I'm just entertaining some thoughts on how I'd implement an arcane archer-type subclass. Any and all comments and feedback welcome. Spells and cantrips mentioned use the current playtest versions of such.
Arcane Archer An Arcane Archer studies a unique elven method of archery that weaves magic into attacks to produce supernatural effects. Arcane Archers are some of their most elite warriors among the elves. They stand watch over the fringes of elven domains, keeping a keen eye out for trespassers and using magic-infused arrows to defeat monsters and invaders before they can reach elven settlements. Over the centuries, the methods of these elf archers have been learned by members of other races who can also balance arcane aptitude with archery.
Table:
The Arcane Archer
Fighter Level
Arcane Quiver
cantrips known
Arcane Arrow
spells known
Arcane Arrows
available
Arcane Arrow
spell level
3rd
2
1
1
1st
4th
2
1
1
1st
5th
2
1
1
1st
6th
2
1
1
1st
7th
3
2
1
2nd
8th
3
2
1
2nd
9th
3
2
1
2nd
10th
4
3
2
3rd
11th
4
3
2
3rd
12th
4
3
2
3rd
13th
4
3
2
3rd
14th
4
3
2
3rd
15th
5
4
2
4th
16th
5
4
2
4th
17th
5
4
2
4th
18th
6
5
3
5th
19th
6
5
3
5th
20th
6
5
3
5th
3rd Level Arcane Lore: You learn magical theory or some of the secrets of nature – typical for practitioners of this elven martial tradition. You choose to gain proficiency in either the Arcana or the Nature skill, and you choose to learn either the Prestidigitation or Druidcraft cantrip. Arcane Quiver: You have learned to invest magical power into your arrows through subtle enchantments on their shafts. These allow you to imbue effects from cantrips into your attacks. When you gain this feature, you learn two cantrips from the list below: Acid splash, chill touch, fire bolt, frostbite, gust, infestation, mind sliver, mold earth, poison spray, ray of frost, sapping sting, shape water, shocking grasp, thunderclap, toll the dead, true strike Once per turn, as an action, you may fire an arrow from any type of bow or crossbow, and apply a single cantrip known to that shot. The cantrip's range limitations are ignored when used in this way. You gain an additional Arcane Quiver option of your choice when you reach certain levels in this class: 7th, 10th, 15th, and 18th level. Arcane Arrow: You have gained the ability to prepare special arcane arrows that can carry much stronger magics. This grants you a limited ability to cast spells, so long as they are performed through the use of this feature. The Arcane Archer table shows how many arcane arrows you have. The table also shows what effective spell level that arrow is; all your arcane arrows are the same level. To shoot an arcane arrow, you must expend a use of it. You regain all expended arcane arrows when you finish a short or long rest. For example, when you are 7th level, you have one 2nd-level arcane arrow. To cast the 1st-level spell burning hands you must spend one of those arrows, and you cast it as a 2nd-level spell. When you gain this feature, learn one spell from the list below: Burning hands, catapult, cause fear, chromatic orb, earth tremor, fog cloud, frost fingers, grease, ice knife, ray of sickness, tasha's caustic brew, tasha's hideous laughter, thunderwave Once per turn, as an action, you may fire an arrow from any type of bow or crossbow, and apply a single arcane archer spell known to that shot. The spell's range limitations are ignored when used in this way. You gain an additional Arcane Arrow option of your choice when you reach certain levels in this class: 7th, 10th, 15th, and 18th level. At these levels, your options also increase to those below: 7th level: Agnazzar's scorcher, blindness/deafness, cloud of daggers, crown of madness, earthbind, gust of wind, hold person, immovable object, melf's acid arrow, shatter, snilloc's snowball storm, tasha's mind whip, vortex warp, web 10th level: Counterspell*, dispel magic, enemies abound, erupting earth, fear, fireball, glyph of warding, hypnotic pattern, incite greed, lightning bolt, sleet storm, slow, stinking cloud, thunder step, tidal wave 15th level: Banishment, blight, confusion, dimension door, evard's black tentacles, ice storm, otiluke's resilient sphere, storm sphere, vitriolic sphere, wall of fire, watery sphere 18th level: Cloudkill, Cone of cold, enervation, hold monster, immolation, synaptic static Whenever you gain a new Arcane Arrow option, you can choose one of the arcane arrow options you know, and replace it with another arcane arrow option available to you at your level. If a spell or cantrip used requires a saving throw, your save DC equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier.
