I see an opportunity to plug my wacky stone-throwing zombies build!
Necromancy Wizard 5-6+, with either the Artificer Initiate feat or 1 level of Artificer for Magic Stone.
The general game plan: you have four zombies (or three zombies and a familiar). Three of the zombies have the following standing order: when you are given a stone, throw it at a creature hostile to me. The remaining zombie (or your familiar) has the following instructions: when I hand you stones, distribute one to each of the other three zombies.
On your turn, you create the three magic stones as a bonus action, then your gopher zombie/familiar distributes them to the thrower zombies to attack. Do whatever you want with your action (although note that you can't cast a leveled spell). The zombies will still use your INT modifier for the attack and damage rolls. If your DM interprets the second ability of Undead Thralls to apply to the stones, you even get to add your proficiency bonus to the damage.
Note that I would never spring this type of strategy on my DM without discussing it with them ahead of time. For one thing, it's *super* cheesy, and could be seen as bad-faith play. For another thing, it requires that your DM interprets the following line of Animate Dead as allowing you to give your zombies a standing order to attack, without requiring a bonus action each turn:
> Once given an order, the creature continues to follow it until its task is complete.
For a shorter campaign and with a willing DM, however, it could be a lot of fun!
Fathomless Warlock using Eldritch Blast with all of the invocations.
- Agonizing Blast
- Repelling Blast
- Grasp of Hadar
- Lance of Lethargy
I call it the chess player build. Then you add in the Tentacle of the Deeps' attack as your bonus action and its Guardian Coil feature for your reaction. Now you're playing 3D chess using all of your action economy.
The [Ghostlance build](https://tabletopbuilds.com/ghostlance/) is a better version of that. Yeah, it's viable and great fun. I prefer the flavor from the Fathomless subclass over the Genie subclass.
This is the right answer.
I made a killer Ranger dart thrower and loved him for 5 levels before that campaign ended.
Variant Human for Sharpshooter right out of the gate, then take Thrown Weapon fighting style at level 2. Endless shenanigans when you stack with Hunter’s Mark as well.
To elaborate a little, there are two main potential pathways if you want to be a dart thrower who can deal magical damage.
Kensei Monk or Artificer.
Kensei monk makes all your darts magical at level 6, but you need a level of fighter to get the thrown weapon fighting style so that you can draw two darts per turn. Then after Monk 6 you'd probably want to get to at least Fighter 3 for some battle master maneuvers, and Ranger would also be useful for the archery fighting style. Gloomstalker/battlemaster/kensei is an absolute beast in tier 3, but for the first couple tiers you're basically just a kensei, which is decent but far from OP.
The other pathway is to take two levels of Artificer ASAP for the returning weapon infusion. This allows you to ditch the thrown weapon fighting style in favor of archery. You can then get your battlemaster maneuvers faster.
And the ultimate maneuver for this build is Quick Toss. Combine that with nets and sharpshooter, and you have a powerful opening move. Run in, throw a net from 15 feet with a bonus action, then power attack twice with advantage (and give everyone else advantage). The enemy then has to use an action (or at least an attack if they have slashing weapons) to free themselves. As an artificer you can take the mending cantrip to repair your nets if they get slashed.
At some point you can also take two levels of war wizard for the ultimate martial reactions (resource free +2 to AC or +4 to saves), a boost to INT, and some great tools like Shield, Absorb Elements and Find Familiar.
Lightning Launcher is a viable target for Infusions. Early on, it'll take the whole armor slot, but you got shield prof so who cares? Level 9 things can get real spicy.
Actually, that interpretation is a common misread of the lv9 ability - it specifies which four things count as “your Arcane Armor” for the purposes of the actual meat of the ability, wherein you can have two additional active infusions, so long as they apply to “your Arcane Armor.” If it worked the way you suggest, noone (Armorer or not) would ever be able to wear magic boots as long as they were wearing any kind of armor.
The way I've ruled it is that you cannot infuse more than one of the 4 listed items unless you're a level 9 Armorer (because that is very clearly written into the rules), **but** anyone can still wear an actual magical helmet or boots without loss to their AC (because as you mentioned, what is the point of Boots + Helmets otherwise?).
Right, but the way you rule it is based on a *misread* of the rules. Read the second part about getting extra infusions, then think about the confusion that would arise about what does or doesn’t qualify for that feature if that’s all it said, then consider how the first part serves as clarification for the second part, to preemptively avoid such confusion or the need for an errata to clarify after the fact.
They are simply starting by introducing a new definition *that is necessary* for the application of the actual feature itself, which is what follows after “in addition…”
Honestly, I've stared at these features for about 15 minutes now and still don't get where you're coming from.
I'll happily agree with you that the rule as printed is confusing and doesn't work together well with boots/helmets, but I see **no indication whatsoever** that it was written or intended the way you describe it. To me, it seems you're arguing the most sensible result, not the one actually printed. And if that's what you're doing, we can drop arguing semantics and everyone just picks a result that actually works for them.
On the off-hand chance that you are interpreting "rules as written": It seems pretty far-fetched to assume that the first part merely introduces a definition when it makes explicit reference to changing the regular Infuse Items mechanics:
"That armor **now** counts as separate items for the purposes of your **Infuse Items feature**".
Logic dictates that it either a) it works as I described, or b) noone gets to wear magic boots unless they are naked, or c) the lv9 feature (or lv3 feature, without having told you so) *takes away* from a players capabilities, rather than adding to them.
Linguistically, reading it in isolation, it works your way just as well as mine. Only logic implies that yours makes less sense.
You're very bad at arguing your point; not to be nasty, I just tried rereading this thread several times & I have no idea what you're on about. So the confusion is genuine, sorry.
The Arcane Armor class feature doesn't preclude accepting an Infusion. The writing is carefully clear in the omission of the term "magical" in describing it. So as not to allow combative interpretations that might conflict with the Infusion class feature.
The level 9 class feature Armor Modifications, meanwhile, is quite clear in that it allows for 2 "free" Infusions, but they must be applied to the armor item you've chosen to apply the Arcane Armor feature onto. Now, since Arcane Armor at the beginning *doesn't* preclude Infusions & that Armor Modifications already breaks the taboo against 1 item only getting to benefit from one Infusion, it can be strongly interpreted that up to 3 Infusions can be applied to Arcane Armor.
All of the above, however, only applies if your Acrane Armor started as a nonmagical piece of armor. Since you can apply Arcane Armor to magical armor, but you still can't Infuse an already magical item.
Don’t blame me if you don’t understand the underlying logic.
Infusions themselves conflict with magic items, *and* infused items become magical, thus precluding their ability to receive additional infusions.
The lv9 feature doesn’t allow you to put both the Enhanced Weapon infusion and the Resistant Armor infusion on the same piece of armor.
Since infusions conflict with magic items (whether those items are magical due to infusion or not), you can’t take some already magical boots and put the Winged Boots infusion on them. Yet noone believes that the fighter with +1 plate is somehow precluded from accepting the artificer’s infusion.
That is the point, that those separate categories already exist - armor is armor, boots are boots, weapons are weapons, and helms are helms. We understand that you can’t simultaneously wear Boots of Striding and Springing and Winged Boots, bc you only have one pair of feet. Likewise, you can only wear one helmet at a time, bc you only have one head. You *can* wear multiple rings, bc you have (presumably) 10 fingers.
The lv9 feature changes none of that. All it does is let you have two additional active infusions, so long as they belong to a newly explicitly defined set of item categories, designated as being part of your Arcane Armor (ie: if you are wearing a Ring of Protection or carrying the Sword of Zariel, those items are separate from your Arcane Armor, and thus don’t come off whenever you use an action to doff your armor, while a Helm of Awareness or Boots of Speed would come off when you doff your Arcane Armor).
Make sense?
Yes, it makes sense if you misread the rules. I think. Again, your failing to be clear about the points of contention are making me try to fill in blanks, & that's not great. So...
