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Dungeons & Dra.. 4e Character Optim.. Annie Oakley, Crossbow Entertainer Extraordinaire
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2 years ago  ::  Feb 08, 2011 - 10:35AM #1
Mommy_was_an_Orc
Date Joined: Apr 25, 2002
Posts: 4,975
"Keep your eye on the high mark and you will hit it. Not the first time nor the second and maybe not the third, but if you keep on aiming and keep on trying, you'll hit the bull's eye of success."

Summary: a full-fledged Striker build that rivals some of the best Archer Ranger builds out there - yet is also a leader who can turn the party invisible and greatly boost defenses on an encounter basis.

level 30 Show

Race: Drow
Class: Ranger|Bard
Hybrid Talent: Prime Shot (PHB)
Multiclass: Rogue (PHB)
Paragon Path: Cloaked Sniper (MP)
Epic Destiny: Destined Scion (HotFK)

Ability Scores, with racial adjustments:
Strength 12 (+1)
Constitution 13 (+1)
Dexterity 28 (+9)
Intelligence 10
Wisdom 17 (+3)
Charisma 26 (+8)

 
At-Will Attack Powers:
L1 - Jinx Shot (PHB)
L1 - Twin Strike (PHB)

Encounter Attack Powers:
L3 - Rhyme of the Bloodseeking Blade
L7 - Snap Shot (MP)
L11 - Sudden Bolt (MP)
L17 - Pounding Barrage (MP)

Daily Attack Powers:
L1 - Arrow of Warning
L19 - Surprising Arrow Stance (D 383)
L20 - Bolt from Nowhere (PHB)
L29 - Five-Missile Dance (MP)

Utility Powers:
L2 - Invigorating Stride (MP 2)
L6 - Tumbling Dodge (PHB)
L10 - Mantle of Unity
L12 - Unseen Shot
L16 - Musical Chairs
L22 - Invisible Troupe
L26 - Epic Recovery (HotFK)

Skills:
Acrobatics (+29) 
Bluff (+28) 
Diplomacy (+28) 
Perception (+29) 
Stealth (+30)
Thievery (+30)

Feats:
L1 - Weapon Proficiency (Superior Crossbow) (PHB)
L2 - Weapon Focus (Crossbow) (PHB)
L4 - Crossbow Expertise (HotFL)
L6 - Sneak of Shadows (PHB)
L8 - Hybrid Talent(Prime Shot)
L11 - Lasting Frost (PHB)
L11 - Wintertouched (PHB)
L14 - Called Shot
L16 - Improved Defenses
L21 - Bow Mastery (PHB 2)
L21 - Improved Prime Shot (MP)
L22 - Quickened Spellcasting
L22 - Multiclass Mastery(Novice Power(Snapshot) and Twilight Adept))
L23 - Superior Initiative
L24 - Martial Mastery
L26 - Bard of All Trades
L28 - Lethal Hunter
L30 - Epic Fortitude (PHB 2)

Magic Items (Expected GP = 14,625,000):
L30 (3,125,000 gp): +6 Torc of Power Preservation (AV)

L29 (2,625,000 gp): Ring of Free Time (AV 2)
L28 (2,125,000 gp): +6 Frost Greatbow (PHB)
L28 (2,125,000 gp): +6 Predator's Elderhide Armor (AV 2)

L26 (1,125,000 gp): Bracers of Archery (Epic Tier) (AV)
L26 (1,125,000 gp): Violet Solitaire (AV)

L24 (525,000 gp): Zephyr Boots (AV)
L23 (425,000 gp): Eye of Awareness (AV)
L22 (325,000 gp):
 Siberys Shard of Merciless Cold (Epic Tier) (EPG)
 L21 (225,000 gp): Gloves of Ice (Epic Tier) (AV 2)
L20 (125,000 gp): Diamond Cincture (Paragon Tier) (AV 2)
L13 (17,000 gp): Ring of Giants (D 378)
L11 (9,000 gp): Dice of Auspicious Fortune (D 381)
L9 (4,200 gp): Backlash Tattoo (AV 2)

L9 (4,200 gp): Endless Quiver (AV 2)

TOTAL: 13,909,400 gpSpoiler: Show

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2 years ago  ::  Feb 08, 2011 - 10:35AM #2
Mommy_was_an_Orc
Date Joined: Apr 25, 2002
Posts: 4,975
Basically, this is what the build typically does:
One additional encounter minor attack action per tier - so 3 minor attacks at Epic.
Rhyme of the Bloodseeking Blade and Arrow of Warning as interrupts

In many ways, this build duplicates a lot of the heart of the LDB Battlefield Archer(and would not be possible without what he did) while providing additional skill and leader capabilities to the party.

