Fun and Effective Low Level Ranged Character?

[Yakmala]

I'm creating a new character for a low level series of adventures and want to focus on range [after playing tank/healer for my last few characters].

Things to keep in mind:

1: Low level. This might not go any higher than Level 4 [It's a filler adventure while we prepare for a bigger campaign]
2: Nothing that screws over the rest of the party in its quest to be effective.
3: Either single class or multi-class is fine.
4: Published material only please. No UA.

My initial thought.. Really the obvious thought, is a Variant Human BattleMaster that picks up X-Bow Expert and Sharpshooter by L4. Use a Hand X-bow for most situations, Heavy X-bow for long range. This is hardly original, but even a common set of skills and abilities can be fun with the right background and personality.

Secondary thought. Variant Human War Wizard with the Alert feat. With a 16 Intelligence and Dexterity, that's a +11 to initiative (+12 with an Int bump at L4). End fights against low level enemies before they even start with Sleep. If that doesn't cut it, go first with Fire Bolt, Magic Missile, Chromatic Orb, etc.

Any other fun ideas?

[opaopajr]

Anything with Skulker.

You can play with that as a martial or caster (both get to use ranged weapons). A hiding caster who messes with light sources can be fun in Tier 1... along with any spells from hiding shenanigans. As can any TWF throwing light weapons from the shadows undetected. (psst! I hear most classes can use simple weapons!) You just need DEX 13, but given that med armor really only needs "maxing out" to DEX 14, you can save beaucoup point buy points.

[CTurbo]

Archer Fighter with Sharpshooter is incredibly effective especially at lower levels when the +2 to attack makes the biggest impact.

Gloom Stalker Ranger with Sharpshooter would be a lot of fun too.

[LudicSavant]

I'm creating a new character for a low level series of adventures and want to focus on range [after playing tank/healer for my last few characters].

Things to keep in mind:

1: Low level. This might not go any higher than Level 4 [It's a filler adventure while we prepare for a bigger campaign]
2: Nothing that screws over the rest of the party in its quest to be effective.
3: Either single class or multi-class is fine.
4: Published material only please. No UA.

My initial thought.. Really the obvious thought, is a Variant Human BattleMaster that picks up X-Bow Expert and Sharpshooter by L4. Use a Hand X-bow for most situations, Heavy X-bow for long range. This is hardly original, but even a common set of skills and abilities can be fun with the right background and personality.

Secondary thought. Variant Human War Wizard with the Alert feat. With a 16 Intelligence and Dexterity, that's a +11 to initiative (+12 with an Int bump at L4). End fights against low level enemies before they even start with Sleep. If that doesn't cut it, go first with Fire Bolt, Magic Missile, Chromatic Orb, etc.

Any other fun ideas?

Why merely put your foes to sleep when you can kill them outright? A properly optimized Hexblade/Wizard is very strong at levels 2-4, with a Hexblade's Curse / Magic Missile combo doing comparable average damage to a GWM Action Surge... and you can be doing things with your Concentration and Familiar on top of that for even more DPR. And oil shenanigans are quite effective at low levels, especially if there's a grappler or knockback user in the party. Not to mention that you're very hard to hurt, and can more easily stretch your resources through a 6-adventure day than a typical Wizard. Very versatile and lots of fun in my experience.

VHuman CBE Fighter is an obvious choice, as well.

[JakOfAllTirades]

Just about any Warlock will do the trick. You'll start off with the Eldritch Blast/Hex combo, get Agonizing Blast at 2nd level.

Choose whatever patron suits you for the "flavor" you want. Add a pact boon at 3rd level for more options. The PHB alone gives you nine different patron/boon combinations. But really, the EB/Hex/AB thing alone meets your requirement for "ranged effectiveness at low level." Everything else is just versatile icing on that effective cake.

[th3g0dc0mp13x]

Human Variant Hexblade with x-bow expert. Gets a decent amount of damage as they have 2 attacks per turn, if you need to you can spike the damage with curse/hex. On top of the damage you have spells on a short rest and invocations to play around with.

[Blood of Gaea]

Variant Human Crossbow Expert, 1 Fighter/3 Rogue. Pick up the Archery Fighting style and you'll have a solid damage output.