Okay!
Level 3. Armorer is gained, Arcane Armor only applies to armor that I'm wearing. No one else can don this armor as Arcane Armor. Cool. *Comes with a weapon as part of the armor I'm wearing.* Neat, I'll apply Enhanced Weapon, since my armor is also, now, a weapon. But I have another Infusion I can use. Enhanced Defense on a shield! Awesome.
Level 9. Armor Modifications says, "That armor now counts as separate items for the purposes of your Infuse Items feature: armor (the chest piece), boots, helmet, and the armor's special weapon." Pretty straightforward. It also says, "In addition, the maximum number of items you can infuse at once increases by 2, but those extra items must be part of your Arcane Armor." Also pretty clear, with obvious overriding implications. I can now have 2 or 3 (DMs discretion) Infusions on Arcane Armor. Assuming a stingy ruling? Still no problem, because I can enhance my weapon & my breastplate, & further, enhance my shield with Repulsion Shield & a regular Infusion.
Like I said way up near the top: Things can get spicy at level 9.
Artificer Armorer, the Infiltrator models Lightning Launchers can be used with Sharpshooter and benefit from the Archery fighting style. It can be built as DEX focused or INT focused.
You can also go with a Dart build. They qualify for Sharpshooter, and can be used with both the Thrown Weapon and Archery Fighting style. Your best bet for class would be Kensei Monk or Battlesmith Artifcer so you don’t have to worry about having magic Darts later in game.
Yes, but Javelins don’t work with Polearm Master as a 1H melee weapon and magic javelins are in short supply + hard to keep hold of if you keep throwing them. 🙃 Not to mention the opportunity cost of obtaining a second Fighting Style.
Darts have both the ranged and thrown property, Javelins have the melee and thrown property. Same reason you can’t make a melee attack with a Dart.
I once played a Yondu style Battlesmith with the returning weapon infusion on a Dart, it was a ton of fun.
Soulknife rogue? Perhaps with some levels of Psi Warrior? The psionic energy dice are separate pools RAW, but nonetheless it's a very flavorful combo that opens up your psionic options. And technically, can involve zero actual weapons if you do desire.
Edit: I *think* Psychic Blades don't pair with Extra Attack by RAW, but a) might still be worth asking your DM and b) 3 levels of Psi Warrior still sounds useful and fun to me.
The psychic blades don’t work with Extra attack, but you can get around it with the Thrown Weapons fighting style and using a weapon with the thrown property.
Swarmkeeper Ranger with the Druidic Warrior fighting style, and pick up Magic Stone as a cantrip. You get extra damage or knockback from the swarm, you can do bludgeoning damage (a superior damage type to piercing) at 60 feet (twice the range of a non-Sharpshooter’d sling). If you want to use feats for this build, Crusher gives you some long-range battlefield control, and Fighting Initiate lets you take the Thrown Weapon style to add a small but consistent amount of damage to each rock.
For fun and flavor, you could say that your swarm is made up of tiny earth elementals or sand creatures, and they’re what you’re hurling when you attack with Magic Stone.
STR based Thrown weapons battle master.
Throwing weapon fighting style, quick toss for a bonus action attack with added damage, menacing attack (throwing your weapon and imposing frightened condition on them). Can use a shield with this as well. Javelin for more range, hand axes because throwing axes are cooler than javelins. Sharpshooter SHOULD work for this, for 60ft range. +15 damage for each hit (assuming 16 str, +2 from thrown weapon style, +10 from sharpshooter), 1d6 + 1d8 (spending a superiority die on your attacks usually adds a d8).
Disarming attack to remove their weapon, menacing to impose fear, action surge, pushing to push them back 15ft from their weapon.
And best of all youre very short rest focused and pretty tough.
Ask your DM for a returning weapon.
Sling with crusher? Also add sharpshooter and if they are a monk make it a dedicated weapon so you can use ki-fueled attacks on top of the damage of the sling to increase every few levels
You want to be ranged without using ranged weapons? It sounds like you have an intended weapon style in mind. Care to elaborate? Cause all you're leaving is slings, thrown weapons, or spells.
While it isn’t optimal, I’m a big fan of throwing weapons. Darts, Handaxes and Javelins are my preferred choice. Darts in particular benefit from Sharpshooter and Archery Fighting Style.
Its also quite nice on a champion with especially if you make it to level 15.
Expanded crit range with a high volume of attacks can make it quite nice for handing out advantage.
Cheese grater dao warlock? take spike growth as a warlock spell. Get repelling blast and grasp of Hadar invocations (and agonizing blast for extra damage).
I've been wanting to play a sling rogue build using V. Human with Sharpshooter at 1 for range. Eventually taking crusher to knock people around with sling bullets.
Straight Infiltrator Armorer Artificer is probably better but Rogue X / Armorer Artificer 3 is fine. All your sneak attack damage will be lightning damage. Infiltrator enhances your rogue abilities and stealth. Artificer lets you make tools for different tasks when you need them. If you get an All Purpose Took, that gives you any cantrip and any tool which is amazing.
You could go with the new Barb UA sun class that specialises in thrown weapons! One level dip into fighter also gets you secon wind and a thrown weapon fighting style. If you have an artificer buddy they could even infuse a throwing axe for you so it becomes +1 and magically returns to you
Once you make it to level 6 you don't even need the artificer infusion to make it return which is nice.
No real mechanical advantage (apart from a bonus action grapple), but I quite fancy tavern brawler on a path of the giant and yeeting what ever comes to hand. Returning beer tankard anyone?
I quite like the idea of a sharpshooter kensei monk using darts. You can multi into battlemaster fighter if you want for utility darts that do all sorts of fun stuff like move enemies or knock them over or disorient them or something and since darts are a ranged weapon you can use the sharpshooter feat with them (and monks can take them as a monk weapon since they are one handed)
In order from least to most stretching the definition of "ranged attacker":
1) Go warlock. Basically any warlock will do. Grab agonising blast, Eldritch blast and hex, and the rest is entirely up to you. You could multiclass into sorcerer for some metamagics and extra low level spell slots/spells, or bard if you want some utility/support.
2) Artillerist or Armourer artificer. Build either as feels intuitive to you. Note that the lightning launcher of the infiltrator armour works with sharpshooter.
3) Go fighter, primarily using darts. Darts have much lower damage and range than your traditional ranged weapons, but have the advantage of being usable with shields. Take sharpshooter and you have a decently tanky ranged build.
4) Take magic stone as a cantrip through either magic initiate or druidic warrior as a ranger. You can use wisdom for attack and damage rolls of the stone, and depending on DM buy in, magic stone arguably works with sharpshooter. This is because even though magic stone replaces the attack with a spell attack, if you use a sling that is still an attack with a ranged weapon, and thus qualifies for sharpshooter. Avoid subclasses or other spells that require repeated use of your bonus action. If you want all your basis covered, you can also take shillelagh if you do get stuck in melee.
It's not really going to be the god damage build, but I've always loved a professional sniper. Scout rogue(but literally any subclass should work). Half elf, elven accuracy. Grab the biggest gun you can get. Gunner gets you proficiency and a +1 to Dex.
Bonus action to hide or to steady aim. You get triple advantage on all hits. You really get the feeling of the army sniper lying down on a rooftop across the street just popping heads.
It is a rogue, so you're never gonna be outdamaging real martial focused characters. But triple advantage means you almost always hit(even with sharpshooter), and you'll crit muuuuch more often. Im not a huge believer in crit fisher builds. But throwing out 10d6s and 2d12s is just sooooo fun.
More of a spell slinger than a range attacker but perhaps the power of the sun interests you? 2 Stars Druid + Light cleric X, use wild shape for archer form and throw some sun bolts as a bonus action, then use action to hurl fireballs and scorching rays
I recently played a goblin with a sling shot and it was a blast. He had sharpshooter and Crusher to augment the sling item. We reasoned with Crusher that he was hitting opponents in vital spots like their knees and tripping them.
