Jade Archer (3.5e Class)

Summary:: An archer who sacrifices quantity for quality. Length::20 Minimum Level::0 Base Attack Bonus Progression::Poor Fortitude Save Progression::Poor Reflex Save Progression::Poor Will Save Progression::Good Class Ability::Other. Class Ability Progression::Other.

Allowed Alignments::Lawful Good Allowed Alignments::Lawful Neutral Allowed Alignments::Neutral Good Allowed Alignments::Neutral

Jade Archer
A jade archer has learned through strenuous and repetitive training to create an arrow from his willpower that is only partially real. When unbound, such energy cannot exist in any single instance of time and never fully manifests enough to even be observed for long enough to study it in depth. The highly specialized training allows a jade archer to bind this energy into a quasi-real arrow for just long enough to make a single attack with it before it dissipates. Such training requires concentration free from the taint of evil and the clouded indecision of chaos. As a jade archer improves in power through levels his arrows change to lighter shades of green until becoming pure white at 9th level. These arrows may have additional visual displays that come from the source of the willpower that creates them.

Making a Jade Archer
Jade archers are capable of making an incredibly powerful attack against a single target. However, they are not as capable when dealing with multiple opponents as members of other classes are. Furthermore, due to their small hit dice, being on the front lines can be very dangerous for a jade archer.

Abilities: Dexterity is the singular ability of importance for this class though a good constitution score never hurts with d6 HD.

Races: Jade archers typically come from innately curious races such as humans and gnomes but any race may travel the path of a jade archer.

Alignment: Any Non-Evil, Non-Chaotic.

Starting Gold: 1d6&times;10 gp (35 gp).

Starting Age: Complex.

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the jade archer.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency:

A jade archer is proficient with simple weapons, bows, and light armor (but not with shields).

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A jade archer can create and fire a quasi-real arrow of jade as standard action. Only one jade arrow may exist for the jade archer in any given round and thus he is prevented from making multiple attacks with this ability. This arrow deals 1d6 damage and has an x3 critical multiplier regardless of the size and type of the bow it is launched from, automatically threatens a critical hit, and needs only to strike it's target to deal damage. The damage from the arrow cannot be beneficially modified by any means by the jade archer other than his jade archer class abilities. Though the arrow must normally be fired from a bow it can be thrown instead. When fired from a bow it has a range of 400 feet + 40 feet per jade archer level and when thrown it has a range of 25 feet + 5 feet per 2 jade archer levels (this is not a range increment but the maximum range). A jade arrow cannot be used for melee combat.

At 2nd level, the existence of the jade arrow is narrowed such that it seeks out its chosen target over many others. This means that the jade archer gains the effective benefit of the precise shot feat when making a jade arrow attack. It also allows the jade arrow to hit incorporeal targets normally.

At 5th level, the jade arrow exists only with respect to the target, it's creator, and the bow it is fired from. This means that the arrow is completely unaffected by anything other than something which is part of it's target when attempting to strike the target (it only ignores armor and shield bonuses to AC however).

At 9th level, the jade arrow is refined to exist only for the existence of it's target. Firstly, this causes it to gain the effective benefit of the improved precise shot feat. Secondly, This causes it to be able to achieve critical hits against things that are normally immune to such damage (though the attack is not treated as a critical hit for other abilities such as the flaming burst property of a weapon (a flaming burst weapon could not modify it's damage but this is an example of an ability that is affected by critical hits)). Furthermore, the damage dealt by the jade arrow cannot be altered (such as by damage reduction, hardness, or regeneration) as it strikes at the very existence of what it hits.

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A jade archer adds his dexterity bonus (if any) damage rolls with a jade arrow attack.

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At 1st level and every odd numbered level thereafter, the base land speed of a jade archer increases by 5 feet.

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At 2nd level the jade archer gains spell resistance equal to his class level + 11.

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At 4th level and every 4 levels thereafter the critical threat multiplier of arrows (including a jade arrow attack) used by a jade archer for a ranged attack increases by +1. This ability does not improve the critical multiplier when targeting objects.

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At 7th level, a jade archer has a uncanny sense of the direction to his target. This allows him to attack the correct square for a target he somehow specifies as long as that target is within 10 feet per jade archer level he has.

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At 13th level, a jade archer learns to make his jade arrows cover more distance before dissipating. This doubles the range for jade arrows that he fires from a bow or throws.

Ex-Jade Archer
If the jade archer ever becomes chaotic or evil he loses the ability to create jade arrows until he ceases to be of that alignment.

Epic Jade Archer
Fast Movement:

The jade archer's base land speed increases by 5 at every odd numbered jade archer level as normal.

Purest Jade:

The jade archer continues to add his dexterity bonus to damage rolls for jade arrow attacks as normal.

Jade Arrow:

The range of the jade arrow attack continues to increase with level as described above.

Devastating Aim:

The critical multiplier continues to increase by 1 every 4 levels.

Feel the Shot:

The range of this ability continues to increase by 10 feet with every jade archer level gained.



Epic Jade Archer Bonus Feat List: Combat Archery, Distant Shot, Epic Prowess, Epic Weapon Focus (any bow other than a crossbow), Great Dexterity, Uncanny Accuracy.