Martial Archetype: Arcane Archer: Revised
Traditionally, the arcane archer is an elf who blends their people's inclination towards both magic and archery. Blending the two arts is not easy, but is often considered worth the effort.
Arcane archers pick off their foes from afar, infusing magic into their arrows to devastate their numbers or debilitate their leadership.
Arcane Archer Features
| Fighter | Level Feature |
|---|---|
| 3rd | Spellcasting, Arcane Shot |
| 7th | Curving Shot, Magic Arrow |
| 10th | Additional Arcane Shot Options |
| 15th | Additional Arcane Shot Options |
| 18th | Improved Shots |
Spellcasting
When you reach 3rd level, you augment your martial prowess with the ability to cast spells.
Cantrips. You learn two cantrips of your choice from the wizard spell list. You learn an additional wizard cantrip of your choice at 10th level.
Spell Slots. The Arcane Archer Spellcasting table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these spells, you must expend a slot of the spell's level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest.
For example, if you know the 1st-level spell shield and have a 1st-level and a 2nd-level spell slot available, you can cast shield using either slot.
Spells Known of 1st Level and Higher. You know two 1st-level wizard spells of your choice, one of which you must choose from the abjuration and evocation spells on the wizard spell list.
The Spells Known column of the Arcane Archer Spellcasting table shows when you learn more wizard spells of 1st level or higher. Each of these spells must be an evocation or transmutation spell of your choice, and must be of a level for which you have spell slots. For instance, when you reach 7th level in this class, you can learn one new spell of 1st or 2nd level.
The spells you learn at 8th, 14th, and 20th level can come from any school of magic.
Whenever you gain a level in this class, you can replace one of the wizard spells you know with another spell of your choice from the wizard spell list. The new spell must be of a level for which you have spell slots, and it must be an evocation or transmutation spell, unless you're replacing the spell you gained at 3rd, 8th, 14th, or 20th level from any school of magic.
Arcane Archer Spellcasting
| Fighter Level | Cantrips Known | Spells Known | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3rd | 2 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 4th | 2 | 3 | 3 | — | — | — |
| 5th | 2 | 3 | 3 | — | — | — |
| 6th | 2 | 3 | 3 | — | — | — |
| 7th | 2 | 4 | 4 | 2 | — | — |
| 8th | 2 | 5 | 4 | 2 | — | — |
| 9th | 2 | 5 | 4 | 2 | — | — |
| 10th | 3 | 6 | 4 | 3 | — | — |
| 11th | 3 | 7 | 4 | 3 | — | — |
| 12th | 3 | 7 | 4 | 3 | — | — |
| 13th | 3 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — |
| 14th | 3 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — |
| 15th | 3 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — |
| 16th | 3 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | — |
| 17th | 3 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | — |
| 18th | 3 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | — |
| 19th | 3 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| 20th | 3 | 12 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
Spellcasting Ability. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for your wizard spells, since you learn your spells through study and memorization. You use your Intelligence whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Intelligence modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a wizard spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.
Spell Save DC
Spell attack modifier
Arcane Shot
At 3rd level, you learn to unleash special magical effects with some of your shots.
When you fire an arrow from a shortbow or longbow, you can expend one spell slot to make it deal an additional 2d6 force damage plus 1d6 for each spell level higher than 1st, to a maximum of 5d6
Alternatively, you may spend a spell slot of a level specifed by one of your Arcane Shot options to use it on that arrow. You decide to use the option when the arrow hits, unless the option doesn't involve an attack roll. If the option doesn't specify an effect increasing if using a higher level spell slot, the arrow deals an 1d6 force damage for each spell level higher than the specified level, to a maximum of 4d6.
If the Arcane Shot option has a duration longer than 1 round, you must concentrate on it as if you were a spell, the effect ending early if you lose concentration.
Magic Arrow
At 7th level, you gain the ability to infuse arrows with magic. Whenever you fire a nonmagical arrow from a shortbow or longbow, you can make it magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage. The magic fades from the arrow immediately after it hits or misses its target.
Curving Shot
At 7th level, you learn how to direct an errant arrow toward a new target. When you make an attack roll with a magic arrow and miss, you can use a bonus action to reroll the attack roll against a different target within 60 feet of the original target.
