Firebrand (Gunslinger) Optimization - What's the difference?


Advice


So, it finally hit the SRD, so I'd like to ask for advice in optimizing the Firebrand Gunslinger archetype. This is a gunslinger that believes there is one solution to all problems, and it is fire.

What you gain: Non-stacking Cha-based Bombs as an Alchemist of your level minus 4, constantly under the effect of the Explosive Bomb discovery, Cha-based Grit and Cha-increased save DC's for Dragon's Breath alchemical cartridges (at the cost of 1 grit point per round). Direct critical hits with bombs will restore grit, in addition to the usual killing blows and critical hits with firearms. DB cartridges will also scale in damage by 1d6 every 4 levels, starting at level 4. Misfire chances for DB cartridges are also reduced.

What you swap: Deadshot, the Gunslinger's Vital Strike With Better Crit Chances gives way to Big Boom!; for the cost of a daily bomb use and 2 grit points, you can make the following attack:

Big Boom!:
"As a standard action, the firebrand shoots a 30-foot cone of fire from the barrel of her gun. The firebrand designates one creature in the squares affected by the cone to be the target and makes an attack roll with her firearm against that creature; on a hit, the target takes damage as if it were directly hit by both the firebrand’s firearm and her bomb. Creatures in all other squares in the cone (as well as the target’s square, if the gunslinger’s attack missed) take splash damage as if they were in the area of the firebrand’s bomb, with a Reflex saving throw for half damage. (The DC of this saving throw is equal to 10 + half the firebrand’s gunslinger level + the firebrand’s Charisma modifier.)

What you lose: bonus feats, deadeye, gun training, and the ability to choose a battered firearm other than a dragon pistol.

It's a terribly fun archetype at face-value, as long as you're not in a heavily fire-resistant campaign, but you better have some high level healing or defense ready to back you up, to compensate for the short-range/front-line demands of the Dragon Pistol.

Please discuss what optimization would be different from the standard Gunslinger.

Bonus: The Firebrand will stack with the following archetypes: Gun Tank, Gunner Squire (I mean, you can, but why would you?), Maverick, Mysterious Stranger, Thronewarden, and Wyrm Sniper.

You can actually take Firebrand + Maverick + Mysterious Stranger, Thronewarden, or Wyrm Sniper.
If you want to get TRULY ludicrous, you could even go Fb+Mav+MS+WS, but again... why?


I'm not sure you could combine it with mysterious stranger. Even if its grit modification looks like a subset of the firebrand's, they're both modifying the same thing. It's definitely not compatible with gun tank, they both replace bonus feats.

The actual bombs are not often going to be useful except as fuel for the Big Boom. 2d6 damage less than an alchemist and no other discoveries (unless you dip a couple of levels in alchemist; the levels won't stack but you get a discovery and can buy more with feats) mean that you will not be doing useful damage or effects.

As a 1 level dip, it might give a grenadier alchemist some interesting options. It might also give some GMs conniptions.

As a single-classed character it might be very appropriate to a goblin, but it doesn't look like a powerhouse. It might be useful as a heavily armored, so-so dex character instead; dragon's breath cartridges don't use attack rolls at all, and you never get dex to damage.


Backlash3906 wrote:

So, it finally hit the SRD, so I'd like to ask for advice in optimizing the Firebrand Gunslinger archetype. This is a gunslinger that believes there is one solution to all problems, and it is fire.

What you gain: Non-stacking Cha-based Bombs as an Alchemist of your level minus 4, constantly under the effect of the Explosive Bomb discovery, Cha-based Grit and Cha-increased save DC's for Dragon's Breath alchemical cartridges (at the cost of 1 grit point per round). Direct critical hits with bombs will restore grit, in addition to the usual killing blows and critical hits with firearms. DB cartridges will also scale in damage by 1d6 every 4 levels, starting at level 4. Misfire chances for DB cartridges are also reduced.

What you swap: Deadshot, the Gunslinger's Vital Strike With Better Crit Chances gives way to Big Boom!; for the cost of a daily bomb use and 2 grit points, you can make the following attack:
** spoiler omitted **

What you lose: bonus feats, deadeye, gun training, and the ability to choose a battered firearm other than a dragon
...

You lose all extra feats with this archetype, which means you can't stack with almost any of those. The only one that's valid that i can see is the maverick. Which is actually helpful.

This thing has great fluff and terrible delivery sadly. Really weak, takes away all the good things and gives subpar things back.


Apologies for the mistake about compatibility. I just fired up HeroLab and looked at what was still available after selecting Firebrand.


I was originally had some mixed thoughts about this archetype, but after spreadsheeting Scorched Earth... this archetype is completely dysfunctional and you should never take more than 1 level. The problem is that Scorched Earth increases your chance of a misfire on your first attack every round, and there is no way to turn off that ability. It's a slight increase in your overall DPR at 4th level when you first get it, but it's all downhill from there. The exact point it flips from being a benefit to a penalty depends on your overall level of optimization, but some back-of-the-napkin math puts that somewhere between 8th and 10th level. By 20th level it's pretty much unplayable, with a 33% chance that your first attack every round will misfire. This means you must multiclass out before 8th level, which means your bombs will never reach an amount of damage that is relevant, which means there is no point in every taking more than 1 level at all.

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