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View Full Version : D&D 5e/Next Arcane Archer - Wizard Tradition [PEACH]



WarrentheHero
2015-12-15, 11:58 PM
This is an attempt to recreate the Arcane Archer prestige class as a Wizard tradition for 5e. The class has always been really cool in flavor, but I've found it lacking in execution. I'm sure this version is somewhat OP, and I'm not particularly attached to any of the features. I just think it would be a neat thing to tinker with. Spoilers have large images gathered from Google.

http://s14.postimg.org/3zax1d8kh/CHAos.png

2nd Level: Spellbow Savant
Beginning when you select this school at 2nd level, you gain proficiency in shortbows and longbows, and may use them as your spellcasting focus. Additionally, any spell attack you make while using a bow as your focus may use your bow's range instead of the spell's range. Spells cast at long range for the bow have disadvantage as normal.

2nd Level: Magic Arrow
Weapon attacks using you make using a shortbow or longbow are treated as magical for the purposes of overcoming damage resistance.
Additionally, you may use a bonus action on your turn to infuse an arrow with magical energy. If you immediately use the Attack action to make a ranged weapon attack with a shortbow or longbow, choose Acid, Cold, Fire, Lightning, or Poison. Your attack deals an additional d4 of the type chosen this round. This bonus damage increases to d6 at 6th level, d8 at 10th level, and d10 at 14th level.


6th Level: Twin Bolt
http://www.mtgartgallery.com/uploads/4/5/3/8/45386343/6138773_orig.jpg
When you make a ranged spell attack on your turn as part of a cantrip, you may use your bonus action to target one additional enemy with that cantrip.

10th Level: Seeker Arrow
You may use a bonus action on your turn to infuse an arrow with seeking properties. If you do, you must concentrate on the arrow, following concentration rules as normal. Until the end of your turn, if you make a ranged weapon attack using a shortbow or longbow, that attack ignores half and three-quarters cover. If you are aware of an enemy's location but that enemy has total cover, you may target that enemy, rolling a d6 as you do so. If the d6 result is even, your arrow can target that enemy normally. If the result is odd, the attack is wasted.

14th Level: Arrow of Death
http://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/dragonsdogma/images/6/6e/MAGICK_ARCHER.png/revision/latest?cb=20120921031950
You may use an action on your turn to attempt to unleash a killing shot at an enemy. Make a ranged spell attack against a creature within normal range of your shortbow or longbow casting focus. If you hit, that creature must make a constitution saving throw. If they fail, they are instantly reduced to 0 hit points. If they succeed, they instead take 8d10 necrotic damage.
You may only attempt this Arrow once per long rest.



EDIT LOG:
12/18/2015: Twin Bolt wording cleared up, and no longer needs concentration. Thanks to MoleMage for re-wording it in a better way.

MoleMage
2015-12-17, 05:43 PM
Make Arrow of Death require (or allow) a spell slot, with increasing benefit based on the level of the spell slot used, I think. Possibly just a large chunk of necrotic damage or half on a successful save (5e did away with pretty much all save-or-dies. Even Power Word Death is just a big chunk of damage IIRC).

Twin bolt's wording is weird. Concentration for one turn is a very odd mechanic (are you trying to prevent the use of this ability in conjunction with concentration spells specifically?). Try something like this:

When you make a ranged spell attack on your turn as part of a cantrip, you may use your bonus action to target one additional enemy with that cantrip.

Otherwise I love it. The features all look great. It doesn't seem as OP as you thought it might, in part because Wizards will typically do more hurt with a solid cantrip than with a longbow (especially without extra attack) so Magic Arrow and Seeking Arrow are actually pretty niche.

DracoKnight
2015-12-18, 03:15 AM
First off: I REALLY LIKE what you've done here :smallbiggrin:


Does this:

2nd Level: Spellbow Savant
Beginning when you select this school at 2nd level, you gain proficiency in shortbows and longbows, and may use them as your spellcasting focus. Additionally, any spell attack you make while using a bow as your focus may use your bow's range instead of the spell's range. Spells cast at long range for the bow have disadvantage as normal.
mean that I could cast greenflame blade or booming blade with my bow, at bow range?

WarrentheHero
2015-12-18, 10:41 PM
Make Arrow of Death require (or allow) a spell slot, with increasing benefit based on the level of the spell slot used, I think. Possibly just a large chunk of necrotic damage or half on a successful save (5e did away with pretty much all save-or-dies. Even Power Word Death is just a big chunk of damage IIRC).
I'm not certain how that would work mechanically. I feel like if you spend spell slots (which no other Wizard Tradition I can think of off the top of my head does), then it'll feel more like a spell in that it costs a spell slot, and if you cast a higher level spell, it gains something more.
As for save-or-die, 5e has widely done away with the, yes. I tried to model this in the direction of Quivering Palm, the Way of the Open Hand 17th level feature.


Twin bolt's wording is weird. Concentration for one turn is a very odd mechanic (are you trying to prevent the use of this ability in conjunction with concentration spells specifically?). Try something like this:

When you make a ranged spell attack on your turn as part of a cantrip, you may use your bonus action to target one additional enemy with that cantrip.

