Some say that the tech bow specialists were the first to craft any kind of modification for a ranged weapon. Able to create the weapon of their dreams, these determined craftsman are the best of the best.
The tech bow specialist is an archetype of the archer class.
Archetype Main Ability Scores:
The tech bow specialist mainly focuses on DEX for martial combat and DEX and WIS for their class features.
Archetype Feature Replacements:
1st – Archery Style, 5th – Improved Archery Style. 10th – Archery Style Mastery.
Bowsmith (Ex)
At 1st level, with enough time, the tech bow specialist could put anything onto any ranged weapon. He gains a modified crossbow or bow of his choice; this weapon can only be used by the tech bow specialist and he always has proficiency in it. This can weapon can be upgraded to masterwork quality for 300 gil. This weapon can ignore the weapon type restrictions of a single modification. In addition, he gains the Technologist feat, ignoring prerequisites.
At 5th level and every four archer levels thereafter, a tech bow specialist can reconfigure his bow or crossbow with a single modification by spending 1 hour of work. Most modifications can only be taken once, unless specified. He may reconfigure his bow or crossbow as many times as he likes but is only granted up to 4 (at 17th level) of the following benefits at a time. The tech bow specialist can only modify 1 bow or crossbow at a time, to a maximum allowed by this feature per bow or crossbow (17th level can put 4 mods onto any number of bows or crossbows). He can deconstruct modifications from his current bow or crossbow by spending 1 hour of work but lose the modification and any gil spent towards it. These are the following modifications:
- Autoloader: This device attaches to a crossbow and can hold up to 20 bolts. When firing from a crossbow with an autoloader, the tech bow specialist may take a -2 penalty to attack rolls to fire one additional time during a full-attack action, and stacks with the Rapid Shot feat. Once the 20 bolts are used up, he has to reload the autoloader (which takes a full-round action). This modification is only for crossbows and cannot be used with the spring-loaded bolts modification. Cost: 4,000 gil.
- Comfort Grip:Attacks with this weapon are resolved against touch AC at the first range increment. This cannot be used with Potato Grip. Prerequisite: The tech bow specialist must be at least 9th level to select this modification. Cost: 5,000 gil.
- Elemental Core: Capturing the essence of an element and putting it into a ever-replicating core, the tech bow specialist choses an element type (earth, fire, ice, lightning, water or wind) and adds a 1d6 points of damage of that element type. Cost: 4,000 gil.
- Improved Elemental Core: The tech bow specialist improves the element core of his ranged weapon, dealing 2d6 points of damage of the same element type chosen from the elemental core. Prerequisites: The tech bow specialist must be 9th level and have the elemental core modification to select this modification. Cost: 8,000 gil.
- Night Vision:This optic illuminates even the darkest night for the tech bow specialist and grants darkvision 30’. This cannot be used with Reflex Sight. Prerequisite: The tech bow specialist must be at least 9th level to select this modification. Cost: 4,500 gil.
- Omnicore; The tech bow specialist may select between any of the elements (earth, fire, ice, lightning, water, or wind) as a free action. Prerequisites: The tech bow specialist must be 13th level and have the improved elemental core modification to select this modification. Cost: 10,000 gil.
- Potato Grip:This modification provides a better grip to improve stability and prevent splinters. It provides a +1 bonus to hit on attacks made after the first attack the tech bow specialist makes in a round. This cannot be used with Comfort Grip. Cost: 1,500 gil.
- Reflex Sight:With a lens and reflective overlay at its focus, an optical collimator produces a virtual image of a reticle providing a +1 bonus on attack rolls. This cannot be used with Night Vision. Cost: 1,500 gil.
- Silencer: When the tech bow specialist fires the modified weapon, he does not lose stealth. This only takes effect on crossbows. Cost: 1,500 gil.
- Spring-Loaded Bolts: Loading becomes a swift action for hand/light crossbows, a standard action for heavy crossbows. With the Rapid Reload feat, this becomes a free action for hand/light crossbows and a move action for heavy crossbows. This modification is only for crossbows and cannot be used with the autoloader modification. Cost: 1,500 gil.
- Strengthened String: This modification toughens up the string of a bow, which enables the tech bow specialist to fire arrows with more oomph. This modification increases the critical hit multiplier by 1 (to a maximum of x4, if he possesses any class feature that modifies critical hit multipliers). This modification is only for bows. Prerequisite: The tech bow specialist must be at least 9th level to select this modification. Cost: 5,000 gil.
- Strong Pull: Increases the range of his bow by 10 feet. This modification is only for bows but can be selected more than once. Cost: 1,000 gil.
- Tough String: When this modification is added to the weapon, the tech bow specialist may – as a full-round action – nock extra arrows up to his Strength modifier, and fire them all at once. For each arrow knocked, this weapon loses 5-ft. of range, and takes a -1 to the attack roll, but the shot deals extra damage equal to the amount of arrows knocked + his Strength modifier (for example, 2 arrows + 2 Strength modifier = +4 extra damage). This extra damage is not multiplied on a critical hit. This modification can only be put onto a bow. Cost: 3,500 gil.
This ability replaces archery style, improved archery style and archery style mastery.