Gunchemist (Archetype) - 1st draft


Homebrew and House Rules

RPG Superstar 2010 Top 32

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My son wanted a gunslinger that could shoot alchemist bombs. So I thought "why not?" and put together this for him. I'm still refining things, we'll give it a bit of a playtest soon.

Gunchemist (Archetype)

Archetype Basics:

Some gunslingers are fascinated with the chemical and alchemical processes that power their weapons. These gunchemists dabble in the alchemical arts and use that knowledge to enhance their firearm ammunition.

Enhance Cartridge (Su): At 2nd level, a gunchemist becomes adept at swiftly mixing various volatile chemicals and infusing them with their magical reserves to create powerful firearm ammunition that they can fire at their enemies. A gunchemist can enhance a number of paper alchemical cartridges each day equal to his class level + his Wisdom modifier. In order to create an enhanced cartridge, the gunchemist must use a small quantity of alchemical reagents. The gunchemist can create this substance and infuse the cartridge with small amounts of chemicals from an alchemy lab and tools from a gunsmith's kit. These supplies can be readily refilled in the same manner as a spellcaster’s component pouch.

As a standard action, the gunchemist can infuse a single paper alchemical cartridge with the power of his chosen enhancement, load the ammunition, and shoot the firearm. Enhanced cartridges are unstable, and if not used in the round they are created, they degrade and become standard paper alchemical cartridges once again. On a successful attack the firearm using the enhanced cartridge deals its normal damage as well as the effects of the enhancement, unless noted. If the attack misses, no special effect from the enhanced cartridge occurs.

Gunchemists learn one of the following enhancements at 2nd level, and learn an additional enhancement every 2 levels thereafter. Some enhancements can only be learned if the gunchemist has met certain prerequisites first, such as learning other enhancements. In addition, gunchemists must have ranks in Craft (alchemy) equal to half the level requirement of the enhancement (minimum one rank for those enhancements without a level requirement).

Only one enhancement can be applied to an individual cartridge. The DC to save against the special effects of an enhanced cartridge is equal to 10 + 1/2 the gunchemist’s level + the gunchemist’s Wisdom modifier. A gunchemist’s enhanced cartridge becomes inert if used or carried by anyone else.


Enhancements:


Acid cartridge: When the gunchemist creates an enhanced cartridge, he can choose to have it inflict acid damage. Creatures hit by an acid cartridge take an additional 1d6 points of acid damage 1 round later.

Alchemist’s fire cartridge: Creatures hit by an alchemist's fire cartridge catch fire, taking 1d6 points of fire damage each round until the fire is extinguished. Extinguishing the flames is a full-round action that requires a Reflex save. Rolling on the ground provides the target with a +2 to the save. Dousing the target with at least 2 gallons of water automatically extinguishes the flames.

Frost cartridge: When the gunchemist creates an enhanced cartridge, he can choose to have it inflict cold damage. Creatures hit by a frost cartridge are staggered on their next turn unless they succeed on a Fortitude save.

Shock cartridge: When the gunchemist creates an enhanced cartridge, he can choose to have it inflict electricity damage. Creatures hit by a shock cartridge are dazzled for 1d4 rounds.

Smoke cartridge: When the gunchemist creates an enhanced cartridge, he can choose to have it create a cloud of thick smoke when it hits. The cloud functions as fog cloud, filling the square of the target and all adjacent squares for 1 round per level. This cartridge, and other smoke cartridges, may be fired at a solid object rather than a creature to take effect.

Stink cartridge: The effects of the smoke created by a gunchemist’s cartridge can duplicate the effects of stinking cloud instead of fog cloud, filling the square of the target and all adjacent squares for 1 round. A gunchemist must possess the smoke cartridge discovery before selecting this discovery.

Tanglefoot Cartridge: A creature hit by a tanglefoot cartridge takes no damage, but must save against the cartridge’s DC or be entangled and glued to the floor as if it had failed its save against a tanglefoot bag (see page 160 of the Core Rulebook).

Blinding Cartridge: When the gunchemist creates an enhanced cartridge, he can choose for it to detonate very brightly. Creatures hit by a blinding cartridge are blinded for 1 minute unless they succeed at a Fortitude save. Creatures in adjacent squares that fail their saves against the cartridge are dazzled for 1 minute. This is a light effect. A gunchemist must be at least 6th level before selecting this discovery.

