johniemi said:
Hello, I don't have the Conan Atlantean book with me here, but could you suggest a good archer build. The stats I'm using are 16,14,12,12,10 and 8 which I have distributed like this:
STR 14
DEX 16
CON 12
INT 12
WIS 10
CHA 8
I was thinking of a straight "Fighter" at least up to level 10 (sorry don't remember what the "fighter" class was called in Conan). Suggestions?
I've been playing a character for some time that has sunk a lot of feats into ranged combat. Besides two totally ridiculous occurrences, ranged combat has sucked.
Why?
First, the damage output on arrows is weak. Maybe a better word would be "outclassed" except when you can trigger sneak attack damage, which is a pain a lot of the time due to the range limitations and inability to flank once the enemy can act. Second, if you are the only one using ranged attacks, you have a synergy problem with the rest of the party - the more "archers", the better a ranged combatant is.
Of course, it all depends on what sort of opposition you face. I was just chatting with my GM and noting that a single archer is good for clearing out scholar-bombs (low level scholars, see threads on defensive blast and how it can be obnoxious if you play it as written). I don't think our experiences have been that unusual, however, and my character is largely ineffectual in combat.
I believe strongly that trying to max out damage in this game should be the focus if you want to be effective in combat.
If you want to "game" the system for a weak archetype, I'd think of something like this to try to get a max mid to long term benefit:
Put the 16 in INT unless your campaign isn't that skill-rrific and the 14 in STR. If you can get by with suck skills (... you know, given the atrocity that is soldier skill ranks per level, just ignore what I'm about to say and put the 16 in INT), put the 16 in STR.
Being able to hit things is not terribly difficult (in general), so having the high DEX is not that crucial. Put another way, it doesn't help a whole lot to hit things and not do enough damage that they care. It's just no fun to be doing your threes and sixes of damage when the bardiche-wielding, power attacking barbarian is routinely in the thirty damage range.
Be a Bossonian to get the big damage weapon and get one built to your STR. Start out as a thief (like pretty much every character should) for the copious skill ranks and the sneak attack damage. Second level switch to soldier to get the double feats and start working on some of the feats people have mentioned. Then, probably, take two levels of borderer to get Rapid Shot (min DEX 13, which I'm suggesting you don't get until 6th level as the 4th level could go into STR) but never more than two levels of borderer. Switch back to soldier to work on getting the 5th level favored class feat or dabble some more in thief because thief is awesome (can probably stop at 4th level thief as that's 3d8/3d6 sneak attack unless you feel you have to wear armor and 5th level will lose you another BAB).