Archers vs outsiders split from unfairly powerful monsters

[Anthrowhale]

I removed the support Solar from the Wizard build and added a note about that. It seems class nonspecific and I wasn't ready to take a support Solar for the Fighter. It's obviously a good idea and also of more benefit to a fighter than a wizard. On the upside this means the wizard is unconstrained in alignment.

[Eldariel]

*shrug* As you wish. So the alternative Archer Wizard build then:
- Requires dropping the Spell Foci for PBS/Rapid Shot/Precise Shot.
- Requires eliminating some items to get a modded weapon and arrows.
- Should be combined with spells like (Empowered/Maximized) Flame Arrow, Keen Edges, Greater Magic Weapon, etc. to maximize the weapon damage.
- Could plausibly be combined with a stealth kit to be combined with spells?

This seems reasonable; Pit Fiend or Balor has reasonable stats and spells add a fair bit to the overall offensive prowess in stats. Tenser's use would be more important since iteratives are big for bows. Other than that, there isn't that much that actually needs replicating though. Mostly, it'd give up a bit in Wizarding to be able to shoot things.

[Anthrowhale]

*shrug* As you wish. So the alternative Archer Wizard build then:
- Requires dropping the Spell Foci for PBS/Rapid Shot/Precise Shot.
- Requires eliminating some items to get a modded weapon and arrows.
- Should be combined with spells like (Empowered/Maximized) Flame Arrow, Keen Edges, Greater Magic Weapon, etc. to maximize the weapon damage.
- Could plausibly be combined with a stealth kit to be combined with spells?

This seems reasonable; Pit Fiend or Balor has reasonable stats and spells add a fair bit to the overall offensive prowess in stats. Tenser's use would be more important since iteratives are big for bows. Other than that, there isn't that much that actually needs replicating though. Mostly, it'd give up a bit in Wizarding to be able to shoot things.

This seems reasonably effective. The archery package costs 180K which basically must come out of the inherent+5 to Int. It also costs all spell focus feats so the net effect is a reduction in save DC by 6 and losing 1 spell/level. Using a middle aged human, we have:

Spoiler: Attributes

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Str 13= 8-1(age)+6(enhance)
Dex 14 = 8-1(age)+1(inherent)+6(enhance)
Con 18 = 15-1(age)+4(enhance)
Int 30 = 18+5(level)+6(enhance)+1(age)
Wis 20 = 15+4(enhance)+1(age)
Cha 9 = 8+1(age)

Spoiler: Feats

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(Human) Point Blank Shot
1. Spell Penetration.
3. Greater Spell Penetration
5(Wizard). Heighten Spell
6. Precise Shot
9. Rapid Shot
10(Wizard). Extend Spell
12. Combat Reflexes
15. Manyshot
15(Wizard). Quicken Spell?
18. Improved Initiative
20(Wizard). Maximize Spell?

Spoiler: Items

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Necklace of Adaptation: 9K
Str+6, Dex+6, Con+4, Int+6 Wis+4: 140K
Dex+1(Inherent): 27.5K
Natural Armor+1: 1K
Mithril Buckler+3: 10K
Greater Rod of Extend: 24.5K (Foresight & Shapechange)
Rod of Quicken Spell: 75.5K (For Tenser's Transformation)
Lesser Rod Empower Spell: 9K (Flame Arrows)
Spiked Gauntlet+1+Defending: 8K
Boots of Speed: 12K
Cloak of Resistance+5: 25K
Luckstone: 20K
Orange (caster level+1), Pale Green(Competence+1), Dusty Rose(AC+1) Ioun Stones: 65K
Eyes of Eagle: 2.5K
Luckblade 22.5K
Ring of Freedom + deflect+1: 42K
Ring of Blinking: 27K
Mithril Chain Shirt+2: 5K
Permanency Arcane Sight 9.05K
Permanency See Invisibility 6.55K
Permanency Heightened Symbol of Insanity 26.55K (On buckler)
Animate Object@L32: 1.92K
PAO@L31: 2.48K (animated object to colossal size. duration: permanent)
Permanency[Animate Object] scroll@L31: 16.938K

Weapon: Composite (+15) Longow+1+Seeking+Flame+Frost+Shock+Merciful: 73.9K //We can craft a composite+13 bow ourselves!
Backup Bow: Composite(+15) Longbow: 1.9K //Craft[Bowmaking] allows us to actually make this.
Scroll Permanency, 1K exp @ caster level 31: 8.875K
Invisibility [Bow] @caster level 31: 0.62K
Bracers of archery, greater: 25K
Arrows: 200 Cold Iron: 0.02K
Arrows: 90 Silver: 0.185K
Arrows: 30 Adamantine: 1.802K
Arrows: 30 +1+Anarchic: 10.982K
Arrows: 30 +1+Holy+Silver: 11.042K
Arrows: 30 +1+Holy+Cold Iron: 12.182K
Arrows: 30 +1+Bane[Dragon]: 4.982K
Arrows: 30 +1+Bane[Magical Beast]: 4.982K
Arrows: 30 +1+Bane[Good Outsider]: 4.982K

Left over: 1.762K

Spoiler: Spells

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*=cast at beginning of adventuring day.

