Arcane Archer

Arcane Archer Ranger Archetype

Origin: Third Edition; Dungeon Master's Guide
You know the arcane secrets of the elves. Trained by them in arts of grace and magic, you have learned the art of the mystical hunter, a walker of ley lines, a piercer of the veil between this world and the magic of the Fey. The Arcane Archers are a group of scholars of fey lore, but their research is no reading of dusty tomes in a tower. Rather, they see the subtle magic in the flight of an owl or the radiance of an aurora. Nature hums with magic — any ranger worth their salt knows that — but the Arcane Archers draw it out, imbue their weaponry with it, and use this magical energy to survive in the wilderness where they live.

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Arcane Arrows

At 3rd level, you unlock the fundamental secrets of elven archery. You gain the following benefits:

  • Choose from the spell list of any class (including ranger) one 1st-level spell, or one cantrip. The chosen spell counts as a ranger spell for you, but doesn't count against the number of ranger spells you know.
  • You may use your bow as a spellcasting focus, and you may use spells with somatic components while wielding your bow.
  • As an action, while wielding a bow, you can fire an imbued arrow. Make an attack with your bow, select a spell you know, and spend a spell slot of the appropriate level on it. This attack is considered magical for the purposes of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage. If you hit with your bow, the spell you chose takes effect on the target of the attack, even if the spell was originally a touch-range spell or a spell that only affected the caster, or if the arrow has traveled out of the spell's normal range. If the spell affects an area, the target of your bow attack becomes the origin point for the area. If the attack misses, the spell still goes off, but targeted spells have no effect. Area effect spells go off treating wherever the arrow landed (as determined by the DM) as the origin point for the area.

Seeker Arrow

At 7th level, you gain the following benefits:

  • Choose from the spell list of any class (including ranger) one 1st-level spell, one 2nd-level spell, or one cantrip. The chosen spell counts as a ranger spell for you, but doesn't count against the number of ranger spells you know.
  • Any arrow your fire counts as magical for the purposes of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.
  • As an action, while wielding a bow, you can fire a seeker arrow, an enchanted arrow that you control as it leaves your bow. Make an attack with your bow. Your attack ignores cover, and your attack need not travel in a straight line — your arrow can travel around corners, reverse direction, pass through windows, slalom around pylons, and otherwise travel whatever path you desire, out to the limit of its range.

Phase Arrow

At 11th level, you gain the following benefits:

  • Choose from the spell list of any class (including ranger) one 1st-level spell, one 2nd-level spell, one 3rd-level spell, or one cantrip. The chosen spell counts as a ranger spell for you, but doesn't count against the number of ranger spells you know.
  • You are immune to the Charmed condition and the sleep spell.
  • As an action, while you are wielding a bow, you can fire a phase arrow, sending an enchanted arrow through solid walls toward your target. Choose a target that you know of within range of a bow attack, even if you cannot see it or it is behind obstacles. That target must make a Dexterity save with a DC equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Dexterity modifier, or take damage as if hit by your bow attack.

Arrow of Death

At 15th level, you gain the following benefits:

  • Choose from the spell list of any class (including ranger) one 1st-level spell, one 2nd-level spell, one 3rd-level spell, one 4th-level spell, or one cantrip. The chosen spell counts as a ranger spell for you, but doesn't count against the number of ranger spells you know.
  • You can choose leave no trail when you move, as if under the effects of pass without trace.
  • As an action, while you are wielding a bow, you can fire a death arrow, piercing the heart of your target. Make an attack with your bow. If you hit, the hit is automatically a critical hit.