Chanter 3.0 Archer build - need some input

[Ganrich]

So, I am a Bard player, and as such the Chanter is my preferred class.  I have a few ideas to make this class a little more hands on, but I am having trouble with a few things (attributes particularly).  Anyway, I am not 100% sure on attributes, but I think I will need a high perception, above average might, medium to high dex, and I was thinking of putting some points into might.  This build may have a summon or two, but will not be built around those invocations particularly.

 

This is only for a hard difficulty run, but I don't like starting without the idea completely formed and I have been thinking on this for a while and cannot come to a finished idea.  

 

Race:  Wood Elf (we will see)

 

Might - 13ish

Con - 7

Dex - 14

Perception - 19

Intellect - 17

Resolve - 8

 

Planned skills - High Lore, High Mechanics, and High Stealth.  This lets me use traps and scrolls thus hopefully allow for a more active play style.  I will have a few points in Athletics to keep fatigue away.  

 

Talents:

1)  Weapon Focus Peasant (hunting bows will be my weapon)

2)  Marksmen (potentially will be cut)

3)  Interrupting Blows

4)  Bloody Slaughter (potentially will be cut)

5)  Deep Pockets

6)  Shot on the Run

7)  Apprentice Sneak Attack is a possibility

 

So, let me explain how this works.  You scout ahead using stealth, and lay traps as necessary.  Use your tankers to face pull into the traps.  I am thinking of mixing my chants between buffs and debuffs and keeping the focus target at the edge of my chant circle to ensure you are getting your marksman and wood elf boni.   You pluck at enemies with your bow, you will get interrupts (not crucial but it is what it is), and use scrolls to assist, and hitting enemies with offensive/debuffs/etc style invocations when available.  I like this Idea because given how passive the Chanter is as a class... having some positional requirements means I won't set him and forget him.  

Weapons:  Persistance and Stormcaller

Other gear:  I am unsure as I haven't played in a while, but looking at clearing Od Nua fairly quickly so perhaps Vengiatta Rugio (advice welcome of course).  Voice of the Mountaintop will give a little wiggle room between the edge of a chant and the +accuracy from Wood Elf and Marksmen boni.  Helmet of Darksee or the Azalin's Helmet are both decent choices I think (leaning toward Azalin's Helmet since my high accuracy will increase crits).  Perhaps some gear that grants some spells casts like Spiderfingers and others like it because I want as many active abilities as I can get on my passive little chanter.  

 

Now here are the few things I am unsure of, atm.  

 

Talents:  Ok, Ancient Memory and Beloved Spirits have been buffed in 3.0, and that means they could do well in the build since it will spend most of its time in the midfield between melee and other ranged thus giving the entire party coverage for the most part.  Also, I think Penetrating Shot might be worth it for bigger enemies, but I am unsure to pick up that talent for a few fights.  This Chanter's focus isn't pure damage but interrupts, traps, scrolls, invocations.  However, I could change some things.  Also, I could see picking up an elemental talent (Scion of Flame, Rime of Frost, etc) if I am focusing on scrolls and invocational damage, but they are few and far between.  Thoughts?

 

Attributes:  I guess I could focus on damage, but with that... I would change a good bit.  The only real necessities on the talent side are Weapon focus, Deep Pockets, and Shot on the run.   So, if that is the case I would pull some perception points and load it into might.  I could also see abandoning Wood Elf and Marksmen and being a more close quarters archer, and using another race such as Island Amaua (adds another weapon to use, but I don't want a quick Swap build personally), Hearth Orlan (will allow the player to be a secondary striker on critical targets), or even a Death Godlike (i would definitely pick up Bloody Slaughter with the Godlike).  

 

Anyway, I am curious what those that are more versed in the game think.  I haven't played much because of work, but I want to play with WM2 around the corner. I have been playing as a Paladin and a Ranger, but really ive been biding my time for Chanters to get some love.  Looking for as much insight (negative or positive) as you guys can muster.  

Edited January 23, 2016 by Ganrich

[MaxQuest]

Attributes distribution looks a bit strange. If rp is your primal consideration, the build is perfectly fine.

But if you would like to min/max a bit, then a few modifications could be made.

----- 

The ranged weapon and low CON/RES point out that you'll place your chanter into the backline.

While relatively low might and the choice of hunting bow point out that the physical damage output won't be that stellar. (especially against high-DR enemies)

And finally high PER/INT point out that you want to focus your chanter on debuffing your enemies / buffing allies. But.. you can do the same as a chanter-tank! While also freeing the dps-slot. Of course that's just imho. 

 

Now.. the tankish variants I am thinking are the following:

 

A. Wild orlan -1 MIG, +2 PER, +1 RES | +1 INT

MIG  3

CON 14

DEX 3

PER 20

INT 19

RES 19

 

A sturdy one, focused on: - debuffing chants, - paralizing invocations, and cc-scrolls. High PER/INT are perfect for that. Not to mention that those cone-invocations are easier to land being in front-line.

 

B. Moon godlike +1 DEX, + 1 INT | +1 RES

MIG  18

CON 15

DEX 4

PER 3

INT 19

RES 19

 

This one is focused on: - buffing chants, - summoning invocations, and healing-scrolls; since these do not require high accuracy, while healing and his racial effects are increased by might.

 

On the next play-through will probably run with both of them. I like my tanks being useful beside being meat-shields

 

P.S. Yes I have noticed that you wanted specifically archer. I was thinking of similar archetype. But after some consideration just gave-up... In my opinion ranged chanter requires too much attributes to be truly effective.

Edited January 29, 2016 by MaxQuest

[KDubya]

On hard you can make what you have work.

 

One suggestion is to go with Warbows and then use Stormcaller which is a universal weapon. Warbows have more punch to get through DR.

 

Another is to get Penetrating Shot, your bow's damage will be sucked up by enemy DR.

 

I'd also go with a different race then wood elf. Trying to stay 4 meters away from targets while still keeping them in range is going to be a pain in the ass. Boreal Dwarfs do well with the big +15 accuracy to two of the more common enemy types. This would free up your positioning a lot.

 

Since you will be ranged you can dump Resolve to 3 and use the points elsewhere, a few more in Con to get to 10 might not be bad.