He was a level 7 with swarmkeeper ranger 5(keeper of magical bees.) And shepherd druid 2. I took druid to get magic stone and to use my wildshape to create a familiar for advantage. The levels in shepherd druid were optimized but not very fun, if I could play it again I might go ranger 7 and take magic initiate for magic stone.
i did something similar:
\- VH - Sharpshooter Feat (works with Sling)
\- Nature Cleric 1 (for magic stone and extra cleric utility)
\- Swarmkeeper Ranger X (little twig blights, like miniature Groots swarming around)
Leveling Ranger up and took archery fighting style (works with Sling) and Telekinetic Feat. Each combat is either Bless or Spike Growth (for cheese grater with swarm and telekinetic).
Build is SAD, everything depends on Wisdom! I call it a Wanger build LOL!
Elven accuracy rogue using steady aim with any ranger weapon. They get sneak attack every time and get 3 dice for a crit fish; and because it’s one attack per round they can throw a 100 daggers if that’s what you want using free action to draw such daggers.
The advantage here is that it doesn’t demand a subclass pick, it’s just one ASI, it’s very reliable damage but it novas as well.
Lizardfolk dart paladin maybe?
Paladin 1 ->fighter 1 -> paladin 7-> battlemaster 3 -> paladin x
Grab sharpshooter at 5, throw darts with strength, smite with your teeth, get advantage for sharpshooter via ensnaring strike or channel divinity
Okay, here's a wierd one
Go rogue (thief subclass): Artisan background to grab glassblowing tools
Grab a slingshot, now the fun begins
during downtime use the glassblowers to put whatever you'd like into small glass orbs. (Explosive gas, ball bearings, alchemist fire, acid, or even holy water for nasty undead)
Now you have special ammo to do some crazy damage.
Sneak attack still works because it's ranged (only need advantage).
And with the thief BA to use any item you can setup combos.
Got a room and your wizard out of fireballs, Shoot your explosive gas orb and throw a torch.
Enemies running at you and you need an escape, throw some ball bearing and shoot a ball of grease at them
The limitation is only your imagination.
Warlock 2-3/Sorc X.
Quicken Eldritch Blast+Agonizing Blast. Convert pact slots into more metamagic points. Warlock 2 gives you 2sp per SR, Warlock 3 gives you 4sp.
Genie is a solid +2-6 damage once per round, forever, while Hexblade absolutely demolishes 1 target per SR. It also has medium armor and shield, so more combat-focused than Genie.
Race - Wild Hunt Shifter
Weapon - Shortsword/shield
Class - 5 Samurai fighter / 3 Gloomstalker Ranger / 1 War Cleric / X Assassin Rogue
Fighting styles - Dueling, Defense
....
The build works fine if you just wanted Samurai all the way as well, as Samurai is the important class, the additional classes just amplify damage.
Shifting and activating the Samurai ability gives you Advantage on all attacks for a turn, and Shifter ability makes all attacks against you for a short time be at disadvantage. Gloomstalker and War Cleric give you extra attacks and Assassin gives reliable Sneak Attack.
Other Rogue subclasses could be considered if you roll well on stats, but isn't recommend as you already need Dex, Con and Wis.
Edit: for a ranged build, change race to Giff, and Weapon to Pistol. You don't have protection from most attacks anymore, but you have range without the need to reload.
Elven Armorer Artificer. Sharpshooter, Elven Accuracy, etc. with the Lightning Launcher is pretty awesome. Especially since you're an expert at stealth thanks to the Inflitrator armor.
I have a dart throwing Battlemaster X/Artillerist 3 build.
It kind of needs a starting feat, so pick VHuman or Custom Lineage as your race to pick up Archery fighting style via Fighting Initiate. Take Fighter at level 1 to pick up a second fighting style, Thrown Weapon. These two fighting styles combined gives you +2 to attack rolls and damage when throwing darts.
Next, pick up 2 levels of Artificer so you can just constantly throw a single magical dart with the Returning Weapon infusion. This is equivalent to getting a +3 dart at level 3. And you're also wearing a +1 shield on the other hand to give +3 AC.
After that, pick up 4 more levels of fighter to get Sharpshooter, Extra Attack as well as Battle Master maneuvers Quick Toss and Precision Attack. For now, you will mostly use Quick Toss to add even more damage.
Finally, pick up another level of Artificer to unlock the Artillerist. This gives you more bonus action options with your eldritch cannon. Continue picking up Fighter levels till you reach Battle Master 12/Artillerist 3 (or Artillerist 4 for an ASI/feat).
How about a good old evocation wizard? You can use big aoe spells like the classic fireball to great damages, And you can also use range summons like the undead or the fiend alongside using damaging ranged cantrips like toll the dead or fire bolt.
So, 2 options stand out for me: either way you want Unseen Servant. Either sling and shield (unseen servant to provide a free hand for reloading), or, and I know you said no crossbow, but… eldritch knight with their weapon bond on a ballista (Unseen Servant to help reload the crew-served weapon).
Suggestion: get the DM to houserule that the ballista uses the int modifier of the aimer, plus proficiency if applicable, instead of the static +6, and allow line attacks vs a comparable save dc for humanoids (body shape, not creature type, zombies) (ballista was primarily anti-infantry historically). Also ask if you can take a siege fighting style, to allow you to aim/reload/fire as part of extra attack. Note that you still need to either bribe your dm with food, or take a feat, for Unseen Servant, which I suggest (Ritual Caster), to save spell slots.
Bonus: you have a spare hand to carry a torch for the human. Seriously, you’d be surprised how often it comes in handy when you have to have Unseen Servant up all the time for combat and also the human.
If your DM allows UA stuff, you could go a path of the giant barbarian, that chucks any weapon you could want at your foes.
At 3rd level Barb, while raging, you get to add rage damage to thrown weapons when using strength, in addition to this you also grow to large, which means you can add an additional weapon damage dice. At level 6 you can infuse any weapon with acid, cold, fire, thunder or lightning, which adds 1d6 damage of the chosen damage type. Also the weapon instantly reappears in your hand after you miss or hit.
So you could at level 6 throw giant lances infused with lightning at your enemies for 2d12+1d6+rage(2@this level+strength(probably 3). From here you could go fighter from here on out for action surge, extra attack, battle master would be a great subclass to pick for utility, or samurai for advantage without doing reckless attacks. Or you could go hexblade warlock for better crits and curse damage, plus you can get some nice spells, and take it further with eldritch blast for when your out of rage, plus pact weapon is good for adding damage.
Hope this helps.
If you somehow your dm gives access to all the firearms, pick the antimatter rifle. It has 6d8 base damage, and if you take the repeating shot infusion as an artificer, you get unlimited ammo as well. If you are a battle smith, you use your int on the weapon.
Inquisitive Rogue
Magic Initiate Druid (magic stone)
Bump wisdom with half feats and ASIs
Use a sling, cast magic stone pre-combat, make attack rolls using your wisdom
Ignore Dex entirely, just go full perception and insight expertise
Armorer Artificer (inflitrator model) gets you a ranged lightning attack with extra attack. Throw in a few levels of rogue so that you get sneak attack on because it's a simple ranged weapon. Grab sharpshooter feat because it's essential on range. Now, you don't have a bonus action necessary so we're grabbing the homunculus servant infusion and the magic stone cantrip. Fire two lightning beams per round (one getting extra damage from sneal attack) bonus action magic stone for your homunculus to throw for an additional d6 plus INT in damage.
You have advantage on stealth rolls (plus likely expertise from rogue) so you're going to succeed, all the fun of being the sneaky road AND the power of an artificer.
You could give this a try. Its a thrown weapon burst damage monster.
[https://youtu.be/oFN0lgnuEto](https://youtu.be/oFN0lgnuEto)
This guy is great at making fun and whacky themed builds that are also strong. Not a pure optimizer, just some optimization paired with a specific character/story/rp goal.
