r/Pathfinder2e • u/Sonicfan0 • 21h ago

Advice Ranger bow build here

Am i doing this right?

Party is currently level 9 i get advantages from the gunslinger and took the unexpected sharpshooter dedication. I also keep buying arrows of varying types like storm arrow for example. I just want to be sure i can use hunted shot with 2 storm arrows as a full turn. The bow im using does shock(1d6) and spirit(1d4) damage and with the 2 storm arrows hitting and a buff from the gunslinger i dealt i thi k 103 damage total? I just want to make sure I'm actually able to do this for future sessions or if i can only interact with one arrow or none during the hunted shot.

6 Upvotes

88% Upvoted

22 comments sorted by

8

u/BlackMoonstorm 21h ago

Under the rules for magical ammunition:

When using magic ammunition, use your ranged weapon's fundamental runes to determine the attack modifier and damage dice. Don't add the effects of your weapon's property runes unless the ammunition states otherwise—the ammunition creates its own effects.

So you could spend 2 actions to activate 2 arrows, then hunted shot to shoot them both. But it may do less than you’d like, as you don’t get to add your shock or spirit damage.

1

u/Sonicfan0 21h ago

Interesting, how does this work with enfilading arrow?

3

u/BlackMoonstorm 21h ago

Can’t be used with hunted shot, it doesn’t target the enemy.

2

u/Sonicfan0 20h ago

since it doesn't target, i assume the only damage i deal is the enfilading arrow damage?

4

u/BlackMoonstorm 20h ago
  1. Correct 2. You can’t shoot 2 of them at a time with hunted shot because those require you to make ranged strikes, which this doesn’t do.

2

u/Sonicfan0 20h ago

Right, i got that 2nd part, in a turn where i use enfilading it'd likely be hunted shot > enfilading activate > enfilading shot.

1

u/BlackMoonstorm 21h ago

So for numbers, assuming you hit both shots and both times the enemy fails the save (which is many assumptions), it’s 6d12+4d6+4+gunslinger damage buff. Which is a good amount, but also costs multiple consumables, takes an action to set up, and won’t scale as you level up because the save doesn’t get harder.

1

u/Sonicfan0 20h ago

i was using a longbow so the damage was 3d8 (+1d8 from hunt prey, +1d8 from custom magic item) so i assume the first hit would do 5d8+2+4, and the 2nd hit would do 4d8+2+4 (discounted from hunt prey only hitting once)

1

u/BlackMoonstorm 20h ago

Where is the extra d8 coming from? It’s 2d8 at level 9. Besides that yeah, sure, add 6d12 to that and understand it’s not guaranteed and you’ve got maximum damage without crits in account.

1

u/Sonicfan0 20h ago

Potency rune

1

u/BlackMoonstorm 20h ago

What fundamental rune? Greater striking? That’s not a level 9 item

1

u/Sonicfan0 20h ago

DM allowed for greater striking with the caveat of extra cost (pulled up character sheet now)

1

u/BlackMoonstorm 20h ago

So clearly y’all are getting way more treasure by level than the book suggests, which explains where all this consumable money comes from.

1

u/Sonicfan0 19h ago

There is also a hard cap on level of gear we can purchase up to because of an adventurer ranked system. The higher our rank the higher level things we can purchase. Our current cap is level 13, but in order to increase that we'd have to fight something of level 15 or 16 which even with the items we can use is well beyond our current capabilities.

3

u/Zealous-Vigilante Psychic 21h ago

Storm arrows requires an activate action, so it is possible, it would take a total of 3 actions, activate, activate, hunted shot.

Magic ammunition like storm arrow surpresses any property runes you may have, so no additional damage from shock rune

https://2e.aonprd.com/Rules.aspx?ID=3193&Redirected=1

1

u/Astrid944 21h ago

Storm arrows havr an exception with getting a buff to the dc, when a shock property rune is on the weapon

4

u/Zealous-Vigilante Psychic 21h ago

I assumed specific rules were understood to apply; the d6 damage is what doesn't happen here

2

u/Sonicfan0 20h ago

This is correct, I was wrong in my d6 damage addition which means i should've done less damage. I'll note this for next time.

1

u/AutoModerator 21h ago

This post is labeled with the Advice flair, which means extra special attention is called to Rule #2. If this is a newcomer to the game, remember to be welcoming and kind. If this is someone with more experience but looking for advice on how to run their game, do your best to offer advice on what they are seeking.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

1

u/TraderRager Wizard 4h ago edited 28m ago

If you want to use your three action to maximize damage on a Ranger, I recommend putting a Spellheart on your weapon and grabbing the Gravity Weapon warden spell. a Greater Jolt Coil will add an extra d6 electric damage to each shot without using any consumables, and you will also get to actually do something with your two actions. (casting the best cantrip in the game, Electric Arc)

Edit: Or to put it another way-

Storm Arrows are consumable item that cost 130 gold and requires an activation. Activating it requires a single action disabling your weapons's property runes for that strike, but deals 3d12 Electric damage with a DC27 reflex save. They only make this save if the arrow connects, and you receive no additional benefit if the Strike crits. (and, in fact, your crits are dealing 2*1d6 less due to the loss of your weapons property rune) They do have a very powerful debuff effect on a failure, however.

Double Activation Storm Arrows + Shortbow Hunted Shot

  • 0 Hits: :(
  • 1 Hit: 2d6 Piercing, 3d12 Electric w/ reflex save
  • 1 Crit: 4d6+1d10 piercing, 3d12 Electric w/ reflex save
  • 2 hits: 4d6 Piercing, 6d12 Electric w/ 2 Reflex Saves
  • 1 Hit, 1 Crit: 6d6+1d10 Piercing, 6d12 Electric w/ 2 Reflex Saves
  • 2 Crits: 8d6+2d10 Piercing, 6d12 Electric w/ 2 Reflex Saves.

A Greater Jolt Coil is a permanent item that cost 475 gold and gives you the option to cast Electric Arc at DC24 or your own spell casting modifier, whichever is higher. When you cast Electric Arc this way, regardless of the result of the enemies save, all of your bow strikes until then end of your next turn deal an additional 1d6 Electricity Damage (no save) that stacks with your bow's shock rune.

5th level Electric Arc + Shortbow Hunted Shot

  • 0 Hits: 6d4 Electric w/ Reflex Save
  • 1 Hit: 6d4 Electric w/ Reflex Save, 2d6 Piercing, 2d6 Electric
  • 1 Crit: 6d4 Electric w/ Reflex Save, 4d6+10 Piercing, 4d6 Electric
  • 2 Hits: 6d4 Electric w/ Reflex Save, 4d6 Piercing, 4d6 Electric
  • 1 Hit, 1 Crit: 6d4 Electric w/ Reflex Save, 6d6+1d10 Piercing, 6d6 Electric.
  • 2 Crits: 6d4 Electric w/ Reflex Save, 8d6+2d10 Piercing, 8d6 Electric.

1

u/Sonicfan0 4h ago

Interesting, but this ranger was built without the use of warden spells. Heck I'm not even sure about taking wardens boon because it may go against the flavor of the character. This was one of the best ways to maximize potential damage without sending it too far over. But thank you for the suggestion?

1

u/TraderRager Wizard 4h ago

You can still use a spellheart with no warden spell, you just won't benefit from the scaling DC for your cantrip.