So, TemplePlus exists.

Is .38 the same version as the "pre-release" version you linked us to in an earlier post, SA?

.38 still gives me a ctd on map changes, maybe I should try it with a new game?

 

No, the prerelease is a more advanced dev build (that also fixes the ctd). You can deploy it to a temporary folder and run the exe from there.

 

Thanks SA, that's what I did but I was just wondering about the latest update.

Btw, does this mean you've got another update planned soon?

 

In answer to how I'd build an Arcane Archer to take advantage of Imbue Arrow, I'd go with an elf with Wizard 8, Fighter 2, and Arcane Archer 10 to get to +16 BAB with +5 arrows. Alternatively, you could substitute one or both levels of Fighter with Barbarian. If 4th level spells don't appeal to you, two more levels of fighter gets you Weapon Specialization for +2 more damage per arrow...

 

I don't have Temple + and am not familiar with Arcane Archer, but based on Daryk's reply, my first thought was 2 levels of Ranger instead of Fighter or Barbarian for the archery fighting style focus (= free Many Shot.) Possible?

 

Yeah, hopefully in the next couple of weeks (got holidays coming up so that should help with the spare time...).

Oh and yeah, AA is pretty faithful to the 3.5 rules. I personally think it's pretty gimp, to the point where I was considering substituting the Pathfinder version by default. In the end I elected not to do that, but I want to publish a mod that does that.

 

Thanks to all for your ideas.
Regarding game balance, in a party-based cRPG I don't think that a Pathfinder AA would be too unbalancing: unless you enter via Wizard 12 you sacrifice Wizard spellcasting levels to get in, and lose 3 more over the 10 levels of AA. For a party of any given size, having an Arcane Archer as one member weakens it compared to having a pure Cleric or Wizard in that spot instead. For me, the downside of having to acquire all your arcane casting before entering the prestige class is that by the time you hit 13th level (or 11th or even 10th depending on where you are happy to cap your arcane power) you have got through a huge amount of your adventuring career not doing the magic archer thing, and it's a perverse choice to suddenly decide not to be a pure wizard, after all, at that point.
Imbue Arrow wouldn't be overpowered as a metamagic feat available to arcane casters (prerequisites: point blank shot, precise shot, able to cast 3rd level spells) in my opinion. It would be interesting from a flavour point of view, and actively useful in a limited number of situations (and thus not overpowered for the expenditure of 3 feats), but less powerful than other things you could do with a Wizard character.
For me the flavour of the AA class is more of an Archer-type who develops the ability to apply magical effects to arrows, rather than a powerful wizard who, late in his career, develops the option to nerf his casting somewhat by using a bow to do it.

 

Alright, 1.0.39 is officially out now, including the fix for that crash issue.
It also includes a proper help entry for Arcane Archer , as well as a prototype for the new Dungeon Master UI:

 

I generally only get those blue "T" faced helmets when the game is in the process of crashing... are they a normal aspect of Temple+?

 

Ah, ok... thanks!

 

Yeah, I was using @sirchet's save without having the portrait pack installed.

 

Favored Soul seems to work well