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Guide:Sharpshooter

From bg3.wiki

Sharpshooter - a guide for a build that focuses on dealing Damage TypesPhysical damage from a distance.

Overview

Core components for this build include:

Sharpshooter Icon.png Sharpshooter provides additional damage for a penalty to accuracy. Attacking from the distance helps to mitigate the accuracy penalty (high ground, hiding) while Hand Crossbows Icon.pngHand Crossbows allow to use bonus action to make attacks. Which the bonus damage from Sharpshooter Icon.png Sharpshooter this additional attack more than compensates the fact that Hand Crossbows Icon.png Hand Crossbows have less basic damage compared to the Heavy Crossbows Icon.png Heavy Crossbows.

This build does not require any specific Race or Class. Low mobility is also tolerated. Attacking from a distance allows to put less emphasis on the defence in this build.
As a result this build brings high damage while allowing a lot of options for utility and role-play.

Details

Having minimalistic core this build allows many approaches from the class perspective. The most notable options are:


Attack count

This build benefits greatly from both: doing multiple attacks for each action and having multiple actions per round.
That's why Fighter Fighters, Ranger Rangers and Bard Bards are good class choices - all of them get an Extra Attack Icon.png Extra Attack and can attack twice for the cost of one Action.
There are several ways to get multiple Actions for each turn of the battle with the most notable:

This results in having, on average, 2-3 Actions per turn plus one Bonus action.

Ability Scores

Range weapons use Dexterity Ability Icon.png Dexterity as the primary Ability Score so it should be maxed.
Secondary abilities are up to you. Constitution Ability Icon.png Constitution never hurts. For spell casting Ranger Rangers might want to improve Wisdom Ability Icon.png Wisdom while Bard Bards - Charisma Ability Icon.png Charisma.

Races

This build does not rely on any particular Race.
Race Halfling.png Halfling is a good choice because of the Lucky. Their low movement speed is less relevant - as a range striker you don't need to move much around battlefield.
Race Drow.png Drow with Superior Darkvision is nice in the darker settings.
Race Dragonborn.png Dragonborn gets resistance to a damage type - especially useful for Damage Types Fire damage, which is quite frequent in BG3.

Build variations comparison

Table below compares most notable features each variation brings to the core build.
For explanation of numbers and percentages od specific builds see the Math section below.

Battle Master Icon.pngBattle Master version

This version of the build performs great early and mid-game, while completely outperforming other options in the late game.
Action Surge Icon 64px.png Action Surge and Manoeuvers provide burst, versatility and additional damage.

Build

Put all your levels into a Fighter Fighter.

Get your starting Dex to 16 (or 17 if your are going for a +1 from the Hag).

Get yourself 2 x Hand Crossbows Icon.png Hand Crossbows.

Pick an Fighting Style Archery Icon.png Archery Fighting Style.

At level 3 take the Battle Master Icon.pngBattle Master subclass.
Select any Manoeuvers you like. Promising options include:

Pick Sharpshooter Icon.png Sharpshooter as your level 4 PassiveFeature Generic.png Feat and toggle the passive on.

As an extra fighter level 6 feat pick PassiveFeature Generic.png Ability Improvement to get Dexterity+2 and bring it to 18 or even 20 (depending on your game choices).

For the PassiveFeature Generic.png feats at levels 8 and 12, you can go with what you like. Some good options include:

  • PassiveFeature Generic.png Ability Improvement to get your Dex to 20.
  • Alert Icon.png Alert to win initiative reliably.
  • PassiveFeature Generic.png Savage Attacker which will add about 1-3 damage per attack, on average.

Make sure to drink an Elixir of Bloodlust.pngElixir of Bloodlust after each long rest.
Getting someone to cast Bless Icon.png Bless and/or Haste Icon.png Haste on you will be nice as well.
Enjoy an extremely high damage spread over multiple attacks, all from a relatively safe distance.

Mid-game numbers

Check assumptions in the Math section below.

Overall Battle Master Icon.pngBattle Master brings about 50% damage increase on top of the core Sharpshooter build.


Fighting Style Archery Icon.png Archery provides a +2 bonus to Attack rolls you make with ranged Weapons - 10% damage increase.

4 x Superiority Die d8 Icon.png Superiority Dice provide 4 x 1d8Damage TypesPiercing damage per short rest. This averages to 2 x 4.5Damage TypesPiercing damage per turn, almost 50% of an Attack - about 10% damage increase.

From an extra feat of PassiveFeature Generic.png Ability Improvement having Dexterity+2 will give +5% chance to hit and +1 damage (about +5% damage) - total of 10% damage increase.

For the turn where Action Surge Icon 64px.png Action Surge is used, 2 additional Attacks will result in 40% damage increase. Per turn, for a battle, it brings around 20% damage increase.

Late-game numbers

At level 11 you are getting one more Extra Attack Icon.png Extra Attack now making 3 Attacks for each Action.

