Order of the Bow PRC: Crossbows? Slings? SAD? Explain!

[Khazrak]

How does this work out?

So, I know that Order of the Bow Initiate, pre-level 10, halves your number of attacks. However, its abilities all seem to operate with non-bow ranged weapons. The text specifies ranged weapons, even though the class requires you to have focus in a bow.

If this is the case, and you can use Sharpshooting with other ranged weapons (slings/thrown/crossbows), what happens when you use Sharpshooting with a crossbow? Do you halve your three attacks (from rapid reload + rapid shot) down to 1? To 2? Do they get reduced at all, since you're already halving your total # of attacks? (Obviously you get the full 3 attacks at level 10 no matter what.)

What about an Order of the Bow / Halfling Warslinger character? Can you open the round with manyshot, keep your Sharpshooting benefits, then make the first shot following your Manyshot a Ricochet Shot? (Ergo, manyshot + ricochet shot + sharpshooting all in the same round.)

Sharpshooting says "if this attack is executed as a sneak attack." Does that mean that sneak attack / death attack dice apply as normal (flanking/from HIPS), or does that mean Sharpshooting ability treats the enemy as being affected by your SAD/Death Attack?

I'm debating exactly how I want to build a character here, and all of this is pretty critical. Thanks beforehand to anyone that can advise me on the details of how these things work!

[Nachti]

This class is either bugged or disabled I think.

[Khazrak]

Is it? It's in the main class selection screen at CharGen. It looked pretty interesting, thus all the questions.

If it's bugged, how badly? And can we confirm if it's disabled?

[Tsidkenu]

It is bugged, but not disabled. Ive spent many hours testing mechanics and abilities of this class, but never with non-bow weapons. Ranged Precision is only meant for bows (long & short), not crossbows or slings.

The feat you're referring to is 6th level Sharpshooting and it does not work as you think it does

From level 1-5 of Oobi, the PC applies their Ranged Precision bonus damage to a single attack per round. Once you have Sharpshooting at from levels 6-9, you turn it on as a mode and can then apply your Ranged Precision bonus damage to half you attacks for the round. Note that your character still makes a full attack; no attacks are lost. Once you get the capstone, Extended Sharpshooting, at level 10 Oobi you can apply your Ranged Precision bonus damage to a whole round of attacks. Unfortunately that is where the bug exists as the bonus damage rarely, if ever, applies correctly during the first round of combat. Sigh.

Also, ranged precision stacks with Sneak/Death attack and Manyshot, but does not increase the default 30ft range of Sneak/Death attack. As with the bug above, such attacks will usually, if not always, be missing their Ranged Precision bonus damage.

[Tsidkenu]

Cham, in the QC forum ive a whole thread with data in it. Recent tweaks have not changed to any significant degree what I recorded then.

[Khazrak]

Good to know, thanks! I was considering Order of the Bow on a crossbow or thrown weapon user, but the idea of losing the tasty sharpshooting benefits later on is a *bit* disheartening, especially as I assume there would not be full RCR in the event that the class was changed. And that assumes it even works in the first place.

I WOULD love to know if it works with non-bow weapons at present, either way. If anyone can easily test if the sharpshooting bonuses apply to other ranged weapons, please let me know.

And now that I understand how Sharpshooting works, it just makes the class that much more intriguing. Thanks!

[Tsidkenu]

Even if the bonuses do currently apply to other weapons, I would not build a character around that error. Order of the Bow Initiate is just that: bow!

RCR is irrelevant in this case because the class abilities can be tweaked without requiring rebuilds. It is a shame because the class is great and adds plenty of DPS to ranged builds... when it is working as intended (rare!)