7th Level Magic Arrow: You gain the ability to infuse arrows with magic. Whenever you fire a nonmagical arrow from any type of bow or crossbow, you can make it magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage. The magic fades from the arrow immediately after it hits or misses its target. Returning Arrow: Your arcane arrows now carry a single returning enchantment on them, allowing an arrow that fails to hit to return to your bow instantly, with the magic charge unexpended. You can either reabsorb the magic and regaining the arcane arrow use for later, or attack with that arrow again on this turnas a bonus action.
15th Level Ever-Ready Arrow: Starting at 15th level, your magical archery is available whenever battle starts. If you roll initiative and have no uses of Arcane Arcane Arrow remaining, you regain one use of it.
So, yeah, this is not-quite-warlock, semi-eldritch-knight, mostly-arcane-archer.
There was a Fixed it For You thing happening a while back where people revised unbalanced subclasses. Looks like Arcane Archer was started, but never declared finished.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Look at what you've done. You spoiled it. You have nobody to blame but yourself. Go sit and think about your actions.
Don't be mean. Rudeness is a vicious cycle, and it has to stop somewhere. Exceptions for things that are funny. Go to the current Competition of the Finest 'Brews! It's a cool place where cool people make cool things.
How I'm posting based on text formatting: Mod Hat Off - Mod Hat Also Off (I'm not a mod)
There was a Fixed it For You thing happening a while back where people revised unbalanced subclasses. Looks like Arcane Archer was started, but never declared finished.
I'm just entertaining some thoughts on how I'd implement an arcane archer-type subclass. Any and all comments and feedback welcome.
Spells and cantrips mentioned use the current playtest versions of such.
Arcane Archer
An Arcane Archer studies a unique elven method of archery that weaves magic into attacks to produce supernatural effects. Arcane Archers are some of their most elite warriors among the elves. They stand watch over the fringes of elven domains, keeping a keen eye out for trespassers and using magic-infused arrows to defeat monsters and invaders before they can reach elven settlements. Over the centuries, the methods of these elf archers have been learned by members of other races who can also balance arcane aptitude with archery.
Table:
The Arcane Archer
Fighter Level
Arcane Quiver
cantrips known
Arcane Arrow
spells known
Arcane Arrows
available
Arcane Arrow
spell level
3rd
2
1
1
1st
4th
2
1
1
1st
5th
2
1
1
1st
6th
2
1
1
1st
7th
3
2
1
2nd
8th
3
2
1
2nd
9th
3
2
1
2nd
10th
4
3
2
3rd
11th
4
3
2
3rd
12th
4
3
2
3rd
13th
4
3
2
3rd
14th
4
3
2
3rd
15th
5
4
2
4th
16th
5
4
2
4th
17th
5
4
2
4th
18th
6
5
3
5th
19th
6
5
3
5th
20th
6
5
3
5th
3rd Level
Arcane Lore: You learn magical theory or some of the secrets of nature – typical for practitioners of this elven martial tradition. You choose to gain proficiency in either the Arcana or the Nature skill, and you choose to learn either the Prestidigitation or Druidcraft cantrip.
Arcane Quiver: You have learned to invest magical power into your arrows through subtle enchantments on their shafts. These allow you to imbue effects from cantrips into your attacks. When you gain this feature, you learn two cantrips from the list below:
Acid splash, chill touch, fire bolt, frostbite, gust, infestation, mind sliver, mold earth, poison spray, ray of frost, sapping sting, shape water, shocking grasp, thunderclap, toll the dead, true strike
Once per turn, as an action, you may fire an arrow from any type of bow or crossbow, and apply a single cantrip known to that shot. The cantrip's range limitations are ignored when used in this way.