[MikeRoxTheBoat]

I'm a fan of the Sharpshooter War Cleric. Maybe pick up archery style from fighter, but other than that, just precast Bless on yourself and your party when going into battle, then take 2 longbow sharpshooter shots with bless counteracting the aim penalty. If you run out of bonus action attacks, or you want to save the big shots, use spiritual weapon to get your bonus action attacks in. Also gives you a little utility and some handy rituals you can use.

[8wGremlin]

Hand crossbow Gloom stalker Ranger, with Dread Ambusher gives you 3* attacks on your first round of combat every combat.
With the two feats you mentioned, plus archery fighting style and hunters mark, makes for a very useful ranged combatant.
with the +2 from archery offsetting the -5 from Sharpshooter.

* 3 if you don't use hunters mark, or 2 if you do but each doing and extra 1d6 damage.

But a 4th level Hexblade can also do this as well, but with out the archery fighting style, but with Hexblade curse and Hex, using CHA for the attack with a hand crossbow.

[stoutstien]

Forge cleric 1/ gloom stalker 3
Having +1/+1 damage and hit chance out of the gate goes a long way.

[Crgaston]

Variant Human Crossbow Expert, 1 Fighter/3 Rogue. Pick up the Archery Fighting style and you'll have a solid damage output.

This. You'll have the +2 from archery style and then Expertise and SA, Cunning Action and an archetype and more SA. There's really not a bad choice of archetype, although Mastermind is sadly the least optimal here.

Straight Battlemaster is also a great choice.

Your Wizard idea is fantastic, but will probably cut into your table mates' fun.

[clash]

Human variant single class rogue with crossbow expert is lots of fun low level. By level 4 you can have 4 skills + thieves tools + expertise + 2d6 sneak attack damage + cunning action and the perks of what subclass you choose. It can be highly effective in all the pillars of the game and has good versatility in combat.

[Blood of Gaea]

This. You'll have the +2 from archery style and then Expertise and SA, Cunning Action and an archetype and more SA. There's really not a bad choice of archetype, although Mastermind is sadly the least optimal here.

Straight Battlemaster is also a great choice.

Your Wizard idea is fantastic, but will probably cut into your table mates' fun.

Honestly, I'd probably go Scout for a pretty solid way to keep your distance from enemies. I suppose Assassin would be good on the off chance you get the drop on someone, but that's rather unreliable.

[Crgaston]

Honestly, I'd probably go Scout for a pretty solid way to keep your distance from enemies. I suppose Assassin would be good on the off chance you get the drop on someone, but that's rather unreliable.

Scout is great and you also get 2 bonus Expertises.

Re: Assassin...It's not the full monty, but Advantage on enemies you beat in initiative is pretty reliable, and as a ranged attacker it can often mean a round of SA damage before your allies are in place where you wouldn't have had it otherwise.

Inquisitive is also a strong choice for a ranged rogue since they just have to make an insight check to get SA.

[SpawnOfMorbo]

Going more thrown weapon than ranged weapon

Half-Orc Rogue Scout (Urchin)

Primary Weapon: Dagger
Backup Weapon: More Daggers, any improvised weapon your DM will call a "finesse" weapon.

Feat @ level 4: Tavern Brawler (+1 Str) for more fun or Moderately Armored (+1 Str) for a bit more survivability... Actor if you want to have a bit of RP fun.

Str: 18
Dex: 14
Con: 14
Int: 8
Wis: 12
Cha: 10

AC: 18 with shield, 16 with no shield.
AC: 15 tavern brawler (13 + 2)

HP: 31

Skills: Athletics (x2 prof), Sleight of Hand, Stealth (x2 prof), Nature (x2 prof), Perception, Survival (x2 prof), Deception, Intimidation, and Performance.


Buy a lot of daggers. Chuck said daggers. Rinse and repeat.

[RingoBongo]

Multiclass inquisitive rogue with war cleric.

I would start war cleric if only going to lvl 4 and get spells and war priest uses early on for more action/safety. Also, will give you longbow proficiency. Cast bless.

Go wood elf or human variant (sharpshooter or skulker feat is more fun imo since it also synergizes with inquisitive rogue features).

Start 16 Dex and 16 Wis. Take expertise in insight and (perception or stealth). Then do whatever else you want after that.