Pathfinder 2E: Eldritch Archer

A look at the Eldritch Archer Archetype from the Advanced Player's Guide. Deep dive into the Eldritch Shot, what spells work with it and how they stack up. Compared the Eldritch Archer to a Power Attack Greatsword Fighter at level 14 and the Eldritch Archer came up just short. However, the Eldritch Archer can deal more damage at level 14 if they use the Fire Ray Focus Spell. So there is that. Then a quick look at all the other abilities in the Eldritch Archer Archetype. What I didn't talk about was what class works the best. I think Fighter is the best although some people are enjoying other classes such as the Investigator. Any of the Martials or cleric war priest will work, each with some ups and downs. For my two cents, I think fighter is the best. Happy gaming and thanks for being here.

[@ExterminatorElite]

Been playing Investigator/Eldritch archer and it's a pretty stunning combination. The high degree of action and resource investment in Eldritch Shot is mitigated by knowing the outcome in advance, meaning every shot taken hits and hits big, and turns with low Stratagem rolls can be spent any other way. It's a really great feeling to see your Statagem and go, "Oh yes, I know exactly what I'm doing this round," and with full confidence blow up whatever's causing trouble.

[@jollyhoop]

This is the first time I've seen a way to build a Warpriest that sounds fun. Good video.

[@brutal3149]

Great video, I love this archetype. At Lvl 6 when you can take the archetype, a fighter specializing in the bow already has master proficiency and can add +1 item bonus from their weapon potency rune to their roll to hit with a spell via Eldritch Shot. They effectively have an insanely better spell attack roll than a wizard at the same level who is only trained in spell attacks and can't add item bonuses. This leads to more crits for crazy magic damage.

[@SwampSilver]

You've now got me considering a Eldritch Archer Magus.

[@nargileh1]

couple more things about Eldritch Shot: - benefits from potency runes - can deliver melee attack spels at range

[@TheLocalDisasterTourGuide]

Had a 3.5e D&D Arcane Archer that I really enjoyed playing. Hadn't had a chance to field test the Eldritch Archer in 2e yet, but now I'm tempted! Oh, and so you know: I was in the drive thru, about to order supper & listening to this show, when I glanced down just in time to see the "Ebbing Damage" gag. I almost couldn't order supper because I was laughing so hard. Great video, sir!

[@clatkov]

An interesting 2nd level spell with the attack trait is Telekinetic Maneuver. No extra damage, but as far as I can tell it would allow you to use your dex-based bow attack roll as your to-hit as well as a replacement for the athletics roll for the Maneuver. Perhaps not the min-maxers "número uno elección," but a fun way to have a utility shot.

[@LegendaryCMD]

Yeah!! I like that one. It was on my list but got cut at some point. Glad you are here.

[@davidriggs538]

This is the video I've been waiting for. Thank you.

[@anguishedsmurf5104]

Been waiting for this one.

[@undrhil]

Can you do, or have you done, a video comparing this architype with the M AGU S shooting star subclass?

[@LegendaryCMD]

That sounds perfect, I want to do more comparison videos. I'll add that to the list. Last night I started running the numbers on a wolf animal instinct barbarian and a wolf stance monk. Cheers, glad you are here!!

[@alarkhar]

Forgot a detail: Arrow of death does exactly what its name implies - if the shot is a critical, the arrow becomes a Save-or-die attack; fail the saving throw, you're slain. Period. You don't need to be unnoticed like the Assassin, you just need to shoot well. Connect, perforate, kill.

[@AdamOnTheNet]

Ray of Frost Eldritch Archer = Ashe from League of Legends

[@fitzgeraldlimisella4393]

Nice video! Really helps realise my holy archer kinda build. Can I ask you something? You said that if you can already cast a spell, then you just use your existing spell tradition etc. I can't see this wording on Archives of Nethys? What if you gain the ability through another archetype? Say you're a ranger (using free archetype rule) with cleric dedication. If at level 6 you select Eldritch Archer and at level 8 you select Eldritch Archer Basic Spellcasting, do you end up with 2 spellcasting resources (the cleric spells and the Eldritch Archer spells)? Pathbuilder app seems to suggest that you do. Or are you stuck with the divine spell list thanks to the cleric archetype? Thanks!

[@SwampSilver]

Persistent damage *does* double on a crit. CRB pg 544.

[@dart3903]

Are these recommended spells still viable for the Remaster? Trying to figure out to go the arcane, primal, or divine route for dmg.

[@LegendaryCMD]

Searing light is called Holy Light. It is on the divine and primal spell list at spell rank 3. Still looks good. Produce flame is called ignition and looks good, especially with psychic amp. Hydraulic Push is good. Tanglefoot is now Tangle Vine and is on arcane primal. Telekinetic maneuver and telekinetic projectile are both arcane occult. Gouging Claw is arcane primal and for a cantrip, by far the best at 2d6 to start and plus a d6 at every +1. Divine Lance is on the divine spell list but not that great at 2d4 plus a d4 every spell rank. Disintegrate is arcane, high level, not great. Chilling darkness is divine but is unholy, for whatever that is worth. Blazing Bolt is arcane primal and that is the new name for that spell from secrets of magic that. That looks like it for regular spells. I guess based on that list I would go arcane, then primal, then divine, then occult. For focus spells, the cleric has hurtling stone and fire ray, both are kind of meh. The wizard has hand of the apprentice which could be a crazy devastating build. Hope that helps!!!

[@dart3903]

@@LegendaryCMD Oh yes! Thank you for clearing that all up for me! Very informative! Currently doing a campain against lots of devils and probably more fiends later, so I was gonna do divine, but ppl tell me arcane is the biggest list, then saw that I can get that holy light from primal too! Good for fiends, but I think not soo good for devils since they have that fire immunity, so the moonlight ray would probably be good for me. Also took gouging claw as my cantrip too aha! Also, correct me if I'm wrong but, aren't the only spells/cantrips that can be used with eldritch shot supposed to be ones that have a "spell attack roll"? I think a couple you showed don't have that maybe?

[@alexandersen1372]

How does this work with Sneak attack on a rouge though? is it 1 SA or 2 for Eldritch shot?

[@polbecerra7918]

I'm sorry to tell you that, in theory, you don't gains the signature spells trait, as the archetype specifies that tou only gaing the spell repertoire

[@LegendaryCMD]

Whoops! Thanks, great catch.

[@marmato9332]

Now that Magis is Out, does this Archetype mix well with the Ranged Magus subclass, or is there too much double up?

[@LegendaryCMD]

I think it would be too much double up...mostly the big attacks in each one, eldritch shot and spell strike. Pretty much the same thing. So maybe you would get some other goodies in Eldritch Archer for your bow build...and there are some good things in there. But for me, if the big thing you are getting as an Eldritch Archer, that being Eldritch Shot, is something you already have, then you are giving up a feat to get the dedication and not getting much for it. AND...there are some great Magus feats...so I think staying with Magus is going to be better worth of your while. Another question, though, that is similar. Is the Eldritch Archer made irrelevant by the Magus? In other words, is the Starlit Span better than the Eldritch Archer? And I would say the Eldritch Archer is still relevant, mostly because it sits so well on top on the fighter frame. Because of that, the fighter turned Eldritch Archer, I believe, can still out damage the Magus...and that is saying something because the Magus is ridiculously great. But yeah, Eldritch Archer is still pretty good too. The last point on this. Is the Magus archetype better than the Eldritch Archer? I don't think so. The Magus Archetype is interesting, and I do like it for some builds. But...the Eldritch Archer can use Eldritch Shot over and over in a combat...while the Magus Archetype can only spell strike once a combat. So, once a combat...there still could be a build that could get a lot out of that...but being able to use it whenever you want (or whenever you can afford the three actions) I like that.

[@marmato9332]

@@LegendaryCMD Now that is a complete and satisfying answer, thank you. I still haven't got down to a tea the balance of the system, so I don't really get how to optimize yet, tho I don't usually do that anyways. I wanted to know that because our master is a fan of the Free Archetype optional rule, honestly I think I am too at least on paper, and I don't really like to mix archetypes in a build if I don't fell confident in the story that gets out of it, if that makes sense. Starlight Magus and Eldritch Archer are two flavours that go well together IMO, at least for roleplay. I'm fine with a bad character if it's fun to roleplay, but still if there is too much double up I think I can abstain. Tho the Idea still interests me, so followup question, does anything change if I play with the Variant Rule or is it still meh? I'll still not try to optimize but I'm intrested.

[@pinesandtraplines]

​​​@@marmato9332 Elritch Archer is better if youre not going to start as a Magus. Starlit Span is essentially the EA as a Magus subclass, so theres too much overlap if you want to do Magus + EA archetype. However, EA is better if youre starting as a Fighter or something else. With the Free Archetype rules, you could get Eldritch Archer on a Fighter if you want to focus on bow attacks instead of spellcasting. Or, if you want to do a Starlit Magus, you can get some other archetype that expands your spell list for extra utility spells. I made a Magus NPC with the Runescarred archetype for my PF game. Edit: Just to clarify, you *could* take EA archetype with Magus if you arent a Starlit Magus. It just isnt optimal, since youre sacrificing Magus feats to essentially double-dip your Hybrid Studies. Not recommended, but its still a better idea than using the Magus archetype instead of the EA archetype. (Lmao 1 minute refocus on Spellstrike)

[@chrisbyrnes8610]

You sound like chef John from foodwishes

[@nargileh1]

Yeah it's noticable, but the voice is different though, and occasionally he sounds like ZeFrank (True Facts about ...)

[@SpoonHurler]

I heard the MaHoose has magic hands.

[@quark12000]

Unfortunately, Acid Splash is not an area of effect spell.

[@SwampSilver]

True, but it does do splash damage.

[@quark12000]

@@SwampSilver Only if it hits, unlike an alchemical bomb.

[@RekijanGaming]

I spat out my water at shaft & sorcery...

[@on_certainty]

incredible animation help, thank you