So, I have read all of the critique on guns, misfires, and the difficulties of getting full attacks with firearms.
The problem is the making firearms compatible with full attacks really kills willing suspension of disbelief for a lot of people. So here is a challenge, lets go in a different direction. Lets try to make a class that uses firearms do viable damage with a single attack per round.
Remove Deadeye.
Move Gun Training to level 1, and change it to
Add your dex to your ranged damage with a gun of your choice.
At 6, 11, and 16th level, the gunslinger can pick a new type of gun, and the bonus to damage from dex increases by 1(IE at level 6 you get 2 x dex to damage, 3x dex at level 11, etc.)
Give the gunslinger the vital strike feat chain for free.
So at level 1, the gunslinger can move and do 1d8+5 damage.
At level 6, the gunslinger would be doing 2d8 +6 x 2 dex + 2 weapon spec = 2d8 + 13 damage.
At level 11, the gunslinger would be doing 3d8 + 8 x 3 dex + 2 weapon spec = 3d8 + 26 damage.
At level 16, the gunslinger would be doing 4d8 + 10 x 4 dex + 4 weapon sped = 4d8 + 44 damage.
Sure 62 damage isn't stellar, but you can inflict that damage while moving and also cause conditions. If you blow grit, you can get 2 shots off in one round via the free reload.
This gives you a character with a switch style. They can be ranged and mobile with guns + vital strike and still do good damage, or they can close to melee, and make full attacks with a melee weapon.
It also helps with the cost of gunpowder and bullets since the gunslinger will usually be shooting once a round. This also reduces the number of misfires that happen.
I think this might be closer to the swashbuckler style that a lot of people are looking for.
I'm all for having the Gunslinger have fewer but more powerful attacks. The decreased rate of fire will be compensated with a mechanic to make hitting AC easier, such as ranged touch attack.
I am also a fan of causing conditions. Like Crippling Shot or something.
In either case, the Gunslinger needs to have some melee tricks up his sleeve, because closing with the enemy WILL eventually be inevitable. If we're to preserve any semblance of historical accuracy (pun), the gunslinger will likely need to be much closer to the action to hit as reliably as the longbow.
Please, please, please do not make the gunslinger some revolver-wielding maniac who throws out pitiful damage per shot all in the name of full attack. Please preserve some semblance of swashbuckling and maybe incorporate some fun things with the mobile aspect of a non-full attacking character.
Also, the thought just struck me that at higher levels you could feasibly take the Leadership feat to have a gun caddy. Shoot your gun(s), and hand it off to your cohort to reload and return to you.
I'm all for having the Gunslinger have fewer but more powerful attacks. The decreased rate of fire will be compensated with a mechanic to make hitting AC easier, such as ranged touch attack.
I am also a fan of causing conditions. Like Crippling Shot or something.
In either case, the Gunslinger needs to have some melee tricks up his sleeve, because closing with the enemy WILL eventually be inevitable. If we're to preserve any semblance of historical accuracy (pun), the gunslinger will likely need to be much closer to the action to hit as reliably as the longbow.
Please, please, please do not make the gunslinger some revolver-wielding maniac who throws out pitiful damage per shot all in the name of full attack. Please preserve some semblance of swashbuckling and maybe incorporate some fun things with the mobile aspect of a non-full attacking character.
Fighters typically have a 75% or better chance to hit with their first attack each round. They really don't need a touch attack to make their first attack count.
Example, a level 10 gunslinger will have a +2 weapon(at least), 20 dex, +4 dex belt, weapon focus, greater weapon focus, and a +10 BAB. That is a +21 to hit. A Juvenile Blue Dragon(CR10) has an AC of 24. The gunslinger hit on a 3+, which is 90% of the time.
So basically, hitting on a touch attack is effectively a +1 to hit in that situation. With a +3 weapon, the gunslinger gets no benefit from hitting on a touch attack.
True. I suppose that mechanic is not really needed as a standard thing. Maybe have a delayed shot ability, where you hold a round and then the ranged touch attack activates, when you really, really need to hit something.
True. I suppose that mechanic is not really needed as a standard thing. Maybe have a delayed shot ability, where you hold a round and then the ranged touch attack activates, when you really, really need to hit something.
I would prefer a grit trick that lets you ignore range increments.