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I think I might have seen someone "break" the Gunslinger using the multi-classing rules.
Level 1 = Gunslinger (with Musket and 50 shots)
Level 2 = Wizard with Bonded Item: Weapon
Wizards who choose a bonded item begin with on at no cost. Objects that are the subject of an arcane bond must fall into the following categories: amulet, ring, staff, wand or weapons. These objects are always masterwork quality.
The Gunslinger/Wizard in question chose a pistol as his Bonded Item (cost 0!). He still has his remaining ammo from his musket, plus a masterwork pistol... for FREE!!!
To further break this concept, he is a specialist in Diviner, granting him a bonus to Initiative (1/2 his level, minimum +1!) to add to his Dexterity bonus, Reactionary trait and his Improved Initiative feat!
I think I might have seen someone "break" the Gunslinger using the multi-classing rules.
Level 1 = Gunslinger (with Musket and 50 shots)
Level 2 = Wizard with Bonded Item: WeaponWizards who choose a bonded item begin with on at no cost. Objects that are the subject of an arcane bond must fall into the following categories: amulet, ring, staff, wand or weapons. These objects are always masterwork quality.The Gunslinger/Wizard in question chose a pistol as his Bonded Item (cost 0!). He still has his remaining ammo from his musket, plus a masterwork pistol... for FREE!!!
To further break this concept, he is a specialist in Diviner, granting him a bonus to Initiative (1/2 his level, minimum +1!) to add to his Dexterity bonus, Reactionary trait and his Improved Initiative feat!
True, that is a lot of gold in equipment to have at level 2, but I think long term that doesn't do much for the gunslinger, as guns aren't really all that powerful. Either he continues as a wizard, in which case he'll probably always have something better to do then use a gun. Or he'll continue as a gunslinger, in which case he will be a level late to get Signature Deed:Lightning Reload, which seems to be the only way a gunslinger can make up for their weapon's abysmal loading time. Overall I don't think the extra musket, or 750gp assuming your DM lets you sell it and just keep the pistol and ammo, is too broken at second level, considering there is a feat(or was it a talent?) that I think gives you 900gp at level 1(away from books, can't double check).
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But for Pathfinder Society organized Play, where resource balance is a HUGE thing, it is just... wrong. And Rich Parents isn't an option there, though selling one the musket for half price is.
Resource balance is considerably easier in Society play than it is in home campaigns. At least, that's my experience of it; yours may vary. By the time you hit 2nd level, you'll probably have an average of 1350 gp if you picked up all the treasure, even if you don't play up at all. That's about 450 over the standard recommended WBL for 2nd, and enough to buy a masterwork pistol. Assuming you start with a musket and the ammo, you still have all that ammo for your new masterwork pistol.
And it's still hard to make a low-level gunslinger decent, even if he has a free masterwork gun. You still can't use Deadly Aim or apply your Dex modifier to damage, meaning you get to begin the fight by dealing an average of 4.5 or 6.5 damage on the first round of combat before effectively wasting your next turn reloading. Sure, you almost always hit with that touch attack, but the damage is pathetic. If you dip into Wizard for a level to get a free masterwork pistol, you effectively just sold off a level of your character advancement to get 1,300 gp. Note that this doesn't really benefit you at all; you get a +1 bonus to hit with the pistol because it's masterwork, but you don't increase your Base Attack, so you're still no better off in the attack bonus department than a standard 2nd-level Gunslinger. If you want to use the Wizard spells, you have to put points into Intelligence at character creation, which you don't actually use for anything Gunslinger-related, and you suffer a spell failure chance if you still want to wear armor. Additionally, you put off all of your deeds and ability to add Dex to gun damage for another level, which is downright painful.
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In PFS, Intelligence is not a stat you can arbitrarily use as a dump stat... most time Knowledge skills are needed throughout a scenario and the +3 from adding them as a class skill (from the level of Wizard) also helps. While with the level 12 Tier cap anything that slows advancement along one class can be detrimental in the character, the spellcasting advantage, including spells like True Strike can help balance things like that. Add to that the ability to use Arcane Bond and it also can make a big difference. I see the upside and the downside of the dip into Wizard. I know that it doesn't "break any rules" in PF, it just feels... wrong. Like taking advantage of a drunk blond!
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I play an 8th level Sorcerer in PFS who has no knowledge skills whatsoever. I also have a 3rd level Fighter in PFS whose only knowledge is dungeoneering. Both of them get along just fine. I never said you should dump Int; I just said it helps that you don't need to put any points into it as a Gunslinger. True Strike really isn't too helpful if you're casting it yourself, because you're spending your standard action to cast it to get the attack bonus next turn. You'd probably be better off with just taking two attacks, especially as a class who targets touch AC; you're nearly guaranteed to hit most enemies anyway. Gunslinger/Wizard isn't a particularly strong combo; certainly no better than standard Gunslinger, and leagues behind an archer.
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Gunslinger/Wizard isn't a particularly strong combo; certainly no better than standard Gunslinger, and leagues behind an archer.
I agree! But I have to say I am impressed with the way this player has found a legal loophole to get the free masterwork pistol! He is missing out on a great potential career as a lawyer!
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Or, the Gunslinger can take the Rich Parents trait and easily have a masterwork gun by 2nd level without dumping out a level he absolutely needs into a class that doesn't synergize with Gunslinger at all.
Or take the Heirloom Weapon trait, and select pistol if he already took a musket as his free weapon (or vice versa), and he starts off with a masterworked firearm of one kind and a regular firearm of the other kind, both free of charge, as a beginning 1st level character, without having to spend a level in wizard.
Congrats on making a wizard that's more terrible at spellcasting...?
Or, the Gunslinger can take the Rich Parents trait and easily have a masterwork gun by 2nd level without dumping out a level he absolutely needs into a class that doesn't synergize with Gunslinger at all.Or take the Heirloom Weapon trait, and select pistol if he already took a musket as his free weapon (or vice versa), and he starts off with a masterworked firearm of one kind and a regular firearm of the other kind, both free of charge, as a beginning 1st level character, without having to spend a level in wizard.
Heirloom dosent work like that. You still have to buy the weapon at the base cost
You carry a weapon that has been passed down from generation to generation in your family.
Benefit: This heirloom weapon is of masterwork quality (but you pay only the standard cost at character creation). You gain a +1 trait bonus on attack rolls with this specific weapon and are considered proficient with that specific weapon (but not other weapons of that type) even if you do not have the required proficiencies.
Source Adventurer's Armory 30
emphasis mine
So take Hierloom Musket and choose musket at 1st level. The class pays the base cost and you get free masterwork.
So take Hierloom Musket and choose musket at 1st level. The class pays the base cost and you get free masterwork.
Seems legit, but dosent get you the "free extra gun OMGZ!" that everyone is trying to make it out to be.
does anyone else realize wizards only get a free bonded item at lvl 1? the key wording is begin in the description.if you take wizard 1 at lvl 2you have to pay for it. the item doesn't poof into existence.
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does anyone else realize wizards only get a free bonded item at lvl 1? the key wording is begin in the description.if you take wizard 1 at lvl 2you have to pay for it. the item doesn't poof into existence.
Technically they still get it, provided they take the level of Wizard before the game starts. So they would get it if they were Fig 2/Wiz 4 and you started the campaign at 6th.