*cough* Sorry about that. My friend ordered some PDFs from my computer...
Didn't realize he was signed in and not me!
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Having tried the Gunslinger in our home game across from a 3rd Party Warlord and a standard Pathfinder Necromancer, he drastically underperformed.
Not only does the ammunition cost too much to fire, it takes far, far too long to make! Further, due to the difficulty of getting the weapons to fire more than once a round, they drastically underperform when compared to a simple bow using monk, much less a focused fighter. With guns in the game, smart wizards will develop a cantrip that squirts weapons with water and puts them neatly out. A wet gun, is a non-firing gun.
If you are going to create a class that REQUIRES three feats to do more than stand there crying in it's lacy kerchief, you need to give them as bonuses at creation.
You can play high level fighters who focus on tricks in combat rather than high damage output, or even ones that focus on battlefield control with step-up and strike style combat. The gunslinger has exactly one method to make it playable at all, and that method doesn't even make it competitive with a knife-throwing build. You can have quickdraw and six pistols, but you cannot afford to make even one of them magical before level 8, and even then you have only a bare few full-attacks before you're completely spent, and you just burned a potions worth of cash for possibly little to no effect!
To this end I present for your prerusal:
Gunslinger 3.75
A playtest adaptation for Pathfinder: RPG
GUNSLINGER
BAB: Full Fighter Progression
Saves: Reflex High
Skills: Acrobatics, Bluff, Climb, Craft, Disable Device, Intimidate,
Know: Engineering, Perception, Profession, Ride, Sense Motive, Swim
1: Grit, Greenhorn Deeds, Panache, Firearm, Cool, Deed
2: Gunsmith, Brave and Tough +1
3: Dead Shot (+1d8), Deed
4: Bonus Feat
5: Deed, Panache
6: Hail of Lead, Brave and Tough +2
7: Deed, Marksman Deeds
8: Bonus Feat, Dead Shot (+2d8)
9: Deed, Panache
10: Brave and Tough +3, Deed
11: Blaze of Glory, Deed, Hot-Shot Deeds
12: Bonus Feat
13: Dead Shot (+3d8), Deed
14: Brave and Tough +4
15: Deed, Musketeer Deeds
16: Last Man Standing, Bonus Feat
17: Deed, Panache
18: Dead Shot (+4d8), Brave and Tough +5
19: Deed, Desperado Deed
20: Bonus Feat, True Grit
Grit (Ex): A gunslinger makes her mark upon the world
with daring deeds. Some gunslingers claim they belong
to a mystical way of the gun, but it’s more likely that the
volatile and dangerous nature of firearms simply prune
the unlucky and careless from their ranks. Whatever the
case, all gunslingers have grit. In game terms, grit is a
fluctuating measure of the gunslinger’s ability to perform
amazing actions in combat, both offensive and defensive.
At the start of each day, a gunslinger gains her her maximum
grit points, equal to her Wisdom modifier (minimum 1), +1
additional grit point per 5 levels (5, 10, 15, 20). Grit goes
up or down throughout the day, but usually cannot go higher than
this maximum (barring special feats or magic items). A
gunslinger spends grit to accomplish deeds (see below)
and regains grit in the following ways. A gunslinger wearing heavy
armor or carrying a heavy load cannot regain grit, UNLESS that heavy
load is due to carrying a body (ie; rescue).
*Critical Hit: Whenever you confirm a critical hit with a firearm.
*Killing Blow: Once per day per point of Wisdom Modifier, you may
recover one grit when dealing the killing blow with your firearm to
a
creature aware of your presence and able to defend itself, with HD
no less than half yours.
*Daring Act: Whenever you take a risk that suffers at least a 15%
chance of failure, and would deal at least 10% of your current hit
points, you regain a point of grit.
Deeds (Ex): Gunslingers spend grit points to accomplish
deeds. Most deeds grant the gunslinger some momentary
bonus or effect, but there are some that provide longer-lasting
effects. Some deeds stay in effect as long as a
gunslinger has at least 1 grit point. The following is the list
of base gunslinger deeds. A gunslinger gains one deed at each odd
level, and a bonus deed at 10th level. A deed can
be performed successive times, without limit, as long as
actions and any appropriate grit is spent to perform
the deed as necessary. At first level, a Gunslinger can select only
Greenhorn deeds, but as level increases, access to more powerful
deeds becomes available.
