Spellslinger / firearms questions

[bahamut44]

Hi, all-

A few questions about the Spellslinger archetype and rules for firearms. If it helps any, I was a big 3.5 player back in the day, then 4.0, and now my group has (at my request) decided to give PF a go instead of 4.0.

First question:

I really like the concept of the Spellslinger, but mechanically, what is great about it? It seems like there are a LOT of drawbacks. Are those feats and the free first level gun worth losing double the number of schools without getting any specialization benefit, the extremely high cost of ammo, and the 5+% chance per attack that you will (for the encounter, at least) ruin your main "trick" (I say +, because it seems if you hit an area, there are many saving throws being rolled, which could result in a 20). Is there something really great that I am missing between the lines, or is it just great for RP?

Second question:

How does ammunition work? I'm confused now that I am looking at advanced firearms. If I am reading correctly, for a (six-shot) revolver, you need 6 metal cartridges + 6 bullets + 6 doses of black powder (= 156gp for a full load!). I guess you can do it yourself with a kit @ 10% cost, but that seems awfully hefty. Are the cartridges re-usable? (I am fairly clueless when it comes to real guns, much less fantasy ones!)

Third question:

For the spellslinger's arcane guns with advanced firearms, which rules apply for them breaking? The rules say that advanced firearms do not explode when broken, but the spellslinger description says the spellslinger's guns do. Which is it?

Thanks in advance!

All best,
-Z

[LazarX]

One thing you need to know about the Spellslinger.

Firing bullets through the Arcane Gun is just recreation.

The real benefit is the bonus you get through spells that are channeled through it. You get increased Save DC, increased to hit on ranged touch spells, and a really nice crit multiplier if you go for the one gun option. When you get to high levels on this you'll see how just much of a benefit this is especially w hen you realise that it stacks with things such as spell focus, and feats.

The spellslinger's gun gains the broken condition when you have a misfire or a spell misadventure (targeting roll of one target save of 20) If you have a nother such misadventure BEFORE you fix the condition with a quick mending or make whole (probably the latter) than the gun explodes.

Yes you can shoot and shoot pretty well, but with the spells you focus through the weapon, is when you're devastating. Like Disintegrate for instance.

[SimianChaos]

As for your question about the metal cartidges, the are assembled. A metel cartridge is a modern bullet complete with shell casing, firing pin, powder charge, and the bullet.