Arcane Archer (Apath)
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Those who seek to perfect the combination bow and magic pursue the path of the arcane archer. Arcane archers are masters of ranged combat, as they possess the ability to strike at targets with unerring accuracy and can imbue their arrows with powerful spells. Arrows fired by arcane archers carry spells, fly at weird and uncanny angles to strike at foes around corners, and can pass through solid objects to hit enemies that cower behind such cover. At the height of their power, arcane archers can fell even the most powerful foes with a single, deadly shot.
Class Information
This is a merged prestige class.
Prestige Class: Arcane Archer.
Build Classes: Magus, ranger, wizard
An arcane archer is a mix of wizard, magus, and ranger, the arcane archer prestige class expressed as a single class.
Role: Arcane archers deal death from afar, winnowing down opponents while their allies rush into hand-to-hand combat. With their capacity to unleash hails of arrows on the enemy, they represent the pinnacle of ranged combat.
Alignment: Arcane archers can be of any alignment. Elf or half-elf arcane archers tend to be free-spirited and are rarely lawful. Similarly, it is uncommon for elven arcane archers to be evil, and overall the path of the arcane archer is more often pursued by good or neutral characters.
Hit Die: d8.
Class Abilities
This archetype has all normal class abilities, except as noted.
Class Skills
The arcane archer's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are
Skill Ranks at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency
An arcane archer is proficient with all simple and martial weapons. An arcane archer is also proficient with light armor. He can cast arcane archer spells while wearing light armor without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance. Like any other arcane spellcaster, an arcane archer wearing medium armor, heavy armor, or a shield incurs a chance of arcane spell failure if the spell in question has a somatic component. A multiclass arcane archer still incurs the normal arcane spell failure chance for arcane spells received from other classes.
Spells
An arcane archer casts arcane spells drawn from a combination of the ranger and magus spell list. In addition, an arcane archer has the summon nature's ally V and VI on their spell list at their druid spell level. An arcane archer must choose and prepare his spells ahead of time.
To learn, prepare, or cast a spell, the arcane archer must have an Intelligence score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against an arcane archer's spell is 10 + the spell level + the arcane archer's Intelligence modifier.
An arcane archer can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. His base daily spell allotment is given on Table: Arcane Archer. In addition, he receives bonus spells per day if he has a high Intelligence score (see Table: Ability Modifiers and Bonus Spells).
An arcane archer may know any number of spells. He must choose and prepare his spells ahead of time by getting 8 hours of sleep and spending 1 hour studying his spellbook. While studying, the arcane archer decides which spells to prepare.
Starting Spells: An arcane archer begins play with a spellbook containing all 0-level spells on his spell list plus three 1st-level spells of his choice. The arcane archer also selects a number of additional 1st-level spells equal to his Intelligence modifier to add to the spellbook. At each new arcane archer level, he gains two new spells of any spell level or levels that he can cast (based on his new arcane archer level) for his spellbook. At any time, an arcane archer can also add spells found in other spellbooks to his own (see Magic).
Spells Gained at a New Level: Arcane archers perform a certain amount of spell research between adventures. Each time a character attains a new arcane archer level, he gains two spells of his choice to add to his spellbook. The two free spells must be of spell levels he can cast.
Cantrips
Arcane archers can prepare a number of cantrips, or 0-level spells, each day, as noted on Table: Arcane Archer under “Spells per Day.” These spells are cast like any other spell, but they are not expended when cast and may be used again.
Archery Pool (Su)
At 1st level the arcane archer gains a reservoir of mystical arcane energy that he can draw upon to fuel his powers and enhance his bow. This archery pool has a number of points equal to ½ his arcane archer level (minimum 1) + his Intelligence modifier. The pool refreshes once per day when the arcane archer prepares his spells.
At 1st level an arcane archer can expend 1 point from his archery pool as a swift action to grant any bow he is holding a +1 enhancement bonus for 1 minute. For every four levels beyond 1st, the weapon gains another +1 enhancement bonus, to a maximum of +5 at 17th level. These bonuses can be added to the weapon, stacking with existing weapon enhancement to a maximum of +5. Multiple uses of this ability do not stack with themselves.
At 5th level, these bonuses can be used to add any of the following weapon properties: anarchic, axiomatic, distance, flaming, flaming burst, frost, holy, icy burst, shock, shocking burst, unholy. The arcane archer cannot choose an ability that is the opposite of his alignment (for example a lawful good arcane archer could not choose anarchic or unholy as his weapon quality).
Adding these properties consumes an amount of bonus equal to the property’s base price. If the bow is not magical, at least a +1 enhancement bonus must be added before any other properties can be added. These bonuses and properties are decided when the archery pool point is spent and cannot be changed until the next time the arcane archer uses this ability. These bonuses do not function if the bow is wielded by anyone other than the arcane archer.
An arcane archer can only enhance one weapon in this way at one time. If he uses this ability again the first use immediately ends.
