I wanted to make a character that was fit the role of the trick arrow specialist. Not DPSing the foes but able to create different effects on the battlefield and have the “Right Arrow for the Job”. I am inspired by the likes of Hawkeye and Green Arrow.
Design
For Races, I choose Half-Orc with the Mark of Finding (Human with MoF would also work but I wanted Dark Vision). This changes to Race stats to include Hunters Mark at level 1 and Locate Object at level 3 (as well as addition spells added to the spell list)
Then I went with Fighter Battle Master for 10 levels. With the 7 maneuvers I pick the ones that did not rely on melee: so Trip, Disarming, Menacing, Evasive Footwork, Precision, Feinting, and Goading attack. Each one of these can be RP’ed into an arrow attack (take an arrow to the knee, knocking a sword from the hand etc) or other Archery related tactics. At level 10 it is a 1d10 which can be a chunky bonus. For fighting style, we go Archery (duh) and take the Feat Sharpshooter when we can. Being that he has a good stealth ability from the mark, he also makes a good scout. Know Your Enemy Class feature just adds this.
Then with the 10 levels of Artificer Battle Smith, I am focusing on the infusion, however, there is some other class bonus that reacts nicely with an Archer. At level 10 I can have 8 memorized, 4 active infusions at once. Level 10 also opens up replicated items list with such items at Bracers of Archery, Quiver of Ehlonna, Headband of Intellect and Gauntlets of Ogre Power (Int and Str were low priority stats but these corrects that with a fixed stat of 19 each). However, the Main infusion is the Repeating Shot. Turns a ranged weapon into a semi-auto rifle that ignores the reload and Ammunition property. Going Battle Smith also gives you Smites, Arcane Jolt (smite lite?) and your Steel Defender (feeling like a Beastmaster at this point). Magic Tinkering also has a part in this build as well, as the character can affect the arrows (a tiny object) with magic properties (Light arrows, Noise arrows, Stink arrows, or Message arrows.)
Spells for this character is not its main focus, however, he does have access to Haste, Flame Arrows, Conjure Barrage and Branding Smite and most important Cat Nap (maneuvers recharge on a short rest, this spell gives you that in a 10 min nap).
He also has pretty good crafting skills so I can see him making arrows with other effects (acid, oil, poison can be endlessly suppled from the Alchemy Jug he can replicate (or crafted), gunpowder bomb arrows as he is proficient in Firearms or simply smith a grappling hook arrow and woodcarving allows for endless arrow production.)
Tl:DR summary
Fighter/Artificer Archer
-7 trick shots. (Maneuvers)
-4 magic trick arrows. (magic Tinkering)
- able to craft other special arrows. (Tools)
-extra attack (stacks once sadly), 3 when Haste is active, 4 with action surge.
-Fully repeating Heavy crossbow or longbow (Repeater Infusion +acts as his focus)
- Concentration spells that increase raw damage or add radiant/fire damage. Also 1 (or 4 with Int of 19) Force damage (or heal) with arcane jolt.
- can make Bracers of Archery, Quiver of Ehlonna. Able to buff his dump stats to 19 with other infusions.
- Robo-doggie that can act as his personal tank (well maybe a body blocker for those wanting to get into melee)
As mentioned in the beginning this is an Archer first, artificer second build focused on utility and is a concept, theory crafted. I hind sight and future builds one could have gone Alchemist, and designed healing arrows to launch at party members (syringe tipped filled with healing potions “Hold still while I shoot you in the back…its good for you”)
Concept
I wanted to make a character that was fit the role of the trick arrow specialist. Not DPSing the foes but able to create different effects on the battlefield and have the “Right Arrow for the Job”. I am inspired by the likes of Hawkeye and Green Arrow.
Design
For Races, I choose Half-Orc with the Mark of Finding (Human with MoF would also work but I wanted Dark Vision). This changes to Race stats to include Hunters Mark at level 1 and Locate Object at level 3 (as well as addition spells added to the spell list)
Then I went with Fighter Battle Master for 10 levels. With the 7 maneuvers I pick the ones that did not rely on melee: so Trip, Disarming, Menacing, Evasive Footwork, Precision, Feinting, and Goading attack. Each one of these can be RP’ed into an arrow attack (take an arrow to the knee, knocking a sword from the hand etc) or other Archery related tactics. At level 10 it is a 1d10 which can be a chunky bonus. For fighting style, we go Archery (duh) and take the Feat Sharpshooter when we can. Being that he has a good stealth ability from the mark, he also makes a good scout. Know Your Enemy Class feature just adds this.
Then with the 10 levels of Artificer Battle Smith, I am focusing on the infusion, however, there is some other class bonus that reacts nicely with an Archer. At level 10 I can have 8 memorized, 4 active infusions at once. Level 10 also opens up replicated items list with such items at Bracers of Archery, Quiver of Ehlonna, Headband of Intellect and Gauntlets of Ogre Power (Int and Str were low priority stats but these corrects that with a fixed stat of 19 each). However, the Main infusion is the Repeating Shot. Turns a ranged weapon into a semi-auto rifle that ignores the reload and Ammunition property. Going Battle Smith also gives you Smites, Arcane Jolt (smite lite?) and your Steel Defender (feeling like a Beastmaster at this point). Magic Tinkering also has a part in this build as well, as the character can affect the arrows (a tiny object) with magic properties (Light arrows, Noise arrows, Stink arrows, or Message arrows.)
Spells for this character is not its main focus, however, he does have access to Haste, Flame Arrows, Conjure Barrage and Branding Smite and most important Cat Nap (maneuvers recharge on a short rest, this spell gives you that in a 10 min nap).
He also has pretty good crafting skills so I can see him making arrows with other effects (acid, oil, poison can be endlessly suppled from the Alchemy Jug he can replicate (or crafted), gunpowder bomb arrows as he is proficient in Firearms or simply smith a grappling hook arrow and woodcarving allows for endless arrow production.)
Tl:DR summary
Fighter/Artificer Archer
-7 trick shots. (Maneuvers)
-4 magic trick arrows. (magic Tinkering)
- able to craft other special arrows. (Tools)
-extra attack (stacks once sadly), 3 when Haste is active, 4 with action surge.
-Fully repeating Heavy crossbow or longbow (Repeater Infusion +acts as his focus)
- Concentration spells that increase raw damage or add radiant/fire damage. Also 1 (or 4 with Int of 19) Force damage (or heal) with arcane jolt.
- can make Bracers of Archery, Quiver of Ehlonna. Able to buff his dump stats to 19 with other infusions.
- Robo-doggie that can act as his personal tank (well maybe a body blocker for those wanting to get into melee)
As mentioned in the beginning this is an Archer first, artificer second build focused on utility and is a concept, theory crafted. I hind sight and future builds one could have gone Alchemist, and designed healing arrows to launch at party members (syringe tipped filled with healing potions “Hold still while I shoot you in the back…its good for you”)
Link for the build.
https://ddb.ac/characters/28045288/L9AGzc