An Arcane Archer studies a unique method of ranged combat that weaves magic into attacks to produce supernatural effects. Arcane Archers stand watch over the fringes of their homelands, keeping a keen eye out for trespassers and using magic-infused ammunition to defeat monsters and invaders before they can reach those they protect.

This takes some inspiration from the work of PerfectlyCircularSeal

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:

• Features are now permitted for use with all ranged weapons
• The limited use of Arcane Shot has been changed from 2/Short Rest to instead scale off of your fighter level to reflect changes in 5e design philosophy. You regain two uses after a short rest and all of them after a long rest.
• Due to changing the Arcane Shot recharge to long rest, Ever-Ready Shot has been has been reworked.
• I added several new Arcane Shot options: Draining Arrow, Nullifying Arrow, Slowing Arrow, Levitation Arrow, and Transposition Arrow. These were also added because the base class originally had 8 options, of which a fighter would learn 6.
• Some of the options have been reworked for simplicity, and some have been granted out-of-combat uses. Right now it's just 3; if you have an idea for an out-of-combat use an option could have, please let me know.
• 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: Grasping Shot (initial damage remains comparable, but the subsequent damage is reduced) and Seeking Shot (total damage increased).

Arcane Archer Lore

Your studies into the supernatural combat arts have yielded additional knowledge of the secrets of the world. 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.

Arcane Shot

At 3rd level, you learn to unleash special magical effects with some of your shots. When you use the Attack action and attack with a ranged weapon, you can apply one of your Arcane Shot options to one of those attacks. You decide to use the option when the ammunition hits a creature, unless the option specifies otherwise.

Arcane Archery

Fighter Level	Options Known	Number of Uses
3	2	4
7	3	4
10	4	5
15	5	5
18	6	6

The Arcane Archery table shows the number of options you know  (see “Arcane Shot Options” below) and the amount of uses you have of this feature when you reach certain Fighter levels. You regain all expended uses when you finish a Short or Long rest.

Whenever you gain a Fighter level, you can replace one option you know with a different one. Each option also improves when you become an 18th-level fighter.

Magic Ammunition

You refine your control over your magic, and can even create projectiles from it.

Create Ammunition. When you make an attack with a ranged weapon that has the ammunition property, you do not need to provide any and instead create one that disappears after the attack hits or misses.

Infused Shots. Whenever you attack with a ranged weapon, you an choose to deal the weapon's damage type or Force damage.

Curved Shots. When you attack with a ranged weapon and miss, you can use your Reaction to reroll the attack roll against a different target within 60 feet of the original target.

Powerful Shot

The potency of your magic shots increases. Whenever you use an arcane shot option that deals damage, you can add your Intelligence modifier to one of the option's damage rolls. If the option does not deal damage, you can instead add that amount of force damage to the initial hit.

Ever-Ready Shot

You can quickly draw upon your magic when you need it. When you roll initiative, you regain expended uses of Arcane Shot until you have an amount equal to half your Intelligence modifier (minimum of one use) if you have fewer than that amount remaining.

Arcane Shot Improvement

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.

If an option requires a saving throw, your Arcane Shot save DC equals 8 plus your Intelligence modifier and Proficiency Bonus.

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 ammunition 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 attack hits it.

Beguiling Shot

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

You imbue your ammunition with force energy drawn from the school of evocation. The energy 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.

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

You may instead use this option if you hit an object with it. The object takes damage from your weapon plus an extra 2d6 force damage.

Draining Shot

You twist your ammunition through the sapping energies of the Shadowfell as it flies. The creature hit by the ammunition takes an extra 1d6 necrotic damage, and you and each creature you choose that you can see within 15 feet of your target regain hit points equal to the amount of necrotic damage dealt.

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

Enfeebling Shot

You weave necromantic magic into your ammunition. The creature hit by the ammunition takes an extra 2d6 necrotic damage. The target must also succeed on a Constitution saving throw, or the damage dealt by its 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 Shot

When this ammunition 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.

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

You may also use this option even if you don't attack a creature with it; if you do, you may fire your ammunition at a vertical surface you can see within your weapon's range and create a mass of vines in a 10 foot square centered on that point. These vines last for one minute and can be climbed safely.

Levitation Shot

You imbue your shot with gravity-altering magic. The creature hit by the ammunition 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 becoming prone.

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

Nullifying Shot

You cause a powerful arcane symbol to become inscribed upon your ammunition, which seeks to draw out magical power as it is used. If the creature hit by the shot casts a spell of 2nd level or lower before the start of your next turn, the symbol activates and the creature must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or its spell fails and has no effect, and the action, Bonus Action, or Reaction used to cast it is wasted, though a spell slot is not expended.

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 Shot

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

Seeking Shot

Using divination magic, you grant your ammunition 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 ammunition 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 ammunition to travel to the target, the target must make a Dexterity saving throw. Otherwise, the ammunition disappears after traveling as far as it can. On a failed save, the target takes damage as if it were hit by the ammunition , 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 Shot

You weave illusion magic into your shot, causing it to occlude your foe’s vision with shadows. The creature hit by the ammunition takes an extra 2d6 psychic damage, and it must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or have the Blinded condition until the start of your next turn.

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

Slowing Shot

When this ammunition strikes its target, you attempt to magically 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.

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

Transposition Shot

You bestow your ammunition with twinkling magic drawn from the Feywild. The creature hit with it takes an extra 2d6 psychic damage and you teleport to an unoccupied spot you can see within 10 feet of it.

After you reach 18th level in this class, the psychic damage increases to 3d6.

You may also use this option even if you don't attack a creature with it; if you do, you may fire your ammunition at an unoccupied spot you can see within your weapon's range and teleport to where it lands, enshrouded in glittering light.