Things to detail:
Nova Encounter Round at 16 Show

Minor Action – Hunter's Quarry 
Minor Action – Sudden Bolt (+25 vs. Reflex with CA)
  = (.85)*(41)+(0.05)*(63.5) = 38
•    2d10+30 cold damage

Standard Action – Pinning Strike (+25 vs. AC with CA)
 = (2)*(.75)*(35.5)+(2)*(0.05)*(53.5) = 58.6
•    1d10+30 cold damage

•    1d10+30 cold damage
ACTION POINT
Standard Action – Twin Strike (+25 vs. AC with CA)
 = (2)*(.75)*(29.5)+(2)*(0.05)*(47.5) = 49
•    1d10+24 cold damage
•    1d10+24 cold damage
Hunter's Quarry
•    2d6 cold damage

((.82-(.25^4))*7+(.18)*12 =7.9

Total Damage: 6d10+2d6+138 cold damage (153.5 average damage)



Damage Bonus Sources:
+6 (Dexterity)
+5 (Called Shot)
+5 (Lasting Frost)
+4 item (Bracers of Archery)
+3 enhancement (+3 weapon)
+3 (Siberys Shard of Merciless Cold)
+2 feat (Weapon Focus)
+2 (Gloves of Ice)
Note: Still has Snapshot+Twin Strike for the next round



Nova Encounter Round at 30 Show

Turn 1 (Setup):
Minor Action – Hunter's Quarry



Turn 2 (Action):
Standard Action – Twin Strike (+41 vs. AC with CA)

•    2d10+34 cold damage
(0.8*45+0.1*93=45.2 on average)
•    2d10+34 cold damage
Minor Action – Sudden Bolt (+41 vs. Reflex with CA)

•    2d10+43 cold damage
(0.85*54+0.1*102 = 56.1)
ACTION POINT (recover Sudden Bolt via Martial Mastery)
Standard Action – Pounding Barrage (+41 vs. AC with CA)

•    1d10+43 cold damage(0.8*48.5+0.1*96.5 =48.45)
•    1d10+1d6+43 cold damage(0.8*52+0.1*100=51.6)
•    1d10+43 cold damage(0.8*48.5+0.1*96.5 =48.45)
Minor Action – Sudden Bolt (+41 vs. Reflex with CA)

•    2d10+43 cold damage
(0.85*54+0.1*102 = 56.1)
Hunter's Quarry
•    3d8 cold damage

=364.8 damage on average 


Damage Bonus Sources:
+9 (Dexterity)
+6 enhancement (+6 weapon)
+6 item (Bracers of Archery)
+5 (Called Shot)
+5 (Lasting Frost)
+5 (Siberys Shard of Merciless Cold)
+4 (Gloves of Ice)
+3 feat (Weapon Focus)




Note this means the build still can do the following on the next round(assuming a passed milestone)

Minor Action – Snap Shot (+41 vs AC with CA)

Minor Action – Jinx Shot(+40 vs AC with CA)

Standard Action – Twin Strike (+41 vs. AC with CA)

•    2d10+34 cold damage

•    2d10+34 cold damage



and still have a move action left...


Nova Daily Round

(more details later)
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2 years ago  ::  Feb 08, 2011 - 10:37AM #3
Mommy_was_an_Orc
Date Joined: Apr 25, 2002
Posts: 4,975
Annie Oakley

Note: You can download the dnd4e file available from this link and then upload it to your own CB. It has a couple of issues due to how retraining works. You get rid of one of the Rogue MC feats and exchange it for Novice Power when you pick up Multiclass Mastery - that's what gets you the 3rd minor action attack in Epic.

There's a bug in Retraining which tries to substitute whatever you retrained Novice Power into at 21st and puts it into Multiclass Mastery.
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2 years ago  ::  Feb 08, 2011 - 12:57PM #4
Veleria
Date Joined: Mar 19, 2010
Posts: 1,126
As a drow built to take numerous attacks with a crossbow, you might want to consider hand crossbow and rogue mc for two fisted shooter. take the drow hand crossbow package and win. I haven't gone through the full build so this is a first impression.
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2 years ago  ::  Feb 08, 2011 - 1:09PM #5
Mommy_was_an_Orc
Date Joined: Apr 25, 2002
Posts: 4,975

Feb 8, 2011 -- 12:57PM, Veleria wrote:

As a drow built to take numerous attacks with a crossbow, you might want to consider hand crossbow and rogue mc for two fisted shooter. take the drow hand crossbow package and win. I haven't gone through the full build so this is a first impression.