Panache (Ex): While not wearing heavy armor or carrying a heavy
load, a gunslinger may benefit from either Two-Gun Panache, or Long
-Arm Panache. This
selection is made at first level and cannot be changed thereafter.
*Two-Gun Panache: While wielding a firearm in each hand, you are
considered to have the two-weapon fighting feat, without needing to
meet the prerequisites for it. At 5th level, you likewise are considered to have the Rapid Shot feat. At 9th level you may reduce the penalties from two weapon fighting by 1. At 17th level Two Weapon Fighting no longer has a penalty related to firing with both weapons.
*Long-Arm Panache: While wielding a longarm, you are considered to
have the Far Shot feat, and if you begin your turn hidden, enemies
unaware of your location must still make a Perception check (with a +5 bonus) to spot you. At 5th level, you may add your wisdom bonus as extra damage to any shot made with a longarm. At 9th level
you may reduce the miss chance due to concealment by 10%, and from
cover by 2. At 17th level you may reduce the miss chance of concealment by 20%, and cover by 3.
Firearm: You may begin play with either a pair of pistols and 30
shots and powder, or a musket and 50 shots and powder.
Cool (Ex): A Gunslinger has a great deal of calm and focus, so much
that through sheer attitude they can often sway the opinions of
others. A Gunslinger may add their wisdom bonus instead of their charisma bonus to bluff, diplomacy, and intimidate checks.
Gunsmith (Ex): A Gunslinger knows how to build and maintain firearms
through long association and diligent practice and study. A
Gunslinger adds 1/2 their class level as a proficiency bonus to Craft: Firearms checks.
Furthermore, while the rarity, precision, and volatility of the materials a gunslinger works cost a great deal, they do not necessarily slow the speed at which a practiced Gunsmith can create
them. A gunslinger only takes one week per 1000gp worth of work
with Craft: Firearms, and can use Craft: Firearms to make the pre-packed barrels necessary for higher level gunslinger class abilities, and black powder. Lead shot requires a
DC 5 craft check, black powder is DC 18, Pistols are DC 20, and
Muskets are DC22.
Pre-packed barrels cost (Cost, not price) 111gp (loaded), and may be
reloaded as appropriate for a weapon of their size. Pre-packed barrels are made for specific weapons, and permanent, easy-to-reload items that weigh 1 pound for a pistol, or two pounds for a musket.
Brave and Tough (Ex): Starting at 2nd level, a gunslinger
gains a +1 bonus on Fortitude saving throws, and a +1
bonus on Will saving throws against fear. This bonus
increases for every four levels beyond 2nd level.
Dead Shot (Ex): Like a rogue's sneak attack, a Gunslinger can put
his shots where he wants them. Due to extreme precision, a Dead
Shot deals extra damage on any attack he makes with a firearm. Enemies without cover or concealment take this damage in addition to
the regular damage the firearm deals, if the firearm deals damage
after their damage reduction (This also applies to prone opponents more than 5 feet from the gunslinger). If the gunslinger
does not have the Precise Shot feat, Dead Shot damage also does not
apply to foes in melee combat.
Bonus Feats: Like other fighters, a Gunslinger can choose from any
combat feat he qualifies for as a bonus feat.
Hail of Lead (Ex): Using special pre-packed barrels and
modifications to the gunslingers weapons, only
possible with the Gunsmith feature, a gunslinger is able to reload
with amazing alacrity.
Any attacks made as part of a full attack action are instantly pre-
loaded by the gunslinger. In short, what this means is that you may
spend prepacked barrels to make all your shots in the round, including shots from the Rapid Shot feat or off hand shots from two weapon fighting. Weapons that start empty, end empty; weapons that
start loaded, end loaded.
A gunslinger with this class-feature fires one shot at his regular
attack bonus, and another at -5, like any other full attack action with a high base attack bonus.
