Time to continue the level breakdown of the Bard/Arcane Archer. This will cover levels 11-20. Just like last time, I will cover suggested feats, key spells breakdown, and damage per round.
We last left our hero at level 10. Bard 8/Arcane archer 2. Base attack bonus 8, spell casting as level 9 bard.
Feats chosen: Point-Blank Shot, Rapid Shot, Precise Shot, Weapon Focus Longbow, and Deadly Aim.
Assumed buffed stats of 16str, 20dex. Wielding a +4 composite longbow.
Round 1 we spend using performance to Inspire Courage +2 and cast haste on the party.
After round 1, we can cast battlefield control spells or we poke holes in our enemies with a full attack sequence of 16/16/16/11 dealing average 19.5 damage per arrow. (70 per round)
Level 11- Bard8/Arcane Archer 3. BAB 9, SCL 10
First, our feat of choice should be Manyshot. This will give us another arrow fired off on our first attack each round during a full attack. This shot cannot crit, but all other bonuses that we use (since we don’t use sneak attack) are added to the damage. I will denote this attack in the full attack breakdown with a * after the number indicating that the roll used to see if it hits is part of the first attack roll.
We also gain access to one of the key iconic features of an arcane archer in Enhance arrows (elemental). Now each day our hero chooses an element: Frost, Flaming, or Shock, and adds to each arrow 1d6 of the chosen element. This adds an average 3.5 damage to our arrows.
Full attack: 9 base attack +1 weapon focus, +5 dex mod, +2 inspire courage, +1 haste, +4 Bow, -2 rapid shot, -3 deadly aim = 17attack
17*(many)/17(base)/17(haste)/17(rapid)/12(base)
Damage = 1d8 arrow (ave 4.5) + 1d6 element (ave 3.5) +4 bow mod, +3 str mod +6 deadly aim +2 Inspire courage = 23 per hit 5 hits = 115 damage per round.
(Any shots within 30 feet add 1 to attack and damage.)
On top of that, we gain access to level 4 spells:
Dimension Door- is a fairly cheap way to get around obstacles in your way. As a DM I personally hate any teleportation spells so I often refuse to use them.
Dominate Person- Very strong spell useful both inside and outside combat. It is often better to control an opponent and let that opponent tie up another opponent in combat than it is to simply kill that opponent. And playing puppet master to a person in power is often useful.
Hold Monster- I would choose dominate person over it, but it can be cast on non humanoid creatures as well. Can be very useful spending a round auto critting a dragon who fails the will save.
Invisibility, Greater- very strong spell. This is like invisibility except you want to cast it on the attackers in your group. Attacking will not cause them to become visible.
Neutralize Poison- When you need it, you really need it. Don't learn it. Instead get a couple scrolls with it, you generally have time to pull one out and use it when you need to.
Secure Shelter- Some people don't like sleeping on the ground.
Shout- an interesting area spell for use with imbue arrow.
Level 12- Bard8/Arcane Archer 4. BAB 10, SCL 10
We gain another attribute point. Gain access to the seeker arrow class feature. So now we can take a single shot for the round and nearly guarantee it will hit.
Level 13- Bard8/Arcane Archer 5. BAB 11, SCL 11
We gain distance quality to all of our arrows. This means we can shoot 220 feet without taking any penalty to our attack and our max distance is 1100 feet.
Our base attack hit 11, which means we get another attack at -10.
FA= 19*(many)/19(base)/19(haste)/19(rapid)/14(base)/9(base) ave 23 per hit for 138 damage per round.
For a feat choice:
Arcane Strike- adds 2 damage to your attack rolls by using your free action every turn. Check with your DM on this one as it doesn't count spell levels from arcane archer for bonus damage as written, but I would include it in my games. If not it caps out at 3 damage at level 20. This is still 21 damage per round, not too shabby. Honestly if you want this ability I would suggest taking the arcane dualist class archetype and getting it for free.
Lingering Performance- Bard based feat allows you to switch performances and have the old performance last 2 rounds before having to switch back. This is called twisting. This is better for some bard builds than others. It can also be used to save rounds of bard performance.
Clustered Shots- Damage reduction can become a pain, this makes all the damage you deal count as 1 hit for damage reduction purposes.
Discordant Voice- Lets allies deal an extra 1d6 sonic damage with their attacks, not clear on if the damage is added to your attacks as well. I would rule that it does, but check with your DM. Also only does the damage with range attacks within 30 feet. This is dependent on your party make up, but an extra 3.5 damage per hit for every melee/archer in your group really adds up.
Snap Shot- to prereq for Improved Snap Shot, at which point you can get attacks of opportunity 15 feet away. Next you would want Combat Reflexes, so you can take more than one attack of opportunity per round. Honestly I was not impressed with this line of feats when I used it on one of my archers.
Target of Opportunity- great if you have 2 archers and both take the feat. The 30 foot range is somewhat limiting, but it can still be quite useful.
Plan feats ahead. At this point I suggest clustered shots. Damage reduction gets more and more prevalent as levels get higher and this will be key in overcoming them. After that I suggest discordant voice and target of opportunity if you have another archer in your group.
Level 14- Bard8/Arcane Archer 6. BAB 12, SCL 12
At this point you learn Phase arrow, going through any solid object including armor. A cool use of this is to shoot some kind of specialty arrow into a building that you know an opponent is in. A more practical use would be hitting a highly armored opponent. In reality this is a very situational ability that may or may not come up very often.
FA= 20*/20/20/20/15/10 ave 23 per hit for 138 damage per round.