That is an option - but it isn't that great of an option given the cost for an extra feat - as Cloaked Sniper means no load time for the Superior Crossbow.

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2 years ago  ::  Feb 08, 2011 - 2:40PM #6
Satori
Date Joined: Sep 11, 2005
Posts: 321

Feb 8, 2011 -- 1:09PM, Mommy_was_an_Orc wrote:

Feb 8, 2011 -- 12:57PM, Veleria wrote:

As a drow built to take numerous attacks with a crossbow, you might want to consider hand crossbow and rogue mc for two fisted shooter. take the drow hand crossbow package and win. I haven't gone through the full build so this is a first impression.




That is an option - but it isn't that great of an option given the cost for an extra feat - as Cloaked Sniper means no load time for the Superior Crossbow.


I wondered if this was worth it (Drow handbow vs Superior Crossbow).

Both cost a feat, one is +2/1d8/High Crit, the other is +3/1d10.

Is High Crit worth +1/1d2? 

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2 years ago  ::  Feb 08, 2011 - 2:45PM #7
LiamDeclan
Date Joined: Nov 5, 2005
Posts: 341
Curious as to why you chose Cloaked Sniper.

Why (besides its a ranged weapon attack) did you take Jinx Shot?
That power kinda blows unless you have means to make them miss. I would go with another ranged bard power like Staggering Note or the one that pulls. They might be useful at some point.
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2 years ago  ::  Feb 08, 2011 - 3:05PM #8
MisterArcane
Date Joined: Apr 21, 2009
Posts: 403

Feb 8, 2011 -- 2:45PM, LiamDeclan wrote:

Curious as to why you chose Cloaked Sniper.

Why (besides its a ranged weapon attack) did you take Jinx Shot?
That power kinda blows unless you have means to make them miss. I would go with another ranged bard power like Staggering Note or the one that pulls. They might be useful at some point.




Because then you're shoe-horned into using song-bows or ki-foci.

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2 years ago  ::  Feb 08, 2011 - 5:18PM #9
Mommy_was_an_Orc
Date Joined: Apr 25, 2002
Posts: 4,975

Feb 8, 2011 -- 2:40PM, Satori wrote:

Feb 8, 2011 -- 1:09PM, Mommy_was_an_Orc wrote:

Feb 8, 2011 -- 12:57PM, Veleria wrote:

As a drow built to take numerous attacks with a crossbow, you might want to consider hand crossbow and rogue mc for two fisted shooter. take the drow hand crossbow package and win. I haven't gone through the full build so this is a first impression.




That is an option - but it isn't that great of an option given the cost for an extra feat - as Cloaked Sniper means no load time for the Superior Crossbow.


I wondered if this was worth it (Drow handbow vs Superior Crossbow).

Both cost a feat, one is +2/1d8/High Crit, the other is +3/1d10.

Is High Crit worth +1/1d2? 




With this build, not so much. When you do a lot of damage on a non-crit, a +1 to hit tends to become extremely valuable. The build does 45 hp of damage on average with a non-crit from Twin Strike at 30th. From just weapon damage, there's an average of 11 vs 9 on every non-crit. And on a crit, while the high crit weapon does get another 5d8, it only does 16 vs 20.

i.e. let's say this build hits a target on a 6 with a Superior x-bow and a 7 with a Hand x-bow - out of 20 shots:
4 both miss.
1, the superior x-bow does 45 damage.
13, they both hit, where the x-bow does +2 damage per hit, for a total of 26.
2, they both crit, where the x-bow does 20 and the high crit weapon does 38.5

45+26+40 = 111
0+0+77 = 77

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2 years ago  ::  Feb 08, 2011 - 5:30PM #10
Mommy_was_an_Orc
Date Joined: Apr 25, 2002
Posts: 4,975

Feb 8, 2011 -- 2:45PM, LiamDeclan wrote:

Curious as to why you chose Cloaked Sniper.

Why (besides its a ranged weapon attack) did you take Jinx Shot?
That power kinda blows unless you have means to make them miss. I would go with another ranged bard power like Staggering Note or the one that pulls. They might be useful at some point.




At higher levels especially, it starts to become really critical to use an implement that you've got expertise in. Even if I had a +6 wand, it would mean needing to spend minor actions to draw and then I suffer a -3 penalty to hit due to the lack of expertise.

Jinx Shot might not be that useful, but spending a feat for a 2w minor encounter attack? Not so bad, even without the special effect. 

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Dungeons & Dra.. 4e Character Optim.. Annie Oakley, Crossbow Entertainer Extraordinaire
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