Results 1 to 30 of 49
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2011-11-04, 05:06 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Aug 2011
need help with Bow damage and feats :D
hey guys, I need help with my ranger idea,...
I wanted to make a ranger there focus on ranged damage, right now I don't need ideas on how to get pass the Wind wall and so on, right now my main focus is damage, what items, and what feats, I am starting at level 5.
and my biggest problem is with the migthy bow needing str to give more damage, is there a way to use dex or something like that instead of.
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2011-11-04, 05:15 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Dec 2007
- Location
- Sandalwood Isles
Re: need help with Bow damage and feats :D
Investing in STR as a ranger ranger is a losing game. Returns aren't worth the cost. get bonus damage from class features or spells or items.
Swift Hunter is a good idea.
A Cleric Buddy with Righteous Wrath of the Faithful active is better.
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2011-11-04, 06:02 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Dec 2010
- Location
- In an apartment
- Gender
Re: need help with Bow damage and feats :D
If your DM allows the Dragon Compendium or Dragon Magazine, there is the feat Dead Eye, which adds Dex to damage against targets within 30ft.
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2011-11-04, 11:19 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Apr 2007
- Location
- SLC
- Gender
Re: need help with Bow damage and feats :D
Magic items are a good, if unreliable, way to boost damage. Things like collision, elemental damage, and holy/unholy are decent.
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2011-11-05, 12:46 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jul 2007
- Location
- Central Kentucky
- Gender
Re: need help with Bow damage and feats :D
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ask/20061227a
Also read the archery handbook, ranger handbook, swift hunter handbook, and then weep when you read the quickstart cleric archer and cleric handbook.
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2011-11-05, 01:32 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Dec 2010
- Location
- Wichita, KS
- Gender
Re: need help with Bow damage and feats :D
What about the Greater Bracers of Archery? They give both bonus to hit and damage. +1 to hit, +2 to damage IIRC. Granted, they're a small, poor substitute at much higher levels. Could always get a composite (strength) bow then put on Belt of Giant Strength or get buffed with Bull Strength. I also remember reading somewhere that you can take a feat similar to Power Attack with ranged weapons. Just a few things I can think of at 1:30 am. lol
"For pony!"
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2011-11-05, 07:05 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Oct 2006
- Location
- Cleveland, OH
- Gender
Re: need help with Bow damage and feats :D
Boosting ranged damage via magic items:
Lesser Crystal of Acid Assault (3000 GP, MIC p. 64). Cheapest way to add +1d6 acid damage to your ranged attacks without spending a lot of gold.
Bracers of Lightning (11000 GP, MIC p. 206). Adds the shock property to all your attacks, including ranged. Although somewhat expensive, in most cases it may be cheaper to buy these bracers than trying to add another +1 property to an existing magic weapon. The biggest drawback is it takes a swift action to activate, which may cut into your action economy.
Quiver of Energy (15000 GP, MIC p. 172). Adds +1d6 a la carte energy damage to 20 arrows.
Enhancements to put on your bow:
Shock/Frost/etc. (+1 enhancement, DMG). Acid can be added via augment crystal, and fire/cold/sonic damage can be added via spells. However, frost weapon's duration stinks (1 round/CL), and Bracers of Lightning is expensive and burns up your swift action for the round. So consider adding cold/electricity to the bow itself. If you have all the basic energy types covered already, consider adding Psychokinetic for +1d4 force damage. Don't bother adding the various Burst enhancements, the crit range on arrows is abysmal.
Precise Shot (+1 enhancement, MIC p. 40). No need to take Precise Shot as a feat.
Horizon Goggles (8000 GP, Complete Mage p. 133) or Helm of the Hunter (9000 GP, MIC p. 194). Provides the Far Shot feat.
Splitting (+3 enhancement, Champions of Ruin p. 42). I can haz moar arrowz. The holy grail of archery enhancements.
Spellstoring Arrow +1 (166 GP each, DMG). With multiple attacks, allows you to cast multiple spells in a round. Works best with touch spells, but otherwise a swiss-army-knife of awesomeness if your DM isn't too picky about the spell requirements (i.e., if he allows "targeted spell" to include rays, some area effects, etc.).
Pitspawned template (+1000 GP, DMGII). +2 untyped bonus to confirm criticals. It won't happen often, but 1K for a +2 isn't a bad deal.
Boosting damage via spells:
Consider putting in a Wand Chamber (100 GP, Dungeonscape) for activating swift/immediate action wands.
Instant of Power (Forge of War, Brd/Dru/Rgr 1). The gold standard for wand chambers. Immediate action to add a +4 enhancement bonus on your next attack, save, or damage roll. Actually, can be used on an ally's roll, too, if you didn't get a chance to hit that round.