Blaze of Glory (Ex): At 11th level, the precision and speed of the
Gunslinger raises to nearly unbelievable levels. Blaze of Glory
refines Hail of Lead to include the
Multishot, and Improved Two Weapon Fighting feats, and adds the
ability to take advantage of the next iterative
attack (at the usual -10). A gunslinger with this level of
expertise will often have gear attached outside
his armor, pre-set for loading at high speeds. A Fatigued or
Exhausted gunslinger cannot access Blaze of Glory.
Last Man Standing (Su): Reaching 16th level, the Gunslinger bridges
the gap between between what is physically possible, and the the truly supernatural. Additional attacks from Greater Two Weapon Fighting and the final iterative attack (at the usual -15) become available.
Remember these class features only make these attacks accessible, they do not in any way grant actual access to the feats, or satisfy any pre-requisites. A Gunslinger with this level of expertise is a sight to
behold, with barrels thrown into the air and attached on the fly,
twisting the gun and pulling the trigger before it even becomes safe to do so, time often seeming to slow down for moments of sheer moxy as the
incredible speed of the fighters hands makes real impossible feats
of dexterity. A Fatigued or Exhausted Gunslinger cannot access Last Man Standing.
True Grit (Ex): At 20th level a gunslinger picks two
deeds that she has access to and that she must spend
grit to perform. She can perform these deeds for 1 less
grit point (minimum 0). If the number of grit points to
perform the deed is reduced to 0, the gunslinger can
perform this deed as long as she has at least 1 grit point.
=DEEDS=
Unless otherwise noted, deeds are always (Ex) abilities.
-Greenhorn Deeds-
*Deadeye Shot: You may make touch attacks beyond the first range
increment by spending 1 grit per additional range increment. You
still take the regular -2 to attack per increment beyond the first.
*Leap for Cover: As long as a Gunslinger has grit remaining,
whenever a successful ranged attack would deal damage to the
gunslinger, they may take an immediate action to take a five foot
step, or drop prone. If the bonus from cover or dropping prone
would cause the attack to miss, it deals no damage.
*Pistol Whip: As long as the gunslinger has grit remaining, they are
considered armed while having a firearm in hand, and can flank. As
a standard action, you may make a single melee attack. One handed
firearms deal 1d6 damage, and two handed firearms deal 1d8 (Modified
for size, as usual), with a crit range of x2.
*Quick Clear: A gunslinger can remove the broken condition from a
single firearm she is currently wielding as a free action, as long
as the condition was gained from a firearm misfire. This deed costs
1 grit.
*Scoot: As long as the Gunslinger has grit remaining, he may spend a
shot to move any tiny or smaller unattended object up to 15' in any
direction that does not end it closer to him.
*Stop Bleeding: As long as the gunslinger has grit remaining, he may
take a move action to stop one bleeding condition on himself or an
adjacent creature by pressing the hot barrel against the wound
directly after making a shot with the gun as a standard action.
*Target - Torso: Before any attack the gunslinger may decide to
spend 1 grit to target the opponents torso as a swift action.
Targeting the torso doubles the critical range of the affected
attack.
-Marksman Deeds-
*Hard Target: By spending 1 grit as a swift action, the gunslinger
may ignore the effects of cover or concealment on a single target
for one round in regards to the Dead Shot class feature.
*Uncanny: As long as the gunslinger has 1 grit remaining, he has the
effects of Uncanny Dodge.
*Gunslinger Initiative: As long as a gunslinger has at least 1 grit
point, she gains a +2 bonus on initiative checks. If she also has
the Quick Draw feat, her hands are free and unrestrained, and the
firearm is not hidden, she can draw a single firearm as part of the
initiative check.
*Covering Shot: As an immediate reaction, when a gunslinger misses
with a firearm attack, she can spend 1 grit point to pin down the
target of that missed attack. The pinned-down target is treated as
if it were entangled for 1 round. A gunslinger cannot choose to
purposely miss a target to gain this effect.
*Target - Legs or Wings: Before any attack the gunslinger may decide
to spend 1 grit to target the opponents legs as a swift action. This
deed imposes a -2 to hit. If the attack hits, the target is damaged
normally and knocked prone. A flying creature falls. A creature that
is immune to trip attacks is immune to this effect.
