Juggling As The New Gun Twirling - Advice on Bard Dip for Gunslinger


Advice


Okay, we've all heard most of the good word about Gun Twirling to help with TWF firearm builds, or just iterative attacks in general. Just to make sure I'm not missing anything: Is there some secret to getting reloads out of holstering and unholstering, or is it just dependent on having multiple guns?

Okay, now that that's out of the way...

Two levels of Juggler (Bard Archetype, Ranged Tactics Toolbox) gives our firearm user an 'extra' hand to use for reloading purposes, while dual-wielding (double pistols or pepperboxes, assuming no access to advanced, in which case we opt for revolvers). We also get Deflect Arrows as a bonus feat (noteworthy that it doesn't use your immediate action, which we already have marked down for Gunslinger's Dodge), and Evasion, which will make the Dex-hungry Gunslinger (who normally doesn't get this until 15th level) happy. There are some other early level Bardic goodies as well, but my main question for this part is what would be the best cantrip and 1st level spell selection?

Looking further ahead, as at 13th level we'll be cranking out three attacks per hand (at this point we either need pepperboxes or revolvers, or reduction to free action reloads, to get our full yield). At this point, we should look at the synergy between the Bard dip and Mysterious Stranger.

Gun training is a big loss from the Mysterious Stranger, but higher Charisma and Focused Aim lets us put a band-aid on that, and Signature Deed lets us keep it on all the time (in-turn only, Snap Shot builds should avoid this) for the cost of a swift action per turn. Investing in scrolls or wands of Eagle's Splendor* will advance this damage nicely. Builds without advanced firearms are also /really/ going to shine here, since starting at 5th level, Mysterious Strangers can ignore a number of misfires per day equal to their Charisma modifier with Stranger's Fortune. This helps make up for the higher misfire rate of early multiple-shot firearms.

*Another option for Eagle's Splendor (and Cat's Grace, for that matter) is taking Bard to 4th level, which gets you 2nd level spells, and doesn't slow down BAB/TWF progression any more than the initial 2-level dip. It will significantly slow down Signature Deed and Stranger's Fortune though, so decide what's more important to you. Mysterious Stranger builds should want /at least/ 14 Charisma, especially by mid levels, so that's enough to get us a bonus 2nd-level spell.*

So, again, what should be the spells known suggested for a build like this? Feat progression outside of TWF tree is also requested. Thanks! Hope this gives other people some ideas as well. (:


You know, you could multiclass with savage technologist barbarian rather than gunslinger to get dex to damage. This also gives you a pistol and sword option if you're stuck in melee. With the rage giving you a morale bonus to str/dex you want the moment of greatness spell. Going this way you probably only take 2 levels of bard and a 12 charisma.

Edit: Amateur Gunslinger: Quick Clear sounds like a useful feat if going that way.


avr wrote:

You know, you could multiclass with savage technologist barbarian rather than gunslinger to get dex to damage. This also gives you a pistol and sword option if you're stuck in melee. With the rage giving you a morale bonus to str/dex you want the moment of greatness spell. Going this way you probably only take 2 levels of bard and a 12 charisma.

Edit: Amateur Gunslinger: Quick Clear sounds like a useful feat if going that way.

Taking Amateur Gunslinger before going into Mysterious Stranger actually lets you have Quick Clear AND Focused Aim. :D

The Barbarian synergy is interesting, but doesn't support full ranged TWF quite as much, and also lacks for bonus feats which this build is going to be ravenous for (Point Blank, Precise, Rapid Reload, TWF tree...) Great option for a gun and sword build though. (:

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