Build Help: Duskblade/Arcane Archer

[redzimmer]

I'm trying to make interesting NPCs to flesh out a thing.

Does anyone have an interesting Duskblade/Arcane Archer 6/4 build? Elf breed doesn't matter, though I'm partial to Snow Elves.

28 point buy, WBL, all WOTC permitted.

Thank you in advance.

[WhamBamSam]

I wouldn't take more than 2 levels of Arcane Archer. Apart from Imbue Arrow its abilities are all pretty bad.

A favorite build of mine is Cloistered Cleric 1/Duskblade 3/Ordained Champion 3/Arcane Archer 2/Divine Crusader 1 continuing into PrCs like Contemplative, Seeker of the Misty Isle, and maybe Prestige Ranger if allowed to progress Divine Crusader and expand its spell list. You get up to 9th level spells and using an Elvencraft Bow, you can double channel either in melee (move action Ordained Champ Channel Spell+standard action Duskblade Arcane Channeling) or at range (move action Ordained Champ Channel Spell+standard action Imbue Arrow). To really crank up the "elfiest elf to ever elf" style, I like tossing in Aereni Focus (Iaijutsu Focus) to tack on iaijutsu damage (again, in melee or at range) after drawing an Elvencraft Bow.

That or something similar is where I'd go with a Duskblade/Arcane Archer. I'd take about 3-5 levels of Duskblade, 2 levels of Arcane Archer and look to use a fast progression PrC (Divine Crusader, Ur Priest, Chameleon if you're willing to jump through the hoops to get in as an elf, etc) to get my casting.

If you're committed to staying more strictly Duskblade based, then maybe something like Duskblade 5/Abjurant Champ 1/Arcane Archer 2/Sand Shaper 1-2 with Arcane Disciple squeezed in somewhere so that your Duskblade spell list is expanded a bit and you have more good spells to imbue.

[gorfnab]

Here's a decent one.

Susan the Arcane Archer by carnivore (third post down)

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Duskblade 5/ Abjurant Champion 5/ Arcane Archer 10

Fire Elf(+2 Dex, +2 Int, –2 Con,–2 Cha)

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Elf, Fire(an elf with an ancestor from the Elemental Plane of Fire)(UA p17)
+2 Dex, +2 Int, –2 Con,–2 Cha
Fav Class: Wizard
• Medium Size
• 30’ movement
• Immunity to magic sleep
• +2 Racial bonus on Listen, Search, & Spot checks.
• Automatic Search check if an Elf passes within 5’ of a secret or concealed door
• Low-light Vision
• Automatic proficiency with all straight Bows
• Automatic proficiency with Longsword and Rapier
• +2 Racial bonus to saves vs. Enchantments
• +1 Racial bonus on attacks vs. creatures with the (water) subtype.
• –2 penalty on all saving throws vs. the spell, spelllike abilities, & supernatural abilities that have the (water) subtype or are generated by creatures with the (water) subtype.
• Resistance to Fire 5.

Attributes(32 point buy):
24 Str (14+4 Inherent(arm) +6 Item)
34 Dex (16 +5 levels +5 Inherent +2 Racial +6 Item)
18 Con (14 +6 Item -2 racial)
24 Int (16 +2 Racial +6 Item)
14 Wis (8 +6 Item)
12 Cha (8 +6 Item-2 racial)


Feats:

Combat Casting(Duskblade bonus)
1st lvl: Weapon Finnesse
3rd lvl: Weapon Focus(longbow)
6th lvl: Point blank Shot
9th lvl: Precise Shot
12th lvl: Rapid Shot
15th lvl: Woodland Archer
18th lvl: Skewering Foe(Champions of Ruin)

BAB +20
20th Caster level
spells: 6/8/7/3

Melee Attack bonus= BAB+20 +12 Dex+ 5 Enhancement +1 Haste= +38
Ranged Attack bonus= BAB+20 +12 Dex+2 Competence +5 Enhancement+1 Haste-2 Rapid shot= +38

Full Attack:
Melee: +38/+38/+33/+28/+25+special: if she misses on any Attack, add +2 to the next attack
Ranged: +38/+38/+38/+33/+28/+23 +special: if she misses on the any attack, add +6 attack to next attacks

Ranged Special: each attack splits... giving this attack sequence:
:+38/+38/+38/+38/+38/+38/+33/+33/+28/+28/+23/+23

Damage:
Melee=Rapier +1d6(3.5) +5 Enhancement(GMW cast by party member) +7 Str+1d6(3.5) vampiric+1 point Con damage+ Special(Spell channeled)= ave 14 +1 point Con damage each hit , if all hit = 70 damage + 5 Con/ Round
Spells Channeled
can channel extended Chilling Touch to give 40d6 damage+ 40 Str damage(Fort negates DC 18)

Can channel Vampiric Touch to give 10d6 damage and gain Temp hp

Ranged= Composite Longbow Arrow+1d8+5 Enhancement +7 Str+ 1 Competence = average 17 Damage each arrow..... if all hit = 204 damage/ Round ......maybe not a record, but more than adequate for most any situation.... this applies to ANY opponent...and every arrow after the first Hit gains 1d6 damage(Skewering attack)so average damage could be 237/rd

can Imbue Arrow with Doom Scarabs to add 10d6 Damage(No Save, No SR)

Equipment

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99400gp +1 Accurate Splitting Force Elvencraft Composite(+7 Str) Longbow
103600gp +1 Accurate Vampiric Wounding Eager Dwarvencraft Starmetal Rapier
22400 gp Celestial Armor

40000gp Paralyzing Arm Graft(+4 Inherent to Str)
137000gp +5 Inherent to Attributes
25000gp Greater bracers of Archery(+2 Competence Att, +1 Damage)
200000gp +6 Belt of Magnificense
21000gp Mask of Insightful detection
3500gp Lense of detection
20,000 gp Ring of Invisibility
2000gp Ring of the Darkhidden
2000gp Handy haversack
3600gp 2x Efficient Quiver
12000gp Boots of Speed
10000gp 2xGlove of Storing
6000gp 2x Rod of Extend

36036gp

Intelligence-based Spontaneous Arcane Spells(PH2 p24)

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0th Level
Acid Splash(PH p196) – Orb deals 1d3 damage.
Disrupt Undead(PH p223) – Deals 1d6 damage to one undead.


