50 Shades of Cleric Archer

[muktidata]

Please don't link Dictum's, AC's, or anything that comes up when one searches "cleric archer handbook" on google. I've read those previously and more recently as I've worked on this character.

NG Lesser Drow (yes, this sucks, get over it)

Rolled, post racial adjustment and level bumps
18
16
16
16
20
10

Cloistered Cleric 5/Seeker of the Misty Isle 5

Corellon Larethian

War
Elf
Travel

Knowledge Devotion
Point Blank Shot
Weapon Focus: Long Bow
Precise Shot
Rapid Shot
Zen Archery
Holy Warrior
Spell Girding
Quick Reconnoiter - the flex feat, doesn't have to be here

Cloistered Cleric
Spontaneous Domain Casting: War

Bow of the Wintermoon
Rod of Extend
Lesser Rod of Extend
Ring of Enduring Arcana
Mithral Chain Shirt
Masterwork Buckler

Divine Power - Spontaneous
Righteous Wrath of the Faithful (although our Sorceror|Wizard multiclass casts haste frequently)
Magic Vestment x2 /Extended




This is kind of the base of the character and where I'm at with her. I was hesitant to go the Zen Archery route because Wisdom is relatively hard to buff where as Divine Agility is great for Dex and it frees up a feat. I might still go the Dex route.

I'm curious what advice there is in terms of feats, itemization, and spell usage. Oh, DMM is out of the picture. Obviously. 

Thanks.

[muktidata]

I changed the title so that maybe people will look at the thread.

I decided to go with Dex as my main attribute instead of Zen Archery. We have a ridiculous stat convention that allows me to put an 18 in most everything - I'm dumping CHA at 10 and INT at 14.

The reason I decided to go for Dex is because my last two characters have died and we're on the cusp of encountering an Elder Wyrm Black Dragon - focusing on Dex boosts my Reflex saves and makes casting Divine Agility a lot more appealing.

That definitely frees up a feat and Quick Recon is still very optional. I love it, and it meshes well with Corellon's Perception (the feature from Seeker of the Misty Isle), but it is optional.

Sadly, I'm not BAB +6 yet to take Woodland Archer, but will be looking at that next level.

[SorO_Lost]

I changed the title so that maybe people will look at the thread.

I already looked at the thread. Don't like Drow, Seeker of the Misty Isle seems like a giant waste of time, you should have used DMM(persist), 18 Strength but 10 Charisma on a Cleric/Archer is needs flipped, Hank's Bow > Bow of the Wintermoon, needs Splitting and other basic archer-related items, a chunk of this information is probably in the archer handbooks you don't want to talk about, and your overall display of attitude is don't say anything about X, get over the choices (virtually all are already made so what are you asking again?), and now PAY ATTENTION TO ME!

So I can't help any of it.
But you got me to post my thoughts I didn't think you wanted to hear, so... Progress?

[muktidata]

you should have used DMM(persist),

Yeah, no DMM. The feat is banned! I'm not upset about that.

I already looked at the thread. Don't like Drow,

Lesser Drow sucks, yeah. Sadly it can't be all stats, the story must prevail!

Seeker of the Misty Isle seems like a giant waste of time,

Seeker is a direct upgrade from straight Cleric. Seems fine.

18 Strength but 10 Charisma on a Cleric/Archer is needs flipped

,

Actually if I lowered strength, I was thinking about pumping INT. I'm not using my turns as fuel for DMM, so what's the point, exactly?

Hank's Bow > Bow of the Wintermoon,

Hank's Bow is excellent but it's from a DVD insert and getting Dragon Mag stuff is met with extreme suspicion - I plan on asking about it but expect to get nyxed. Remember the part where I said don't say obvious shit? You're doing it.

needs Splitting and other basic archer-related items,

Splitting? Wait, you did it again! Huzzah! What should I do if I don't want to get Dispelled? Should I add the Spellblade enhancement? How about if I want to double the threat range? Would it be the Keen weapon enhancement that I'm looking for?

