiate
Fighters who multiclass in Ranger or Rogue (to get enough skill points) are common Initiates. Rangers and ScoutsCAdv can also seek the path of the Order of the Bow. Some Rogues have also entered the Order before.

 ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
   Skills: Craft (bowmaking) 5 ranks, Knowledge (Religion) 2 ranks, Spot 5 ranks
   Feats: Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Rapid Shot, Weapon Focus (any bow).


Class Skills
 The Order of the Bow Initiate's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex), Knowledge (Religion) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Tumble (Dex), Use Rope (Dex)
Skills Points at Each  Level : 6 + Int modifier

Hit Dice: d8
     BAB    Fort    Ref    Will    Abilities
1.   +1      +0     +2     +2      Bow Mastery (Weapon Focus), Ranged Precision
2.   +2      +0     +3     +3      Close Combat Shot (medium), Eagle Eye
3.   +3      +1     +3     +3      Bow Mastery (Weapon Specialization), Zen Marksmanship
4.   +4      +1     +4     +4      Augmented Critical +1, Sharpshooting
5.   +5      +1     +4     +4      Bow Mastery (Greater Weapon Focus)
6.   +6      +2     +5     +5      Close Combat Shot (large), Crippling Shot
7.   +7      +2     +5     +5      Bow Mastery (Greater Weapon Specialization), Deadly Critical
8.   +8      +2     +6     +6      Improved Sharpshooting
9.   +9      +3     +6     +6      Bow Mastery (Ranged Weapon Mastery)
10. +10      +3     +7     +7      Archer's Insight, Augmented Critical +2


Weapon Proficiencies: An Order of the Bow Initiate is proficient with all bows, and gains no new armor or shield proficiencies.

Ranged Precision (Ex)
  Check      Bonus
 Result      Damage
   1-10        2d8
  11-20        3d8
  21-25        4d8
  26-30        5d8
  31-35        6d8
  36-40        7d8
  ...
Bow Mastery (Ex): The order of the bow initiate is constantly seeking mastery over the bow and arrow. Your weapon focus feat applies to all weapons with the word bow in their name starting at 1st level. At 3rd level you gain the feat Weapon Specialization with all these weapons as a bonus feat. At 5th level you gain the feat Greater Weapon Focus with these weapons as a bonus feat. At 7th level you gain the feat Greater Weapon Specialization with these weapons as a bonus feat. At 9th level you gain the feat Ranged Weapon MasteryPHB2 with all of these weapons as a bonus feat. You gain all these bonus feats even if you do not meet its requirements.

Close Combat Shot (Ex): An Order of the Bow Initiate is so in tune with his bows that he no longer provokes attacks of opportunity for firing one.  He still incurs attacks of opportunity for using other ranged weapons, such as crossbows.  Additionally, you threaten with any bow and may make AoOs with it as if wielding it as a reach weapon. These are still considered ranged attacks. At 6th level, you threaten out of 20 ft, as if you were a large creature wielding a reach weapon.

Eagle Eye (Ex): At 2nd level, the order of the bow initiate adds double his class levels as an insight bonus on Spot checks.

Zen Marksmanship (Ex): As you advance in the Order of the bow path, you learn to trust your intuition to guide your arrows. At 3rd level, you add your Wisdom bonus to all damage rolls with bows.

Aumented Critical (Ex): At 4th level, and again at 10th level, the threat range of any bow you wield is increased by one.  This stacks with the effects of Keen or Improved Critical.

Sharpshooting (Ex)Crippling Shot (Ex)
  • Arms: You shoot at the target's arm or similar limb. The target takes a penalty to attack and damage rolls equal to 1+ your Wisdom modifier for a number of rounds equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum 1);
  • Feet: You shoot at the target's foot or similar appendage. The target's land speed is halved for a number of rounds equal to your Wisdom modifier;
  • Hands: You shoot at the target's hand or similar appendage. The target can't make opportunity attacks for a number of rounds equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum 1);
  • Shoulders: You shoot at the target's shoulders or similar area. The target's fly speed is halved, and its maneuverability is reduced by 2 steps (so if a creature had a fly speed with good maneuverability, this ability would reduce it to poor) for a number of rounds equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum 1);
  • Waist: You shoot at the target's waist, or similar area. The target takes a penalty to its fast healing or regeneration equal to 1 + your Wisdom modifier for a number of rounds equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum 1).

This ability is not precision-based, so even creatures immune to precision-based abilities (such as constructs) would be affected by this ability normally.