-Hot-Shot Deeds-
*Blinding Flash: The gunslinger burns an additional powder charge,
stuffing the end of his gun and firing it as a standard action. The
blinding flash of the igniting powder can cause all creatures within
ten (pistol) or fifteen (longarm) feet to go blind for (wisdom
modifier) rounds. Anyone in the affected area may make a fortitude
save against a DC of 10+1/2 the gunslingers level+the gunslingers
wisdom modifier to avoid the effect each round, while the spots
flash in and out of their hampered vision. The gunslinger is not
affected by her own blinding flash.
*Deafening Boom: If the gunslinger misses a foe within the first
range increment, she may immediately spend 1 grit to force a
fortitude save with a DC of 10+1/2 the Gunslingers level+the
gunslingers wisdom modifier. If the save fails, the target is
deafened for a number of rounds equal to the gunslingers wisdom
modifier.
*Gut Wound: When a gunslinger hits a living creature with a firearm
attack, she can spend 1 grit point as a free action to have that
attack deal extra bleed damage. The amount of bleed damage is equal
to the gunslinger’s Dexterity modifier. Alternatively, the
gunslinger can spend 2 grit points to deal Wisdom modifier points of
Strength, or Constitution bleed damage (gunslinger’s
choice) instead. Creatures that are immune to sneak attacks
are also immune to either type of bleed damage.
*Nine-Finger Fire: By spending 2 grit the gunslinger can make an
attack as a standard action, aiming at a creature's hands. If it
hits, it deals regular damage, and a number of dexterity bleed
damage equal to the gunslingers wisdom modifier.
*Wicked Deadly Man: As long as you have grit remaining, you may
treat the enhancement bonuses on your firearms as melee weapon
enhancements when you make attacks with the pistolwhip deed, and may
now make opportunity attacks with it. You gain a +1 proficiency
bonus with this form of attack. You must have Pistolwhip before
taking this deed.
*Without Mercy: When a critical hit is confirmed on a living
creature, the gunslinger may spend 2 grit as a free action. The
target must make a fortitude save DC 10 + 1/2 the gunslingers level
+ the gunslingers wisdom modifier or be knocked prone and staggered
for (Wisdom modifier) rounds. For one more grit, the Gunslinger may
immediately advance in a straight line toward the target up to half
his speed. The critical hit confirmed to make this attack generates
no grit.
-Musketeer Deeds-
*Advancing Fire: The gunslinger may take one additional 5 foot step
during her full attack action as long as she has any grit remaining.
She may also spend 1 grit during the action after each attack to
take another 5 foot step.
*Butt Over Barrel: You are now able to make full iterative melee
attacks with your firearm as a melee weapon, and even interchange
those attacks with ranged attacks if necessary, using Blaze of
Glory, as long as you have grit remaining. You gain a further +1
proficiency bonus to attack. By spending 1 grit you may make a
single melee attack as a standard action, and if this attack hits,
you may make a free combat maneuver to knock them prone, with a +2
bonus for the weapon.
*Expert Loading: Whenever a gunslinger rolls a misfire with a gun
that has the broken condition, she can spend 1 grit point to keep
the gun from exploding, though it retains the broken condition.
*Startling Shot: Whenever a gunslinger misses a creature with a
firearm attack, the Musketeer may spend one grit, causing the target
of the missed attack to become flat-footed until the start of its
next turn. A gunslinger can purposely choose to miss a target in
order to gain this effect. ("Dance!")
*Stunning Shot: When a gunslinger scores a critical hit, she can
spend 1 grit point to deal normal damage and stun the creature for 1
round. Creatures that are immune to critical hits are also immune to
this effect. Performing this deed does not allow the gunslinger to
regain grit from confirming a critical hit.
*Target - Arms: Before any attack the gunslinger may decide to spend
2 grit to target the opponents arms as a swift action. On a hit,
the target takes regular damage from the hit and drops one carried
item of your choice, even if the item is wielded with two hands.
Items held in a locked gauntlet are not dropped on a hit.