So I can't help any of it.
But you got me to post my thoughts I didn't think you wanted to hear, so... Progress?

Actually I think we took a step back there.   

[Jackinthegreen]

If it's worth anything, Hank's Bow is online too.

Besides spell choice it doesn't look like you can do much else.  As you said, it's easier to boost Dex than Wis.  Based on looking at X Stat to Y Bonus there's little else to do.  I suppose if Zen Archery is out then you could take Improved Rapid Shot?  But a +2 on attacks isn't worth two feats, though Manyshot might have use for you.

The Armor and Weaponry Handbook might have some insight on what to enchant your stuff with.

Is ToB allowed?  If so, you might get some mileage out of Range-compatible ToB maneuvers.

[Maat Mons]

Hmm.  I can't suggest anything from an exotic source, because your DM doesn't like that.  I can't suggest anything from a source that's not exotic because it will be "obvious."  I can see why you're having trouble getting people to give input. 

[linklord231]

Oh I had a build like this a while back.  Let me dig it up.

(click to show/hide)

Archer Cleric of the Apocalypse
Human
Cleric 1 (Domains:  War and Pestilence) [MWP: Longbow, WF: Longbow, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Flaw: Rapid Shot, Flaw: Mounted Combat]
Cleric 2
Cleric 3 [Zen Archery]
Cleric 4
Ordained Champion 1 (Domain: Death -> Swap Death domain power for Mounted Archery)
Ordained Champion 2 [Extend Spell]
Ordained Champion 3
Ordained Champion 4
Ordained Champion 5 [Holy Warrior]
Prestige Paladin 1
Prestige Paladin 2
Cleric 5 [Persist Spell]
Cleric 6
Cleric 7
Cleric 8 [DMM: Persist]
Cleric 9
Cleric 10
Cleric 11 [Holy Mount (stack all divine caster classes for Special Mount bonuses]
Cleric 12
Contemplative 1 (Domain: Hunger)

It uses some banned material (DMM, Holy Mount), but none of that is really essential.  Battle Blessing would be a good place to start, especially if the DM will allow it to work with spells outside the Paladin list.  Quicken, with or without DMM, would be a good way to get your buffs out if Battle Blessing is off the table. 
I remember making some notes on spells, but I'm not sure if I still have them.  I know for sure I used Blessed Aim, Guiding Light, Spiritual Weapon, and Cloud of Knives along with the normal Cleric buffs. 

[muktidata]

Hmm.  I can't suggest anything from an exotic source, because your DM doesn't like that.  I can't suggest anything from a source that's not exotic because it will be "obvious."  I can see why you're having trouble getting people to give input.

That's a common issue for people who are taking a character to an actual gaming table and not a PbP on here or just doing a mental exercise - the exotic source part. I've read the 3.5 Cleric Handbook, various Archery Handbooks, Dictum's Quickstart Cleric Archer Guide, and a bunch of threads where someone asks for help and every single response is someone else linking one of the three. I'm sorry. Reminding me of something that is often overlooked and I didn't mention is fine. Telling me Hank's Bow is really good... lol..

Besides spell choice it doesn't look like you can do much else.

I'm thinking this might be the case. Any spell choice tips?

As you said, it's easier to boost Dex than Wis.  Based on looking at X Stat to Y Bonus there's little else to do.  I suppose if Zen Archery is out then you could take Improved Rapid Shot?  But a +2 on attacks isn't worth two feats, though Manyshot might have use for you.

Yeah, I think I'll be able to get my attack high enough to not matter and since I likely won't have Hank's Bow or Deadly Aim I'm not sure how much I want to invest in +1 or +2 to ATK. I'm going to take Spontaneous Domain Casting: War so I'll have access to Divine Power whenever I want - between Haste cast by our Wizard/Sorceror and full BAB, I'll probably get off more attacks than I would using the Manyshot feat. Thanks, though, I actually hadn't even looked at Improved Rapidshot yet.