Improved Shots
At 18th level, the magic that you imbue into your arrows becomes more potent. The damage die of your Arcane Shot increases to d8s.
Arcane Shot Options
The Arcane Shot allows you to imbue magic into your arrows. The following options are available to you when you use your Arcane Shot ability. If an option has a level requirement, you must be at least that level in this class to use that option. They are all magical effects, and each one is associated with one of the schools of magic.
If an option requires a saving throw, the DC is your spell save DC.
Beguiling Arrow. Your enchantment magic causes this arrow to temporarily beguile its target. Expend a 1st-level spell slot, and choose one of your allies within 30 feet of the creature hit by your arrow. The target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw, or it is charmed by the chosen ally until for the next minute. This effect ends early if the chosen ally attacks the charmed target, deals damage to it, or forces it to make a saving throw.
Bursting Arrow. You imbue your arrow with force energy drawn from the school of evocation. The arrow detonates after your attack. Expend a 1st-level spell slot immediately after the arrow hits the creature, the target and all other creatures within 10 feet of it take 2d6 force damage each.
The force damage increases by 1d6 for every spell slot level above first, up a maximum of 5d6.
Grasping Arrow. When this arrow strikes its target, you may expend a 1st-level spell slot to have conjuration magic create grasping, poisonous brambles, which wrap around the target. The creature hit by the arrow takes an extra 1d6 poison damage, its speed is reduced by 10 feet, and it takes 1d6 slashing damage the first time on each turn it moves 1 foot or more without teleporting. The target or any creature that can reach it can use its action to remove the brambles with a successful Strength (Athletics) check against your Arcane Shot save DC. Otherwise, the brambles last for 1 minute.
The poison damage and slashing damage both increase by 1d6 for every spell slot level above 1st, up a maximum of 4d6.
Piercing Arrow (10th-level or higher). You use transmutation magic to give your arrow an ethereal quality. You may expend a 2nd-level spell slot, and you don't make an attack roll for the attack. Instead, the arrow fires forward in a line, which is 1 foot wide and 30 feet long, before disappearing. The arrow passes harmlessly through objects, ignoring cover. Each creature in that line must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes damage as if it were hit by the arrow, plus an extra 2d6 piercing damage. On a successful save, a target takes half as much damage.
The piercing damage increases by 1d6 for every spell slot level above 2nd, up a maximum of 4d6.
Seeking Arrow (10th-level or higher). Using divination magic, you grant your arrow the ability to seek out your target, allowing the arrow to curve and twist its path in search of its prey. You may expend a 2nd-level spell slot, and you don't make an attack roll for the attack. Instead, choose one creature you have seen in the past minute. The arrow flies toward that creature, moving around corners if necessary and ignoring three-quarters cover and half cover. If the target is within the weapon's range and there is a path large enough for the arrow to travel to the target, the target must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, it takes damage as if it were hit by the arrow, plus an extra 2d6 force damage, and you learn the target's current location. On a successful save, the target takes half as much damage, and you don't learn its location.
The force damage increases by 1d6 for every spell slot level above 2nd, up a maximum of 4d6.
Enfeebling Arrow (10th-level or higher). You weave necromantic magic into your arrow. You may expend a 2nd-level spell slot to make a creature hit by your arrow make a Constitution saving throw, or have the damage dealt by its weapon attacks is halved for the next minute.
Banishing Arrow (15th level or higher). You use abjuration magic to try to temporarily banish your target to a harmless location in the Feywild. You may expend a 3rd-level spell slot to make the creature hit by the arrow make a Charisma saving throw or be banished for the next minute. While banished in this way, its speed is 0, and it is incapacitated. You must concentrate on this ability as if you would a spell.
Shadow Arrow (15th level or higher). You weave illusion magic into your arrow, causing it to occlude your foe's vision with shadows. You may expend a 3rd-level spell slot to make a creature hit by your arrow make a Wisdom saving throw or be blinded for 1 minute.
Credits
Designed by d'Artagnan on DMs Guild, /u/dArtagnanDnD on reddit, or dArtagnanDnD on patreon and dArtagnanDnD on Twitter.
- Made with "GM Binder".
- Made with reference and for use with Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition, created by Wizards of the Coast.