1st Level

Chill Touch(PH p209) – 1 touch per level deals 1d6 damage and possibly 1 Strength damage.
Jump(PH p246) – Subject gains bonus on Jump checks.
Obscuring Mist(PH p258) – Fog surrounds you.
Resist Energy(PH p246) – Ignores the first 10 (or more) points of damage per attack from a specified energy type.
True Strike(PH p296) – Add +20 insight bonus to your next attack roll.

2nd Level

Dimension Hop(PH2 p110) – Teleport subject short distance.
Melf’s Acid Arrow(PH p253) – Ranged touch attack; 2d4 acid damage for 1 round + 1 round per 3 levels (7 rounds max).
See Invisibility(PH p275) – Reveals invisible creatures or objects.
Touch of Idiocy(PH p294) – Subject takes 1d6 Intelligence, Wisdom & Charisma damage.

3rd Level

Doom Scarabs(PH2 p110) – Scarab swarm deals 1d6 per 2 levels, gives you temporary hit points.
Regroup(PH2 p122) – Teleports nearby allies to your side.
Vampiric Touch(PH p298) – Touch deals 1d6 per 2 caster levels; caster gains damage as hit points.

why is this Arcane archer/ Duskblade so great ...... she can switch from ranged to Melee as a free action(gloves of storing) ..... and do great damage in either Combat mode.... see above(237/rd Ranged, 70+5 Con/rd+ Spell channeled)

She gets +20 BAB and 20th lvl Caster all the time, without feats(practiced caster) or items(Ioun Stones) .

this build is very self sufficient and can help any party in any environment

Although some feel the Arcane Archer is Sub-Par .... it can be seen by this build.... it can still Kick Butt with the best.... it does not rely on getting within 30'(like Swift Hunter builds) but can do its ranged damage @ ANY Range

EPIC ready character, that is very easy to use and Survivable at all levels, and contributes meaningfully to any party

[Grod_The_Giant]

As mentioned, Duskblade 8/AA 2 will do you better. Grab Knowledge Devotion and the usual archery feats. Maybe Fae Mysteries Initiate, if you can fit it in. Pick mostly buffs and AoE, and pump your Int and Dex.

[Gruftzwerg]

Imho drop Arcane Archer and dip into Bloodstorm Blade (1, 2 or 4 lvls, depending on build) to make ranged attacks with your melee weapon.
Now you can use Duskblades Arcane Channeling ability ranged.
If you want add more cheese, add a class with Shivering Touch on the spell list.

for lvl 10 e.g.:

Duskblade 3 / Cleric 5 / Bloodstorm Blade 2
or
Duskblade 3 / YYYY 2 / Ur-Priest 3 / Bloodstorm Blade 2

Depending on your parties difficulty/optimization lvl be careful not to kill your PC with the Shivering Touch combo.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Snow Elf is probably best, since you want decent Dex, Int, Str, and Con on this build.

I'll agree that Duskblade 8/ Arcane Archer 2 would be better, for the reasons already mentioned. However, I would actually go with Ranger 2/ Duskblade 6/ Arcane Archer 2 instead. This allows him to use wands of spells on the Ranger class spell list, and gets him a lot more skills.

You must have Point-Blank Shot, Precise Shot, and Weapon Focus to qualify for AA. You can't combine Rapid Shot with Imbue Arrow but you may want to full attack sometimes so get Rapid Shot from Ranger. Your final feat should probably be Knowledge Devotion as already mentioned, but also consider Wild Cohort for a companion (Dire Eagle in RoS for a flying mount), or Woodland Archer if you think it will be used often. I would also include the Noncombatant flaw (-2 on all melee attacks) to take Hidden Talent (XPH p67) for Chameleon.

Use an Elvencraft Composite Longbow, which counts as both a quarterstaff and a composite longbow. It needs to be made Masterwork three times, but you should be able to put three wand chambers in it as well. The bow portion should be +1 Seeking, this alone will take half of his wealth for a 10th level NPC so it can't be any better.

Eternal Wands in MIC can be used by anyone capable of casting arcane spells, even if it's not on your class spell list. This can be useful for gaining access to specific spells a few times per day. Definitely give him a Wand of Camouflage and a Dorje of Chameleon, both of which last 10 minutes per charge and they each grant a +10 bonus to Hide checks, which are different bonus types so they stack for a +20 to hide, but those don't need to be in wand chambers. In the weapon I would include a Wand of (Extended) Swift Haste, which is a swift action to activate per the Rules Compendium, as well as a Wand of (Extended) Guided Shot, and a Wand of Arrow Storm with only a few charges remaining just in case.

Probably use some cheap-ish light armor, a Mithralmist Shirt is pretty good. Otherwise kit him out with cheap items: Healing Belt, Anklet of Translocation, Armor Cyrstal of Adaptaion (Least), Arcanist's Gloves, Cloak of Elemental Protection (with +1 Resistance to saves added, MIC p234), Amber Amulet of Vermin: Giant Wasp (flying mount), etc. Also include mundane items like a Forestwarden shroud (RotW) and things cherry-picked from Shax's Indispensable Haversack.

Pick a few buffs, a few spells he can use with Imbue Arrow, and a few utility spells.