Archery Style Feat (Ex)
At 1st level, an arcane archer gains expertise in archery. This manifests in the form of bonus feats at 1st, 2nd, 6th, 10th, 14th, and 18th level. He can choose feats from his selected combat style, even if he does not have the normal prerequisites.
The benefits of the arcane archer's chosen style feats apply only when he wears light or no armor. He loses all benefits of his combat style feats when wearing medium or heavy armor.
An arcane archer can choose from the following list whenever he gains a combat style feat:
- Far Shot, Focused Shot, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Rapid Shot, Weapon Focus (longbow or shortbow).
- At 6th level, he adds Improved Precise Shot, Mounted Archery, Parting Shot, Point Blank Master, Manyshot, and Weapon Specialization (longbow or shortbow) to the list.
- At 10th level, he adds Greater Weapon Focus (longbow or shortbow), Pinpoint Targeting and Shot on the Run to the list.
Spell Archery
At 1st level, an arcane archer learns to cast spells and shoot his bow at the same time. This functions much like Rapid Shot, but the extra attack is a spell that is being cast. To use this ability, the arcane archer must be wielding a bow. As a full-round action, he can make all of his attacks with his bow at a –2 penalty and can also cast any spell from the arcane archer spell list with a casting time of 1 standard action (any attack roll made as part of this spell also takes this penalty). If he casts this spell defensively, he can decide to take an additional penalty on his attack rolls, up to his Intelligence bonus, and add the same amount as a circumstance bonus on his concentration check. If the check fails, the spell is wasted, but the attacks still take the penalty. An arcane archer can choose to cast the spell first or make the weapon attacks first, but if he has more than one attack, he cannot cast the spell between weapon attacks.
Wild Empathy (Ex)
An arcane archer can improve the initial attitude of an animal. This ability functions just like a Diplomacy check to improve the attitude of a person (see Using Skills). The arcane archer rolls 1d20 and adds ½ his arcane archer level and his Charisma bonus to determine the wild empathy check result. The typical domestic animal has a starting attitude of indifferent, while wild animals are usually unfriendly.
To use wild empathy, the arcane archer and the animal must be within 30 feet of one another under normal visibility conditions. Generally, influencing an animal in this way takes 1 minute, but, as with influencing people, it might take more or less time.
The arcane archer can also use this ability to influence a magical beast with an Intelligence score of 1 or 2, but he takes a –4 penalty on the check.
Ranged Spellstrike (Su)
At 2nd level, whenever an arcane archer casts a spell that requires a ranged touch attack from his class spell list, he can deliver the spell through any missile weapon he is wielding as part of a ranged attack. Instead of the free ranged touch attack normally allowed to deliver the spell, an arcane archer can make one free ranged attack with his weapon (at his highest base attack bonus) as part of casting this spell. If successful, this melee attack deals its normal damage as well as the effects of the spell. If the arcane archer makes this attack in concert with spell archery, this ranged attack takes all the penalties accrued by spell archery ranged attacks. This attack uses the weapon’s critical range (20, 19–20, or 18–20 and modified by the keen weapon property or similar effects), but the spell effect only deals ×2 damage on a successful critical hit, while the weapon damage uses its own critical modifier. This otherwise functions as an arcane archer' archer#TOC-Spellstrike-Su- spellstrike ability, see FAQ/Errata for that ability for more information.
Endurance
An arcane archer gains Endurance as a bonus feat at 3rd level.
Spell Recall (Su)
At 4th level, the arcane archer learns to use his archery pool to recall spells he has already cast. With a swift action he can recall any single arcane archer spell that he has already prepared and cast that day by expending a number of points from his archer pool equal to the spell’s level (minimum 1). The spell is prepared again, just as if it had not been cast.
Knowledge Pool (Su)
At 7th level, when an arcane archer prepares his arcane archer spells, he can decide to expend 1 or more points from his archery pool, up to his Intelligence bonus. For each point he expends, he can treat any one spell from the arcane archer spell list as if it were in his spellbook and can prepare that spell as normal that day. If he does not cast spells prepared in this way before the next time he prepares spells, he loses those spells. He can also cast spells added in this way using his spell recall ability, but only until he prepares spells again.
Imbue Arrow (Su)
At 9th level, an arcane archer gains the ability to place an area spell upon an arrow. When the arrow is fired, the spell's area is centered where the arrow lands, even if the spell could normally be centered only on the caster. This ability allows the archer to use the bow's range rather than the spell's range. A spell cast in this way uses its standard casting time and the arcane archer can fire the arrow as part of the casting. The arrow must be fired during the round that the casting is completed or the spell is wasted. If the arrow misses, the spell is wasted.