Lesser Energy Surge (PHBII, Sor/Wiz 2). Swift action to add +1d6 a la carte energy damage to all your attacks for 1 round. Doesn't specify melee, so it works for bows.
Some not-so-swift spells for boosting damage:
Burning Sword (Spell Compendium p. 41, Sor/Wis 2). Flaming burst weapon 1 min/level.
Frost Weapon (Frostburn p. 95, Clr/Dru/Sor/Wiz 2). +1d6 frost damage 1 round/level.
Sonic Weapon (Spell Compendium p. 195, Brd/Sor/Wiz 2). +1d6 sonic damage 1 min/level.Handbooks:
Shax's Indispensable Haversack, TWF OffHandbook
Builds:
Archon of Nine, Jellobomber, King of Pong, Lightning Thief
Spells:
Druidzilla, Healbot, Gish
Iron Chef:
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2011-11-05, 02:29 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- May 2006
- Location
- Sunnydale
Re: need help with Bow damage and feats :D
The Wind Wall obstacle is hard to overcome.
Originally Posted by Wind WallBallista: A ballista is essentially a Huge heavy crossbow fixed in place.
A Large size Ranger with Powerful Build could wield a Huge heavy crossbow. Add quick loading (Magic Item Compendium, pages 41-42) to automatically put a new bolt in place (+1 enhancement cost), on a self-loading crossbow base (Arms and Equipment Guide, page 116) to automatically draw back the string (+10,000 gp cost just for that enhancement) and you'll be able to make full iterative attacks with a projectile that punches through Wind Wall. It's a substantially more expensive option (in level adjustment, equipment, and feats) than if you used a regular bow with a Medium size character, but it's the best way I know to reliably ignore Wind Wall.
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2011-11-06, 05:36 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Apr 2011
Re: need help with Bow damage and feats :D
Is dragon Magazine allowed? Only, I heard of this thing called the Targeteer fighter from issue 310. It's suppose to be pretty good as far as fighter levels go
'Do you know who I am? I'm the man who's gonna burn your house down! With the lemons! I'm gonna get my engineers to invent a combustible lemon that burns your house down!' - Johnson, Cave.
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2011-11-06, 05:40 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jul 2007
- Location
- Central Kentucky
- Gender
Re: need help with Bow damage and feats :D
...Or you could use the link I gave to ignore Wind Wall. Or just get a +1 Force (equivalent +3) bow. Or just get a Gauntlet of Infinite Javelins, or whatever they are called, those are made of force...
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2011-11-06, 09:40 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- May 2006
- Location
- Sunnydale
Re: need help with Bow damage and feats :D
That would be purely your house rule. Hank’s Energy Bow says nothing about ignoring Wind Wall (only the miss chance versus incorporeal creatures), and Wind Wall says nothing about being bypassed by force arrows (only a giant-thrown boulder, a siege engine projectile, and other massive ranged weapons).
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2011-11-06, 05:37 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jul 2007
- Location
- Central Kentucky
- Gender
Re: need help with Bow damage and feats :D
*Checks the Force enhancement*
...Huh. I never realized that Force didn't bypass Wind Wall....
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2011-11-06, 06:00 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Feb 2008
- Location
- Nowhere around
- Gender
Re: need help with Bow damage and feats :D
A couple very important tips:
Energy bow (already linked), allows you to bypass any DR (wich is the bane of archery, unless you go for a ranged powerattack build)
Splitting is the BEST bow enchantment EVER.
Soulknife 2, something 3, soulbow 4 gives you Wis to damage with your soulbow, coupled with zen archery that means you are entirely Wis SAD for archery. The downside is that you are using your soulbow instead of a splitting energy bow.Last edited by docnessuno; 2011-11-06 at 06:04 PM.
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2011-11-06, 08:03 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Apr 2011
- Gender
Re: need help with Bow damage and feats :D
There are a couple of bows that help on avoiding the Str penalty (Dragonbone, Bow of the Winter Moon), but don't see anything that lets you substitute. Zen Archery will let you use Wis for Attack though.
There is a Ranger spell (I believe it is Hunter's Eye?) that gives you sneak attack based on CL. May want Sniper's Shot as well for long range.
Enemy Spirit Pouch (MIC)-- improves favored enemy bonus by 2 and gives you a separate +1 attack vs that type as well. Doesn't cost much.
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2011-11-06, 08:08 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jan 2010
Re: need help with Bow damage and feats :D
There's a class in Complete Warrior that let's you deal addition d8s or d6s (I forget which) when within 30 feet of a foe.
