Phantom Gun build


Advice


I had a weird idea yesterday discussing with fellow players: using the Phantom Blade archetype to build gun-user.

The basic idea is that the worst thing every gun user fears in Pathfinder is to break his weapon through a misfire.
However, in the case of the Phantom Blade, his weapon is basicaly a war spirit who took the shape of a weapon, and that automaticaly hide in his soul to regenerate if it ever gets broken.

We could then theoricaly build a gunslinger we a regenerating gun, that can fight unarmed through spellstrike while its firearm is unavailable.

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While the base concept is interesting on the paper, I really miss serious knowledge about how to build a gun user, so I do not truly know where to start with the build...

Is there some people that could help me to figure if this idea is worth it?


The first problem is that they get spell combat as per a magus. i.e.: '...while wielding a light or one-handed melee weapon in the other hand.' If your GM says that the words under the archetype, 'A phantom blade can cast spells and wield her phantom weapon at the same time.' override that then it could work, if not then losing both spell combat and spellstrike makes this unworkable IMO.

Assuming it does work then you've got 3/4 BAB, a self-enchanting gun which you can add more properties to from 5th level, a few bonus feats and spell combat with the spiritualist spell list. That list isn't ideal for a ranged weapon user but there are a few good tricks like twilight haze, etheric shards, flight & invisibility spells.

For feats you need firearms proficiency first and point blank shot, precise shot & rapid reload ASAP. It might be worth dipping a level in gunslinger, spellslinger wizard or some other class/archetype which gets proficiency and some other useful tricks. Deadly aim and rapid shot to follow and probably clustered shots at some point. If you plan to use unarmed strike + spellstrike you'll probably want weapon finesse.

It doesn't look amazingly good to me but it has some strengths. I'd prefer to start at at least 3rd level to have the basic feats down.


Take a look at eldritch archer Arche type for magus. One level dip in gunslinger and one level dip in inspired blade swashbuckler. Obviously point blank shot, rapid reload, rapid shot, and deadly aim will be key feats. Don't forget to grab magical lineage for your trait. Good arcana would be lingering pain to make your gm's casters cry. Quick clear is going to end your 'what if it breaks?' Fear. Optional feats are two weapon fighting, and point blank shot. I really like distance on my pistols but magus can be very tanky if built correctly.

You can do basically similar things with alchemist and the grenedier Arche type.

Alternatively you can do 5 gunslinger 1 inspired blade swash 1-2 urban barbarian and the rest alchemist. +6 enhancement +4/+4 morale/alchemical for +7 hit/dmg. Savage techknowlegist barbarian and the extra arm discovery with the vivisectionist Arche type for alchemist gives you no aoo for shooting into melee and touch attack sneak attack.

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