Concussive cartridge: When the gunchemist creates an enhanced cartridge, he can choose to have it inflict sonic damage. Concussive cartridges deal an additional 1d4 points of sonic damage. Creatures hit by a concussive cartridge are deafened for 1 minute unless they succeed at a Fortitude save. A gunchemist must be at least 6th level before selecting this discovery.

Force cartridge: When the gunchemist creates an enhanced cartridge, he can choose to have it inflict force damage. Force cartridges deal an additional 1d4 points of force damage. Creatures hit by a force cartridge are knocked prone unless they succeed on a Reflex save. A gunchemist must be at least 6th level before selecting this discovery.

Confusion Cartridge: The gunchemist’s cartridges twist the target’s perception of friend and foe. A creature hit by a confusion cartridge takes damage from the firearm and is under the effect of a confusion spell for 1 round per caster level of the gunchemist. A gunchemist must be at least 8th level before selecting this discovery.

Disease Cartridge: When the gunchemist creates an enhanced cartridge, he can choose to have it deliver sickness. On a successful hit, the target must make a Fortitude save or suffer the effects of a contagion spell. A gunchemist must be at least 8th level before selecting this discovery.

Dispelling Cartridge: When the gunchemist creates an enhanced cartridge, he can choose to have it dispel magic effects rather than deal damage. Creatures hit by a dispelling cartridge are subject to a targeted dispel magic spell, using the gunchemist’s level as the caster level. This cannot be used to target a specific spell effect. The gunchemist must be at least 8th level before selecting this discovery.

Poison cartridge: This gunchemist’s cartridge delivers poison directly into the target. A creature hit by a poison cartridge suffers the effects of a poison spell. The gunchemist is not in danger of poisoning himself when creating this cartridge, but is still subject to possible self-poisoning when otherwise applying poison, as normal. A gunchemist must be at least 10th level before selecting this discovery.

Sunlight Cartridge: The gunchemist can create cartridges that explode with a searing radiance equivalent to that of sunlight and that act as blinding cartridges. Undead, fungi, molds, oozes, slimes, and creatures to which sunlight is harmful or unnatural take an additional 1d6 damage from the cartridge. Undead that are harmed by sunlight and that fail a Fortitude save are staggered for 1 round. A gunchemist must be at least 10th level and must have the blinding cartridge discovery before he can select this discovery.

Madness cartridge: This gunchemist’s cartridge sears the mind rather than flesh. A creature hit by a madness cartridge takes 1d3 points of Wisdom damage in addition to the firearm's damage. The amount of Wisdom damage dealt by a madness cartridge is reduced by 1 for each madness cartridge (or alchemist's madness bomb) that hit the target in the past 24 hours, to a minimum of 1 point of Wisdom damage. A gunchemist must be at least 12th level before selecting this discovery.

Inferno cartridge: The effects of the smoke created by a gunchemist’s cartridge duplicate the effects of incendiary cloud instead of fog cloud, filling the square of the target and all adjacent squares for 1 round per level. A gunchemist must be at least 16th level and must possess the smoke cartridge discovery before selecting this discovery.

This ability replaces the deadeye, utility shot, targeting, and menacing shot deeds, as well as the bonus feats at 4th and 8th level.


Wow. I'm diggin what you have going here.


Technically, an alchemist with the Explosive Missile discovery can do this already...

But I like this version a lot better.

RPG Superstar 2010 Top 32

Cheapy wrote:

Technically, an alchemist with the Explosive Missile discovery can do this already...

But I like this version a lot better.

Yeah, he really wanted a gunslinger that could shoot bombs without any of the other alchemist stuff. He still wants full BAB, grit, etc. I'm still not sure if I've swapped out the right amount of stuff. We'll see.


Did you ever get your playtest started/finished?

RPG Superstar 2010 Top 32

dbass wrote:
Did you ever get your playtest started/finished?

We've done some and I have some things I want to change up a bit. I don't think it's giving up quite enough at low level and probably gets too many enhanced cartridges per day. Still tinkering.


I was wondering why there is no gunslinging alchemist archetype in UC.

though what I had in mind was more of a special-issue ammunition creator type, rather than just a guy who shoots bombs out of a gun.

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