[First version of my post:] Use a light shield.
[Later, expanded version:] The way I always read it is that you can hold things in your shield hand as long as you use a light shield (hold, not wield - if you want to use a weapon in your shield hand you have to use a buckler).
So I'd say you can put the pistol in your shield hand and reload it with the other one, then change it back.
If you don't think it works, you'd have to spend an action (free with BAB +1) to unstrap and drop the shield, reload (move?), pick it up (move) and strap it (free) again...
[PS:] Thought I'd include both versions so that Burrito's quote still makes sense. ;)
Use a light shield.
Are you suggesting that the guntank's tower shield proficiency is functionally useless?
From the tower shield description: You cannot bash with a tower shield, nor can you use your shield hand for anything else.
From the heavy shield description: A heavy shield is so heavy that you can't use your shield hand for anything else.
From the light shield description: A light shield's weight lets you carry other items in that hand, although you cannot use weapons with it.
Buckler: You can use a bow or crossbow without penalty while carrying it. [...] You can also use your shield arm to wield a weapon. [... blah, penalties, blah ...]
So, Burrito: if there isn't a Gunslinger Deed to reload with one hand or something (I don't know, haven't read into it that much, as I don't like the class), the answer is yes.
Use a light shield.Are you suggesting that the guntank's tower shield proficiency is functionally useless?
If you had several rounds in the weapon, you could use a tower shield for a "switch hitter" build and just reload between fights. I play alongside a PC like this in Serpent's Skull, although he only uses a buckler at the moment.
Still given the effectiveness of the switch tactic, I can see it working.
Yeah, that works, Lincoln, but of course it requires advanced tech firearms...
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Play a vanara or something else with a tail that can hold things for you.
Or grab two levels of alchemist to get the extra arm.
Or see if your GM will let you use a prosthetic arm as a holding hand attached to your belt or something (alternatively see if he'll allow the prosthetic to hold the shield leaving the hand free to reload).
So there's no effective way to play a High Shield Gun Corps? That's unfortunate.
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If you ever play one outside of PFS (or if you wander on this thread searching for an answer about the official gun tank abilities), try instead to play the Gun Tank revisited.
Yep, she can reload a firearm while holding a tower shield. At level 3, she can even do so with a blunderbuss by flip-cocking the firearm like a fantasy medieval Terminator.
I get the impression tower shield proficiency on a PC is *always* a waste. Usually not as obviously, but the no bashing thing ruins offense and high defense low offense characters don't work well in mixed parties without aggro mechanics.
If you know you'll always play with someone else (eg. your significant other also plays PFS) and he or she plays an arcane caster you may be able to get unseen servant support for reloading.
I have a guntank/cavalier that I am wanting to try it on. The cavalier is a helpful trait with order of the dragon and honor guard with his tactics feat being shield wall. As a standard action he can provide total cover for someone adjacent to him and if they are attacked he can use his bodyguard feat to give them a +6 bonus to their AC (including against touch attacks) in addition to the +2 shield bonus he's providing from the shield wall feat (in addition to the total cover from one side).
The reason I'm not playing him is I just finished a catfolk and didn't want to go for a vanaran right away (vanara so the tail can hold the pistol while he reloads).
I simply wanted to see if I could run a buffing type character without using magic, and this guy is what has developed out of that.
Yep, she can reload a firearm while holding a tower shield. At level 3, she can even do so with a blunderbuss by flip-cocking the firearm like a fantasy medieval Terminator.
Blunderbusses and other early firearms don't cock - they're muzzle-loaded, which means shoving everything down the barrel. That's specifically one of the big things that separate the early ones from the modern ones. (The other being that the bullets have their own charges, rather than needing powder and ball separately.)
I can see it for one-handed firearms (the teeth thing is good), but not for two-handed ones. And using a two-handed firearm with a tower shield is a bit off anyway.
That being said, I do like the visual.
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Blunderbusses and other early firearms don't cock - they're muzzle-loaded, which means shoving everything down the barrel.
Hence the fact that a revisited gun tank adds a mechanism to her firearm that makes it possible to reload by flip-cocking. It was the only way to make it seem believable, and the visual is awesome. YMMV on this ability, but honestly, I can take some more suspension of disbelief when everyone is flying, throwing fireballs or beating giants 1 on 1.
It's more a way to provide a good variety of builds (from shield bashing + dragon pistol shock trooper with some battlefield control and accuracy, to tower shield + blunderbuss terror with high AC and high damage potential) and give the poor blunderbuss some well-needed love both fluff and crunch-wise.
Blunderbusses and other early firearms don't cock - they're muzzle-loaded, which means shoving everything down the barrel.Hence the fact that a revisited gun tank adds a mechanism to her firearm that makes it possible to reload by flip-cocking. It was the only way to make it seem believable, and the visual is awesome. YMMV on this ability, but honestly, I can take some more suspension of disbelief when everyone is flying, throwing fireballs or beating giants 1 on 1.
It's more a way to provide a good variety of builds (from shield bashing + dragon pistol shock trooper with some battlefield control and accuracy, to tower shield + blunderbuss terror with high AC and high damage potential) and give the poor blunderbuss some well-needed love both fluff and crunch-wise.
Fair enough. It's not for me, but I'll admit the concept is good.
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I always thought the whole idea of a gun tank was to plant the tower shield in the ground, using it for portable cover, and fire a gun from behind it. If the shield is planted, don't you have both hands free?
Edit: Nevermind, I guess I'd misread the total cover aspect of tower shields, you don't actually plant them apparently. Still, not a bad idea...
I always thought the whole idea of a gun tank was to plant the tower shield in the ground, using it for portable cover, and fire a gun from behind it. If the shield is planted, don't you have both hands free?
How do you plant a tower shield in pathfinder?
I always thought the whole idea of a gun tank was to plant the tower shield in the ground, using it for portable cover, and fire a gun from behind it. If the shield is planted, don't you have both hands free?How do you plant a tower shield in pathfinder?
Get an animated shield and tell it to keep still? ;)
Levels of alchemist to get a vestigual arm?
Get a second and third gun and keep them loaded, so you can drop and draw.
End combat quicker?
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The reloading issue can be largely ignored by utilizing a pepperbox pistol and playing as a tiefling with a prehensile tail. It is completely PFS legal, keeps the damage of a pistol, and only requires a reload every 12 rounds, (clarification: every six rounds if not a tiefling with prehensile tail or if lacking a second pepperbox for your tail to hold in reserve). The catch is that your misfire rate is 1-2.
Hope this helps.
Sincerely yours,
~Dieben
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The reloading issue can be largely ignored by utilizing a pepperbox pistol and playing as a tiefling with a prehensile tail. It is completely PFS legal, keeps the damage of a pistol, and only requires a reload every 12 rounds, (clarification: every six rounds if not a tiefling with prehensile tail or if lacking a second pepperbox for your tail to hold in reserve). The catch is that your misfire rate is 1-2.
Hope this helps.Sincerely yours,
~Dieben
The problem is you still need an extra hand to cycle the barrels. Therefore if you want to actually keep firing the pepperbox you need to use your tail to cycle the barrels instead of carrying your backup.
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Sorry for the error.
To fire multiple shots as a so-called "gun tank", play as a tiefling with a pepperbox in hand and a second one holstered at your side. Use free actions with the tail to turn the barrels after each shot, a free action to drop your gun when it is empty, and a swift action to have your tail retrieve your backup and get it in hand for renewed gunfire glory, and then we're back to free action barrel turning. Ultimately, you are not able to reload in combat, but you get 12 shots.