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2011-11-06, 08:12 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jul 2010
- Location
- Kitchener/Waterloo
- Gender
Re: need help with Bow damage and feats :D
Lord Raziere herd I like Blasphemy, so Urpriest Exalted as a Malefactor
Meet My Monstrous Guide to Monsters. Everything you absolutely need to know about Monsters and never thought you needed to ask.
Trophy!
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2011-11-06, 08:15 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jan 2010
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2011-11-06, 08:20 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- May 2010
- Gender
Re: need help with Bow damage and feats :D
Swift Hunter and skirmish damage is your friend. The issue is having a way to full attack with skirmish (Travel Devotion anyone?).
Or sneak attack, again with the needing to set it up though.
Straight archery is also a feat sucking hole."If I went around saying I was an emperor just because some moistened bint threw a scimitar at me, they'd put me away..." - Dennis, aged 37 - Executive Officer of the Week, Anarcho-syndicalist commune, somewhere in Britain.
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2011-11-06, 08:35 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jan 2010
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2011-11-06, 08:36 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- May 2006
- Location
- Sunnydale
Re: need help with Bow damage and feats :D
Maybe I'm missing something, but where is this stated? I don't see it there.
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2011-11-06, 08:51 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jul 2007
- Location
- Central Kentucky
- Gender
Re: need help with Bow damage and feats :D
"made of pure magical force" ... "as they are force effects"
Last edited by Gavinfoxx; 2011-11-06 at 08:51 PM.
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2011-11-06, 09:32 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- May 2011
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2011-11-06, 09:32 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- May 2006
- Location
- Sunnydale
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2011-11-06, 09:41 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- May 2010
- Gender
Re: need help with Bow damage and feats :D
"If I went around saying I was an emperor just because some moistened bint threw a scimitar at me, they'd put me away..." - Dennis, aged 37 - Executive Officer of the Week, Anarcho-syndicalist commune, somewhere in Britain.
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2011-11-06, 09:47 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Feb 2005
- Gender
Re: need help with Bow damage and feats :D
A dip into Targeteer variant Fighter will let you get Dex to damage instead of Str, thus replacing all need for special bows.
JaronK
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2011-11-06, 10:07 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Aug 2009
Re: need help with Bow damage and feats :D
You want raptor arrows (MiC). You want them so hard. Raptor arrows with a splitting bow is archery heaven. If your DM is into the idea, consider taking Ancestral Relic (BoED) or Item Familiar (UA) at 3rd level, which will allow you to enchant your bow yourself. Because you pay half cost, this will allow you to have a much better bow than you would otherwise be able to afford or find. If neither of these options are available, ask your DM if you can make your bow a bonded magic item (DMG2), which, again, gives you the ability to enchant the bow yourself at half price.
Subclasses for 5E: magus of blades, shadowcraft assassin, spellthief, void disciple
Guides for 5E: Practical fiend-binding
D&D Remix for 3.x: balanced base classes and feats, all in the authentic flavor of the originals. Most popular: monk and fighter.
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2011-11-06, 10:18 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jun 2007
Re: need help with Bow damage and feats :D
How about a splitting energy bow? Shooting raptor arrows? (I know it's been said)
1 shot would split into two. And if that one shot was a raptor arrow, it should split again, into 4 (or 3 if you use D&D doubling rules). Next turn? The original raptor arrow returns to you, while the 2 or 3 duplicates disappear.
You lose the force effect if you use raptor arrows.
But you can bypass the DR issues with Power Shot feature of hte energy bow. Essentially, power attack for archery.
By the time you can afford that, you should be level 12 or higher. So each arrow would do 1d8+2 (it's a +2 bow)+penalty taken. Potentially 1d8+14 if you can hit reliably.Last edited by herrhauptmann; 2011-11-06 at 10:23 PM.
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2011-11-06, 10:27 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Aug 2009
Re: need help with Bow damage and feats :D
Raptor arrows from the MiC do not split. Rather, they are all +1 returning bane arrows that are automatically baneful against whatever they hit.
Last edited by jiriku; 2011-11-06 at 10:27 PM.
Subclasses for 5E: magus of blades, shadowcraft assassin, spellthief, void disciple
Guides for 5E: Practical fiend-binding
D&D Remix for 3.x: balanced base classes and feats, all in the authentic flavor of the originals. Most popular: monk and fighter.
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2011-11-06, 10:30 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jun 2007
Re: need help with Bow damage and feats :D
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2011-11-06, 10:57 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Oct 2006
- Location
- Cleveland, OH
- Gender
Re: need help with Bow damage and feats :D
Handbooks:
Shax's Indispensable Haversack, TWF OffHandbook
Builds:
Archon of Nine, Jellobomber, King of Pong, Lightning Thief
Spells:
Druidzilla, Healbot, Gish
Iron Chef: