So, I got some time with my work, but no access to Internet. So, I attempted to fix yet another class - the Order of the Bow Initiate, from Complete Warrior.
Before I started this, I wanted to know if the other fixes around the net were better than what I had in mind. My google-fu did not fail me - found a lot of them.
In the end, I did some mix-and-match with all these fixes (plus my own touch, of course
) and this is the result.
Special thanks to dman11235 and archerpwr/Ubernoob, whose ideas can be found
here.
Order of the Bow Initiate
"When you fire an arrow... don't you feel like you're flying with it for a second?" - Llewelyn, half-elf Order of the bow initiate
The Order of the Bow Initiate seeks ultimate perfection with his bow, physically and mentally, following the teachings of the Way of the Bow. Capable of fighting at range or at close quarters with little to no difficult, Initiates are powerful and deadly archers, harmonizing themselves with their bows.
Becoming an Order of the Bow Initiate Fighters who multiclass in Ranger or Rogue (to get enough skill points) are common Initiates. Rangers and Scouts
CAdv can also seek the path of the Order of the Bow. Some Rogues have also entered the Order before.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS Skills: Craft (bowmaking) 5 ranks, Knowledge (Religion) 2 ranks, Spot 5 ranks
Feats: Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Rapid Shot, Weapon Focus (any bow).
Class Skills The Order of the Bow Initiate's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex), Knowledge (Religion) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Tumble (Dex), Use Rope (Dex)
Skills Points at Each Level : 6 + Int modifier
Hit Dice: d8
BAB Fort Ref Will Abilities
1. +1 +0 +2 +2 Bow Mastery (Weapon Focus), Ranged Precision
2. +2 +0 +3 +3 Close Combat Shot (medium), Eagle Eye
3. +3 +1 +3 +3 Bow Mastery (Weapon Specialization), Zen Marksmanship
4. +4 +1 +4 +4 Augmented Critical +1, Sharpshooting
5. +5 +1 +4 +4 Bow Mastery (Greater Weapon Focus)
6. +6 +2 +5 +5 Close Combat Shot (large), Crippling Shot
7. +7 +2 +5 +5 Bow Mastery (Greater Weapon Specialization), Deadly Critical
8. +8 +2 +6 +6 Improved Sharpshooting
9. +9 +3 +6 +6 Bow Mastery (Ranged Weapon Mastery)
10. +10 +3 +7 +7 Archer's Insight, Augmented Critical +2
Weapon Proficiencies: An Order of the Bow Initiate is proficient with all bows, and gains no new armor or shield proficiencies.
Ranged Precision (Ex): starting at 1st level, the order of the bow initiate can spot the best places on the opponent’s body to deal as much damage as possible with an arrow. As a free action, you can roll a special Spot check, using only your skill ranks plus your Wisdom modifier plus half your class levels (rounded down), plus any penalties you might have. All ranged attacks you make using a bow this round deal extra damage based on your check result:
Check Bonus
Result Damage
1-10 2d8
11-20 3d8
21-25 4d8
26-30 5d8
31-35 6d8
36-40 7d8
...
For a check result of 41 onwards, you add a 1d8 for every 5 points higher than 41 (+1d8 at 41-45, +1d8 at 46-50, and so on).
This is not considered precision damage, so creatures immune to critical hits (such as undead) are not immune to this damage. This extra damage applies to attacks made within your bow’s first range increment.
Bow Mastery (Ex): The order of the bow initiate is constantly seeking mastery over the bow and arrow. Your weapon focus feat applies to all weapons with the word bow in their name starting at 1st level. At 3rd level you gain the feat Weapon Specialization with all these weapons as a bonus feat. At 5th level you gain the feat Greater Weapon Focus with these weapons as a bonus feat. At 7th level you gain the feat Greater Weapon Specialization with these weapons as a bonus feat. At 9th level you gain the feat Ranged Weapon Mastery
PHB2 with all of these weapons as a bonus feat. You gain all these bonus feats even if you do not meet its requirements.
