So what's the best way to build an archer now?

[Atari 2600]

It's been a while since I D&Ded, mostly 3.5 and 4. Is multiclass the best way to build an effective archer? Or straight dex fighter? Ranger? Rogue?

Appreciate any input based on the latest info of what's in the game (perks, etc). I realize things might change in the next few weeks.

[Recjawjind]

Well, the best raw DRP archers will always be dex fighters.

[Indure]

Maybe War Cleric until level 5 and then respec completely to fighter. Take fighter until level 8 and then dip 2 levels of rogue, ranger or something else. The at 11 reroll as a complete fighter and finish as a full fighter.

[Adalon]

Assassin/Gloom stalker multi class.
Be sneaky.
Keep it beaky.

[wei270]

Originally posted by Zekken:

Assassin/Gloom stalker multi class.
Be sneaky.
Keep it beaky.

if fight last 3 or less turns assassin/stalker > dex fighter archer.

but if the fighting last longer fighter is gonna be more reliable with better hit chance and better crit chance.

[sevensided]

Originally posted by wei270:

but if the fighting last longer fighter is gonna be more reliable with better hit chance and better crit chance.

Better hit chance? You're going to need to explain that, as proficiency+dex+archery fighting style is the same across the board (assuming same level and attributes) between gloomstalker/assassin and any subset of fighter. And only a champion is going to have a better crit chance than anything else.

Further, the gloomstalker is likely to have advantage in more situations thanks to effectively being invisible to most things in most encounters.

As to the OP- Gloomstalker 5/ Assassin 3 with sharpshooter feat is going to be the core of the best archer you're likely to get in BG3 based upon the classes in the game (and even in full fledged tabletop). Outside of that you can add some levels of fighter for actionsurge or stick with Assassin to add more sneak attack dice ( and the base rogue abilities). Or maybe even throw in some cleric for a channel divinity and more spells. As long as you have those other 8 levels of gloom+Assassin+sharpshooter, you have a top shelf archer.

[.Master Jiren, The Strongest]

I hate to ruin anyones builds but the reality is we don't know.
Because your build is going to be centered around the very powerful magic items you find.
Which means, until we know what items are out there, this is all just guess work based on little to know information.

People are making guesses based on table top knowledge, but we have no idea what class features you'll actually have in BG3 after level 5. Thats 7 levels per class that we have no confirmed features for, other than, probably, level 8 and 12 giving feats or ability score improvements.

I think what you should do, is just make a build thats the most fun, not necessarily what build you think is going to be the top DPS or whatever, but a build you can have fun with. Because theres going to be magic items that work only for your class, and I think anything you build is probably going to have its benefits.

One thing I can say is that a warlock with eldritch blast is probably the best long ranged sniper possible, but if you want to use an actual longbow then just remember a battle master fighter can knock enemies off cliffs several times per short rest, and since this isnt table top, you can short rest anytime you want.

in the current build, I played through basically an entire playthrough from start all the way to killing the grim forge guardian. The only 2 places I didnt end up going was the myconid colony and the swamp. i did everything else. And in that amount of time I only took maybe, idk, 5 long rests or something. I took so few long rests that I only had just unlocked my tadpole power, and had only seen my tadpole girlfriend one time before i basically finished everything i wanted to do.

The point im making is that I did all of that and I never even used any of the 10 or so supply packs I had, i passed up most food i saw and only picked up food that was worth 5 or 10 supplies each. And I never ran out of food, not even close. Which means I did just about everything there was to do and still could've taken 10, 15, maybe 20 more long rests just with the supplies i'd gathered so far.

That means you dont need to worry about managing your characters long rests because theres so much food in this game for supplies that you can literally just spam long rests after every encounter and still be perfectly fine. So a battle master fighter can use his features indiscriminately without having any concern for rests.

a ranger could be fine but you wont have that ranged push action and you wont have heavy armor and your spells only recharge on a long rest while a fighter can use his martial maneuvers on short rests if im remembering right.

a rogue doesnt even have any features. no magic. no features. and sneak attack only works when you meet the requirement for it. So, in this context, with the sheer volume of food and supplies, i'd say you could safely pick a battle master fighter and just absolutely obliterate everyone from a distance more reliable than any of the other ranged dex options.


Although rangers are way more fun on table top, their fun is mainly in roleplay potential, which doesnt exist here. rip rangers.

[wei270]

Originally posted by sevensided:

Originally posted by wei270:

but if the fighting last longer fighter is gonna be more reliable with better hit chance and better crit chance.

Better hit chance? You're going to need to explain that, as proficiency+dex+archery fighting style is the same across the board (assuming same level and attributes) between gloomstalker/assassin and any subset of fighter. And only a champion is going to have a better crit chance than anything else.

