Arcane archers are a sometimes overlooked fighter subclass in . Arcane archers are a great ranged option that isn't a ranger or spellcaster as they get all the benefits of the fighter class, such as getting more than one attack on an action without having to get up close and personal with enemies. In order to build the best arcane archer, there are some races and feats that can help players get the most out of this DnD subclass.
The arcane archer was introduced to Dungeons & Dragons 5e in Xanathar’s Guide to Everything. Described as a unique DnD elven method of archery and bow expertise, the name of this subclass is pretty self-explanatory - the character focuses on magically boosted archery. Arcane Shots are the feature of this class, which players will get to choose to learn at regular intervals, and they allow the player to do various magical damage or effects with their arrows.
Related:
Focusing On Dexterity & Intelligence Will Enhance D&D’s Arcane Archer
As the arcane archer will be using bows, either long, short, or even crossbows, Dexterity is the primary ability score for any player using this subclass. The secondary ability score will be Intelligence, as that will determine the DC for the character’s Arcane Shots. With that in mind, here are the best options to build the ultimate arcane archer.
Best D&D Race Options For An Arcane Archer Build
There are so many for character creation, that players should feel free to choose the race that suits their backstory and the character they have in mind. That said, there are some races that will complement and enhance the arcane archer better than others. The most obvious place to start is with an elf.
Elves are a perfect choice for an arcane archer in DnD, as it not only fits in thematically with the subclass, which is supposed to be based on elven traditions, but elves also get to add an extra two to their Dexterity ability scores. When choosing an elf sub-race, high elf is by far the best choice. Being a high elf will increase the character's Intelligence by one and let players gain an extra cantrip from the spell list for DnD wizards.
Halflings also make an excellent choice as they also benefit from a boost of two to their Dexterity. The halfling trait Lucky allows players to re-roll any natural ones, and Halfling Nimbleness gets the arcane archer to move around the battlefield a little easier. The stout halfling sub-race is a solid choice as it gives the character a boost of one to Constitution.
Gnomes make brilliant arcane archers in Dungeons & Dragons as they gain plus two to Intelligence, while the forest gnomes gain one to Dexterity. Gnomes have superior darkvision, with them able to see in dim light for 60 feet as though it were bright light and in darkness as though it were dim light, making them perfect scouts and snipers. Forest gnomes also gain the cantrip minor illusion and the ability to speak with small critters, which is handier than it sounds.
Related:
Finally, for the traditional DnD human fighter character, the variant human is always a solid choice for any build. This allows the Dungeons & Dragons player to increase two different ability scores by one, gain proficiency in a skill, and, most importantly, gain a feat straight away. If the variant human is chosen, then the Sharpshooter feat should be chosen as it is the most useful for the arcane archer.
However, the new approach to race and ability scores means that any race can be turned in any class's favor. After rolling for ability scores, players can increase a score by two and another by one. As such, owlin and aarakocra make great arcane archers as they can use their innate flight to fly up to stay out of range. Picking a goblin for this DnD character's race is also a great choice, with Nimble Escape allowing them to disengage or hide as a bonus action, while a tabaxi's Feline Agility can also get them out of a pickle in combat by doubling their speed for a turn, letting any arcane archers move away from melee enemies.
Using D&D’s Feats Will Boost Any Arcane Archer
Feats play a large part in building a Dungeons & Dragons arcane archer as the main feature of this subclass, the Arcane Shot, can be quite limited, with players able to use it only twice per short or long rest. To get the best out of an arcane archer, there are a few feats that will help turn any character into a great damage dealer for the party. The first and most important of these is Sharpshooter.
Found in the Player's Handbook, Sharpshooter is one of the for any player wanting to build a great ranged character. With this feat, characters can ignore half and three-quarters cover as well as ignore the disadvantage from attack at long range. However, the best aspect of the Sharpshoot feat is that players can choose to take a -5 penalty to attack rolls in order to gain an extra +10 damage on a successful hit. Teaming this up with a high Dexterity score is fantastic, as the -5 penalty is well worth the chance to deal extra damage.
Related:
The Piercer feat is in Tasha's Cauldron of Everything and boosts weapons that deal piercing damage, such as arrows. The Piercer feat lets players increase their character's Strength or , by one and lets players re-roll damage on one die once per turn. With this feat, player's critical hits also deal one extra damage dice; for example, if the damage would normally be 1d6, then on a crit, it becomes 2d6, and with Piercer, it would be 3d6.
For players who chose to make an elven arcane archer in Dungeons & Dragons, then the elf-only feat Elven Accuracy is a great choice. Found in Xanathar's Guide to Everything, this feat lets players increase their character's Dexterity, Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma by one. In addition, whenever the players make an attack roll with advantage using one of those scores, they can re-roll one of the dice once, similar to the Lucky feat.
What To Focus On While Leveling An Arcane Archer In D&D
Players building an arcane archer in Dungeons & Dragons should obviously choose Archery as their Fighting Style at level one, giving +2 to attack rolls with ranged weapons. After choosing their DnD fighter's Martial Archetype, when leveling up, players should focus on building up Dexterity and then Intelligence. This is all dependent on ability score rolls at character creation but starting at level four with the first ability score improvement, the goal should be to get Dexterity to 20 to increase attack rolls and damage.
When it comes to Arcane Shots, some are better than others, so it's important to prioritize them. Grasping Arrow is one of the best as it deals 2d6 poison damage to targets hit, as well as reducing its speed by 10 feet. When the affected target attempts to move, it will take another 2d6 slashing damage from the brambles created by this magical arrow.
Related:
Bursting Arrow is good for not too , as after the arrow hits its target, it detonates and hits all other creatures within 10 feet for 2d6 force damage. While Piercing Arrow is also good for hitting multiple enemies, as each creature in a 30-foot line will take damage. Targets must make Dexterity saves, taking the arrow's damage plus an extra 1d6 damage on a fail and half on a success.
By using the ideas here, players will be able to build stronger and more versatile arcane archers. Although the arcane archer is a lot of fun to play as the subclass does suffer from some limitations surrounding Arcane Shot. Players who want to make an arcane archer for their Dungeons & Dragons campaign might consider speaking to their DM to find a way around this and perhaps homebrew a more balanced solution.
More:
Source: Indestructoboy/YouTube
