Like the bardic magic of song, and speech. The enigmatic existence of the first note, a sound which brought the multiverse into existence has inspired the studies of many arcane scholars. For what is magic if not the control of reality, and all of its elements.

None take this inspiration as far as those of the School of Spellstringing blending principles of ranged combat and elemental magic through the single note of their bowstrings. Followers of this tradition, sometimes known as Spellstrings, improve on the flow and speed of their spell casting through fundamental understanding of the tonal nature of all magic.

(This archetype version 2 was made after a discussion about a ranged Bladesinger option. I personally think the Extra Attack feature is not needed and the existance of two 6th level features on a Wizard archetype slightly breaks the normal Wizard feature progression but the person this was made in mind for wanted the archetype to work in a specific way. Although, this is stronger than the School of Evocation I don't think anything in this archetype is overpowered. Especially when compared to some of the stronger Wizard options.)

 

Spell Strung Training

When you adopt this tradition at 2nd level, you gain proficiency with light armour, shortbow and longbow. You also gain proficiency in one musical instrument of your choice. 

When wielding a shortbow or longbow you can infuse magic into its string giving it the following properties: 

• You can use the weapon as a spellcasting focus for your wizard spells.

• When you attack with the weapon, you can use your Intelligence modifier, instead of Dexterity, for the attack and damage rolls. 

• The weapon does not require arrows. When you draw the bow, it produces arrows which count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage. An arrow vanishes immediately after it hits or misses its target. 

Elemental Shot

At 2nd level, you choose to learn either the Chill Touch, Ray of Frost or Shocking Grasp cantrip. If you already know these cantrips, you learn a different wizard cantrip of your choice. The cantrip doesn't count against your number of cantrips known.

Once per turn, when you hit a creature with a ranged weapon attack you can choose to imbue elemental damage into the projectile. The attack deals extra damage equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of +1) the damage type is one from a cantrip that you know. If the chosen cantrip uses a spell attack, or requires a saving throw and applies additional effects to the target the effect is added alongside the damage. 

Extra Attack

Starting at 6th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

Arcane Surge

At 6th level, you learn to condense the arcane formula of your spells into the note produced by pulling back your spellstring. When you take the attack action with a ranged weapon you can cast a spell alongside the attack. The spell must be using a spell slot of 5th level or lower, it must have a verbal component and must use an action to cast. You can choose for the spell to originate from the point targeted by your attack as if you were in that space, but you must still use your own senses.

Once you use this feature, you must finish a short or long rest before you can use it again.

Notes of Destruction

At 10th level, your spellstring stores residual energy used when casting elemental magic. 

You can store a maximum number of notes equal to your proficiency bonus. Whenever you finish a long rest, your number of notes resets to two. When you cast an Evocation spell or deal acid, cold, fire, lightning or thunder damage with a 1st level spell slot or higher, you gain one note, as your spellstring absorbs residual energy from the spell. 

Once per turn, when you deal acid, cold, fire, lightning or thunder damage to a creature you can spend one note to maximise the damage on a number of dice rolled equal to your proficiency bonus. 

Greater Elemental Shots

At 14th level, you learn to charge your elemental attacks with arcane energy stored within your spellstring. Once per turn, when you use your Notes of Destruction to maximise elemental damage or deal damage with your Elemental Shot you can expand further notes to deal additional: acid, cold, fire, lightning or thunder damage. 

The extra damage is 2d8 per note expended during that round, to a maximum of 6d8. 

When you use this ability on a creature, your damage has an additional effect, determined by which damage type you choose to deal. You can affect a maximum number of creatures equal to your proficiency bonus. If a creature is affected by this ability again in subsequent rounds, the effects do not stack, and the new duration replaces the old.

Acid. The target must also succeed on a Constitution saving throw, or the damage dealt by its weapon attacks is halved until the start of your next turn.

Cold. The target must also succeed on a Constitution saving throw, or their movement speed is reduced to 0 and they have disadvantage on Strength and Dexterity checks until the start of your next turn.

Fire. The target is engulfed in flames, the target and each creature within 10 feet of it must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take 2d8 fire damage.

Lightning. The target must succeed on a Strength saving throw or be pushed 15 feet towards or away from you.

Thunder. The target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be unable to see anything farther than 5 feet away until the start of your next turn.

You can apply these additional effects a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.