In medieval times, most nations didn't maintain standing armies, instead relying on a combination of knights, peasant levies, and mercenary forces. The archer was a notable exception to this pattern, as skilled archers were highly trained experts, often beginning their training from a young age. Unlike the more generalist training of knights, archers focused on mastering the bow, emphasizing accuracy, volume of fire, and mobility. The ability to shoot quickly, while maintaining precision, allowed archers to dominate in ranged combat, often softening up enemy forces before a melee engagement.

Training an effective archer required years of practice, often starting in childhood, and typically focused on developing a high rate of fire. Archers were trained to shoot rapidly and with pinpoint accuracy, developing the skills necessary to disrupt enemy formations from a distance. Mobility was also essential; archers needed to reposition themselves quickly across the battlefield, taking advantage of terrain to find advantageous shooting angles and avoid enemy retaliation. However, while archers were deadly at range, they were generally ill-suited for close combat. Most archers wore lighter armor, often none at all, and were trained less in melee weapons. This made them vulnerable in direct hand-to-hand combat.

In battle, archers were often deployed ahead of the main army as skirmishers or positioned behind infantry or cavalry to provide support fire. They could target high-value individuals, such as commanders, or create chaos by peppering enemy ranks with arrows. Though they were weak in melee, archers played a strategic role in the larger battle, disrupting enemy lines and forcing them to react to a persistent threat from a distance. Their ability to harass and weaken the enemy before the main force engaged was a key tactical advantage, making archers indispensable in both field and siege warfare.

Despite their lack of armor and limited training in melee combat, archers remained a crucial part of medieval armies. Their specialized skills with the bow, combined with years of training and tactical knowledge, made them a unique and valuable asset in the often chaotic medieval battlefield. As such, their role in warfare persisted, solidifying them as one of the few permanent military specialists in an age dominated by knights and peasant levies.

When you select this background, add seven points to your Dexterity score and five points to your Wisdom score. In addition, you may distribute eight points among any of your other attribute scores. No single attribute may receive more than four points.

Stamina: An Archer begins play with 20 stamina, plus an amount equal to your Strength bonus.

Recovery Dice: When you select XXX Archer your background, you gain two eight-sided dice (2d8) as Recovery dice. This is in addition to any Recovery dice you gained due to your ancestry.

Defences: Add two training ranks to your Reflex defence.

Place one training rank in the Bows skill. In addition, choose any three additional skills from the following list: Acrobatics, Blades, Crafting, Lore, Medicine, Stealth, Society, Survival, Thrown Weapons, Unarmed Combat. Place one training rank in each of the selected skills.

Archery Focus: You are considered to have Intermediate Weapon Training with any weapon that uses the Bows skill.

The following traits are available to your character as Basic traits, regardless of their base class.

Mark for Death
Rapid Fire
Rapid Reload
Replenish Ammunition
Weak Spot

In addition, the following traits are available to your character as Intermediate traits, regardless of their base class.

You begin play with the following equipment:

• 100 silver coins.