Originally practiced by elves, arcane marksmanship was once an art only applied to archery, but after humans, gnomes, and dwarves got their hands on it, the art rapidly evolved.

Arcane Marksmanship is the practice of interweaving magical effects into a rain of arrows, bolts, or even bullets. Whether being done while taking the classical approach with a longbow, or practicing a newer angle with a crossbow or firearm, Arcane Marksmanship is a beautiful and powerful craft.

Previous Feature Improvements

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Arcane Marksman Lore

At 3rd level, you learn magical theory or some of the secrets of nature – typical for practitioners of of this mystical 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 Shot

At 3rd level, you learn to unleash special magical effects with some of your shots. When you gain this feature, you learn two Arcane Shot options of your choice (see "Arcane Shot Options" below).

Once per turn when you fire ammunition from a ranged weapon as part of the Attack action, you can apply one of your Arcane Shot options to that piece of ammunition. You decide to use the option when the shot hits, unless the option doesn’t involve an attack roll. You have two uses of this ability, and gain additional uses at 7th and 18th-level, and you regain all expended uses of it when you finish a short or long rest. 

You gain an additional Arcane Shot option of your choice when you reach certain levels in this class: 7th, 10th, 15th, and 18th level. Each option also improves when you become an 10th and 18th-level fighter. 

 

Arcane Shot Options

Arcane Shot Options

The Arcane Shot feature lets you choose options for it at certain levels. The options are presented here in alphabetical order. They are all magical effects, and each one is associated with one of the schools of magic.

If an option requires a saving throw, your Arcane Shot save DC equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier.

Banishing Shot. You use abjuration magic to try to temporarily banish your target to a harmless location in the Feywild. The creature hit by the shot must also succeed on a Charisma saving throw or be banished. While banished in this way, its speed is 0, and it is incapacitated. At the end of its next turn, the target reappears in the space it vacated or in the nearest unoccupied space if that space is occupied.

At 10th level, a target also takes 1d6 force damage when the shot hits it. After you reach 18th level in this class, a target also takes 2d8 force damage when the shot hits it.

Beguiling Shot. Your enchantment magic causes this shot to temporarily beguile its target. The creature hit by the shot takes an extra 2d6 psychic damage, and choose one of your allies within 30 feet of the target. The target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw, or it is charmed by the chosen ally until the start of your next turn. This effect ends early if the chosen ally attacks the charmed target, deals damage to it, or forces it to make a saving throw.

At 10th level, the 2d6 becomes 2d8 psychic damage, and the psychic damage increases to 3d8 when you reach 18th level in this class.

Bursting Shot. You imbue your shot with force energy drawn from the school of evocation. The shot detonates after your attack. Immediately after the shot hits the creature, the target and all other creatures within 10 feet of it take 2d6 force damage each.

At 10th level, the 2d6 becomes 2d8, and the force damage increases to 3d8 when you reach 18th level in this class.

Enfeebling Shot. You weave necromantic magic into your shot. The creature hit by the shot takes an extra 2d6 necrotic damage. 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.

At 10th level, the 2d6 becomes 2d8 necrotic damage, and the necrotic damage increases to 3d8 when you reach 18th level in this class.

Grasping Shot. When this shot strikes its target, conjuration magic creates grasping, poisonous brambles, which wrap around the target. The creature hit by the shot takes an extra 2d6 poison damage, its speed is reduced by 10 feet, and it takes 2d6 slashing damage the first time on each turn it moves 1 foot or more without teleporting. The target or any creature that can reach it can use its action to remove the brambles with a successful Strength (Athletics) check against your Arcane Shot save DC. Otherwise, the brambles last for 1 minute or until you use this option again.

At 10th level, 2d6 is replaced with 2d8 for both the poison and the slashing damage, and the poison damage and slashing damage both increase to 3d8 when you reach 18th level in this class.

Piercing Shot. You use transmutation magic to give your shot an ethereal quality. When you use this option, you don’t make an attack roll for the attack. Instead, the shot fires forward in a line, which is 1 foot wide and 30 feet long, before disappearing. The shot passes harmlessly through objects, ignoring cover. Each creature in that line must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes damage as if it were hit by the shot, plus an extra 1d6 piercing damage. On a successful save, a target takes half as much damage.

At 10th level, the additional damage becomes 1d8 instead of 1d6, and the piercing damage increases to 2d8 when you reach 18th level in this class.

Seeking Shot. Using divination magic, you grant your shot the ability to seek out your target, allowing the shot to curve and twist its path in search of its prey. When you use this option, you don’t make an attack roll for the attack. Instead, choose one creature you have seen in the past minute. The arrow flies toward that creature, moving around corners if necessary and ignoring three-quarters cover and half cover. If the target is within the weapon’s range and there is a path large enough for the arrow to travel to the target, the target must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, it takes damage as if it were hit by the shot, plus an extra 1d6 force damage, and you learn the target’s current location. On a successful save, the target takes half as much damage, and you don’t learn its location.

At 10th level, the 1d6 becomes 1d8, and the force damage increases to 2d8 when you reach 18th level in this class.

Shadow Shot. You weave illusion magic into your shot, causing it to occlude your foe’s vision with shadows. The creature hit by the shot takes an extra 2d6 psychic damage, and it must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be unable to see anything farther than 5 feet away until the start of your next turn.

At 10th level, the d6s become d8s, and the psychic damage increases to 3d8 when you reach 18th level in this class.

Magical Augmentation

At 7th level, you gain the ability to infuse ammunition with magic. Whenever you fire a nonmagical piece of ammunition from a ranged weapon, 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. 

At 10th level, ammunition effected by this augmentation also gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls.

 

Curving Shot

At 7th level, you learn how to direct an errant shot toward a new target. When you make an attack roll with a piece of magic ammunition and miss, you can use a bonus action to reroll the attack roll against a different target within 60 feet of the original target.

Ever-Ready Arsenal

Starting at 15th level, your magical talents are available when and wherever combat may start. If you roll initiative and have no uses of Arcane Shot remaining, you regain one use of it.

 

Arcane Shot and Magical Augmentation Improvements

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