I am wondering, how would you make a good archer that excels also at melee. My current plan is to make it a arcane archer 18 - 2 bladesinger wizard. This is for bladesong for melee and arcane archer for the more important range. I'm thinking I will use a rapier as my main weapon for melee and a long and shortbow otherwise.
I am wondering, how would you make a good archer that excels also at melee. My current plan is to make it a arcane archer 18 - 2 bladesinger wizard. This is for bladesong for melee and arcane archer for the more important range. I'm thinking I will use a rapier as my main weapon for melee and a long and shortbow otherwise.
The Arcane Archer subclass is kind of a mess design-wise. It might be better to go with Battle Master instead; many of the Battle Master maneuvers have similar effects to Arcane Archer options and can also be used with melee weapons.
A Free read-for-you-moment: The disarm manoevre, no reason it can't be done with a bow as opposed to an axe etc. Barbarian is toe to toe with an enemy fighter, shoot his magic longsword out of his hands and see how he feels to stay next to the barbarian.
A DEX-based Battlemaster fighter can do great as switch hitter without any multiclassing. Their manuevers allow you to do things like knock prone, disarm, and frighten enemies whether used in melee or at range. Start with 15+2 dexterity, then pick up sharpshooter and dual wielder and whatever extra favorite you like that increases your dexterity. I'd suggest you look at Skulker, Speedy, or Elven Accuracy (if you are playing an elven race). Get masteries for your favorite ranged weapon, then when you head into melee, use something like a shortsword and scimitar dual-wielded for the extra nick attack with your offhand and extra bonus action attack from the feat. You'll be a switch-hitting terror on the battlefield.
A Free read-for-you-moment: The disarm manoevre, no reason it can't be done with a bow as opposed to an axe etc. Barbarian is toe to toe with an enemy fighter, shoot his magic longsword out of his hands and see how he feels to stay next to the barbarian.
Hmm, that is true. This got me looking at the Battlemaster Maneuvers; Many of the combat-type Maneuvers don't require a Melee weapon. In 2014, they do generally require a weapon of some kind, though. The options aren't as fancy as those available to the Arcane Archer... but you can definitely use more of them in the same fight.
2014 Player's Handbook:
Requires an Attack Roll:
Feinting Attack
Requires a Weapon Attack:
Disarming Attack
Distracting Strike
Goading Attack
Maneuvering Attack
Menacing Attack
Precision Attack
Pushing Attack
Trip Attack
Requires a Melee Weapon Attack
Lunging Attack
Riposte
Sweeping Attack
Interestingly, on the 2024 rules, a fair few of the Battlemaster maneuvers remove the requirement for a Weapon Attack, allowing Unarmed Strikes, or even Spell Attacks (if available to the character) to be used.
2024 Player's Handbook:
Requires an Attack Roll:
Disarming Attack
Distracting Strike
Feinting Attack
Goading Attack
Maneuvering Attack
Menacing Attack
Precision Attack
Requires a Melee Attack:
Lunging Attack
Requires an Attack Roll with a Weapon or an Unarmed Strike
Precision Attack
Pushing Attack
Trip Attack
Requires a Melee Attack:
Lunging Attack
Parry (Requires a Melee attack from another creature, no requirement from user)
Requires a Melee Attack Roll with a Weapon or an Unarmed Strike
Riposte
Sweeping Attack
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🎵I'm on top of the world, looking down on creation, wreaking death and devastation with my mind.
As the power that I've found erupts freely from the ground, I will cackle from the top of the world.🎵
I've had a lot of fun with Arcane Archers, especially combined with a Rogue-Arcane Trickster dip or multiclass. I think it is underrated. I think it makes a much cooler archer than a Battlemaster and can be just as effective because the Arcane Shots are more powerful and the best one gets no save.
It sounds like you want to combine with a Bladesinger though. If your DM is hard over on Arcane Archer using a Bow only it is much more difficult because you can't use that in melee. If your DM lets them use Crossbows (Hand Crossbows especially) this becomes an awesome pairing with Bladesinger for a combo Melee/Ranged character.
IF your DM let's you use hand crossbows and you want to specifically focus on weapons, you probably want to start as a Wizard for the Wisdom save proficiency, then get a fighter level for the martial weapons and defense fi fighting style, then go the next 5 levels as a Bladesinger to be a Wizard 6/Fighter1. On point buy start with a 16 dex and a 17 Intelligence and dump strength get Fey Touched with Hunter's Mark or Hex at Wizard 4. Then go the rest in fighter levels. Get Warcaster at Fighter 4, 20 Intelligence and 17 Dex at Fighter 6 and Crossbow Expert at Fighter 8.
Your main attack should be Truestrike using Intelligence with your second attack using dex and using Hunter's Mark. You can pair the truestrike with a one-handed Sap Weapon like a Longsword or Morning Star. This will get you the most out of Bladesong and use your second attack for something with Finesse. Before you have crossbow expert; when you are doing ranged attacks use a crossbow for one attack and use a truestrike-javelin for the other, in melee go with a Rapier in one hand and a Longsword in the other.
As far as Arcane Shots one should always be Grasping Arrow because there is no save. I like seeking arrow for the second, but Banishing arrow works really well too.
Other options not using Bladesinger:
A single classed Arcane Archer is best done by focusing on Grasping Arrow and dumping Intelligence. This makes for a great ranged character. Grab Sharpshooter, Martial Adept feat with Menacing Attack and something else, and an ASI at 8th level. When you get to 9th level you can start using Sap with your bow.