The Armor and Weaponry Handbook might have some insight on what to enchant your stuff with.

Nice compilation. I'll check it out again.

Battle Blessing would be a good place to start, especially if the DM will allow it to work with spells outside the Paladin list.

I'd probably have to refamiliarize myself with the arguments. Either way it would be one of those things that I'd have to awkwardly present before I brought it to the table. I'm very willing to do that. I hate PP's requirements, but I do have the feats to spare. 

I wonder what the easiest way to bump my UMD is. I kinda want to use some wands. Oh, Corellon Larethian, why must you be my deity and not someone with the Magic Domain?!

[SorO_Lost]

Actually if I lowered strength, I was thinking about pumping INT. I'm not using my turns as fuel for DMM, so what's the point, exactly?

Devotion Feats, Divine Might (keep some of that str), it helps UMD, if you dip Prestige Paladin you get Cha to Saves, there is also Larethian Protector's Turn to +1d6*ChaMod damage if you can't get Hank's Bow.

Sources on all of that is two completes (divine/champion), both equipment books (A&E/MiC) and SRD content.

Splitting? Wait, you did it again! Huzzah! What should I do if I don't want to get Dispelled? Should I add the Spellblade enhancement? How about if I want to double the threat range? Would it be the Keen weapon enhancement that I'm looking for?

That's the attitude I spoke of before. 

Splitting comes up in like every thread, I wouldn't title it obscure but I suppose that's me. But anyway, +5% chance to deal double damage isn't as good as double damage all the time with chances up quadruple damage.

I'm also a fan of dipping Contemplative (c. divine) for the extra Domain. The Feat Variant of Uncanny Trickster (c. scoundrel) is also pretty good for a pure-caster wanting to dip for combat prowess. Sadly archer-Clerics don't have worthwhile dedicated PrCs, but that doesn't mean you can't take advantage of something like Ordained Champion's BAB increase, Feats, Domains, and Quickened War-Domain Spells, plus if you've watched the Arrow at all super-smacking people with your bow should be a valid option.

[Amechra]

If you're looking at Devotion feats, Luck Devotion is pretty nice if and only if you can get your DM to errata that "half of the maximum damage, rounded up" to "average damage".

If you can, you get one minute/day where you can't deal less than average damage with anything; if you don't, you deal half of your maximum damage if you would deal less than average (so rolling a 1 on a 1d8+10 would deal 9 damage, while with the little fix I suggested above it would deal 14 damage.)

[phaedrusxy]

Put Splitting on the bow, and get a Scabbard of Keen Edges to stick 50 arrows in at once (or get a wand/friendly caster/etc to cast Keen Edge on your quiver for you).

[awaken_D_M_golem]

Titan Bloodline 12 so you can use Giant-sized "light" crossbows.

google "Elf Robot" ... look for completely ridiculous cameltoebot 

Elf into Warforged (wtf tactic) into Titan Bloodline, equals dual arm bows.

(click to show/hide)

[Janthkin]

plus if you've watched the Arrow at all super-smacking people with your bow should be a valid option.

See Races of the Wild, "Elvencraft (Longbow)", p. 166.    Plus, being a (dual-weapon) quarterstaff on top of being a bow, you can stick all kinds of interesting enchants on there.

There's also the Animated Shield w/the Crystal of Arrow Deflection; just plain nice to have while playing at range, though it won't specifically help with the dragon's breath weapon.

The Rod of Extend is really expensive at level 10.  Your boots, belt, cloak, head, and ring slots are completely empty as a result. 

Remember that Righteous Wrath is limited to bonus melee attacks, and doesn't benefit archery, so ride the Haste bandwagon.  Don't forget Divine Guidance prior to your Knowledge Devotion roll, at least for (known) big fights.  Ummm...Aura of Evasion for your dragon fight?