| UncleExpendable |
Here's a build that works great if your DM is fun, or crazy, or a little drunk, and willing to squint hard enough. If you are a fan of goblins, explosions, and people wielding weapons that are patently too large for them, then read on!
Blammo is a goblin gunslinger using the Oversized Goblin variant. He is therefore a Medium sized creature with +2 STR, +2 DEX, and -2 CHA. As far as his other goblin racial traits, nothing has been changed, so take any that you like. Junk Tinker, for instance seems quite thematic.
Ability Scores
10 point: Str 16, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 5
15 point: Str 16, Dex 18, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 5
20 point: Str 16, Dex 18, Con 14, Int 9, Wis 14, Cha 5
25 point: Str 16, Dex 18, Con 14, Int 9, Wis 16, Cha 5
A note on the high strength: I'm not sure how much pathfinder says that a cannon weighs (spoilers). I figure that with muleback cords or extradimensional space, we can figure this one out by the time it's important. If your DM can't be asked to keep track of encumbrance, so much the better.
Skill Points
We have between 3 and 5 per level depending on Favored Class bonuses and which array you got stuck with. I recommend picking a few of your best options and maxing them out, considering. Perception is (as usual) one of your best options, Craft: Alchemy will help to keep you in ammo for a fraction of the usual cost, and Stealth is also an okay option given our light armor and high Dex (especially if your cannon is in a bag of holding or something). If you plan to take Siege Gunner at level 5 (or Master Siege Engineer at level 10), you will also need ranks in K. Engineering or Profession: Siege Engineer.
Traits
Surprise Weapon (+2 to hit with improvised weapons)
(Any other trait that you would like)
Level 1 (Gunslinger: Musket Master)
Class Features: Deeds, Grit, Gunsmith
Feats: Rapid Reload (Musket) and Goblin Gunslinger
Goblin gunslinger is the only part of this build I would consent to being a bit suspect for two reasons. RAW it allows goblin characters to wield firearms as though they were medium size, but I don't think that it's a stretch to rule that it would allow us to do the same with large weapons, given that we're medium sized already. Otherwise, a standard sized goblin would lose this ability if Enlarge Person were cast on him. If your DM is already bucking at this idea, read no further. My condolences. If everything checks out as I've said, then congratulations! Grab your 3d6 musket and load it with paper cartridges. You're already gunslinging like a pro.
Level 2 (Gunslinger: Musket Master)
Class Features: Nimble +1
Feats: None
Not much has changed yet. A +1 AC will help to keep Blammo alive for now, though. Keep shooting your musket.
Level 3 (Gunslinger: Musket Master)
Class Features: Deeds
Feats: Rapid Reload: Cannon
Now for the second shaky part of Goblin Gunslinger. Maybe buy your DM another drink before telling him about this part. According to the section on inappropriately sized weapons here "In most cases, a Large or larger creature can use a siege firearm as a two-handed firearm, but the creature takes a –4 penalty for using it this way because of its awkwardness." This leads me to make two assumptions. First, and most importantly, that since we are able to wield firearms as though we were a size larger, that we too are capable of hoisting a fracking cannon onto one shoulder and using it as a two handed firearm, and two, that the "-4 penalty" imposed is the standard nonproficiency penalty one takes for wielding an improvised weapon (an item not designed to be wielded as a weapon) in combat. Thanks to the Fast Musket deed, we can reload this improvised two handed weapon as though it were a pistol, meaning Rapid Reload: Cannon allows us to reload paper cannonball cartridges as a free action. If you made it this far, you're in the clear! Maybe buy the DM another drink to celebrate.
You're now toting a 6d6 siege weapon as a main weapon, with a musket for a sidearm. Don't forget that you can also load Blast Shot for the same price as a normal cannonball (10gp if you make it yourself) to do the same damage to everyone in a 30 foot cone with a much lower chance of misfire. The only trade off? Your shots no longer ignore hardness. Too bad. Did you know our standard ammunition ignores all hardness? It does.