Multiclassing Arcane Trickster works really well. Start with 17 Intelligence, 16 Dexterity. Go 4 levels in Rogue, picking up Truestrike and Fey Touched (with Hunters Mark or Hex). Then go 4 levels in Fighter (20 Intelligence), grab Grasping Arrow and Shadow Arrow. Then go the rest of your levels in Rogue, putting your next ASIs into Sharpshooter, then Martial Adept and finally dexterity.
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I am wondering, how would you make a good archer that excels also at melee. My current plan is to make it a arcane archer 18 - 2 bladesinger wizard. This is for bladesong for melee and arcane archer for the more important range. I'm thinking I will use a rapier as my main weapon for melee and a long and shortbow otherwise.
The Arcane Archer subclass is kind of a mess design-wise. It might be better to go with Battle Master instead; many of the Battle Master maneuvers have similar effects to Arcane Archer options and can also be used with melee weapons.
pronouns: he/she/they
My final goal is to stay at range, pepper them with effects. And then bladesong for melee movement. So does battle master have utility in ranged?
Ummm like he said, but you have to read it.
A Free read-for-you-moment: The disarm manoevre, no reason it can't be done with a bow as opposed to an axe etc. Barbarian is toe to toe with an enemy fighter, shoot his magic longsword out of his hands and see how he feels to stay next to the barbarian.
Life's hard - get a helmet!
A DEX-based Battlemaster fighter can do great as switch hitter without any multiclassing. Their manuevers allow you to do things like knock prone, disarm, and frighten enemies whether used in melee or at range. Start with 15+2 dexterity, then pick up sharpshooter and dual wielder and whatever extra favorite you like that increases your dexterity. I'd suggest you look at Skulker, Speedy, or Elven Accuracy (if you are playing an elven race). Get masteries for your favorite ranged weapon, then when you head into melee, use something like a shortsword and scimitar dual-wielded for the extra nick attack with your offhand and extra bonus action attack from the feat. You'll be a switch-hitting terror on the battlefield.
Hmm, that is true. This got me looking at the Battlemaster Maneuvers; Many of the combat-type Maneuvers don't require a Melee weapon. In 2014, they do generally require a weapon of some kind, though. The options aren't as fancy as those available to the Arcane Archer... but you can definitely use more of them in the same fight.
2014 Player's Handbook:
Requires an Attack Roll:
Requires a Weapon Attack:
Requires a Melee Weapon Attack
Interestingly, on the 2024 rules, a fair few of the Battlemaster maneuvers remove the requirement for a Weapon Attack, allowing Unarmed Strikes, or even Spell Attacks (if available to the character) to be used.
2024 Player's Handbook:
Requires an Attack Roll:
Requires a Melee Attack:
Requires an Attack Roll with a Weapon or an Unarmed Strike
Requires a Melee Attack:
Requires a Melee Attack Roll with a Weapon or an Unarmed Strike
🎵I'm on top of the world, looking down on creation, wreaking death and devastation with my mind.
As the power that I've found erupts freely from the ground, I will cackle from the top of the world.🎵
Charisma Saving Throw: DC 18, Failure: 20d6 Psychic Damage, Success: Half damage
I've had a lot of fun with Arcane Archers, especially combined with a Rogue-Arcane Trickster dip or multiclass. I think it is underrated. I think it makes a much cooler archer than a Battlemaster and can be just as effective because the Arcane Shots are more powerful and the best one gets no save.
It sounds like you want to combine with a Bladesinger though. If your DM is hard over on Arcane Archer using a Bow only it is much more difficult because you can't use that in melee. If your DM lets them use Crossbows (Hand Crossbows especially) this becomes an awesome pairing with Bladesinger for a combo Melee/Ranged character.
IF your DM let's you use hand crossbows and you want to specifically focus on weapons, you probably want to start as a Wizard for the Wisdom save proficiency, then get a fighter level for the martial weapons and defense fi fighting style, then go the next 5 levels as a Bladesinger to be a Wizard 6/Fighter1. On point buy start with a 16 dex and a 17 Intelligence and dump strength get Fey Touched with Hunter's Mark or Hex at Wizard 4. Then go the rest in fighter levels. Get Warcaster at Fighter 4, 20 Intelligence and 17 Dex at Fighter 6 and Crossbow Expert at Fighter 8.
Your main attack should be Truestrike using Intelligence with your second attack using dex and using Hunter's Mark. You can pair the truestrike with a one-handed Sap Weapon like a Longsword or Morning Star. This will get you the most out of Bladesong and use your second attack for something with Finesse. Before you have crossbow expert; when you are doing ranged attacks use a crossbow for one attack and use a truestrike-javelin for the other, in melee go with a Rapier in one hand and a Longsword in the other.
As far as Arcane Shots one should always be Grasping Arrow because there is no save. I like seeking arrow for the second, but Banishing arrow works really well too.
Other options not using Bladesinger:
A single classed Arcane Archer is best done by focusing on Grasping Arrow and dumping Intelligence. This makes for a great ranged character. Grab Sharpshooter, Martial Adept feat with Menacing Attack and something else, and an ASI at 8th level. When you get to 9th level you can start using Sap with your bow.
Multiclassing Arcane Trickster works really well. Start with 17 Intelligence, 16 Dexterity. Go 4 levels in Rogue, picking up Truestrike and Fey Touched (with Hunters Mark or Hex). Then go 4 levels in Fighter (20 Intelligence), grab Grasping Arrow and Shadow Arrow. Then go the rest of your levels in Rogue, putting your next ASIs into Sharpshooter, then Martial Adept and finally dexterity.