Build Help: Archer

[Domovoi]

Hey there.

If any of you buildmaster have some time, I'd be grateful for some help;
I've had this concept at the back of my head for a while now, but I've no idea how to build it. At core it's supposed to be an archer. I've gone through some of the other topics around here, and there does seem to be quite some praise of the 21R/9A and the double death attack bug abuse or whatnot, or the arcane archer route, but here's the thing... I'd rather it didn't rely on hips if that's at all possible. If there's no other way to pull a good archer off mechanically, or if it outshines all others by a lot I can still work with a hipster, and hips is a great tool overall, but I'm not entirely sure the concept would fit a sneak attack build. Arcane archer though I have 0 idea how to build. At all. I'm leaving some wiggle room with the character inception and am hoping to hear some competent archer build suggestions on how those are usually built and what I should look out for. And a non-rp related note: I do like UMD just for the convenience of it. Bonus points if the build has UMD maxed. Oh, and I also don't have any of those fancy trade-only rare drops. I have some gold and can likely snag anything important from the NPCs but that's about it.

Thanks in advance for all the suggestions and such.

[Valefort]

That's the best archer build I have without HIPS https://nwn2db.com/build/?143901

It does a truckload of damage and has huge AB, as long as you pick your targets one by one you're fine. However if they manage to close in you'd better have something to put some distance again (running, invis, darkness, dimension door, etc).

[Steve]

You could go Ranger 25 / Elemental Archer 5, and because of Ranger you’d get HiPS in Outdoors, which is nice but not always to rely on depending location.

[Domovoi]

I think that Valefort build is pretty ideal if it work. It's non-hipsing, it's not a caster, it doesn't require any "touchy" classes that would be hard to fit into the RP... I can also make it be an elf and not lose anything, correct?

[chad878262]

Ranger 30 makes for a fantastic Archer Build as well. DEX based R30 or as Steve suggests R25/EA5 or R26/F4 (for Ranged Mastery) are all going to be very powerful if you pick the right Favored Enemies (i.e. Undead, Giants, Outsiders, Dragons, Monstrous Humanoid, aberration on the surface IIRC)

Alternately, it can be fun to go max Wisdom Ranger, leaving DEX at 14 (18 w/ cats grace for mithril chainmail). Having ~30 WIS will ensure you have lots of spells to buff you and your pet. Taking Natural Bond pre-epic and epic animal companion will give you a plenty good 'tank' (thanks to your buffs) so you can sit back and pew-pew with your bow. Can't get full UMD, but I would still recommend grabbing ~11 UMD so you can throw IMA, PfE and deathward (minimum) on you and your pet.

Valefort's build works, as does Steve's. There are plenty of ways to build a viable Archer. F12/Ranger(Hunter) 13/EA5 would work as well. So many other possibilities as well.

[Dragonslayer]

Just whatever you do, don't use OOBI

[Domovoi]

Alright, I've looked through the suggestions.

So far, my fav seems still the Vale thing, as it's always equally effective, same against all targets, no need to have the right Favored Enemies picked. The whole reliance on Fav Enemy sort doesn't excite em all that much, but is there an archer that's good against it all but isn't required to be an elf or half elf? Maybe something that'd work with a genasi?

[Valefort]

You can go elf but you'll get an exp penalty, that's a rare case of half-elf powerbuilding

[Domovoi]

Thanks again all. Meat for the RCR Grinder, Skulls for the Throne of _______.

[Max Hatchet]

I have an OOBI. If you think they are crap come and see her in action.

[Dragonslayer]

Aren't there some serious bugs with the OOBI?

[chad878262]

Aren't there some serious bugs with the OOBI?

No Max has the right of it. OOBI is not perfect and their are bugs, especially if you are attempting to apply Ranged Precision on a sneak based build since it doesn't always work and/or when it does work usually only give sneak dice on one attack for instance. However, Ranged Precision and Dead Eye Shot both work so when mixed with the right combinations it can be quite good. For example F12/OOBI 10/Elemental Archer 5/Rogue 3 (or Bard 3 if you don't want evasion) is a fantastic non-elf, non-caster, non-HiPS focused Archer build that will work quite well. If you want slightly more ability to handle crit immune F4/OOBI10/EA5/R11 for example will give you 6d6 sneak dice and access to epic precision which if I recall correctly is supposed to make Ranged Precision apply against crit immune (been like 3 years since I tested, that may be another of the bugs?)

In any case, does everything work as we'd like? Nope, sure doesn't! Is the class worthless in a build? Hell no! It can still make for quite a decent archer, as Max states.

[Steve]

For example F12/OOBI 10/Elemental Archer 5/Rogue 3 (or Bard 3 if you don't want evasion)

This also came to my mind—but who would give up Evasion, really...—and then it dawned on me: F 12 / OOBI 10 / EA 5 / SD 3.

[chad878262]

For example F12/OOBI 10/Elemental Archer 5/Rogue 3 (or Bard 3 if you don't want evasion)

This also came to my mind—but who would give up Evasion, really...—and then it dawned on me: F 12 / OOBI 10 / EA 5 / SD 3.

He stated he didn't really want to HiPS. Plus with OOBI Range you don't necessarily need it if you're careful.

[Steve]

Uncanny Dodge is nice to have for a DEXer! Even if the Build has HiPS, you don’t need to use it!!!