Your main problem now is how expensive (and heavy) your ammo is. Best solution I can think of is to grab up a custom magic item of abundant ammunition as soon as possible. Mine is a chest slot item I call the Cannoneer's Bandolier. As a 1st level spell cast at 1st level, with a minute duration, it should cost 4,000gp to have it always on. Odds are, you'll be able to grab it sometime between now and 4th level. If not, maybe a wand?
Lvl 4 (Gunslinger: Musket Master)
Class Features: Bonus Feat
Feats: Throw Anything
Assuming everything I said about improvised weapons checked out, this should remove the penalty for attacking with the cannon (doesn't say you actually have to throw it) and put you at Full BAB plus Dex plus 2 trait bonus to hit with the thing. Considering it resolves on touch AC for the first 100 feet range increment, you won't be missing much.
Lvl 5 (Gunslinger: Musket Master)
Class Features: Musket Training
Feats: (Seige Engineer)
If your DM didn't buy that shtick about improvised weapons, then forget Throw anything and the Surprise weapon trait. Take EWP: Cannon at third level and just grab this feat at fifth. Even if he does let the improvised weapon thing go, you might pick this anyway, depending on how afraid you are of misfires.
Also, we get Dex to damage with all two handed firearms this level, which rocks.
Lvl 6-8 (Monk: Zen Archer)
Class Features: Flury of Blows, Unarmed Strike, Way of the Bow, Zen Archery, Fast Movement
Feats: Point Blank Shot, Perfect Strike, Rapid Shot, Weapon Focus: Longbow, Precise Shot, Point Blank Master
I like to consider this the "Holy frack, I forgot I was a ranged character" period. This dip helps us pick up a bunch of the feats we otherwise might have been taking, had we not been focusing on getting a cannon. Also, nets us +10 movement, and +3 to all our saves. Losing one point of BAB isn't great, but it doesn't suck either, considering we're attacking Touch AC. If your DM allows the non-paizo archetype Zen Marksman though, take that instead. It's just as good as Zen archer, and all of it works for your cannon.
Lvl 9+
Lots of good options here; feats are as good for ranged characters as they always are, so grabbing levels in fighter wouldn't go amiss. Fighter also comes with Weapon Training, and the "Warrior Spirit" option, to allow for on-the-fly enchanting. Depending on whether or not your DM ruled that your cannon is an improvised weapon, you might pick up the (non Paizo) improved catch off-guard feat to get sneak attack on your cannon attacks, if for some reason your cannon isn't doing enough damage for you. You could also make a strong case for the Shikigami Style chain of feats to drive your damage total into the stratosphere (your DM would be well within his rights to lob something heavy at your head at this point). Eldritch Archer Magus might also be an interesting choice, allowing for cannonballs that deliver spell attacks. Basically any full base attack class with a couple extra feats will be good as gold from here on in.
By the way, if your character happens to be level 10 or more at creation, I'd also like to point out that you can skip being a musket master by taking the Master Siege Engineer feat. This will lower your reload time to a move action with a siege weapon to a move action. Rapid Reload: Cannon would then reduce your reload time to free action without even requiring paper cartridges.
When it comes to later game items, just focus on the big 6:
Magic Weapon
Enchant the heck out of your cannon, if you're able. If not, grab all the magic ammo you can lay your grubby goblin mitts on
Magic Armor
A monk's robe isn't a terrible choice here, but don't be afraid to put on some light armor if you need to. We aren't using any monk abilities that we'd lose by donning it.
Cloak of Resistance
To keep our saves high
Stat-boosting item (headbands for mental stats, belts for physical)
Wisdom for Headbands, Dex for Belts
Ring of Protection/Amulet of Natural Armor
Realy helps our survivability, especially if we're using our Monk unarmored AC
Feats I recommend from this point onward:
Shikigami Style
Shikigami Mimicry
Shikigami Manipulation
Improved Precise Shot
Clustered Shots
Deadly Aim
Any other ranged feats