At first glance this might be a bit puzzling: aren't elves good archers anyway? So let's read on and find out what's here. The elven archers described here feel an almost sacred bond with the spirits of the forests and their ancestors, communing with them each morning to gain divine spells with which - along with their other abilities - they keep their ancestral forests safe from any who would disrespect them. This goes beyond lurking in said ancestral forests and taking pot-shots at intruders, elven archers travel far and wide hunting specific foes or evil races in general. Practice or prevention? Only they know for certain.

As a new variant base class, you get all the information that you need to create and play an elven archer character. They are good against single foes, specialising in hit-and-run tactics, and have enough ranger-like skills that they can fill in for one if the group has no ranger in its midst.

Some interesting suggestions are made for creating other variant base classes along similar lines: fancy an orkish skirmisher or a halfling sling master, perhaps? Full details are given for there such, the halfling sling master, a dwarven crossbowyer and a mystic archer (who can be of any race). If that's not enough there are also two archetypes: the royal guardian (who protects an individual rather than a forest) and the plains rider who is a skilled mounted archer adept at hunting for food as well as their enemies.

Eighteen feats and an archer's spell list come next. As well as a list drawing on published spells there are plenty of new archery-related ones here. Finally, new arrow types, other relevant equipment and even magic items finish up this rather useful work. If archery appeals, you need to read this!

Return to The Expanded Elven Archer page.

Reviewed: 21 February 2016