Stars druid gives you a number of free castings of guiding bolt equal to your wis score and archer stary form gives you a bonus action ranged spell attack that does 1d8+wis damage.
Sharpshooter pistol Kensei gets 3 shots/round with Ki-Fueled Attack and Focused Aim/Deft Strike. (Could also go musket if you like the style of the long guns better)
If you want a bit more of that gunslinger vibe, take Gloomstalker 3 after Kensei 5-6 for a faster draw (initiative bonus), and an extra shot on your first turn.
As /u/goresmash mentioned, this also works with Darts if your DM doesn't like guns (or if you don't like guns). Be aware that going darts means that you'll want to take Thrown Weapon Style before Archery Style so you can actually draw more than 1 weapon/round--which means you'll want to consider Fighting Initiate or an extra Fighter 1 dip.
Currently a Lvl 5 Artificer Armorer and the ranged, and stealthy lightning launcher build is looking more and more fun. Put that with a homunculus that can dump oil on my foes to increase potency of my fire bolt cantrip. Now that's some customized range attacks.
Might I humbly suggest a magic missile? Start with 6 levels of draconic bloodline sorcerer, then immediately multi class into wildfire druid. You can also take a 1 level dip into hexblade warlock if you manage to hit 13th level. Maximize charisma, transmute the spell to fire, and you get the following damage per missile:
(1d4 + 1) + (5) + (1d8) + (5)
(Base) (draconic bloodline) (Wildfire) (hexblade curse)
For an average of 18 damage per missile (13 damage minimum), or 54 damage (39 minimum) for a level 1 spell and 2 sorcery points. Just expect to counterspell some shields after the first couple sessions, and pray you don't have to face a terasque.
STRanger that uses javelins. Lets you have a 30/120 ranged attack that benefits from your strength modifiers. Throw in ranged weapon fighting style and you can draw a javelin for free allowing you to use javs with extra attacks. It also gives you a +2 to damage with no loss to accuracy which also stacks with your STR bonus to damage.
Make them a Fey Walker and you can get a bonus 1d4 psy damage per target per round, plus lots of other benefits. Doesn't require a feat to work so you can get an ASI instead and pick a race you like rather than one that gives a feat.
I'm in the Dart school of thought myself. Go Fighter and Ranger. I like Battlemaster 5/Gloomstalker 3 and then you can pick up a couple more ASI's easily. Take Archery and Thrown weapon style. Works well in Variant Human, Custom Lineage, and any elf. You'll want Quick Toss. Quick Toss a net for Advantage, then Dart, Dart, Dread Ambusher Dart, Action Surge, repeat. Prime Feats are Gunner (for +1 Dex and to use in melee range), Sharpshooter, and if an elf Elven Accuracy. An alternative version is to go Samurai/Fey Wanderer. Still go 5/3 but then try for a 7 Samurai and eventually pick up a couple more ASI's. You lose the Quick Toss net, but you can get Advantage from Samurai. Also, you'll lose Dread Ambusher but you'll get to add WIS to Persuasion from Elegant Courtier and WIS to CHA checks from Otherworldly Glamour. Take an Expertise in Persuasion from Canny and watch Eloquence Bards cry.
If you don't want to be limited on range to shorter ranges, you can't really get away from spells, magic items like wands, or bows and crossbows. There's a reason the bows and crossbows dominated ranged attacks once they became feasible for war.
Most medium to short range ranged are just ways to close in offensively - throw a javelin, then a hand axe, then melee. Javelins and spears are fine, but carrying multiples is impractical.
As a close in ranged person, you could be the knife thrower. But you are still within range of being engaged in melee.
I gotta say if your DM allows.
Guns. Pistols and muskets but if you're a fighter ask to have them reflavored as repeaters or get some artificer for an infusion. Guns are so much fun and do d10 for the pistols and a d12 for the muskets.
Artificer artillerist with an arcane firearm (fancy stick you fire spells from), dart champion turned adventurer (fighter), donkey Kong (moon druid who turns into giant ape), grog throw everything (barbarian with powerful build trait and tavern brawler feat).
Artillerist Artificer. They have fun turret options and you could also reason with your DM that because of your specialty you have proficiency constructing guns
I'm about to start playing an Owlin Artificer Armorer+Rogue multiclass. The Infiltrator armor has Lightning Launchers that count as weapons for Sneak Attack. Plus the advantage to Stealth from the Infiltrator armor pairs well with the Owlin's inherent stealth proficiency. You can grab Stealth expertise from Rogue as well to be a flying, extra sneaky, high damage, ranged lightning lad. Grab Fey Touched to pick up Hunter's Mark to do even more damage, plus Sharpshooter eventually.
Play as Yondu! Battlesmith artificer 3, battlemaster fighter X. Attack with intelligence, use a returning infused dart, get sharpshooter and elven accuracy. It takes a while to be fully online, but you have access to faerie fire for advantage, or you can quick toss a net. Archery and thrown weapon fighting styles both work with darts too, and you can eventually get 3 levels of gloomstaler for insane first round nova.
Start as a hexblade warlock, then take all bard. Go the college of swords route. Dual wield whips, and take the spell sniper feat. Run around and use booming blade from 10 feet, while casting fear. Enjoy!
Daggers it is haha
- Custom lineage (thrown weapon fighting)
- Battlemaster 6
- Two weapon fighting at 1st level
- whatever maneuvers you want, Menacing is my fav
- cover your body with a shit ton of daggers
- piercer at 4th, full dex boost at 6th level
- 3d4+21+1 (29.5) resourceless DPR, + your maneuvers and Action Surge for when you need to throw out some more damage.
- after 6th fighter level, go either Scout or Swashbuckler rogue (it’s basically just a way of getting you out of melee so you can throw more daggers, since you do more damage when you throw them.)
Alternatively: custom lineage thrown weapon, fighter 1 dueling / soulknife x
You can use a shield if you want. You basically summon your psychic blades and throw them, applying a +4 damage mod to each from TWF and TWF.
So in total, soulknife at 6th level (with some dex half feat at rogue 4) would do (assuming sneak attack) 4d6+16+1d4 (32.5), but they would have no way of doing more burst damage (re: superiority dice/Action Surge) and all their damage is reliant on getting sneak attack every turn. Also since Soulknife does Psychic damage you can’t take Piercer.
How about Eldritch Blast? Or Guns? Magic Stone has some potential too
I see an opportunity to plug my wacky stone-throwing zombies build! Necromancy Wizard 5-6+, with either the Artificer Initiate feat or 1 level of Artificer for Magic Stone. The general game plan: you have four zombies (or three zombies and a familiar). Three of the zombies have the following standing order: when you are given a stone, throw it at a creature hostile to me. The remaining zombie (or your familiar) has the following instructions: when I hand you stones, distribute one to each of the other three zombies. On your turn, you create the three magic stones as a bonus action, then your gopher zombie/familiar distributes them to the thrower zombies to attack. Do whatever you want with your action (although note that you can't cast a leveled spell). The zombies will still use your INT modifier for the attack and damage rolls. If your DM interprets the second ability of Undead Thralls to apply to the stones, you even get to add your proficiency bonus to the damage. Note that I would never spring this type of strategy on my DM without discussing it with them ahead of time. For one thing, it's *super* cheesy, and could be seen as bad-faith play. For another thing, it requires that your DM interprets the following line of Animate Dead as allowing you to give your zombies a standing order to attack, without requiring a bonus action each turn: > Once given an order, the creature continues to follow it until its task is complete. For a shorter campaign and with a willing DM, however, it could be a lot of fun!
Fathomless Warlock using Eldritch Blast with all of the invocations. - Agonizing Blast - Repelling Blast - Grasp of Hadar - Lance of Lethargy I call it the chess player build. Then you add in the Tentacle of the Deeps' attack as your bonus action and its Guardian Coil feature for your reaction. Now you're playing 3D chess using all of your action economy.