Improved Spell Recall (Su)
At 10th level, the arcane archer’s ability to recall spells using his archer pool becomes more efficient. Whenever he recalls a spell with spell recall, he expends a number of points from his archer pool equal to ½ the spell’s level (minimum 1). Furthermore, instead of recalling a used spell, as a swift action the arcane archer can prepare a spell of the same level that he has in his spellbook. He does so by expending a number of points from his archer pool equal to the spell’s level (minimum 1). The arcane archer cannot apply metamagic feats to a spell prepared in this way. The arcane archer does not need to reference his spellbook to prepare a spell in this way.
Seeker Arrow (Su)
At 11th level, an arcane archer can launch an arrow at a target known to him within range, and the arrow travels to the target, even around corners. Only an unavoidable obstacle or the limit of the arrow's range prevents the arrow's flight. This ability negates cover and concealment modifiers, but otherwise the attack is rolled normally. Using this ability is a standard action (and shooting the arrow is part of the action). An arcane archer can use this ability once per day at 4th level, and one additional time per day for every two levels beyond 4th, to a maximum of four times per day at 10th level.
Phase Arrow (Su)
At 13th level, an arcane archer can launch an arrow once per day at a target known to him within range, and the arrow travels to the target in a straight path, passing through any nonmagical barrier or wall in its way. (Any magical barrier stops the arrow.) This ability negates cover, concealment, armor, and shield modifiers, but otherwise the attack is rolled normally. Using this ability is a standard action (and shooting the arrow is part of the action). An arcane archer can use this ability once per day at 6th level, and one additional time per day for every two levels beyond 6th, to a maximum of three times per day at 10th level.
Hail of Arrows (Su)
In lieu of his regular attacks, once per day an arcane archer of 15th level or higher can fire an arrow at each and every target within range, to a maximum of one target for every arcane archer level she has earned. Each attack uses the archer's primary attack bonus, and each enemy may only be targeted by a single arrow.
Woodland Stride (Ex)
Starting at 17th level, an arcane archer may move through any sort of undergrowth (such as natural thorns, briars, overgrown areas, and similar terrain) at his normal speed and without taking damage or suffering any other impairment. Thorns, briars, and overgrown areas that are enchanted or magically manipulated to impede motion, however, still affect him.
Greater Spell Access (Su)
At 19th level, the arcane archer gains access to an expanded spell list. He learns and places 14 spells from the wizard’s spell list into his spellbook as arcane archer spells of their wizard level. He gains two of each of the following wizard spells not on the arcane archer spell list:
0-level, 1st-level, 2nd-level, 3rd-level, 4th-level, 5th-level, and 6th-level.
He can ignore the somatic component of these spells, casting them without the normal chance of spell failure.
Arrow of Death (Su)
At 20th level, an arcane archer can create a special type of slaying arrow that forces the target, if damaged by the arrow's attack, to make a Fortitude save or be slain immediately. The DC of this save is equal to 20 + the arcane archer's Charisma modifier. It takes 1 day to make a slaying arrow, and the arrow only functions for the arcane archer who created it. The slaying arrow lasts no longer than 1 year, and the archer can only have one such arrow in existence at a time.
Table: Arcane Archer
| Class Level |
Base Attack Bonus |
Fort Save |
Ref Save |
Will Save |
Special | Spells per Day | ||||||
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | ||||||
| 1st | +0 | +2 | +2 | +0 | Archery pool, archery style feat, spell archery, wild empathy | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2nd | +1 | +3 | +3 | +0 | Archery style feat, ranged spellstrike | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 3rd | +2 | +3 | +3 | +1 | Endurance | 4 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 4th | +3 | +4 | +4 | +1 | Spell recall | 4 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| 5th | +3 | +4 | +4 | +1 | Archer pool abilities | 4 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| 6th | +4 | +5 | +5 | +2 | Archery style feat | 5 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — | — |
| 7th | +5 | +5 | +5 | +2 | Knowledge pool | 5 | 4 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 8th | +6/+1 | +6 | +6 | +2 | Imbue arrow | 5 | 4 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 9th | +6/+1 | +6 | +6 | +3 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — | |
| 10th | +7/+2 | +7 | +7 | +3 | Archery style feat, improved spell recall | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 1 | — | — |
| 11th | +8/+3 | +7 | +7 | +3 | Seeker arrow (su) | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 2 | — | — |
| 12th | +9/+4 | +8 | +8 | +4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | — | — | |
| 13th | +9/+4 | +8 | +8 | +4 | Phase arrow (su) | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 1 | — |
| 14th | +10/+5 | +9 | +9 | +4 | Archery style feat | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 2 | — |
| 15th | +11/+6/+1 | +9 | +9 | +5 | Hail of arrows (su) | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | — |
| 16th | +12/+7/+2 | +10 | +10 | +5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 1 | |
| 17th | +12/+7/+2 | +10 | +10 | +5 | Woodland stride | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 2 |
| 18th | +13/+8/+3 | +11 | +11 | +6 | Archery style feat | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 |
| 19th | +14/+9/+4 | +11 | +11 | +6 | Greater spell access | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 |
| 20th | +15/+10/+5 | +12 | +12 | +6 | Arrow of death | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |