Arcane Archer (5e Class)
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Arcane Archer
An arcane archer studies a unique elven method of archery that weaves magic into attacks to produce supernatural effects. Among elves, arcane archers are some of their most elite warriors. These archers stand watch over the fringes of elven domains, keeping a keen eye out for trespassers and using magic-infused arrows to defeat monsters and invaders before they can reach elven settlements. Over the centuries, the methods of these elf archers have been learned by members of other races who can also balance arcane aptitude with archery.
Creating a Arcane Archer
What motivated your character into choosing this occupation? Did your charter first develop talent for magic or archery? Think about what goals your character have in mind when creating a arcane archer, whether it is to become an unparalleled archer, in pursuit of vengeance, or some other goal.
- Quick Build
You can make a arcane archer quickly by following these suggestions. First, Dexterity should be your highest ability score, followed by Intelligence. Constitution is a good stat as well. Second, choose the folk hero background.
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Class Features
As a Arcane Archer you gain the following class features.
- Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d8 per Arcane Archer level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + Constitution modifier per Arcane Archer level after 1st
- Proficiencies
Armor: Light armor and medium armor
Weapons: Simple weapons, martial weapons
Tools: None
Saving Throws: Dexterity, Intelligence
Skills: Choose 2 from Arcana, Athletics, History, Insight, Investigation, Medicine, Perception, and Survival.
- Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- (a) leather armor and a dagger or (b) hide armor and a dagger
- simple weapon
- (a) a longbow and a quiver or (b) a heavy crossbow and a quiver
- (a) an explorer's pack or (b) a scholar's pack
- If you are using starting wealth, you have 4d4 x 10 gp in funds.
| Level | Proficiency Bonus | Features | Invocations Known | —Spell Slots per Spell Level— | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | ||||
| 1st | +2 | Fighting Style, Conjured Arrows | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2nd | +2 | Spell Casting, Arcane Augments | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| 3rd | +2 | Magic Marksman | 2 | 3 | — | — | — | — |
| 4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement | 2 | 3 | — | — | — | — |
| 5th | +3 | Extra Attack | 2 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 6th | +3 | Magic Marksman feature | 2 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 7th | +3 | Status Resistance, Conjured Arrows improvement | 3 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — |
| 8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | 3 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — |
| 9th | +4 | — | 3 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — |
| 10th | +4 | Magic Marksman feature | 3 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — |
| 11th | +4 | Fighting Style (2) | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | — |
| 12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | — |
| 13th | +5 | — | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — |
| 14th | +5 | Magic Marksman feature | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — |
| 15th | +5 | Foresight | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — |
| 16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — |
| 17th | +6 | — | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| 18th | +6 | Elemental Fury | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| 19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| 20th | +6 | Singular Focus | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
Fighting Style
At 1st level, you adopt a particular style of fighting as your specialty. Choose one of the following options. You can't take the same Fighting Style option more than once, even if you later get to choose again. At 11th level, you may choose another.
- Archery
You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls you make with ranged weapons.
- Close Quarters Shooter
You are trained in making ranged attacks at close quarters. When making a ranged attack while you are within 5 feet of a hostile creature, you do not have disadvantage on the attack roll and your base movement speed increases by 5 feet.
- Defense
While you are wearing armor, you gain a +1 bonus to AC.
- Piercing Shot
You gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls you make with two-handed ranged weapons.
Conjured Arrows
At 1st level, you learn a minor but useful magical trick. As an bonus action, you can conjure 20 nonmagical arrows or bolts. These appear in your hand or in a container, such as a quiver, on your body. They remain for 10 minutes or until you use this feature again, after which they then vanish. At 7th level, these arrows are considered magical for the purposes of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.
Spellcasting
At 2nd level, the arcane archer gains access to several arcane imbuements and spells to further augment their ranged attacks.
- Preparing Spells
The Arcane Archer table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells. To cast one of your arcane archer spells of 1st level or higher, you must expend a slot of the spell’s level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest.
You prepare the list of arcane archer spells that are available for you to cast, choosing from the arcane archer spell list. When you do so, choose a number of arcane archer spells equal to your Intelligence modifier + half your arcane archer level, rounded down (minimum of one spell). The spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots.
For example, if you are a 5th-level arcane archer, you have four 1st-level and two 2nd-level spell slots. With an Intelligence of 14, your list of prepared spells can include four spells of 1st or 2nd level, in any combination. Casting the spell doesn’t remove it from your list of prepared spells.
You can change your list of prepared spells when you finish a long rest. Preparing a new list of arcane archer spells requires time spent in studying and meditating: at least 1 minute per spell level for each spell on your list.
- Spells Known
Your spells known equals your Intelligence modifier + half your arcane archer level rounded down(minimum of 1).
- Spellcasting Ability
Intelligence is the spellcasting ability for your arcane archer spells.
Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier
Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier
- Spellcasting Focus
You can use a ranged martial weapon as a spellcasting focus for your arcane archer spells.
Arcane Invocations
In your study of the arcane, you have unearthed arcane invocations, allowing you to augment your weapon attacks with various effects.
At 2nd level, you gain two arcane invocations of your choice. Your invocation options are detailed at the end of the class description. When you gain certain arcane archer levels, you gain additional invocations of your choice, as shown in the Arcane Invocations column of the Arcane Archer table.
You can change what arcane invocations you know by spending a total of 24 hours studying for every 1 Invocation you change. You must complete the 24 hours of studying within one week of when you started. If you spend more than 8 hours in one day studying, you must roll a d20 at the end. The DC is equal to the amount of hours spent studying. If you fail the DC check you lose all progress for that day. No modifiers can be added to the roll.
Magic Marksman
At 3rd level, you may pick an subclass from Magic Bowman or Precision Sniper. You gain a feature at 3rd level from taking this subclass and gain additional features at 6th, 10th, and 14th levels.
Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
Extra Attack
Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
Status Resistance
By 7th level, your use of imbuements and arcane magic has imbued your mind and body with protective magic. You have advantage on saving throws against being blinded, frightened, and petrified.
Foresight
Through divination magic you occasionally catch a glimpse of the immediate future. Starting at 15th level, whenever you must make a saving throw, you gain a bonus to the saving throw equal to half your proficiency bonus rounded down. You must be conscious to grant this bonus.
Elemental Fury
By at 18th level, you gain the ability to enchant a ranged weapon attack with the force of the elements. You may spend 1 charge to make a ranged weapon attack deal elemental energy. This attack deals an additional 2d8 cold, fire, or lightning damage if the attack hits. This features has 4 charges. You regain one expended charge after you finish a short rest and you regain all expended charges after you finish a long rest.
Singular Focus
By 20th level, you can readily focus down a single target with the help of others. As a bonus action, you can single out the target of Singular Focus within 120 feet of you. Until the start of your next turn, that target has disadvantage on all saving throws, and all allied creatures within 120 feet of you have advantage on attacks against the target of Singular Focus. You regain the use of this feature after you finish a short or long rest.
Magic Bowman
Magic bowman are a unique group, despite using bows and other ranged weapons, they prefer to augment they abilities with magic, often leading to deadly combination for foes who fight them.
Magic Bow
By 3rd level, your magic has started to seep into the bows you wield, making them fire projectiles faster. Your ranged attacks now deal additional damage equal to half your Intelligence modifier, rounded up.
Well Read
By 6th level, you have developed a knack for knowing the age-old stories of magicians and searching for clues related to them. You gain advantage on History and Investigation checks related to magic.
Enchanted Projectiles
By 10th level, your attack rolls with ranged weapons ignore any bonuses provided to Armor Class through magic. Additionally, your ranged attacks now deal additional damage equal to your Intelligence modifier instead of half your Intelligence modifier.
Magical Reserves
By 14th level, you have learned to harness and have gained additional magical capabilities. You gain 3 charges to cast arcane invocations. You may spend 1 charge to cast an Arcane Invocation at 1st level, or you may spend more point to cast an Arcane Invocation at a spell slot level equal to the amount of points spent. You regain all uses of this feature after you finish a long rest.
Precision Sniper
This arcane archer strives to take make precise attacks against targets, while evading being pinned down by possible enemies.
Targeting
By 3rd level, you have learned how to calm yourself and ready your attacks against a target. As a bonus action, you may focus on a target within sight. Until the start of your next turn, you have advantage on ranged attack rolls against the target and your ranged weapon attacks deal additional damage equal to your proficiency bonus. You regain use of this feature after you finish a short or long rest.
Tracker
By 6th level, you have gained sufficient experience in tracking to pursue any quarry. You gain proficiency in Survival skill, and if you already have proficiency in it, your proficiency bonus is doubled for any Wisdom (Survival) check you make.
Fleeting Step
By 10th level, your speed and evasiveness have reached new levels. Your base walking speed is increased by 10 feet, and may take the Disengage action as a bonus action.
Sniper
By 14th level, you can hone in on your targets no matter how difficult the shot. You gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls with ranged weapons and attacking at long range doesn't impose disadvantage on your ranged weapon attack rolls.
Arcane Archer Spell List
- 1st Level
absorb elements[1], alarm, detect magic, hunter's mark, identify, entangle, expeditious retreat, faerie fire, fog cloud, grease, zephyr strike[2]
- 2nd Level
acid arrow, arcane lock, blindness/deafness, darkness, gust of wind, invisibility, misty step, pass without trace, silence, suggestion, web
- 3rd Level
counterspell, dispel magic, flame arrows[3], hypnotic pattern, major image, lightning arrow[4], sending, thunder step[5] wind wall
- 4th Level
arcane eye, confusion, compulsion, dimension door, fire shield, freedom of movement, locate creature, resilient sphere
- 5th Level
animate objects, conjure volley[6], hold monster, geas, modify memory, passwall, scrying, seeming, wall of force
Arcane Invocation List
If an arcane invocation has prerequisites, you must meet them to learn it. You can learn the invocation at the same time that you meet its prerequisites. A level prerequisite refers to your level in this class.
- — Arrow Return
- Cantrip
As a bonus action, you may return a magical arrow you fired to your hand.
- — Bolt
- Requires 1st level spell slot or higher
As a reaction, you may shock a creature that has hit you with a melee attack. This creature may make a Constitution saving throw versus your spell save DC to take half of the 2d8 lightning damage and not lose their reaction. When you cast this invocation using a spell slot of 2th level or higher, the damage increases by 1d8 for each slot level above 1st.
- — Brute Bane Arrow
- Requires 2nd level spell slot or higher
- Concentration, up to 1 minute
As an bonus action, you charge an arrow with necromantic magic. On hit, the target must make a Constitution saving throw equal to your spell save DC to take half of the additional 3d10 necrotic damage and to not gain disadvantage on Constitution saving throws until the start of your next turn. When you cast this invocation using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d10 for each slot level above 2nd.
- — Bursting Shot
- Requires 2nd level spell slot or higher
- Concentration, up to 1 minute
- Prerequisite: 5th level
As a bonus action, you imbue your arrow with a blast of force energy drawn from the school of evocation. If you hit a creature with this arrow, each creature within 10 feet of it takes 2d8 force damage. When you cast this invocation using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d8 for each slot level above 2nd.
- — Defensive Shot
- Cantrip
- Concentration, up to 1 minute
As a bonus action, you may use abjuration magic to weave a charm that disrupts your enemy’s magic. If your next ranged attack roll hits, the target suffers disadvantage on the next attack roll it makes before the start of your next turn.
- — Piercing Shot
- Requires 3rd level spell slot or higher
As an action, you may fire an ethereal arrow that passes through foes and obstacles. This arrow fires forward in a line that is 5 foot wide and 60 feet long. Each creature in the line must make a Dexterity saving throw versus your spell save DC. On a failed save, the target takes 5d10 piercing damage. On a successful save, a target only takes half as much damage. When you cast this invocation using a spell slot of 4th level or higher, the damage increases by 1d10 for each slot level above 3rd.
- - Quick Shot
- Requires 2nd level spell slot or higher
- Prerequisite: 7th level
You unleash a surge of energy within you, allowing you to temporarily act faster. If you took the Attack action on your turn, you may move 10 feet and make a ranged weapon attack against a creature within 30 feet of you as a bonus action.
- — Searing Shot
- Requires 1st level spell slot or higher
- Concentration, up to 1 minute
As a bonus action, you may enchant your ranged weapon attacks. On your next ranged weapon that hits, the ammo flares with white-hot intensitity, and the attack deals an additional 1d8 fire damage to the target and causes the target to ignite in flames. At the start of each of the target's turns or until the spell ends, the target must make a Constitution saving throw versus your spell save DC. On a failed save, it takes 1d8 fire damage. On a successful save, the spells ends. If the target or a creature within 5 feet of it uses an action to put out the flames, or if some other effect douses the flames (such as the target being submerged in water), the spell ends. When you cast this invocation using a spell slot of 2th level or higher, both instances of damage increase by 1d8 for each slot level above 1st.
- — Thicket Shot
- Requires 1st level spell slot or higher
- Concentration, up to 1 minute
As a bonus action, you charge an arrow with poisonous nature energy that wraps around the target. On hit, the target must make a Constitution saving throw equal to your spell save DC to take half of the 3d6 poison damage, and not have its speed is reduced by 10 feet for 1 minute. If the target or a creature within 5 feet of it, uses an action to remove the brambles with a successful Strength (Athletics) check against your spell save DC, the creature's base move speed is not reduced by 10 feet anymore. When you cast this invocation using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the damage increases by 2d6 for each slot level above 1st, and the speed reduction increase by 5 feet for each slot level above 1st.
- — Windy Rebuke
- Requires 1st level spell slot or higher
As a reaction, you may attempt to push any Large or smaller creature that moves within 5 feet of you. This creature may make a Strength saving throw versus your spell save DC to take half of the 3d4 slashing damage and not be pushed away 10 feet away from you. When you cast this invocation using a spell slot of 2th level or higher, the damage increases by 2d4 for each slot level above 1st, and the push distance increases by 5 feet for each slot level above 1st
References
- D&D 5e XGtE pp.150
- D&D 5e XGtE pp.171
- D&D 5e XGtE pp.156
- D&D 5e PHB pp.255
- D&D 5e XGtE pp.168
- D&D 5e PHB pp.226
Multiclassing
Prerequisites. To qualify for multiclassing into the arcane archer class, you must meet these prerequisites: Intelligence 13 and Dexterity 13.
Proficiency. When you multiclass into the arcane archer class, you gain the following proficiencies: martial weapons and one arcane archer skill.
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