Further, the gloomstalker is likely to have advantage in more situations thanks to effectively being invisible to most things in most encounters.

As to the OP- Gloomstalker 5/ Assassin 3 with sharpshooter feat is going to be the core of the best archer you're likely to get in BG3 based upon the classes in the game (and even in full fledged tabletop). Outside of that you can add some levels of fighter for actionsurge or stick with Assassin to add more sneak attack dice ( and the base rogue abilities). Or maybe even throw in some cleric for a channel divinity and more spells. As long as you have those other 8 levels of gloom+Assassin+sharpshooter, you have a top shelf archer.

fighter has a +2 on archery, 1 extra attack, 1 extra stats upgrade (4 instead of 3), which can translate to archery feats.

[sevensided]

Originally posted by .Master Jiren, The Strongest:

Although rangers are way more fun on table top, their fun is mainly in roleplay potential, ....

Except that's not true. Beastmasters have rather powerful pets in BG3 (beserker boars!), and Gloomstalker is entering the game.

[katzenkrimis]

Rangers primary ability is Dexterity, and their saving throw proficiencies are Strength & Dexterity.


You could do this:

Str - 16
Dex -16
Con - 13
Int - 9
Wis - 9
Cha - 14


Or this:

Str - 16
Dex - 15
Con - 13
Int - 10
Wis - 10
Cha - 14


===

I gave you Charisma as a third priority because role-playing with the dice is a constant in this game. You'll probably want to be Charismatic.

Constitution I gave as a lesser priority because archers are kind of wimpy.

If you want, you can reverse the Charisma and Constitution.

[sevensided]

Originally posted by wei270:

fighter has a +2 on archery, 1 extra attack, 1 extra stats upgrade (4 instead of 3), which can translate to archery feats.

A ranger/rogue multi will also have that same +2 on Archery, and have 20 dex by lvl 12, same as the fighter.

The only plus the pure fighter has is the additional attack gained at lvl 11, 1 lvl before the end of the game.

[wei270]

Originally posted by sevensided:

Originally posted by wei270:

fighter has a +2 on archery, 1 extra attack, 1 extra stats upgrade (4 instead of 3), which can translate to archery feats.

A ranger/rogue multi will also have that same +2 on Archery, and have 20 dex by lvl 12, same as the fighter.

The only plus the pure fighter has is the additional attack gained at lvl 11, 1 lvl before the end of the game.

now that you mention it does seem like fighter is most of late bomber once he get his 4th attack at lvl 20

but you shouldn't underestimate superiority dice, or champion 19 crit, which is essentially another +1 to hit. or war caster, war caster is a little depended on what cantrip is available to the game but in the table there are some very powerful cantrips that when you do the math tops dps if their conditions are triggered,

[sevensided]

Originally posted by wei270:

Originally posted by sevensided:

A ranger/rogue multi will also have that same +2 on Archery, and have 20 dex by lvl 12, same as the fighter.

The only plus the pure fighter has is the additional attack gained at lvl 11, 1 lvl before the end of the game.

now that you mention it does seem like fighter is most of late bomber once he get his 4th attack at lvl 20

but you shouldn't underestimate superiority dice, or champion 19 crit, which is essentially another +1 to hit. or war caster, war caster is a little depended on what cantrip is available to the game but in the table there are some very powerful cantrips that when you do the math tops dps if their conditions are triggered,

Don't get me wrong, a Battlemaster archer is very good, but its not 'delete the biggest threat in a fight on the first turn' good, which is what you get with the Gloomstalker/Assassin + sharpshooter (hopefully that feat makes it into the game) combo.

Granted, its even more busted (even somewhat exploitative) in BG3 if Larian doesn't overhaul stealth mechanics and the way combat initiates in the full release compared to EA.

[Metallicus]

If I were playing an archer I would want the Ranger pet to tank for me. A couple of level dip into rogue would be nice for sneak attack.

[Selvon]

Originally posted by Metallicus:

If I were playing an archer I would want the Ranger pet to tank for me. A couple of level dip into rogue would be nice for sneak attack.

The ranger pets have, unfortunately, never been really worthwhile in 5e over any of your many other choices. It is simply not worth your time unless you really need it for RP purposes.

[Metallicus]

Originally posted by Selvon:

Originally posted by Metallicus:

If I were playing an archer I would want the Ranger pet to tank for me. A couple of level dip into rogue would be nice for sneak attack.

The ranger pets have, unfortunately, never been really worthwhile in 5e over any of your many other choices. It is simply not worth your time unless you really need it for RP purposes.

I play Pathfinder so I didn’t realize 5e pets had been nerfed. Shame.