9. *Foresight (Extended Via Rod to 7 hours)
9. *Shapechange (Extended Via Rod to 7 hours)
9. Time Stop
9. *Extended Greater Prying Eyes (Spot+21, True Seeing, 7 hours)
9. Disjunction
8. *MindBlank
8. *Moment of Prescience
8x3. Polymorph Any Object (Fortitude 28)
7. Greater Teleport
7. Plane Shift
7x3. *Maximized Extended Flame Arrows (Empowered with Rod) (150 arrows for 7 hours)
6x4. Tenser's Transformation
6. True Seeing
6. Greater Dispel Magic
5. *Overland Flight
5. ??
5x4. Wall of Stone (Reflex 25)
4x2. *Extended Greater Magic Weapon (Two-Handed Sword, Spiked Gauntlet, 2 bows)
4x3 Improved Invisibility
4. Extend Magic Circle
3x5. *Extended Resist Energy (Each Flavor)
3. Dispel Magic
2. *False Life
2x2. False Life
2. Glitterdust
2. Web
2. Command Undead
2. Invisibility
1x2. SMI (Initiates Symbol of Insanity)
1. Truestrike
1. Silent Image
1. Grease
1. Ray of Enfeeblement
1. Charm Person

I'm primarily interested in Balor form because it has good stats and grants Martial Weapon Proficiency[Longbow].

Spoiler: Stats

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AC(Balor): 57(+1 deflect vs. evil) = 10(base)+11(Dex)+4(armor)+2(armor enhance)+19(Natural)+1(Buckler)+3(buckler enhance)-1(size)+1(Natural Enhance)+1(deflect)+5(Defending)+1(Insight)
AC(Pit Fiend): 62
AC(Titan): 53
AC(Marut): 50
Fortitude(Balor) 25 = 6(levels)+12(Con)+5(Resist)+1(luck)+1(Competence)
Reflex(Balor) 24 = 6(levels)+11(Dex)+5(Resist)+1(Luck)+1(Competence)
Will(Balor) 24 = 12(levels)+5(Wis)+5(Resist)+1(luck)+1(competence)

Spot(Balor): 34 = 11(levels)+5(Wis)+8(Race)+1(Luck)+5(Eagle Eyes)+2(Alertness)+2(Circumstance)
+many more unspecified skills

Initiative(Balor) 17 = 11(Dex)+4(Feat)+1(Luck)+1(Competence)
Attack Bonus(Balor) 41 = 10(base)+10(Tenser's Transformation)+11(Dex)+5(Enhance)+2(Bracers of archery)+1(PBS)+2(Blink)
Damage(Balor) 57.75 = 7(base)+15(str)+5(enhance)+3.5(flame)+3.5(frost)+3 .5(shock)+3.5(merciful)+7(holy)+1(competence)+1(PB S)+7.75(Maximized Empowered Flame Arrows)

Hit Points = 132 (52 Wizard 20 + 80 Con)

Comparing with the Tiefling Archer this means hp-35%, AC-2, Attack-1, damage+5.5 in a scenario where a rod Quickens Tenser's Transformation and then a full attack with Maximized Empowered Flame Arrows happens. There are a some weaknesses here:

1. The rod only works for 3 of 4 encounters/day implying a 1 round delay for full attack in the 4th encounter.
2. This does not include a stealth package which I'm a bit skeptical about. It costs an additional 100K or so, you end up with skills 5 worse due to a lack of skills, and Arcane Sight needs to be removed so you don't glow in the dark. On the Tiefling, the stealth package grants an additional surprise round fairly often.
3. The Maximized Extended Empowered Flame Arrows are great, but if you lack intelligence about what is coming up you would need to spread them out over the available arrows implying you'll run out fairly quickly.
4. This only comes online relatively late. Tenser's Transformation becomes availably at character level 11 and the rod of quickening becomes affordable around character level 15.

Comparing with the SoD Wizard it's significantly worse at eliminating threats with spells both due to opponents having +30% to the chance of a save and because fewer spell slots are available.

[Eldariel]

I noticed that Leonal has the following piece of text:
"A leonal’s natural weapons, as well as any weapons it wields, are treated as good-aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction."

Red Slaad doesn't have the same text; it's a general text for all slaadi. Guardinals (in MM1 as well as online) though do state it in each creature's which I think is reasonable evidence that they can wield weapons.

[Anthrowhale]

I noticed that Leonal has the following piece of text:
"A leonal’s natural weapons, as well as any weapons it wields, are treated as good-aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction."

Red Slaad doesn't have the same text; it's a general text for all slaadi. Guardinals (in MM1 as well as online) though do state it in each creature's which I think is reasonable evidence that they can wield weapons.

The same text does apply to Red Slaads since each alignment subtype has the same text and Red Slaads have the chaotic subtype. The same text is also reiterated for all Slaads on page 228. So the text is stated twice for both a Red Slaad and a Leonal with the only difference being that the editors chose to reiterate for Slaads generally and a Leonal specifically.

Moreover, a Bebilith and a Hellcat have the same kind of reiteration but look incapable of wielding weapons from the illustration.

Overall, I think the editors just chose to be redundant in different ways and did so with blanket text covering weird stuff like Gloves of Man, Mouthpick weapons, and Alter Self.