Suggestion: Feat changes.

[liquidsonic]

I feel some feats for ranged weapons can be quite under whelming and make ranged focused characters (outside of roguss possibly) some what lacking.

Generally I feel that maybe rapid shot and rapid reload should be feats combined into one. (No idea if thats possible. )

The same could be said of dual wielding. Its just redundant to dual wield without both the required feats. (Two wep and ambidex). Considering the small amount of feats you get it doesnt seem viable without being a fighter or a ranger and even then..

I know that maybe they dont need a buff and they are there as intended but I never did like how some feats were effectively split in half. One not really being a functional tool without the other.

[Spiffy Has]

So what do you want to change, specifically, in a mechanical perspective? You can already give ranged weaponry +1 from magic weapon.

[PanamaLane]

I would look into changing called shot before those other feats. Is it useful? Sometimes. But knockdown, disarm etc have improved versions and are generally far more effective. Its real benefit is that it can be used by ranged characters, but I rarely see any take the feat because its kinda meh.

I would maybe add a 1d4dmg to it, or lower the -4 AB to -2 or something. Make it ranged weapon only.

[Apocryphal Misconceptions]

I am all for making Rapid Reload a free feat on every crossbow. Could give a bunch of reasons but it will be stating the obvious.

[liquidsonic]

Mechanically speaking, Rapid reload is a feat that should either be free or covered by Rapid Shot. Its just one of those things that irked me on my range focused character. I am amazing at ranged weaponry but if I get a crossbow I am suddenly needing a feat to make it worth its whiled. I feel the feat could just be combined into Rapid shot.

For called shot, my main drawback on that is the duration is lasts. The move speed reduction can be nice in a PVP setting, even at -4 AB. However it lasts only about 4 rounds! You would need to be almost constantly re-applying this over and over for it to be worth it. I suggest just extending its duration to about 8 rounds.

For dual wielding I suggest that two-weapon fighting cover the ambidex cost. Making it -2/-2 on its own since its  so costly just to do it without. Its always been a thing that bugged me in 3.5 when it came to dual wielding. Doing it at low levels was just so costly since without improved two-wep it just never shined. At least this way you could pick it up and not cost you so much.

[liquidsonic]

Tbh now that I mention it maybe just reduce the BAB requirement on improved two wep since its almost unacheivable by most characters. +9 BAB.

[Apocryphal Misconceptions]

Called Shot both stacks & overlaps plus refreshes the duration. It is definitely a good alternativr to KD for Archers.

[Zango_Unchained]

A few things, dual wielding in efu is very well balanced and if you make a pc invested in it you will reap benefits for doing so. Its heavy feat investment because you are getting an additional attack out of it.
which is a rather big deal.

Beyond this archery is absolutely fine. Variety of arrows/bolts make it highly viable and called shot is a very potent and useful tool.

In regards to rapid reload,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HagCuGXJgUs

[Falgrim]

Very educational Zango..now..for all those marksmen out there, you need to find Munt, and give up say..a shinbone or entire leg perhaps..to make you a steam powered, semi automatic loading crossbow with rapid shot/reload on it..as a wep bonus.

[liquidsonic]

Ah then I withdraw my suggestion :p then after seeing that.

Munt I hear is a scary man...

[PanamaLane]

Called shot is useful for PvP, but that's about it. Even there, if you manage to hit with the -4 on a buffed out PC (the times is worked out for me have really only been after downing an accuracy potion) that gives you 4 rounds decreased movement speed and cumulative -2 Dex. That's ok, but lets be honest, not great. Especially if you consider the move speed of a PvP target is probably hasted to begin with.

Improved knockdown stuns the target completely (at your normal AB if size categories are equal), gives you +4 on your next attack (probably another knockdown) and is generally a PC killer. I don't think anyone would argue this feat is one of the best PvP options available.

I don't by any means think that these feats should be equal as ranged characters have loads of other advantages...but those advantages mostly evaporate in PvP. Called shot is a PvP feat that is kind of weak in practical terms.

[Pigadig]

Called Shot stacks. So a fully buffed archer PC can potentially cripple someone with -6 DEX, -60% movespeed OR -6 AB, or a combination of the two.

Which means it can also be useful against boss monsters, assuming they haven't had their discipline buffed up to unreasonable levels.

[Zango_Unchained]

On the topic of called shot in pvp and its comparison to Imp KD,

In this server to my understanding not all feats are created equal. Some you take for the sheer rp value or simply for a specific task. But on this topic, I would like to say you mentioned Imp KD which is two feats which require an int component. So not only do you need to invest in intelligence but you also need to be level 8 and KD already. That is three prereques for a feat as opposed to the no prereques that called shot has. Beyond this you need to consider the purpose of the feat which is to disable or lower ab of a target. Two things an archer can use to devastating effect. Either killing the ab of something murdering your shieldsman or slowing something down that may just kill you if it reaches you. It lasts four rounds so it can stack up to /seven times/ that is landing it twice a round. You can slow someone to absolutely no movement as well as reducing ac and reflex by killing their dex.

Each has their pros and cons, each is very useful for separate roles. The archers role is not one where he is running around gunning things down alone in most cases. You never had an army where everyone was solely a dedicated archer. Archers are a support segment to most military groups of the era which is represented by the tech level shown within dnd 3.5.

So while Imp KD can just kill a player, you are underestimating the fact that called shot can be used at range. And you can literally destroy a opposing players ac/reflex/movement speed with it as well as make their ab a non-issue.

Its useful in its own way.

[PanamaLane]

I agree called shot can be useful. I took it for RP. I think most archers that have Called Shot have it for RP. That to me is a bit of a sign. I've used it in PvP, a number of times. Its ok. About as far as I'll go with it. If it had an improved version you could take at a higher level i.e. knockdown, disarm, it would be used more. Just my opinion.

Edit: Also want to add, it is in fact very strong when ccombined with true strike obviously. But so is everything else really.

[Spiffy Has]

I would it taken into consideration, that for questing purposes, all you really need is healing and blur potions. Most monsters won't penetrate the 5/+1 DR, and healing lets you survive. However, to optimize questing, you ought to have a wizard who will enchant you, and will stay invisible and heal your person with crystals/devices/wands whathaveyou.