Level 15- Bard8/Arcane Archer 7. BAB 13, SCL 13
Enhanced arrows now add to 1d10 more elemental damage to a crit. Crits only happen on a natural 20 for us, but when they do they deal a lot of damage. A crit at this point a crit hit will deal 3d8 arrow (ave 13.5) + 1d6 element (ave 3.5) + 2d10 elemental burst (ave 11) + 12 bow mod, +9 str mod +18 deadly aim +6 inspire courage. 73 average damage per crit hit. I wouldn't count on a crit, but with 5 attacks per round 1 in 4 rounds on average should produce a natural 20. I wouldn't condemn anyone for wanting the Improved Critical feat which would make crits happen twice as often.
For the next feat my suggestion is Discordant Voice. I will assume that your DM has ruled that your weapons also benefit from this ability (as this is how I would rule as a DM).
FA= 21*/21/21/21/16/11 ave 23 per hit for 138 damage per round.
FA within 30 feet= 22*/22/22/22/17/12 ave 27.5 per hit 165 damage per round
While fighting with 30 feet isn't ideal for your health, you can seriously dish out the damage.
We now have access to level 5 spells:
Dispel Magic, Greater- often useful, and a good candidate for imbue arrow.
Mind Fog- lowering will saves is great, but requires a will save to do so. Another candidate for imbue arrow.
Mirage Arcana- It is up to the player and DM to decide how powerful this spell really is. Use your imagination.
Mislead- also casts greater invisibility on yourself. This effect is more powerful as you can use the double to distract your opponents.
Nightmare- if you want to this can be quite useful. Make the BBEG or one of his minions unable to rest as you wait for the fateful encounter.
Persistent Image- As with other illusions it's really as powerful as your imagination and working with the DM lets it be.
Seeming- great in the right campaign types.
Shadow Evocation- One way of dealing damage with spells.
Suggestion, Mass- always useful, if nothing else than to distract your opponents.
Level 16- Bard8/Arcane Archer 8. BAB 14, SCL 14
Hail of arrows- a very viable attack option, esp. if you are moving and can’t use your full attack option. For added incentive think of using specialty arrows to get some more damage out.
We also get another attribute point at this level.
FA= 22*/22/22/22/17/12 ave 23 per hit for 138 damage per round
+1 attack +4.5 damage at <30 foot range.
Level 17- Bard8/Arcane Archer 9. BAB 15, SCL 14
Feat- Improved critical if you are the only archer otherwise Target of Opportunity.
Now your arrows are aligned, your choice of alignment each day. As a bard you are likely chaotic. I would pick one alignment and place it on your bow, place another alignment on your arrows. For example a holy bow, with anarchic arrows. This way you hit 2 different alignments while dealing double extra damage to say a lawful evil bad guy.
Now weapons / stats have not been updated since level 10 for this guide. At 17 a character should have 410k gold for gear and what not.
a +8 weapon costs 128,000 gp meaning our weapon should now be +5, Anarchic (+2), Devil Bane (+1) or something to that extent (depending on campaign).
A belt of physical perfection (+6 to con, STR, dex) costs 144,000 gp.
Bracers of archery greater- 25,000
An ion stone for dex - 8000
This still leaves over 100k for other items, and I do not feel it's min maxing too much.
Starting with 14 STR, 16 dex and adding at least 2 points of dex via leveling up means we are looking at 20 STR and 26 dex. Or +5 str mod and +8 dex mod.
Against a Devil, Pit Fiend a CR 20 baddie
Attack: 15 (base), +8 (dex), +5 (bow), +2 bane, +1 weapon focus, +2 inspire courage, +2 gloves, +1 haste, -2 rapid shot, -4 deadly aim= 30 attack. Or 30*/30/30/30/25/20 (+1 within 30 feet)
The first 4 arrows need an 8 or better to hit his 38 ac (65%). arrow 5 at 40% and a 15% chance of the last one hitting.
Damage dealt= 1d8(4.5) arrow, 1d6(3.5) lightning, 2d6 (7) holy, 2d6 (7) chaotic, 2d6 (7) bane, 1d6 (3.5) sonic, 5 bow, 5 str, 8 deadly aim, 2 inspire courage, 1 gloves. average 53.5 damage per hit. Assuming 3 of the 6 arrows hit, that's 160 damage in 1 round. Taking out a pit fiend with a group of friends in 1 round is certainly not out of the question and 2 rounds should be easy.
Level 18 Bard 8/Arcane archer 10. BAB 16, SCL 15
Slaying arrow. Simple effective, kills 1 target.
16 Base attack means a 4th arrow (7th once we count our bonus arrows).
Level 19 Bard 9/Arcane Archer 10. BAB 16 SCL 16
Back to bard to gain access to 6th level spells.
Analyze Dweomer- I'd get these in scroll form, no reason to waste spell slots on it.
Heroes' Feast- always nice to celebrate, also curing poisons between battles is nice.
Irresistible Dance- If they get close force them to dance, provoking attacks of opportunity from everyone around them.
Any other spell is once again open to your imagination and DM's approval.
Last feat is open, you have every necessary feat.
Level 20 Bard 10/Arcane archer 10 BAB 17, SCL 17
Finish the character out with the final level in bard. Spend the final attribute point.
Character wealth by level is now over twice what it was 3 levels ago. a Manual of Quickness of Action granting + 5 dex along with this last attribute point should put buffed dex at 32 Dex. or 11 dex mod. The rest of the money can be spent as you please. Defensive items, metamagic rods, extra weapons, random arrows ... the world is yours.
Full round attack: 17 (base), +11 (dex), +5 (bow), +1 weapon focus, +2 inspire courage, +2 gloves, +1 haste, -2 rapid shot, -5 deadly aim= 32 attack. Or
32*/32/32/32/27/22/17 (+1 within 30 feet)
Damage depends on the target, but around 50 damage per hit.
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