Deepwood Sniper Path (Archery not just for elves!)

[The Kriv]

Deepwood Sniper - Arelith conversion
Based on the Masters of the Wild 3rd Ed. Companion

Here is the original description of what a Deepwood Sniper is:

"An arrow flies from a high mountain aerie, unerringly striking a paladin's mount. Expecting only a flesh wound, the paladin is stunned to watch his companion of many adventures crumple to the earth. This unfortunate knight has trespassed into the domain of the deepwood sniper, and he may not make it out alive.

A deepwood sniper is patient, careful, quiet, and deadly accurate. She is a stealtly, long-range terminator whose arrows sail accurately from much longer ranges than those of other archers. In addition, she has magical abilities to help her shafts fly true.

Because of their alertness, dexterity, patience, and affinity for the bow, elves of almost any character class make excellent deepwood snipers. For a long time, elves would train only those of their own race in these techniques, but more recently some half-elves, Halflings, and humans have joined the ranks of the deepwood sniper."

-the original PrCl ability bonuses were handed out each level, 1-10. I've done a bit of a conversion of this, but spread it out across ODD levels from 5-15.

Path of the DEEPWOODS SNIPER

Base Class: RANGER
(Path Ability Gain based off Ranger levels)

Racial Restrictions: None.

Standard Ranger Abilities Lost:
Animal Companion, TWF/IMP TWF, Ambidexterity, All Ranger Spells

Hitpoints at each level-up = 8 (instead of standard 10 for non Deepwood-Path Ranger)

Abilties/Level: (These are all Extraordinary Abilities)

@ Creation:
- Weapon Focus-Longbow
- Weapon Focus-Shortbow

@ Ranger Level 3: Basic Skill Improvement
- +4 Spot
- +4 Hide
- +4 Tumble

@ Ranger Level 5: Safe Poison Use
- Create Bundle: Poison Arrows/Once per day
((Poison Arrow Bundles can have Essences applied to it, but also 'cost' of bundle could still be low enough to enable a +1 or other enchant to the bundle via basin with reasonable success))

@ Ranger Level 7: Range Increment Bonus (Extraordinary Ability)
- 10% Movement Bonus (Similar to Barbarian Speed Increase)

@ Ranger Level 9: 1st Projectile Improved Critical (Extraordinary Ability)
- Longbows In Deepwood Sniper’s Hands gain Massive Critical 1d8
- Shortbows In Deepwood Sniper’s Hands gain Massive Critical 1d6
(This ability stacks with existing bonuses of all longbows/shortbows, composites and enchanteds)

@ Ranger Level 11: Keen Arrows (Extraordinary Ability)
- IMPROVED CRITICAL FEAT: LONGBOW
- IMPROVED CRITICAL FEAT: SHORTBOW

@ Ranger Level 13: Concealment Reduction (Extraordinary Ability)
- BLIND FIGHT FEAT

@ Ranger Level 15: 2nd Projectile Improved Critical (Extraordinary Ability)
- Longbows In Deepwood Sniper’s Hands gain Massive Critical 2d8
- Shortbows In Deepwood Sniper’s Hands gain Massive Critical 2d6
(This ability stacks with existing bonuses of all longbows/shortbows, composites and enchanteds)


--
the idea here being an alternative to the Arcane Archer, with all abilities based off of skill in archery, rather than magical or arcane abilties.

Some strengths are that your Deepwood Archer is much more of a "Glass Cannon" than the Arcane Archer, and the damage is good, but it is all physical damage, and the Deepwood Sniper's capstone ability is the Massive Critical 2d8, which would stack with an enchanted-bow's 2d8, giving a very hearty blow on a successful Crit. DR of the Target, of course would ~not~ be bypassed... as this is not a magical ability.

This path could be viable in conjunction with other classes, like Fighter (for IWF) and rogues, etc...
I would add in that the Deepwood Archer path disables Elves/Half-Elves from access to Arcane Archer, as the disciplines are too different to compliment each other. That way Elves/half-elves must choose... Deepwood Archer -OR- Arcane Archer... not both.


Original article on Deepwood Sniper can be found in Masters of the Wilds, an online PDF on Google Docs can be found here:

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid= ... NmFlOTYwMw