An Arcane Archer studies a unique elven method of archery that weaves magic into attacks to produce supernatural effects. Arcane Archers are some of the 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.

DESIGN NOTES

I made this variant due to complaints with the original class. This is the same as the base subclass, with the following changes:

• The limited use of Arcane Shot has been increased from 2/Short Rest to your proficiency bonus per Long Rest to reflect changes in 5e design philosophy.
• Due to the increase in uses, you can now use Arcane Shot once per Attack action, instead of once per turn. This means a Hasted Arcane Archer that uses their Action Surge can use 3 Arcane Shots in one turn. This change has been reverted in version 1.5.
• Due to changing the Arcane Shot recharge to long rest, Ever-Ready Shot has been has been changed from 1 to INT/2.
• II added three new Arcane Shot options to represent the addition of three new 'schools' of magic: Nullifying Arrow (Scribing/Runecarving), Slowing Arrow (Chronurgy), and Levitation Arrow (Graviturgy). These were also added because the base class originally ended up learning 6 of the 8 possible options, which made for little difference between two different Arcane Archer characters.
• You can now swap an arcane shot option you know whenever you learn a new one.
• A 10th level ability has been added, Powerful Shot. This helps the class scale more gradually instead of the sudden spike at 18.
• To account for the new feature and the increased amount of Shots, the damage scaling at level 18 has been changed for all Arcane Shot options to only add 1d6. Notable about this change is that the following options are particularly affected: Bursting Shot (single target damage remains comparable, but aoe damage reduced), Grasping Shot (initial damage remains comparable, but the subsequent damage is reduced), Piercing Shot (single target damage increased, damage to extra targets remains the same), and Seeking Shot (total damage increased).

Arcane Archer Lore

At 3rd level, 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 the druidcraft cantrip. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for it.

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 an arrow from a shortbow or longbow, you can apply one of your Arcane Shot options to that arrow. You decide to use the option when the arrow hits a creature, unless the option doesn’t involve an attack roll. You can use this ability a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus plus one, and you regain all expended uses of it when you finish a 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 time you learn a new option, you can replace one option you know with a different one. Each option also improves when you become an 18th-level fighter.

Magic Arrow

At 7th level, you gain the ability to infuse arrows with magic. Whenever you fire a nonmagical arrow from a shortbow or longbow, 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.

Curving Shot

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

Powerful Shot

Starting at 10th level, you learn how to increase the potency of your magic arrows. Whenever you use an arcane shot option that deals damage, you can add your Intelligence modifier to one of the option's damage rolls against one of the option's targets. If the option does not deal damage, you can instead add that amount of force damage to the initial hit.

Ever-Ready Shot

Starting at 15th level, your magical archery is available whenever battle starts. If you roll initiative and have no uses of Arcane Shot remaining, you regain uses of it equal to half your Intelligence modifier (minimum of 1 use).

Arcane Shot Improvement

At 18th level, the damage dealt by your Arcane Shot options increases by 1d6.

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 Arrow

You use abjuration magic to try to temporarily banish your target to a harmless location in the Feywild. The creature hit by the arrow must also succeed on a Charisma saving throw or be banished. While banished in this way, the target’s 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.

After you reach 18th level in this class, a target also takes 1d6 force damage when the arrow hits it.

Beguiling Arrow

Your enchantment magic causes this arrow to temporarily beguile its target. The creature hit by the arrow 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.

The psychic damage increases to 3d6 when you reach 18th level in this class.

Bursting Arrow

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

The force damage increases to 3d6 when you reach 18th level in this class.

Enfeebling Arrow

You weave necromantic magic into your arrow. The creature hit by the arrow 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.

The necrotic damage increases to 3d6 when you reach 18th level in this class.

Grasping Arrow

When this arrow strikes its target, conjuration magic creates grasping, poisonous brambles, which wrap around the target. The creature hit by the arrow 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.

The poison damage and slashing damage both increase to 3d6 when you reach 18th level in this class.

Levitation Arrow

You imbue your arrow with magic drawn from the school of graviturgy. The creature hit by the arrow takes an extra 1d6 force damage and must also succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be lifted up to 10 feet into the air. While lifted in this way, it cannot move unless it has a fly speed. At the end of its next turn, it is sent crashing into the ground, taking 1d6 bludgeoning damage and falling prone.

The bludgeoning damage increases to 2d6 when you reach 18th level in this class.

Nullifying Arrow

You cause a powerful arcane symbol to become inscribed upon your arrow, which seeks to draw out magical power as it is used. If the creature hit by the arrow casts a spell of 3rd level or lower before the start of your next turn, the symbol activates and the creature must succeed on a saving throw using its spellcasting ability or its spell fails and has no effect.

After you reach 18th level in this class, the target also takes 1d6 force damage when the arrow hits it, and the symbol activates if the creature casts a spell of 5th level or lower instead.

Piercing Arrow

You use transmutation magic to give your arrow an ethereal quality. When you use this option, you don’t make an attack roll for the attack. Instead, the arrow shoots forward in a line, which is 1 foot wide and 30 feet long, before disappearing. The arrow 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 arrow, plus an extra 1d6 piercing damage. On a successful save, a target takes half as much damage.

The piercing damage increases to 2d6 when you reach 18th level in this class.

Seeking Arrow

Using divination magic, you grant your arrow the ability to seek out a target. 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. Otherwise, the arrow disappears after traveling as far as it can. On a failed save, the target takes damage as if it were hit by the arrow, 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.

The force damage increases to 2d6 when you reach 18th level in this class.

Shadow Arrow

You weave illusion magic into your arrow, causing it to occlude your foe’s vision with shadows. The creature hit by the arrow 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.

The psychic damage increases to 3d6 when you reach 18th level in this class.

Slowing Arrow

When this arrow strikes its target, chronurgy magic attempts to alter its perception of time. The creature must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be slowed until the end of its next turn. A creature slowed in this way can't take reactions, has its movement halved, and it can't make more than one attack on its turn. In addition, the creature can use either an action or a bonus action on its turn.

After you reach 18th level in this class, the creature also takes 1d6 force damage when the arrow hits it.