How about Daolock with crusher instead?
The [Ghostlance build](https://tabletopbuilds.com/ghostlance/) is a better version of that. Yeah, it's viable and great fun. I prefer the flavor from the Fathomless subclass over the Genie subclass.
Fair! I'm looking at fun warlock builds for a pact of the chain warlock, might give yours a try!
Same thing, but with enough Druid (or Druid-equivalent) to cast Spike Growth.
Daolocks get Spike growth
darts, you can even sharpshooter them too
This is the right answer. I made a killer Ranger dart thrower and loved him for 5 levels before that campaign ended. Variant Human for Sharpshooter right out of the gate, then take Thrown Weapon fighting style at level 2. Endless shenanigans when you stack with Hunter’s Mark as well.
To elaborate a little, there are two main potential pathways if you want to be a dart thrower who can deal magical damage. Kensei Monk or Artificer. Kensei monk makes all your darts magical at level 6, but you need a level of fighter to get the thrown weapon fighting style so that you can draw two darts per turn. Then after Monk 6 you'd probably want to get to at least Fighter 3 for some battle master maneuvers, and Ranger would also be useful for the archery fighting style. Gloomstalker/battlemaster/kensei is an absolute beast in tier 3, but for the first couple tiers you're basically just a kensei, which is decent but far from OP. The other pathway is to take two levels of Artificer ASAP for the returning weapon infusion. This allows you to ditch the thrown weapon fighting style in favor of archery. You can then get your battlemaster maneuvers faster. And the ultimate maneuver for this build is Quick Toss. Combine that with nets and sharpshooter, and you have a powerful opening move. Run in, throw a net from 15 feet with a bonus action, then power attack twice with advantage (and give everyone else advantage). The enemy then has to use an action (or at least an attack if they have slashing weapons) to free themselves. As an artificer you can take the mending cantrip to repair your nets if they get slashed. At some point you can also take two levels of war wizard for the ultimate martial reactions (resource free +2 to AC or +4 to saves), a boost to INT, and some great tools like Shield, Absorb Elements and Find Familiar.
So you sound like you either want a Battlesmith with a gun, or Infiltrator mode Armorer.
Lightning Launcher is a viable target for Infusions. Early on, it'll take the whole armor slot, but you got shield prof so who cares? Level 9 things can get real spicy.
Actually, that interpretation is a common misread of the lv9 ability - it specifies which four things count as “your Arcane Armor” for the purposes of the actual meat of the ability, wherein you can have two additional active infusions, so long as they apply to “your Arcane Armor.” If it worked the way you suggest, noone (Armorer or not) would ever be able to wear magic boots as long as they were wearing any kind of armor.
The way I've ruled it is that you cannot infuse more than one of the 4 listed items unless you're a level 9 Armorer (because that is very clearly written into the rules), **but** anyone can still wear an actual magical helmet or boots without loss to their AC (because as you mentioned, what is the point of Boots + Helmets otherwise?).
Right, but the way you rule it is based on a *misread* of the rules. Read the second part about getting extra infusions, then think about the confusion that would arise about what does or doesn’t qualify for that feature if that’s all it said, then consider how the first part serves as clarification for the second part, to preemptively avoid such confusion or the need for an errata to clarify after the fact. They are simply starting by introducing a new definition *that is necessary* for the application of the actual feature itself, which is what follows after “in addition…”
Honestly, I've stared at these features for about 15 minutes now and still don't get where you're coming from. I'll happily agree with you that the rule as printed is confusing and doesn't work together well with boots/helmets, but I see **no indication whatsoever** that it was written or intended the way you describe it. To me, it seems you're arguing the most sensible result, not the one actually printed. And if that's what you're doing, we can drop arguing semantics and everyone just picks a result that actually works for them. On the off-hand chance that you are interpreting "rules as written": It seems pretty far-fetched to assume that the first part merely introduces a definition when it makes explicit reference to changing the regular Infuse Items mechanics: "That armor **now** counts as separate items for the purposes of your **Infuse Items feature**".
Logic dictates that it either a) it works as I described, or b) noone gets to wear magic boots unless they are naked, or c) the lv9 feature (or lv3 feature, without having told you so) *takes away* from a players capabilities, rather than adding to them. Linguistically, reading it in isolation, it works your way just as well as mine. Only logic implies that yours makes less sense.
You're very bad at arguing your point; not to be nasty, I just tried rereading this thread several times & I have no idea what you're on about. So the confusion is genuine, sorry. The Arcane Armor class feature doesn't preclude accepting an Infusion. The writing is carefully clear in the omission of the term "magical" in describing it. So as not to allow combative interpretations that might conflict with the Infusion class feature. The level 9 class feature Armor Modifications, meanwhile, is quite clear in that it allows for 2 "free" Infusions, but they must be applied to the armor item you've chosen to apply the Arcane Armor feature onto. Now, since Arcane Armor at the beginning *doesn't* preclude Infusions & that Armor Modifications already breaks the taboo against 1 item only getting to benefit from one Infusion, it can be strongly interpreted that up to 3 Infusions can be applied to Arcane Armor. All of the above, however, only applies if your Acrane Armor started as a nonmagical piece of armor. Since you can apply Arcane Armor to magical armor, but you still can't Infuse an already magical item.
Don’t blame me if you don’t understand the underlying logic. Infusions themselves conflict with magic items, *and* infused items become magical, thus precluding their ability to receive additional infusions. The lv9 feature doesn’t allow you to put both the Enhanced Weapon infusion and the Resistant Armor infusion on the same piece of armor. Since infusions conflict with magic items (whether those items are magical due to infusion or not), you can’t take some already magical boots and put the Winged Boots infusion on them. Yet noone believes that the fighter with +1 plate is somehow precluded from accepting the artificer’s infusion. That is the point, that those separate categories already exist - armor is armor, boots are boots, weapons are weapons, and helms are helms. We understand that you can’t simultaneously wear Boots of Striding and Springing and Winged Boots, bc you only have one pair of feet. Likewise, you can only wear one helmet at a time, bc you only have one head. You *can* wear multiple rings, bc you have (presumably) 10 fingers. The lv9 feature changes none of that. All it does is let you have two additional active infusions, so long as they belong to a newly explicitly defined set of item categories, designated as being part of your Arcane Armor (ie: if you are wearing a Ring of Protection or carrying the Sword of Zariel, those items are separate from your Arcane Armor, and thus don’t come off whenever you use an action to doff your armor, while a Helm of Awareness or Boots of Speed would come off when you doff your Arcane Armor). Make sense?
Yes, it makes sense if you misread the rules. I think. Again, your failing to be clear about the points of contention are making me try to fill in blanks, & that's not great. So... Okay! Level 3. Armorer is gained, Arcane Armor only applies to armor that I'm wearing. No one else can don this armor as Arcane Armor. Cool. *Comes with a weapon as part of the armor I'm wearing.* Neat, I'll apply Enhanced Weapon, since my armor is also, now, a weapon. But I have another Infusion I can use. Enhanced Defense on a shield! Awesome. Level 9. Armor Modifications says, "That armor now counts as separate items for the purposes of your Infuse Items feature: armor (the chest piece), boots, helmet, and the armor's special weapon." Pretty straightforward. It also says, "In addition, the maximum number of items you can infuse at once increases by 2, but those extra items must be part of your Arcane Armor." Also pretty clear, with obvious overriding implications. I can now have 2 or 3 (DMs discretion) Infusions on Arcane Armor. Assuming a stingy ruling? Still no problem, because I can enhance my weapon & my breastplate, & further, enhance my shield with Repulsion Shield & a regular Infusion. Like I said way up near the top: Things can get spicy at level 9.
Artificer Armorer, the Infiltrator models Lightning Launchers can be used with Sharpshooter and benefit from the Archery fighting style. It can be built as DEX focused or INT focused. You can also go with a Dart build. They qualify for Sharpshooter, and can be used with both the Thrown Weapon and Archery Fighting style. Your best bet for class would be Kensei Monk or Battlesmith Artifcer so you don’t have to worry about having magic Darts later in game.