Having on average 2.5 Actions per turn will result in 2.5 additional Attacks per turn - about 50% damage increase.

This brings damage of Battle Master Icon.pngBattle Master version of Sharpshooter on next level, compared to all other version at level 11 and beyond.

Late Heavy Crossbow

The main argument for having Hand Crossbows Icon.png Hand Crossbows in each hand is an extra attack on a Bonus action. With level 11, doing 3 Attacks on each Action, you will have on average about 9 Attacks per turn. This warrants switching to a Heavy Crossbows Icon.png Heavy Crossbow and using your Bonus action for non-attacking purposes.
Heavy Crossbows Icon.png Heavy Crossbows do, on average, 2 damage more compared to Hand Crossbows Icon.png Hand Crossbows. For 9 Attacks this is additional 18 damage which comes close to doing an additional attack on a Bonus action with a Hand Crossbows Icon.png Hand Crossbow setup.
For your Action Surge Icon 64px.png Action Surge turn this is additional 24 damage which fully equalises with an additional Bonus action attack.

On top of this, Heavy Crossbows Icon.png Heavy Crossbow will give you a Brace (Ranged) Icon.png Brace (Ranged) ability.

Even more - now you have your Bonus action free. You can use it for repositioning, getting utility, etc. By this level you should have a lot of items granting you all sorts of additional abilities that require a Bonus action.

Assassin Icon.pngAssassin version

This variation is an ultimate first turn burst build but it comes into play only at level 8 and above.
Assassinate: Initiative + Assassinate: Ambush provide a ton of damage potential but require Extra Attack Icon.png Extra Attack from another martial class.

Build

Put first 5 levels into Ranger Ranger.

Get your starting Dex to 16 (or 17 if your are going for a +1 from the Hag).

Get yourself 2 x Hand Crossbows Icon.png Hand Crossbows.

Pick any Ranger#Level 1 Favoured Enemy.
Select any Ranger#Level 1 Natural Explorer.

At level 2 pick an Fighting Style Archery Icon.png Archery Fighting Style.

At level 3 take the Gloom Stalker Icon.pngGloom Stalker subclass.

At level 4 pick Sharpshooter Icon.png Sharpshooter as your PassiveFeature Generic.png Feat and toggle the passive on.

At level 6 subclass by selecting Rogue Rogue leaving Ranger Ranger at level 5.

At level 8 (Rogue Rogue level 3) take the Assassin Icon.pngAssassin subclass.

At level 9 (Rogue Rogue level 4) get another PassiveFeature Generic.png feat. You can select whatever you like. Some good options include:

  • PassiveFeature Generic.png Ability Improvement to get your Dex to 20.
  • PassiveFeature Generic.png Savage Attacker which will add about 1-3 damage per attack, on average.

Levels 10 to 12 put into the Ranger Ranger getting one more PassiveFeature Generic.png feat.

Make sure to drink an Elixir of Bloodlust.pngElixir of Bloodlust after each long rest.
Getting someone to cast Bless Icon.png Bless and/or Haste Icon.png Haste on you will be nice as well.
Enjoy an extremely high burst damage on your first turn which allows to wipe several enemies before they even have a chance to act.

Try to always Surprised Condition Icon.webp surprise your enemies by attacking them from the outside of their cone of vision. Guaranteed crit on surprised surprised enemies adds a lot of damage.

Mid-game numbers

Check assumptions in the Math section below.

Overall Assassin Icon.pngAssassin brings about XX% damage increase on top of the core Sharpshooter build.

Fighting Style Archery Icon.png Archery provides a +2 bonus to Attack rolls you make with ranged Weapons - 10% damage increase.

Sneak Attack (Ranged) Icon 64px.png Sneak Attack (for a level 3 or 4 Rogue Rogue) adds additional +2d6 (avg 7)Damage TypesPiercing damage to 1 attack per turn - about 7% damage increase.

From an extra feat of PassiveFeature Generic.png Ability Improvement having Dexterity+2 will give +5% chance to hit and +1 damage - total of 10% damage increase.

Action DreadAmbusher Ranged.png Dread Ambusher gives whole additional attack (+20% damage) and {{DamageText|+1d8 (avg 4.5)|Piercing} to this attack (+4.5% damage) but since it happens only once per battle - about 8% damage increase.

Assumptions for Math

To be able to compare build variations, some assumptions on the combat length, amount of actions per turn, etc. have to be made. Assumptions taken for this guide down were selected based on an empiric experience with the game.

Assumptions:

  • Slow Icon.png Combat length: 3 turns
  • Extra Attack Icon.png Total Attacks per turn: 5
  • Piercing Damage Icon.png Total Damage per turn: 100
  • Actions per turn: 2
  • Extra Attack Icon.png Attacks per action: 2
  • Extra Attack Icon.png Attacks per bonus action: 1
  • Piercing Damage Icon.png Damage per attack: 20
  • Lightning Arrow Icon.png Critical multiplier: x2

Quick reference:

  • Once-per-battle abilities contribute only 1/3 of their damage
  • +1 action per turn = +40% to damage
  • +1 attack per action = +40% to damage
  • +1 damage per attack = +5% to damage
  • +1% critical chance = +1% to damage
  • +1% to accuracy = +1% to damage
  • +1 Dexterity = +1 damage and +5% accuracy = +10% to damage

Slow Icon.png Combat length: 3 turns

Combat in BG3 lasts typically for 1-4 turns.
Sharpshooter build brings a lot of damage so if you have good buffing support and/or damage-focused party, your average combat length will be probably around 2 turns.
Still, to be on the safe side, 3 turns are assumed in this guide which will be more than enough for your to even solo kill most of encounters with this build.

Actions per turn: 2

While all characters have 1 Action per turn, Haste Icon.png Hastened, Elixir of Bloodlust.pngElixir of Bloodlust and Action Surge Icon 64px.png Action Surge can give up to 3 additional Actions.
Excluding Action Surge Icon 64px.png Action Surge (as it's Fighter Fighter specific) we are left with 1-3 Actions per turn.
Since Elixir of Bloodlust.pngElixir of Bloodlust has a condition for triggering and Haste Icon.png Hastened requires buffing, 3 Actions per turn will not be always possible.
Hence this guide goes with 2 Actions per turn.
Note that in reality, you can have 3 Actions per turn for a good percentage of your fights.

Attacks per Action: 2

All variations of the Sharpshooter build include a martial class that gets Extra Attack Icon.png Extra Attack and can do 2 attacks per Action. Doing more than that is possible only for level 11 Fighter Fighter and seems unreasonable to use as an average. Hence this guide goes with 2 attacks per Action as the assumption.

Piercing Damage Icon.png Basic attack damage: 20

Hand Crossbows Icon.png Hand Crossbows by themselves do 1d6Damage TypesPiercing damage, which averages at 3.5Damage TypesPiercing.
On top of that Dexterity Ability Icon.png Dex adds 3-5 damage with an average of +4Damage TypesPiercing damage.
Weapon Enchantment typically adds +1Damage TypesPiercing damage.
Sharpshooter Icon.png Sharpshooter adds +10Damage TypesPiercing.
All together it totals to 18.5Damage TypesPiercing which is rounded to 20Damage TypesPiercing.
In reality you character can have multiple items adding even more damage on top of each hit so 20 damage per attack sounds like a reasonable average.

Honorable mentions

Beast Master Icon.pngBeast Master: overall a viable alternative for the Ranger Ranger approach.
This subclass does not bring improvements to the range combat per se. Still beasts are strong and overall Beast Master Icon.png Beast Master version will bring both firepower as well as survivability and flexibility to the party.


Champion Icon.pngChampion: an alternative option for the Fighter Fighter approach.
Main benefit of this version is an Improved Critical Hit (equivalent to about 5% overall damage increase). For a ranged build a Champion Icon.png Champion is more interesting than for a melee one - there are a lot of ways to guarantee crits for melee strikers in bg3. Still Battle Master Icon.png Battle Master Manoeuvers provide a comparable damage increase together with a ton of utility and flexibility.
Do note that Champion Icon.png Champion subclass makes more sense for this build if you try to minimise amount of long & short rests.


Class Bard Valor Badge Icon.pngCollege of Valor: an option for a Bard Bard approach.
This variation brings a full caster in addition to getting 2 attacks (as a Ranger Ranger or a Fighter Fighter), especially - ability to utilise Concentration Concentration way better since Bard Bards get a lot of great spells like Hold Person Icon.png Hold Person, Glyph of Warding Icon.png Glyph of Warding, etc.
Main downside - Bardic Inspiration Icon.png Bardic Inspiration cannot be used on yourself. In the end while using all cool spells and abilities Bard Bard ends up not doing actual damage.
Bard Bard variation definitely trades some damage potential for support and utility.


Thief Icon.pngThief: an option for a Rogue Rogue approach (without multiclasses).
Main selling point of this variation is that Thief Icon.png Thiefs get an extra Bonus action which can be used to make yet another attack. In addition, investing all 12 levels into Rogue Rogue makes Sneak Attack quite powerful.
The downside is that Rogue Rogue does not get an Extra Attack Icon.png Extra Attack. While improved Sneak Attack (Ranged) Icon 64px.png Sneak Attack packs a lot of damage, Sneak Attack (Ranged) Icon 64px.png Sneak Attack can be used only once per turn and cannot make up for missing Extra Attack Icon.png Extra Attacks - doing just 3 Attacks with 3 Actions instead of 6 or 9 Attacks makes the total damage of this build variation plummet.
It's just much better to invest all levels into a Fighter Fighter and instead of one Bonus action get 2 additional attacks per each Action.