Deadly Critical (Ex): At 7th level the threat multiplier of any bow you wield is increased by one.

Archer's Insight (Ex): at 10th level, the Order of the Bow Initiate achieves perfection with his bow. Whenever you make an attack with a bow, but before knowing if it hit the target or not, you may choose to reroll the attack and pick either result. This ability can be used a number of times per round equal to half your Wisdom modifier (minimum 1). This ability can be used even when making attacks of opportunity using Close Combat Shot.

----
And that's it.

What do you guys think about Horizon Shot? Originally, I was planning to make an ability called "Called Shot", where the initiate would be able to make a spot check (ranks + Wis + 1/2 Class levels) and choose certain body parts, inflicting some ailment. Should I try to put it together?

What about Eagle Eye? I just picked it along with some other abilities, but is it really needed? Is the bonus too much?

Thanks in advance  :)

Edit1: made Ranged Precision scale forever, and tried to add some clarification on Archer's Insight...
Edit2: removed Horizon shot, and added Crippling Shot...

Bloody Initiate

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Re: [3.5] My bow is my god, but it doesn't grant me divine spells?
« Reply #1 on: March 03, 2011, 11:56:19 PM »
I think the DCs for Ranged Precision should start higher and go on forever. I also don't understand why you have a modified Spot check. What's wrong with using the Spot skill?

They should start higher because by the time they enter this class their spot checks should be auto-hitting 10.

They should go on forever because why cap them at all? It serves no purpose except to eventually remove itself as a mechanic that requires dice rolls.

Called shot should reduce the chance to hit or otherwise be relevantly more difficult than a normal shot, perhaps make it work like a ranged power attack to which the initiate eventually gets multipliers?
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Garryl

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Re: [3.5] My bow is my god, but it doesn't grant me divine spells?
« Reply #2 on: March 04, 2011, 01:05:03 AM »
I suspect the modified Spot checks for Ranged Precision and Sharpshooting are to exclude massive bonuses from spells and items (and Eagle Eye). It looks like it might implicitly remove penalties, but that might just be wishful reading on my part. Some clarification would be nice.

Hmm, you can get in after only 2 levels if you are a human (or strongheart halfling) with flaws. Soulknife 2/OotBI 10/Soulbow 3 is a nice stub for an archer build with Wis to damage twice, two rerolls per attack (Lucky Mind Arrows), and the rest of the OotBI goodies. It still has 5 levels left, so Cragtop Archer 3 is still a possibility (15 range increments, half the normal penalty on spot checks.

This looks like a solid PrC, but other than the reach and spot bonuses, all it gives is more damage and attack roll boosts. A little bit of versatility might be nice, but what you've got is par for the course for martial classes, I guess.

Is there going to be an Order of the Bow Adept/Master PrC?
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Risada

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Re: [3.5] My bow is my god, but it doesn't grant me divine spells?
« Reply #3 on: March 04, 2011, 08:53:53 AM »
I suspect the modified Spot checks for Ranged Precision and Sharpshooting are to exclude massive bonuses from spells and items (and Eagle Eye). It looks like it might implicitly remove penalties, but that might just be wishful reading on my part. Some clarification would be nice.

This. I tried to avoid people using +30 competence bonus item to Spot to increase the damage... and no, it doesn't remove any penalty the initiate might have... will fix this.

Hmm, you can get in after only 2 levels if you are a human (or strongheart halfling) with flaws. Soulknife 2/OotBI 10/Soulbow 3 is a nice stub for an archer build with Wis to damage twice, two rerolls per attack (Lucky Mind Arrows), and the rest of the OotBI goodies. It still has 5 levels left, so Cragtop Archer 3 is still a possibility (15 range increments, half the normal penalty on spot checks.

You think I should put some BAB prerequisite to the class? If yes, +4 or +5 sound fine?

This looks like a solid PrC, but other than the reach and spot bonuses, all it gives is more damage and attack roll boosts. A little bit of versatility might be nice, but what you've got is par for the course for martial classes, I guess.

.... Will try out finish the ability I talked about in the OP, and replace with Horizon Shot...

Is there going to be an Order of the Bow Adept/Master PrC?

Didn't think about that, but maybe I could do an Epic Destiny... I'm not sure yet...

EDIT: swapped Horizon Shot for Crippling Shot. Basically, I looked at the Magic of Incarnum, and its generic effects to binding magic items to chakras, and inverted some of those effects to come up with Crippling Shot. And I'm planning on making a 5 levels long Order of the Bow Adept PrC, and I did not give up on the idea of a Epic Destiny for this...