Playing through with a ranged weapon focused party

If you're like me, you've played TOEE a zillion times (thanks to Co8 for making it awesome!) but gets little old eventually... so I thought I'd share my most recent party idea in case it gives anyone else the bug to do it all over again. This time I decided to make a party where everyone is handy with a ranged weapon. It's been fun and definitely feels different.

Here's my setup: Fighter x5 (1 multiclassed to wizard and the other to druid), Cleric x1, Ranger x1, Rogue x1

All were human except for my cleric who was an elf for the longbow and Elhonna/Plant domain. Everybody was required to take Point Blank Shot and Precise shot to be in the party since that -4 firing into melee penalty is a deal killer. My fighters also picked up rapid shot at first level and the others picked it up later.

For weapon choices, I wanted to diversify the strain on my ammo supplies so I had 2 slingers, 3 with bows and 3 with xbows, varying the types so everybody had something different if possible. I also had somebody doing shurikens just for giggles until I couldn't take it anymore and switched to sling.

As we leveled up, my fighters began to specialize and focus in their ranged weapon of choice and I picked up crafting for my casters to help us enchant our bows and get some dex gloves, a trick bag, etc. With all those bonus feats I had time to play with improved initiative, shot on the run, and improved critical, too. I took far shot for the slingers as well, since I am serious about keeping the mobs FAR away from us.

My casters focused almost exclusively on three types of spells: disabling, summoning, and area protection. Basically I play an elaborate game of keep away. Entangles, webs and summon more keep the enemy away from me. Summons keep mobs busy while I'm locking them down, usually strategically placed to delay them. Obscuring mist or Fog cloud (smoke sticks, too!) reduced problems from return fire and gave me cover should something get up to me before I could step away.

Some other things I've learned:

• Cover and Prone are not my friends. Both give +4 AC vs. ranged, so I try to avoid those situations.
• Everybody kept a bludgeoning weapon for skeletons. Greater turning and favored enemy: undead helped, too.
• I actually used clairvoyance/clairaudience. When you start fights from far away, you often can't target hidden mobs for shooting. You can cast clair in the darkness instead of having to move closer.
• You CAN coup de grace with a bow, so long as you're adjacent to the enemy. (Take that, trolls).
• Control plants FTW, which entangles them but not you... and it's a WILL save, too. Ooh.

Currently I'm level 7 and having a lot of fun. I don't really need to heal much, either, since we rarely get hurt. The hardest fight so far was phase 3 of the arena of heroes. Skeletons are not my friend, especially the giant and mage varieties. Oh, and bodaks/werewolves suck. Bows are for piling on lots of little damage, not punching through 10 DR per hit!

 

Make that a party of ranged rogues, and you'll destroy everything in sight.

Then wait till you fight enemies with DR and/or DR/piercing to see them all brutally die. The Balor fight will be fun, I can guarantee it.

 

Also watch out for the higher level casters who will rain down on you and those foes that can run through your barriers will charge your casters. I am currently doing a similiar group. Cleric melee with three rangers lasses to back him up. Each ranger a different type of missilier. Currently getting ready to clear out Hickory Branch and its horde of Orc vermin.

 

Good ideas. I am considering giving my fighters some rogue levels once they are done with all of the good ranged feats.

Those casters are definitely a pain. Fortunately with all my DEX we have crazy initiative, and sometimes my entire party goes before the first monster. Then I can ready vs. spell and hope they screw it up, or sometimes I plop a summon in front of them. I have tried using silence but they always seem to make their will save. It tends to work on me, though, despite my casters having will saves that are just as good. Aaargh.

 

One thing to keep in mind is that you can cast grease.entangle to slow up enemies charging you or even get them immobilized. Then have your cleric cast spiritual weapon. That is immune top the spells and will help with absorbing the enemies attacks and wacking at them while you send in the homing missiles.