Yeah, that style of wording makes a bit more sense. I'm not necessarily trying to limit Concentration so much as I was worried about giving a free cantrip, but upon reflection I see I had nothing to worry about.


Otherwise I love it. The features all look great. It doesn't seem as OP as you thought it might, in part because Wizards will typically do more hurt with a solid cantrip than with a longbow (especially without extra attack) so Magic Arrow and Seeking Arrow are actually pretty niche.
First, thank you! Second, I think it's stronger in the early levels than it is at late. No early cantrip can compete with d8+d4 elemental damage, and 1st level spells cost, well, spell slots. Adding extra targets, ignoring cover, and a kill shot are supposed to help keep them on par.




First off: I REALLY LIKE what you've done here :smallbiggrin:
Thanks.


mean that I could cast greenflame blade or booming blade with my bow, at bow range?
Greenflame Blade actually doesn't have a spell attack. It includes a weapon attack at an enemy in range. So unfortunately, you can't splash emerald fire on targets 150 feet away.
You can, however, use Shocking Grasp and Inflict Wounds (if you somehow get it) at such ranges, as long as you use a bow as your focus for the spell.

JBPuffin
2015-12-21, 01:19 AM
...I think I may need to discuss using this with my GM if my planned character dies. This is fricken cool, nice work.

Arkhios
2015-12-21, 07:11 AM
2nd Level: Spellbow Savant
Beginning when you select this school at 2nd level, you gain proficiency in shortbows and longbows, and may use them as your spellcasting focus. Additionally, any spell attack you make while using a bow as your focus may use your bow's range instead of the spell's range. Spells cast at long range for the bow have disadvantage as normal.

emphasis mine, I'm not sure how do you mean a spell that has no attack roll to be suffering from disadvantage?

However, there are a few ways I can see to fix this:
A) if the spell imposes a saving throw, the targets would have an advantage on their rolls, thus in some sense, being a disadvantage to you as the caster.
or
B) limit this feature only to spells that require an attack roll.

I would prefer the option B, because it gets weird if this feature was applied to spells that do not have any harmful effects. (Damage isn't the only harmful thing to happen from a spell, and not all of them require a saving throw at all.)

MoleMage
2015-12-22, 05:28 PM
emphasis mine, I'm not sure how do you mean a spell that has no attack roll to be suffering from disadvantage?

However, there are a few ways I can see to fix this:
A) if the spell imposes a saving throw, the targets would have an advantage on their rolls, thus in some sense, being a disadvantage to you as the caster.
or
B) limit this feature only to spells that require an attack roll.

I would prefer the option B, because it gets weird if this feature was applied to spells that do not have any harmful effects. (Damage isn't the only harmful thing to happen from a spell, and not all of them require a saving throw at all.)

"Spell Attack" refers to a specific action, namely, making an attack roll for a spell using your casting modifier and proficiency bonus. This feature is only usable with spells that require attack roll.

To Warren: You're right, magic arrow does give them an early edge over a more typical wizard in sustained damage. I don't think they come ahead in versatility though, because they don't get the feature of cheaper spell addition that all of the PHB wizard traditions get, and those traditions all get abilities focused on versatility.

At early levels, they compare better to Warlock (with agonizing blast invocation), which does 1d10+Cha mod. If we assume the warlock has +3 Cha (primary stat, level 2) and the wizard has +2 dex (secondary stat, level 2), the average damage for the warlock is 8.5 (5.5 + 3) and the wizard's is 9 (4.5 + 2.5 + 2). Also, the warlock has a one higher bonus on the attack rolls, meaning they hit 5% more of the time (assuming that the AC of the target is low enough that neither character requires a nat 20 to hit).

Finally, I looked at Quivering Palm, and your Arrow of Death is faithful to it, so I retract my previous statement. You might include an increase in the necrotic damage at a higher level, but that seems optional at this point (especially since the save DC will go up with level already).

Grey Watcher
2015-12-22, 06:47 PM
...

Even Power Word Death is just a big chunk of damage IIRC

...

For what little it's worth to this discussion, Power Word: Kill automatically kills a target with 100 HP or less. If the target has more than 100 HP, you just waste a spell slot.

Arkhios
2015-12-23, 04:32 AM
"Spell Attack" refers to a specific action, namely, making an attack roll for a spell using your casting modifier and proficiency bonus. This feature is only usable with spells that require attack roll.

Oops, it seems I overlooked that part. Or perhaps the wording should be clarified so something like this wouldn't happen :L

GoldenDwarf
2015-12-23, 07:34 AM
I like the idea and you made it well-balanced, nice job

Kane0
2015-12-23, 06:03 PM
A 2 level dip would be fantastic for an archer character like a champion fighter that can spam their bonus action to gain an extra die of damage of their choice to each shot.

CantigThimble
2015-12-24, 02:03 AM
A 2 level dip would be fantastic for an archer character like a champion fighter that can spam their bonus action to gain an extra die of damage of their choice to each shot.

Well it says you infuse 'an arrow' so I assume it would apply to just 1 shot.

SterlingWren
2015-12-24, 07:17 AM
I am absolutely loving this! :smallbiggrin: