Design Background: This archetype is based upon both the spellslinger archetype and the arcane archer prestige class.
Combining archery with considerable magical skill, an arcane archer forms a powerful bond with his bow. Not only do arcane archers possess the ability to strike at targets from afar, they are also able to focus spells through their bow and imbue arrows with magical powers. Arcane archers can typically only be found where elves travel, but not all are allies of the elves. A rare few, notably half-elven arcane archers, have used this elven tradition solely for their own gain. Arcane archers tend to be free-spirited and are rarely lawful (and even more rarely evil).
Weapon Familiarity
Arcane Archers, if they don’t already possess it, gain proficiency with longbows (including composite longbows) and shortbows (including composite shortbows). They gain the Weapon Focus feat with one of those.
Archery
At 1st, 5th, 10th, 15th and 20th level, the arcane archer gains a bonus feat. At 1st level, the feat comes from the following list: Deflect Arrows, Far Shot, Focused Shot, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, and Rapid Shot. At 10th level, the following feats are added to the list: Improved Critical, Improved Precise Shot, Parting Shot, Pinpoint Targeting, Point Blank Master, Manyshot, Shot on the Run and Snap Shot. The arcane archer must meet prerequisites normally required for these feats to select them.
This ability replaces Scribe Scroll and Bonus Feats.
Arcane Bow (Su)
The arcane archer begins play with a masterwork bow as his bonded object. In an arcane archer’s hands, his bow can both fire arrows and spells. He can cast any ranged touch attack, cone, line, or ray spell through his arcane bow. When he casts through the arcane bow, the bow’s enhancement bonus (if any) is a bonus to the spell’s attack rolls or to the spell’s saving throw DCs. For the purpose of criticals, the spell uses the archer’s crit range and multiplier for the bow.
At 4th level, every nonmagical arrow an arcane archer nocks and lets fly from his arcane bow becomes magical, gaining a +1 enhancement bonus. Unlike magic weapons crafted by normal means, the archer need not spend gold pieces to accomplish this task. However, an archer's magic arrows only function for him.
At 8th level, the arcane archer gains the ability to place a melee touch attack or an area spell upon an arrow. Touch attacks are resolved against a target’s touch AC, and area attacks target a specific grid intersection and are treated as a ranged attack against AC 5. When the arrow is fired, the spell's area is centered where the arrow lands, even if the spell could normally be centered only on the caster. This ability allows the archer to use the bow's range rather than the spell's range. A spell cast in this way uses its standard casting time and the arcane archer can fire the arrow as part of the casting.
This ability replaces arcane bond.
School of the Bow (Su)
The rigor of their dual pursuits is so great that arcane archers forsake four schools of magic. These opposition schools are chosen at 1st level and cannot be changed later. An archer who prepares a spell from his opposition school must use two spell slots of that level to prepare the spell. In addition, the archer takes a –4 penalty on any skill checks made when crafting a magic item that has a spell from one of his opposition schools as a prerequisite.
At 4th level, an arcane archer can launch an arrow that seeks a target known to him within range, and the arrow travels to the target, even around corners. Only an unavoidable obstacle or the limit of the arrow's range prevents the arrow's flight. This ability negates concealment, total concealment and cover modifiers, but otherwise the attack is rolled normally. Using this ability is a standard action (and shooting the arrow is part of the action). An arcane archer can use this ability once per day at 4th level.
At 8th level, such an arrow can also phase through any barrier or wall in its way, not only negating concealment, total concealment and cover, but also total cover, armor and shield modifiers. The attack is otherwise rolled normally. The ability can now be used twice per day.
At 12th level, the archer can launch a hail of such arrows. He can fire one seeking, phasing arrow at any target within range, to a maximum of one target for every wizard level he has earned. Each attack uses the archer's highest attack bonus, and each enemy may only be targeted by a single arrow. The ability can now be used three times per day.
At 16th level, an arcane archer can craft a special type of slaying arrow that forces the target, if damaged by the arrow's attack, to make a Fort save or be slain immediately. The DC to resist is equal to 10 + 1/2 the wizard's level + Int modifier. It takes 1 day to make a slaying arrow, and the arrow only functions for the arcane archer who created it. The slaying arrow lasts no longer than 1 year, and the archer can only have one such arrow in existence at a time.
This ability replaces arcane school.