You gain an additional Arcane Quiver option of your choice when you reach certain levels in this class: 7th, 10th, 15th, and 18th level.
Arcane Arrow: You have gained the ability to prepare special arcane arrows that can carry much stronger magics. This grants you a limited ability to cast spells, so long as they are performed through the use of this feature. The Arcane Archer table shows how many arcane arrows you have. The table also shows what effective spell level that arrow is; all your arcane arrows are the same level. To shoot an arcane arrow, you must expend a use of it. You regain all expended arcane arrows when you finish a short or long rest.
For example, when you are 7th level, you have one 2nd-level arcane arrow. To cast the 1st-level spell burning hands you must spend one of those arrows, and you cast it as a 2nd-level spell.
When you gain this feature, learn one spell from the list below:
Burning hands, catapult, cause fear, chromatic orb, earth tremor, fog cloud, frost fingers, grease, ice knife, ray of sickness, tasha's caustic brew, tasha's hideous laughter, thunderwave
Once per turn, as an action, you may fire an arrow from any type of bow or crossbow, and apply a single arcane archer spell known to that shot. The spell's range limitations are ignored when used in this way.
You gain an additional Arcane Arrow option of your choice when you reach certain levels in this class: 7th, 10th, 15th, and 18th level. At these levels, your options also increase to those below:
7th level: Agnazzar's scorcher, blindness/deafness, cloud of daggers, crown of madness, earthbind, gust of wind, hold person, immovable object, melf's acid arrow, shatter, snilloc's snowball storm, tasha's mind whip, vortex warp, web
10th level: Counterspell*, dispel magic, enemies abound, erupting earth, fear, fireball, glyph of warding, hypnotic pattern, incite greed, lightning bolt, sleet storm, slow, stinking cloud, thunder step, tidal wave
15th level: Banishment, blight, confusion, dimension door, evard's black tentacles, ice storm, otiluke's resilient sphere, storm sphere, vitriolic sphere, wall of fire, watery sphere
18th level: Cloudkill, Cone of cold, enervation, hold monster, immolation, synaptic static
Whenever you gain a new Arcane Arrow option, you can choose one of the arcane arrow options you know, and replace it with another arcane arrow option available to you at your level.
If a spell or cantrip used requires a saving throw, your save DC equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier.
7th Level
Magic Arrow: You gain the ability to infuse arrows with magic. Whenever you fire a nonmagical arrow from any type of bow or crossbow, you can make it magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage. The magic fades from the arrow immediately after it hits or misses its target.
Returning Arrow: Your arcane arrows now carry a single returning enchantment on them, allowing an arrow that fails to hit to return to your bow instantly, with the magic charge unexpended. You can either reabsorb the magic and regaining the arcane arrow use for later, or attack with that arrow again on this turnas a bonus action.
15th Level
Ever-Ready Arrow: Starting at 15th level, your magical archery is available whenever battle starts. If you roll initiative and have no uses of Arcane Arcane Arrow remaining, you regain one use of it.
So, yeah, this is not-quite-warlock, semi-eldritch-knight, mostly-arcane-archer.
There was a Fixed it For You thing happening a while back where people revised unbalanced subclasses. Looks like Arcane Archer was started, but never declared finished.
Look at what you've done. You spoiled it. You have nobody to blame but yourself. Go sit and think about your actions.
Don't be mean. Rudeness is a vicious cycle, and it has to stop somewhere. Exceptions for things that are funny.
Go to the current Competition of the Finest 'Brews! It's a cool place where cool people make cool things.
How I'm posting based on text formatting: Mod Hat Off - Mod Hat Also Off (I'm not a mod)
Oh, missed that. Thanks!
...still hoped for a tiny bit more feedback on this, though. I don't feel right posting this in a dead topic and resurrecting it...
I also have created a Ranger subclass for an Arcane Archer: https://www.dndbeyond.com/subclasses/676020-spellbow