Close Combat Shot (Ex): An Order of the Bow Initiate is so in tune with his bows that he no longer provokes attacks of opportunity for firing one. He still incurs attacks of opportunity for using other ranged weapons, such as crossbows. Additionally, you threaten with any bow and may make AoOs with it as if wielding it as a reach weapon. These are still considered ranged attacks. At 6th level, you threaten out of 20 ft, as if you were a large creature wielding a reach weapon.
Eagle Eye (Ex): At 2nd level, the order of the bow initiate adds double his class levels as an insight bonus on Spot checks.
Zen Marksmanship (Ex): As you advance in the Order of the bow path, you learn to trust your intuition to guide your arrows. At 3rd level, you add your Wisdom bonus to all damage rolls with bows.
Aumented Critical (Ex): At 4th level, and again at 10th level, the threat range of any bow you wield is increased by one. This stacks with the effects of Keen or Improved Critical.
Sharpshooting (Ex): Starting at 4th level, your vision becomes so sharp that even a slight opening in a door is enough to fire your arrows through. As a swift action, you can roll a special Spot check, using only your skill ranks plus your Wisdom modifier plus half your class levels (rounded down), plus any penalties you might have. The DC for this check is equal to your target’s original AC. If your result is equal to or greater than the DC, until the end of the round, the bonus to AC from cover and partial cover on that opponent is reduced by two. In addition, you reduce any miss chance on that opponent by half. At 8th level the bonuses from cover reduce by another 2, and any miss chance is ignored. Additionally, you can apply the bonus damage from your Ranged Precision ability to any attacks you make this round based on the result of the check you just rolled.
Crippling Shot (Ex): The Order of the Bow Initiate can use his unrivaled accuracy to aim at some of his target’s chakras (Magic of Incarnum pg 50). Starting at 6th level, as a standard action, you can roll a Spot check. The DC for this check is equal to your target’s total AC. If you succeed, make a single attack againt that opponent. If you hit, that attack deals normal damage, and you can choose one of the following effects:
- Arms: You shoot at the target's arm or similar limb. The target takes a penalty to attack and damage rolls equal to 1+ your Wisdom modifier for a number of rounds equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum 1);
- Feet: You shoot at the target's foot or similar appendage. The target's land speed is halved for a number of rounds equal to your Wisdom modifier;
- Hands: You shoot at the target's hand or similar appendage. The target can't make opportunity attacks for a number of rounds equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum 1);
- Shoulders: You shoot at the target's shoulders or similar area. The target's fly speed is halved, and its maneuverability is reduced by 2 steps (so if a creature had a fly speed with good maneuverability, this ability would reduce it to poor) for a number of rounds equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum 1);
- Waist: You shoot at the target's waist, or similar area. The target takes a penalty to its fast healing or regeneration equal to 1 + your Wisdom modifier for a number of rounds equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum 1).
This ability is not precision-based, so even creatures immune to precision-based abilities (such as constructs) would be affected by this ability normally.
Deadly Critical (Ex): At 7th level the threat multiplier of any bow you wield is increased by one.
Archer's Insight (Ex): at 10th level, the Order of the Bow Initiate achieves perfection with his bow. Whenever you make an attack with a bow, but before knowing if it hit the target or not, you may choose to reroll the attack and pick either result. This ability can be used a number of times per round equal to half your Wisdom modifier (minimum 1). This ability can be used even when making attacks of opportunity using Close Combat Shot.
----
And that's it.
What do you guys think about Horizon Shot? Originally, I was planning to make an ability called "Called Shot", where the initiate would be able to make a spot check (ranks + Wis + 1/2 Class levels) and choose certain body parts, inflicting some ailment. Should I try to put it together?
What about Eagle Eye? I just picked it along with some other abilities, but is it really needed? Is the bonus too much?
Thanks in advance
Edit1: made Ranged Precision scale forever, and tried to add some clarification on Archer's Insight...
Edit2: removed Horizon shot, and added Crippling Shot...