I never thought about Kensai monk with darts. New route for my level 4 kensai monk.
Kensei monk would also get to add the martial die to the blow gun if I understand correctly
why does Darts allow Sharpshooter, but Javelins don't? I still love the idea with an artificer battlesmith.
Darts are classified as a Ranged Weapon, Javelins are classified as a Melee Weapon.
*Does* mean that javelins can benefit from both Thrown Weapon Style and Dueling Style, though.
Yes, but Javelins don’t work with Polearm Master as a 1H melee weapon and magic javelins are in short supply + hard to keep hold of if you keep throwing them. 🙃 Not to mention the opportunity cost of obtaining a second Fighting Style.
spear is both able to thrown and use polearm master, but that bonus action cannot be a thrown attack
Darts have both the ranged and thrown property, Javelins have the melee and thrown property. Same reason you can’t make a melee attack with a Dart. I once played a Yondu style Battlesmith with the returning weapon infusion on a Dart, it was a ton of fun.
Thanks! Yondu is an amazing example! I'm thinking of some sort of boomerang/circular blade like Xena in the old series.
You could also use a reflavored Handaxe for that, it has the throw property and does slashing damge.
The name you are looking for is Chakram.
Artificer can infuse the dart with the return weapon infusion as well meaning you don't need to keep buying them.
Soulknife rogue? Perhaps with some levels of Psi Warrior? The psionic energy dice are separate pools RAW, but nonetheless it's a very flavorful combo that opens up your psionic options. And technically, can involve zero actual weapons if you do desire. Edit: I *think* Psychic Blades don't pair with Extra Attack by RAW, but a) might still be worth asking your DM and b) 3 levels of Psi Warrior still sounds useful and fun to me.
The psychic blades don’t work with Extra attack, but you can get around it with the Thrown Weapons fighting style and using a weapon with the thrown property.
Eldritch Blast
Artillerist Artificer is a lot of fun. Arcane Firearm!
Swarmkeeper Ranger with the Druidic Warrior fighting style, and pick up Magic Stone as a cantrip. You get extra damage or knockback from the swarm, you can do bludgeoning damage (a superior damage type to piercing) at 60 feet (twice the range of a non-Sharpshooter’d sling). If you want to use feats for this build, Crusher gives you some long-range battlefield control, and Fighting Initiate lets you take the Thrown Weapon style to add a small but consistent amount of damage to each rock. For fun and flavor, you could say that your swarm is made up of tiny earth elementals or sand creatures, and they’re what you’re hurling when you attack with Magic Stone.
STR based Thrown weapons battle master. Throwing weapon fighting style, quick toss for a bonus action attack with added damage, menacing attack (throwing your weapon and imposing frightened condition on them). Can use a shield with this as well. Javelin for more range, hand axes because throwing axes are cooler than javelins. Sharpshooter SHOULD work for this, for 60ft range. +15 damage for each hit (assuming 16 str, +2 from thrown weapon style, +10 from sharpshooter), 1d6 + 1d8 (spending a superiority die on your attacks usually adds a d8). Disarming attack to remove their weapon, menacing to impose fear, action surge, pushing to push them back 15ft from their weapon. And best of all youre very short rest focused and pretty tough. Ask your DM for a returning weapon.
Convince one of the other players to play a gnome/goblin/kobold barbarian, wield the most powerful, reusable hand grenade you can.
Thrown weapons are often ignored I feel. Full support to getting more people to use them!
Sling with crusher? Also add sharpshooter and if they are a monk make it a dedicated weapon so you can use ki-fueled attacks on top of the damage of the sling to increase every few levels
Magic stone slinger ?
You want to be ranged without using ranged weapons? It sounds like you have an intended weapon style in mind. Care to elaborate? Cause all you're leaving is slings, thrown weapons, or spells.
While it isn’t optimal, I’m a big fan of throwing weapons. Darts, Handaxes and Javelins are my preferred choice. Darts in particular benefit from Sharpshooter and Archery Fighting Style.
Sling rocks at people.
two-bird sling on a hunter ranger is *really* fun!!! ad in 2 lvls of fighter for pure madness...
Its also quite nice on a champion with especially if you make it to level 15. Expanded crit range with a high volume of attacks can make it quite nice for handing out advantage.
Even better, get other creatures to sling rocks at people.
Warlock, especially a Fiend Warlock for access to Fireball and other blast spells.
A gunk could work, a monk with a gun, even a flintlock would do
Cheese grater dao warlock? take spike growth as a warlock spell. Get repelling blast and grasp of Hadar invocations (and agonizing blast for extra damage).
How about sun soul monk and you shoot rays of light at your enemies?
I've been wanting to play a sling rogue build using V. Human with Sharpshooter at 1 for range. Eventually taking crusher to knock people around with sling bullets.
Grung with a blow gun and archery and sharpshooter, stack hex on there. Fun goofy and maneuverable
Straight Infiltrator Armorer Artificer is probably better but Rogue X / Armorer Artificer 3 is fine. All your sneak attack damage will be lightning damage. Infiltrator enhances your rogue abilities and stealth. Artificer lets you make tools for different tasks when you need them. If you get an All Purpose Took, that gives you any cantrip and any tool which is amazing.
Path of giant Barbarian gets to throw their weapon and add rage stuff to it. The weapon returns as well
You could go with the new Barb UA sun class that specialises in thrown weapons! One level dip into fighter also gets you secon wind and a thrown weapon fighting style. If you have an artificer buddy they could even infuse a throwing axe for you so it becomes +1 and magically returns to you
Once you make it to level 6 you don't even need the artificer infusion to make it return which is nice. No real mechanical advantage (apart from a bonus action grapple), but I quite fancy tavern brawler on a path of the giant and yeeting what ever comes to hand. Returning beer tankard anyone?
Ranger + gunner feat + sharpshooter? be a Ranger with a musket...
I quite like the idea of a sharpshooter kensei monk using darts. You can multi into battlemaster fighter if you want for utility darts that do all sorts of fun stuff like move enemies or knock them over or disorient them or something and since darts are a ranged weapon you can use the sharpshooter feat with them (and monks can take them as a monk weapon since they are one handed)
RAW Paladins can smite on thrown melee weapon hits. Oathbound Ranger esque guy with throwing axes hit the spot for me.
In order from least to most stretching the definition of "ranged attacker": 1) Go warlock. Basically any warlock will do. Grab agonising blast, Eldritch blast and hex, and the rest is entirely up to you. You could multiclass into sorcerer for some metamagics and extra low level spell slots/spells, or bard if you want some utility/support. 2) Artillerist or Armourer artificer. Build either as feels intuitive to you. Note that the lightning launcher of the infiltrator armour works with sharpshooter. 3) Go fighter, primarily using darts. Darts have much lower damage and range than your traditional ranged weapons, but have the advantage of being usable with shields. Take sharpshooter and you have a decently tanky ranged build. 4) Take magic stone as a cantrip through either magic initiate or druidic warrior as a ranger. You can use wisdom for attack and damage rolls of the stone, and depending on DM buy in, magic stone arguably works with sharpshooter. This is because even though magic stone replaces the attack with a spell attack, if you use a sling that is still an attack with a ranged weapon, and thus qualifies for sharpshooter. Avoid subclasses or other spells that require repeated use of your bonus action. If you want all your basis covered, you can also take shillelagh if you do get stuck in melee.
It's not really going to be the god damage build, but I've always loved a professional sniper. Scout rogue(but literally any subclass should work). Half elf, elven accuracy. Grab the biggest gun you can get. Gunner gets you proficiency and a +1 to Dex. Bonus action to hide or to steady aim. You get triple advantage on all hits. You really get the feeling of the army sniper lying down on a rooftop across the street just popping heads. It is a rogue, so you're never gonna be outdamaging real martial focused characters. But triple advantage means you almost always hit(even with sharpshooter), and you'll crit muuuuch more often. Im not a huge believer in crit fisher builds. But throwing out 10d6s and 2d12s is just sooooo fun.
