Archer of Fighter with maxed long bow?

[Tom-Slayer]

Can someone let me know what is better? Fighter with max in bows or the ranger kit 'archer' ?

Thanx in advance

Tom Slayer

[White Lancer]

If you mean just for bows, then the archer. Archer's can get granmastery in most ranged weapons, so fighters get nothing over them in that department, also, archers get +1 to hit and damage for every 3 levels, with missile weapons only. They also get a very nice stealth score, and on my current archer (level 9) i have 102% stealth. Because they cannot wear metal armor, i find myself using my archer as my scout, sometimes even clearing areas just with him and his bow.

However, Archers are usually poor tanks, best to think of them as mages with more hitpoints. Fighters clearly win in the tanking department, able to wear heavy armor, instead of just the light stuff.

Also, it could just be me, but i seem to notice that my party members generally hit at around the 5-10 damage mark with their ranged weapons, but my archer consistantly hits for high teens, low twenties.

[lost prophet]

if your going solo then a fighter might be a bit easier for a powergamer to finish the game with as they can have better armour and saves ect. But in a party situation the archer is a damn good character, there called shot ability is quite useful and after a few levels the bonuses they get rack up and will far out kill any of the ohter party members in the little "kills" tally. As white lancer said, they are a versitile character with their stealth and ranged bonuses, and have decent statistics for a back up character as well.

[Zink Whistlefly]

Not to mention that the Archer can cast priest spells. High level castings of Armour of Faith and Call Lightning are not to be sniffed at!

White Lancer, as for NPC's hitting for 5-10 damage where you hit for teens is quite realistic, although it will depend entirely on what level you are running, and if you have the Grand Mastery patch installed. Minsc, Imoen, Valygar, Yoshi etc cannot place more than 1 or 2 proficiency points into bows. Combine this with a lack of damage boosting bows and arrows in the game and 5-10 damage is to be expected. Your archer, (and Mazzy) can be grandmasters with bows, which (if you have the GM patch) hits for 5 damage + bow + arrow damage which is significantly higher. Then add your archer damage bonuses from level advancement and you become the ultimate sniper.

Whether a figher is better than an archer depends on how to want to play it. The Archer is undeniably stronger as a sniper, but significantly weaker in melee. The fighter can level up faster and higher, as well as using heavy armour, but the archer can cast a limited selection of priest spells and can sneak around.

[ 03-23-2005, 05:50 AM: Message edited by: Zink Whistlefly ]

An archer is superior to a fighter, in my humble opinion. An archer is to a ranged fighter what a Kensai is to a melee fighter.

[Tom-Slayer]

Okay but what if i want to be evil alignment, i have to go fighter aye.

[lost prophet]

yeh since the archer is a sub class of the ranger it still hase to be a "good" character.

[Tom-Slayer]

Thanx for the replies i've decided to go good and start an archer.