Eldritch Archer (Pathfinder Second Edition Archetype)
(art by Matriarchs-Haunt on DeviantArt)
Though it has gone through a curious name change, today’s archetype is another blast from the past in the form of a prestige class turned 2nd edition archetype.
Whether it was because of weird legal reasons (like making treants “Arboreals” or the primary name for sahuagin “devilfish” despite keeping the sahuagin name) or something else, (such as being open to all mystical disciplines, not just arcane) the arcane archer of yore is now the Eldritch Archer!
Much like it’s past incarnations, this specialization is built around combining magic with archery. However, unlike previous editions, there is no stated connection to elves, and you don’t even have to be a mage of any kind beforehand to gain the benefits! All that is required is some level of expertise with a bow, and the archetype will happily provide the missing magic should your character lack it. That being said, having a proper arsenal of spells will diversify your magical options, but if you want to be more martial with a slight mystical edge, you are perfectly welcome to.
As you might imagine, this archetype retains many of the classic magical archer abilities, geared towards the 2nd edition assumptions, of course.
The basic dedication of the archetype grants them the ability to infuse a spell they have to aim (either a melee touch or ranged attack) into an arrow and firing it, conducting the spell through the arrow. If the character lacks magic, they also learn a basic attack spell to add to their arrows.
Naturally, those without normal spellcasting can learn basic, expert, and master spellcasting in their own, limited way.
By infusing their arrows with psychic trauma, they can inflict greater pain upon foes from afar and even debilitate them from afar.
They also learn how to add temporary minor enchantments to their arrows for offensive or utility purposes, learning three such techniques. Obviously they must quickly use these arrows before the magic dissipates.
Similarly, they can infuse arrows with the essence of silver, cold iron, or even later adamantine to help pierce the defenses of foes and exploit their weaknesses.
They can also bend the path of their arrows, letting them veer around corners and obstacles to strike around cover.
Alternately, they can imbue their arrows with the ability to phase through matter other than their target, passing through such cover and obstacles, even their foe’s shield, though magical barriers can still stop it.
Perhaps their most powerful magical enhancement allows them to make a single arrow supernaturally lethal, seeking the most vulnerable part of their body, dealing grievous injury and potentially even slaying the target outright with lethal necromantic magic.
Additionally, the most powerful are able to unleash an impossibly fast volley of arrows, unleashing a withering rain of arrows in a close cluster.
If you are planning on being a ranged damage dealer with both spells and arrows and the combination of the two, the eldritch archer is certainly a tempting prospect, and the fact that you don’t even need to be a casting class or take a multiclass archetype to get spells in the first place to take it means that nearly anyone can benefit from it. Of course, classes that grant extra benefits to their ranged attacks are probably the best bet, though again, you can either focus on the martial side or the spellcasting side, or some combination of both. Obviously, if your spellcasting comes entirely from the archetype, your spell choices will be entirely combat-related ones you can add to your arrows, while you might diversify if you have a proper casting class.
The biggest thing that has changed about this archetype from the 1st edition prestige class is that it is no longer limited by the types of spellcaster you have to be to make use of it, which implies the tradition either evolved to accommodate every casting tradition, or four entirely separate spell-archer traditions evolved separately or arose from cross-study and cultural exchange, which can be a nice bit of lore if you work it into your game somehow.
Though she is small, Velka the shoony has a strong, harmonic voice that lends itself well to her bardic training. However, she is more than a mere bard, for she learned how to “sing” her arrows to enchant and direct them, striking foes with uncanny accuracy and various magical effects.
The captain of the Westfort reserve is legendary for his aim, as well as the various elemental effects he can imbue into his arrows on the fly. He doesn’t talk about where this power comes from or where he learned it, but visiting mages confirm it is primal in nature.
Typically, one thinks of flesh golems as hulking things with little grace, but the creations of Kalkras the Death-Archer are different, wiry things with massive longbows grafted to their limbs, and granted a measure of their accuracy, if not the foul spells they lace their arrows with.
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A handout of a book the PCs found sitting open, like so, on a table towards the beginning of my previous Mystara campaign.
It was a guide to flesh golem creation.
There was a note on the inside front cover which referenced a character from the campaign prior to that, which took place roughly 20 years later, the campaign this was made for being a sort of "prequel." The original campaign took place during the AD&D Mystara post-WotI circa 1021, and the second during the regular D&D Gazeteer era circa 1000. This handout then contained a little "easter egg" that told the players how their future group's arch enemy learned to make flesh golems. They never figured out who V.F. was, despite it being cheesily obvious.
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