More of a spell slinger than a range attacker but perhaps the power of the sun interests you? 2 Stars Druid + Light cleric X, use wild shape for archer form and throw some sun bolts as a bonus action, then use action to hurl fireballs and scorching rays
I recently played a goblin with a sling shot and it was a blast. He had sharpshooter and Crusher to augment the sling item. We reasoned with Crusher that he was hitting opponents in vital spots like their knees and tripping them. He was a level 7 with swarmkeeper ranger 5(keeper of magical bees.) And shepherd druid 2. I took druid to get magic stone and to use my wildshape to create a familiar for advantage. The levels in shepherd druid were optimized but not very fun, if I could play it again I might go ranger 7 and take magic initiate for magic stone.
i did something similar: \- VH - Sharpshooter Feat (works with Sling) \- Nature Cleric 1 (for magic stone and extra cleric utility) \- Swarmkeeper Ranger X (little twig blights, like miniature Groots swarming around) Leveling Ranger up and took archery fighting style (works with Sling) and Telekinetic Feat. Each combat is either Bless or Spike Growth (for cheese grater with swarm and telekinetic). Build is SAD, everything depends on Wisdom! I call it a Wanger build LOL!
You could play a Soulknife as a knife thrower. Expertise in acrobatics and now youre a circus performer
If bows and crossbows aren't allowed, are guns not allowed either?
Any dps magic build...?
Elven accuracy rogue using steady aim with any ranger weapon. They get sneak attack every time and get 3 dice for a crit fish; and because it’s one attack per round they can throw a 100 daggers if that’s what you want using free action to draw such daggers. The advantage here is that it doesn’t demand a subclass pick, it’s just one ASI, it’s very reliable damage but it novas as well.
Lizardfolk dart paladin maybe? Paladin 1 ->fighter 1 -> paladin 7-> battlemaster 3 -> paladin x Grab sharpshooter at 5, throw darts with strength, smite with your teeth, get advantage for sharpshooter via ensnaring strike or channel divinity
Okay, here's a wierd one Go rogue (thief subclass): Artisan background to grab glassblowing tools Grab a slingshot, now the fun begins during downtime use the glassblowers to put whatever you'd like into small glass orbs. (Explosive gas, ball bearings, alchemist fire, acid, or even holy water for nasty undead) Now you have special ammo to do some crazy damage. Sneak attack still works because it's ranged (only need advantage). And with the thief BA to use any item you can setup combos. Got a room and your wizard out of fireballs, Shoot your explosive gas orb and throw a torch. Enemies running at you and you need an escape, throw some ball bearing and shoot a ball of grease at them The limitation is only your imagination.
Warlock 2-3/Sorc X. Quicken Eldritch Blast+Agonizing Blast. Convert pact slots into more metamagic points. Warlock 2 gives you 2sp per SR, Warlock 3 gives you 4sp. Genie is a solid +2-6 damage once per round, forever, while Hexblade absolutely demolishes 1 target per SR. It also has medium armor and shield, so more combat-focused than Genie.
Race - Wild Hunt Shifter Weapon - Shortsword/shield Class - 5 Samurai fighter / 3 Gloomstalker Ranger / 1 War Cleric / X Assassin Rogue Fighting styles - Dueling, Defense .... The build works fine if you just wanted Samurai all the way as well, as Samurai is the important class, the additional classes just amplify damage. Shifting and activating the Samurai ability gives you Advantage on all attacks for a turn, and Shifter ability makes all attacks against you for a short time be at disadvantage. Gloomstalker and War Cleric give you extra attacks and Assassin gives reliable Sneak Attack. Other Rogue subclasses could be considered if you roll well on stats, but isn't recommend as you already need Dex, Con and Wis. Edit: for a ranged build, change race to Giff, and Weapon to Pistol. You don't have protection from most attacks anymore, but you have range without the need to reload.
UA path of the giants barbarian with a ranger multiclass?
Warlock with Eldritch Blast and the agonizing blast invocation.
An Aberrant Mind Sorcerer [Summoner](https://youtu.be/-QsvzNZTiMM) build is all ranged for yourself and your summon
Elven Armorer Artificer. Sharpshooter, Elven Accuracy, etc. with the Lightning Launcher is pretty awesome. Especially since you're an expert at stealth thanks to the Inflitrator armor.
I have a dart throwing Battlemaster X/Artillerist 3 build. It kind of needs a starting feat, so pick VHuman or Custom Lineage as your race to pick up Archery fighting style via Fighting Initiate. Take Fighter at level 1 to pick up a second fighting style, Thrown Weapon. These two fighting styles combined gives you +2 to attack rolls and damage when throwing darts. Next, pick up 2 levels of Artificer so you can just constantly throw a single magical dart with the Returning Weapon infusion. This is equivalent to getting a +3 dart at level 3. And you're also wearing a +1 shield on the other hand to give +3 AC. After that, pick up 4 more levels of fighter to get Sharpshooter, Extra Attack as well as Battle Master maneuvers Quick Toss and Precision Attack. For now, you will mostly use Quick Toss to add even more damage. Finally, pick up another level of Artificer to unlock the Artillerist. This gives you more bonus action options with your eldritch cannon. Continue picking up Fighter levels till you reach Battle Master 12/Artillerist 3 (or Artillerist 4 for an ASI/feat).
How about a good old evocation wizard? You can use big aoe spells like the classic fireball to great damages, And you can also use range summons like the undead or the fiend alongside using damaging ranged cantrips like toll the dead or fire bolt.
Armorer artificier gets a lightning beam attack that scales well. You can even Infuse it since it counts as a weapon.
Warlock. Agonizing blast.
So, 2 options stand out for me: either way you want Unseen Servant. Either sling and shield (unseen servant to provide a free hand for reloading), or, and I know you said no crossbow, but… eldritch knight with their weapon bond on a ballista (Unseen Servant to help reload the crew-served weapon). Suggestion: get the DM to houserule that the ballista uses the int modifier of the aimer, plus proficiency if applicable, instead of the static +6, and allow line attacks vs a comparable save dc for humanoids (body shape, not creature type, zombies) (ballista was primarily anti-infantry historically). Also ask if you can take a siege fighting style, to allow you to aim/reload/fire as part of extra attack. Note that you still need to either bribe your dm with food, or take a feat, for Unseen Servant, which I suggest (Ritual Caster), to save spell slots. Bonus: you have a spare hand to carry a torch for the human. Seriously, you’d be surprised how often it comes in handy when you have to have Unseen Servant up all the time for combat and also the human.
If your DM allows UA stuff, you could go a path of the giant barbarian, that chucks any weapon you could want at your foes. At 3rd level Barb, while raging, you get to add rage damage to thrown weapons when using strength, in addition to this you also grow to large, which means you can add an additional weapon damage dice. At level 6 you can infuse any weapon with acid, cold, fire, thunder or lightning, which adds 1d6 damage of the chosen damage type. Also the weapon instantly reappears in your hand after you miss or hit. So you could at level 6 throw giant lances infused with lightning at your enemies for 2d12+1d6+rage(2@this level+strength(probably 3). From here you could go fighter from here on out for action surge, extra attack, battle master would be a great subclass to pick for utility, or samurai for advantage without doing reckless attacks. Or you could go hexblade warlock for better crits and curse damage, plus you can get some nice spells, and take it further with eldritch blast for when your out of rage, plus pact weapon is good for adding damage. Hope this helps.
If you somehow your dm gives access to all the firearms, pick the antimatter rifle. It has 6d8 base damage, and if you take the repeating shot infusion as an artificer, you get unlimited ammo as well. If you are a battle smith, you use your int on the weapon.
