While there are those here that have a problem with the use of the names "ninja" and "samurai" and the images they invoke, I take no issue with them. Though clearly Japanese in flavor, the image they conjure is still fantasy, despite a cultural jump from West to East. With the number of Western-specific cultural names (Bard, Druid, Paladin), this is acceptable. I do take [mild] issue with the name "Gunslinger," however.
Not only are we given gunslingers, but they also have grit. This is a very "Wild West" archetype, a genre era on the wrong side of the Age of Enlightenment. The alchemist borders on technological, but remains firmly rooted in the Renaissance and the Gothic. I wonder if a more fantasy-appropriate name for the gunslinger would be Musketeer.
Like the Alchemist, the Musketeer is just on the "correct" side of the Age of Enlightenment. Like the Samurai, it refers to something very specific historically, but fairly generic culturally.
Yes agreed, much better.
Even though I don't like the class at all and I would never allow it in my campaign.
What Matthew said (especially about the class working). I have no problem with all the Wild Westish flavor because I can see a character with the attitude and general feel of a wild west gunslinger being in other fantasy time periods just as easily, even if it's not as a gunslinger.
You claim Wild West... I claim King's Dark Tower.
I think gunslinger is an evocative name of people who carry guns around. I just wish it was a class that worked.
Isn't that the whole reason for "play-testing"?
Seriously this class is going to look much different than it's current form. The whole goal of a play test is to find out where something falls short or is blown out of proportion.I like the name of the class and I love the Grit ability. Add daring act and it is a complete win for me. People freak because the Devs did not make a "stunt" chart so GM wouldn't have to think.
There are problems but the class does have a lot of style and can be made into any number of fantasy tropes including Pirate, Musketeer, and Swashbuckler.
I'll just quote myself out of the Gunslinger Should be Based on Ranger thread (by YuenglingDragon). ^-^;
To me As Is, the 'Gunslinger' doesn't live up to its name, as written and based on its seemingly preferred firearm type by what we've been given. I'd change the name of the class to something like 'Frontiersman' or even 'Musketeer' as the class seems to fit more with those types of people more then it does a western gunslinger. (Which is what I think of when hearing/reading the name.)
And on that note. I think the class Should have some mechanic like separate Grit/Deed chains to change the class into different roles depending on choice.
I talk about that a little in the above thread and its OT here so I'll leave it at that.
I do like Gunslinger. Quite a lot, frankly. Sounds badass.
Nevertheless, I'd take Musketeer because IMHO (sorry for restating it continuously) the class should have at least 4 options:
1) Musket sniper
2) Two-pistol crazy akimbo
3) Sword and pistol badass pirate
4) duelist
and 4/skill level. Use grit for stunts with sword and acrobatics too.
*casts quickened fire shield and prepare an action*
No, that sounds about right.
No, that sounds about right.
Agreed. In homebrew classes I've worked on, the emphasis tended to fall on versatility. Most of the core classes offer a lot of options for players, be it feat selection, spell selection, or an increasingly large pool of rogue talents. Each time a supplement is released, those options swell.
Of course, as an alternate class the gunslinger has no demands upon it to be versatile. Call that an argument that a new base class would be better, allowing for a varied collection of gun using characters. The argument could be made that each is possible with the inclusion of guns and the use of the exotic weapon feat with some of the core classes - which limits the necessity of a new alternate class with abilities centered around a specific ideal firearms user.
You claim Wild West... I claim King's Dark Tower.
I think gunslinger is an evocative name of people who carry guns around. I just wish it was a class that worked.
But King's Dark Tower intentionally combined several genres, including fantasy , sci-fi, horror and western elements. The eponymous gunslinger in this series is, in fact, a spaghetti western character placed in a strange world.
Both "Gunslinger" and "Musketeer" invoke people who carry guns around--they are both time-period specific, however. In a settings like Golarion and Eberron (which is the setting I use with the Pathfnder ruleset), Musketeer (IMHO) better captures the idea of the character in relation to the worlds backdrop.
Hopefully we can help Paizo make the "alternate" class over the next couple weeks.