*Target - Head: Before any attack the gunslinger may decide to spend
2 grit to target the opponents head as a swift action.On a hit, the
target takes additional weapon damage (1d8 for a medium pistol,
etc), and is also confused for 1 round. The confusion is a mind-
affecting effect.
-Desperado Deeds-
*Deadly Shot: When a gunslinger confirms a critical hit against a
living creature, she can spend 1 grit point to choose to deal normal
damage, and the target must succeed at a Fortitude saving throw with
a DC equal to 10 + 1/2 the gunslinger’s level + the gunslinger’s
Wisdom modifier. On a failed saving throw, the target dies. This is
a death effect. Performing this deed does not allow her to regain
grit from confirming a critical hit.
*Staggering Display: By spending 4 grit and making a full attack
action, the Desperado causes all enemies within 30' to make a will
saving throw with a DC equal to 10 + 1/2 the gunslinger's class
level + the gunslinger's Wisdom modifier. On a failed saving throw,
the creature is Dazed (PFRPG p566), staring in awe at the
gunslinger's impossible display.
*Unstoppable Shot: By spending 2 grit and making a shot as a
standard action, the attack becomes a line out to the first range
increment. A single attack roll is made and compared against the
regular AC of everyone in the line. It is possible to make a
critical hit against some or all of the targets. Any critical hits
that might result from this deed DO generate grit.
Whoops. Forgot to add skills per level. Now that it won't let me edit, I'm a touch late. I think 4+Int per level is just about right.
RPG Superstar Season 9 Top 16, RPG Superstar 2015 Top 32
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I need to spend more time looking at this class rebuild, but I can see some issues already. I am currently rebuilding the gunslinger as well.
I like the direction though, and if you would let me I would like to use a few of your ideas in my own rebuilds.
I will try to look more into the class features here and give my thoughts on them. You do have some slight balance issues and possible needs for clarification on a couple class features. Nothing horribly wrong or awful. Overall I think you did a good job.
I am interested into seeing how your gunslinger plays out. Please keep us apprised!
Please do, Caleb! I'll mine yours as well. If you're getting a chance to actually play-test, keep posting on the forum and I'll keep apprised of your pros and cons, and we'll see if we can't test out something better than the lack-job we currently have available.
Basically I started with an idea of what a bow user could do at 11th level, and looked at his damage output per round, and then looked at several ways to approach that. Warlock progression seemed too fast, and yet without the ability to hit multiple opponents, the Gunslinger still falls far behind. We're looking at a primary striker who needs to be able to either (or both!) wade into combat, two guns blazing, or set up at a great distance and make single, deadly shots.
Taking one round to reload after a single shot is just -far too long-. Class features that circumvent the weakness of firearms while still leaving those inherent disadvantages in place seemed to be the best way to go, so I came up with Hail of Lead, Blaze of Glory, and Last Man Standing. With those features, you reward single-class gunslingers with more and more of their full attack, while still leaving in place the value (at least partially) of feats like Rapid Reload and Lightning Reload. Players still want to move and shoot, and those feats allow that to happen at least semi-regularly.
Grit is a precious commodity, and there's all kinds of combats that go by without a single natural 1 or 20 being rolled. I even toyed with the idea of misfires awarding grit, but that made abilities like quick-clear trivial.
This version is much closer to 'Wand Wielding Expert', by design. Touch attacks that cost a lot of money but reward with excellent flavor and DPS. If the D8s are too high, we can always scale back to D6, or even D4s. What I'm going to end up doing though, is building a straight class Archer-Fighter beside Barbour's character, using virtually the same build, and see how the two characters stack up side by side for potential DPR.
In my opinions, an exotic weapon should have more oomph to it than a martial one, and I always thought they were built that way by design, but something needed to be done to make guns more than a 'Rogue uses it once during the surprise round for three feats' throw-away party trick.
I'm mining your rewrite right now!
Looks like I'm going to have to abandon this playtest.
Our 'Gunslinger' decided that as unplayable as things are, even with my changes it wouldn't be worth sticking to his guns. (Badumpbum!)
He has instead opted to play the Zen Archer Monk Variant from the APG. C'est la vie. We look forward to Paizo's alterations of the class, and maybe I'll give it a shot on -my- next character.