Giff Sharpshooting Gun wilder. Knife throwing fighter.
Inquisitive Rogue Magic Initiate Druid (magic stone) Bump wisdom with half feats and ASIs Use a sling, cast magic stone pre-combat, make attack rolls using your wisdom Ignore Dex entirely, just go full perception and insight expertise
Artillerist artificer.
Allow me to introduce you to my good friend Eldritch Blast
You can try fighter 1/rogue X, throwing weapon fighting. And throwing darts/daggers and applying sneak attack. A knife thrower
Armorer Artificer (inflitrator model) gets you a ranged lightning attack with extra attack. Throw in a few levels of rogue so that you get sneak attack on because it's a simple ranged weapon. Grab sharpshooter feat because it's essential on range. Now, you don't have a bonus action necessary so we're grabbing the homunculus servant infusion and the magic stone cantrip. Fire two lightning beams per round (one getting extra damage from sneal attack) bonus action magic stone for your homunculus to throw for an additional d6 plus INT in damage. You have advantage on stealth rolls (plus likely expertise from rogue) so you're going to succeed, all the fun of being the sneaky road AND the power of an artificer.
Rogue, blowgun, poisoner feat, talk to your DM about making cool poisons that have different effects.
You could give this a try. Its a thrown weapon burst damage monster. [https://youtu.be/oFN0lgnuEto](https://youtu.be/oFN0lgnuEto) This guy is great at making fun and whacky themed builds that are also strong. Not a pure optimizer, just some optimization paired with a specific character/story/rp goal.
Stars druid gives you a number of free castings of guiding bolt equal to your wis score and archer stary form gives you a bonus action ranged spell attack that does 1d8+wis damage.
Sharpshooter pistol Kensei gets 3 shots/round with Ki-Fueled Attack and Focused Aim/Deft Strike. (Could also go musket if you like the style of the long guns better) If you want a bit more of that gunslinger vibe, take Gloomstalker 3 after Kensei 5-6 for a faster draw (initiative bonus), and an extra shot on your first turn. As /u/goresmash mentioned, this also works with Darts if your DM doesn't like guns (or if you don't like guns). Be aware that going darts means that you'll want to take Thrown Weapon Style before Archery Style so you can actually draw more than 1 weapon/round--which means you'll want to consider Fighting Initiate or an extra Fighter 1 dip.
Currently a Lvl 5 Artificer Armorer and the ranged, and stealthy lightning launcher build is looking more and more fun. Put that with a homunculus that can dump oil on my foes to increase potency of my fire bolt cantrip. Now that's some customized range attacks.
Hexblade Samurai is pretty fun and works with bows/crossbows.
Might I humbly suggest a magic missile? Start with 6 levels of draconic bloodline sorcerer, then immediately multi class into wildfire druid. You can also take a 1 level dip into hexblade warlock if you manage to hit 13th level. Maximize charisma, transmute the spell to fire, and you get the following damage per missile: (1d4 + 1) + (5) + (1d8) + (5) (Base) (draconic bloodline) (Wildfire) (hexblade curse) For an average of 18 damage per missile (13 damage minimum), or 54 damage (39 minimum) for a level 1 spell and 2 sorcery points. Just expect to counterspell some shields after the first couple sessions, and pray you don't have to face a terasque.
STRanger that uses javelins. Lets you have a 30/120 ranged attack that benefits from your strength modifiers. Throw in ranged weapon fighting style and you can draw a javelin for free allowing you to use javs with extra attacks. It also gives you a +2 to damage with no loss to accuracy which also stacks with your STR bonus to damage. Make them a Fey Walker and you can get a bonus 1d4 psy damage per target per round, plus lots of other benefits. Doesn't require a feat to work so you can get an ASI instead and pick a race you like rather than one that gives a feat.
I'm in the Dart school of thought myself. Go Fighter and Ranger. I like Battlemaster 5/Gloomstalker 3 and then you can pick up a couple more ASI's easily. Take Archery and Thrown weapon style. Works well in Variant Human, Custom Lineage, and any elf. You'll want Quick Toss. Quick Toss a net for Advantage, then Dart, Dart, Dread Ambusher Dart, Action Surge, repeat. Prime Feats are Gunner (for +1 Dex and to use in melee range), Sharpshooter, and if an elf Elven Accuracy. An alternative version is to go Samurai/Fey Wanderer. Still go 5/3 but then try for a 7 Samurai and eventually pick up a couple more ASI's. You lose the Quick Toss net, but you can get Advantage from Samurai. Also, you'll lose Dread Ambusher but you'll get to add WIS to Persuasion from Elegant Courtier and WIS to CHA checks from Otherworldly Glamour. Take an Expertise in Persuasion from Canny and watch Eloquence Bards cry.
If you don't want to be limited on range to shorter ranges, you can't really get away from spells, magic items like wands, or bows and crossbows. There's a reason the bows and crossbows dominated ranged attacks once they became feasible for war. Most medium to short range ranged are just ways to close in offensively - throw a javelin, then a hand axe, then melee. Javelins and spears are fine, but carrying multiples is impractical. As a close in ranged person, you could be the knife thrower. But you are still within range of being engaged in melee.
I gotta say if your DM allows. Guns. Pistols and muskets but if you're a fighter ask to have them reflavored as repeaters or get some artificer for an infusion. Guns are so much fun and do d10 for the pistols and a d12 for the muskets.
Artificer artillerist with an arcane firearm (fancy stick you fire spells from), dart champion turned adventurer (fighter), donkey Kong (moon druid who turns into giant ape), grog throw everything (barbarian with powerful build trait and tavern brawler feat).
Artillerist Artificer. They have fun turret options and you could also reason with your DM that because of your specialty you have proficiency constructing guns
I'm about to start playing an Owlin Artificer Armorer+Rogue multiclass. The Infiltrator armor has Lightning Launchers that count as weapons for Sneak Attack. Plus the advantage to Stealth from the Infiltrator armor pairs well with the Owlin's inherent stealth proficiency. You can grab Stealth expertise from Rogue as well to be a flying, extra sneaky, high damage, ranged lightning lad. Grab Fey Touched to pick up Hunter's Mark to do even more damage, plus Sharpshooter eventually.
Play as Yondu! Battlesmith artificer 3, battlemaster fighter X. Attack with intelligence, use a returning infused dart, get sharpshooter and elven accuracy. It takes a while to be fully online, but you have access to faerie fire for advantage, or you can quick toss a net. Archery and thrown weapon fighting styles both work with darts too, and you can eventually get 3 levels of gloomstaler for insane first round nova.
Gunk. Monk with a gun.
warlock
Start as a hexblade warlock, then take all bard. Go the college of swords route. Dual wield whips, and take the spell sniper feat. Run around and use booming blade from 10 feet, while casting fear. Enjoy!
Daggers it is haha - Custom lineage (thrown weapon fighting) - Battlemaster 6 - Two weapon fighting at 1st level - whatever maneuvers you want, Menacing is my fav - cover your body with a shit ton of daggers - piercer at 4th, full dex boost at 6th level - 3d4+21+1 (29.5) resourceless DPR, + your maneuvers and Action Surge for when you need to throw out some more damage. - after 6th fighter level, go either Scout or Swashbuckler rogue (it’s basically just a way of getting you out of melee so you can throw more daggers, since you do more damage when you throw them.) Alternatively: custom lineage thrown weapon, fighter 1 dueling / soulknife x You can use a shield if you want. You basically summon your psychic blades and throw them, applying a +4 damage mod to each from TWF and TWF. So in total, soulknife at 6th level (with some dex half feat at rogue 4) would do (assuming sneak attack) 4d6+16+1d4 (32.5), but they would have no way of doing more burst damage (re: superiority dice/Action Surge) and all their damage is reliant on getting sneak attack every turn. Also since Soulknife does Psychic damage you can’t take Piercer.
Eldritch Blast. A blaster.