Improved Intercept (Ex)
Replaces: Quarry
At 11th level, when the toxophilite takes a full-attack action with a ranged weapon, she can choose to forgo one of her attacks. If she does so, she can use her intercept arrow ability as an immediate action instead of a readied action at any time before her next turn. Her attack roll to intercept uses the same bonuses as the attack she chose to forgo during her previous action. This ability replaces quarry.
Greater Intercept (Ex): At i9th level, whenever a toxophilite successfully deflects an attack with her intercept arrow ability, she target within 30 feet, using the intercepted attack's attack roll against the new target's AC. This ability replaces improved quarry.
!m"i:$ =Fb Numcrnu< mct'm'gic fe>t< at range, spellcasters face an entirely different set of bolster a spellcaster's ability to fight from afar, including challenges when fighting from a distance. Thankfully, Reach Spell, which can make even touch spells viable magic users also boast an impressive array of ranged combat options to close the gap and win the day.
General Tactics Many spellcasters specialize in engaging foes from afar, both to avoid melee combat drawbacks (like attacks of opportunity and the challenge of using magic while grappled), and to fully exploit tactics that only spells and magical powers can create.
Exploit Proxies: Familiars, summoned monsters, eidolons, and animal companions can allow a character to engage enemies while maintaining a significant distance between herself and her foes. Even touch spells can be viable ranged combat options if a spellcaster can use another creature or a spectral hand spell to deliver it.
Fight from Extreme Range: Many spells, such as demand, dream, n(ghtmare, phantasmal reven,gf'PG, and sendin,g, can be used at extremely long range. Although such spells are rarely enough to defeat foes, they can allow a clever spellcaster to prepare for or initiate a fight while minimizing risk.
Pack Wands and Staves: While many spellcasters are proficient with only simple ranged weapons like crossbows, most can also use wands and staves loaded with ranged spells and effects. A spare wand of ma,gic missile or staff of fire can help spellcasters inflict damage from a distance while reserving their most powerful magic for enemies who stray within range.
Use Unavoidable Effects: One of spellcasting's greatest advantages is its access to abilities that always work or are extremely hard to avoid. Ma,gic missile is perhaps the best known of these spells, but many area spells and spells with partial effects such as black tentacles, entan,gle, and silence are similarly difficult to resist.
Specific Tactics Spellcasters who fight at range often favor tactics that complement their natural strengths and preferred methods.
Learn Stone Call: This 2nd-level spell (Pathfinder RPG Advanced Player's Guide 247) deals damage across a large area with no saving throw or attack roll required, can hit numerous evasive-and even flying-opponents from more than ioo feet away, and creates difficult terrain that can slow approaching enemies.
Scry and Teleport: The combination of divination (scrying) and conjuration (teleportation) spells can make for a potent offensive option. Scrying can provide vital information about a foe's vulnerabilities and defenses before the spellcaster teleports in to strike at the most opportune moment-provided she carries off her plan before the scrying sensor is noticed.
ranged options; Enlarge Spell, which is useful for augmenting long-range spells and many spells that have a nonstandard range type; and Selective Spell, which can protect allies from area effects such as fireball.
Feats The following new feats are available to all characters and can bolster spellcasters' ranged capabilities.
Channel Ray You can focus your channeled energy on a single target.
Prerequisite: Channel energy class feature. Benefit: When you channel energy, you can project a ray from your holy symbol instead of creating a burst. You must succeed at a ranged touch attack to hit an unwilling target; your target is then affected by the channeled energy as normal and receives a saving throw. You need not make an attack roll to affect a willing creature with the ray. The ray has a range of 30 feet per channel energy die, and its save DC is increased by 2.
Distant Spell Link You can share spells and grant touch spells to your companion creature over a great distance.
Prerequisites: Enlarge Spell or Reach Spell; animal companion, eidolon, familiar, or other allied creature with the share spells ability (Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook 52).
Benefit: The range of your allied creature's share spells ability increases to close (25 feet + 5 feet for every 2 levels) as long as you have line of effect to the creature when you cast the shared spell. If your allied creature has the deliver touch spells ability, you can designate your allied creature as the spell's source when you cast a touch spell as long as you are within close range of it. The creature must still deliver the touch spell at its touch range.
Normal: You must be adjacent to your familiar to share spells with it or designate touch spells for it to deliver.
Proxy Summoning Creatures you summon can act as proxies to deliver your spells to foes.
Prerequisites: Ability to cast conjuration (summoning) spells or a conjuration (summoning) spell-like ability, caster level 5th.
Benefit: Whenever you cast a touch spell while adjacent to a creature you summoned (including an eidolon), you can have the summoned creature carry the spell's charge. Once the spell is cast, you and any creature you summon gain the share spells ability (Core Rulebook 52). This feat doesn't qualify you for feats or other rules options that require you to have an animal companion, familiar, or similar allied creature with the share spells ability.
Seeking Spell (Metamagic) You can cast spells that bend around barriers to reach their intended destination.
Benefit: A seeking spell's range can bend around obstacles to reach the intended target. You can define the route yourself or unambiguously identify a target and allow the spell to determine its own path. However, the spell fails if it would have to travel farther than its maximum range to reach the identified target. A ranged attack roll made to deliver a seeking spell is not subject to cover or concealment. In order to benefit from this feat, the selected spell must have a range greater than touch and target one or more creatures, or it must require the caster to make a ranged touch attack. A seeking spell uses up a spell slot 2 levels higher than the spell's actual level.
Magus Arcana The following new magus arcana are best suited to magi interested in ranged combat, such as myrmidarchs (Pathfinder RPG Ultimate Combat 56).