It may not be interesting to everyone, but after some thinking and some conversation with some folks, I am creating a prestige class which is a revision of the Sword and Fist prestige class called the "Order of the Bow Initiate" -- which is way to long a name to begin with!

What prompted this was discussion of taking feats with an eye towards eventual prestige classes -- since some character types don't get feats that often, it may take planning several levels in advance to ensure the character has the ability to take a desired prestige class when it becomes theoretically possible...

And in looking at the "Order..." requirements, I noticed that Weapon Specialization was one of them -- but the description implied that other types of characters besides Fighters could take the class, even though to get that particular feat you have to be a fighter of at least 4th level! Also, I wanted to rearrange their advancement slightly...making the ranged sneak attack bonus increase every 2 levels as the text indicated, rather than skipping a level in the middle as the table showed...

So anyways, here is a revision of that prestige class, which in the Drakaran Empire is known as the Zen Archer. Most of the description in Sword and Fist is fine, anything that is different will be noted here.

Zen Archer Prestige Class:

Requirements:
Base Attack Bonus: +5
Knowledge (Religion): 2 ranks
Feats: Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Rapid Shot, Weapon Focus (Yumi or Daikyu), and finally Zen Archery (as described in Sword and Fist)

On the table of level advancement for the class, base attack bonus and all three saving throw columns are as shown in the book (+1 BAB per level, slow Fortitude saves, fast Reflex and Will saves). The specials are as follows:

1st:  Ranged Sneak Attack +1d6
2nd:  Close Combat Shot
3rd:  Ranged Sneak Attack +2d6
4th:  Superior Weapon Focus
5th:  Ranged Sneak Attack +3d6
6th:  Free Attack; Superior Zen Archery (see below)
7th:  Ranged Sneak Attack +4d6
8th:  (Superior) Weapon Specialization (see below)
9th:  Ranged Sneak Attack +5d6
10th: Bank Shot OR Sharp-Shooting (see below)

(Superior) Weapon Specialization:
At 8th level, if the character does not have Weapon Specialization in the bow of choice, that feat is gained, even if the character is not a Fighter. If the character has Weapon Specialization in that type of bow, then the Superior version of the feat is gained, adding an additional +2 to damage on top of the original +2.

Bank Shot OR Sharp-Shooting:
At 10th level, the Zen Archer may choose between the extraordinary ability of Bank Shot, allowing arrows to be deflected off of walls or other solid objects into a target within 20' of said objects, as described in the book, and the feat of Sharp-Shooting which allows the negation of up to +2 cover bonus that a target has. If the character already has the Sharp-Shooting feat, then Bank Shot is automatically gained.

Zen Archers come from many walks of life, all seeking to gain enlightenment from the meditative aspects of archery. Even characters of classes usually not considered warriors, without having martial weapon proficiencies, have been known to take a Martial Proficiency feat in a Yumi (short composite bow) or Daikyu (long composite bow -- high-born only) and begin following an archer's path, eventually to become Zen Archers. Monks in particular may follow this alternate path to enlightenment -- often by taking a level or two as a fighter in order to gain the proficiency and a feat or two quickly -- as they gain much from having both Wisdom and Dexterity in their other activities as well. Zen Archers are well-respected by noble and common folk alike...