We are playing a tough combat campaign and i want to try something different. i was going to try out a gunslinger with the gun tank archetype.
Here is essentially what i'm having trouble with. Gun mechanics we are using early firearms only. i want to use an Axe musket. how is attack and damage calculated? is it just a dex + bab to hit and then just a d8 to damage?
any optimization advice? We are 7th level and i want to be able to take some damage to give our main 2 tanks a little help.
Sorry if these have been answered before i've been pouring through uc and the forums but the gunslinger seems to be eluding me.
Well, the rules don't specifically say, but common sense tells me that when used in melee you use str for your to hit and damage bonus. That's how I would run it. If you want to argue otherwise and get technical, I would respond that you should then have a 30 foot range, a misfire chance, and use ammo when used in melee.
As for optimization advice, I'd say don't do gun tank. The trade offs arn't all that worth it. Your increased AC probably isn't going to be all that much better then a regular Gunslinger, especially with Dex penalty s from armor and the loss of Nimble. Also keep in mind that, all though it doesn't say in the book, it's pretty much accepted that Armor Training is gained at the cost of Gun Training. Not a good deal imho.
If you insist on the Gun Tank/ melee type however I'll offer a few ideas, but really you are going to have a rough go. Have a buckler, it's ac won't add when you are shooting but you'll benefit often enough, without any penalty to hit with ranged. It sounds like you plan on being a switch hitter (which will also be tough) so keep your str and dex high and make sure to get feats like power attack, and opening volley. When you get higher level consider taking the snap shot feats, it will cost you a few feats but you'll get to take ranged AoOs when guys run up to melee you and then with opening volley you'll get a bonus to hit in melee.
But for real, if optimization is the goal don't do Gun Tank. Go with either Pistelaro or Musket Master. Musket master will let you use that Gun Axe you were talking about (I' don't recommend that weapon). Pistelaro will keep you close to the melee and you could use shield for an ac boost if you do it right.
Good luck, and have fun.
We are playing a tough combat campaign and i want to try something different. i was going to try out a gunslinger with the gun tank archetype.
Here is essentially what i'm having trouble with. Gun mechanics we are using early firearms only. i want to use an Axe musket. how is attack and damage calculated? is it just a dex + bab to hit and then just a d8 to damage?
any optimization advice? We are 7th level and i want to be able to take some damage to give our main 2 tanks a little help.Sorry if these have been answered before i've been pouring through uc and the forums but the gunslinger seems to be eluding me.
wow awesome,just what i was looking for.
Also keep in mind that, all though it doesn't say in the book, it's pretty much accepted that Armor Training is gained at the cost of Gun Training. Not a good deal imho.
Exactly how do you come to this conclusion? Armor Training replaces bonus feats, not Gun Training.
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
Lots of thoughts on it. So many in fact that I will point you to a podcast I did on the topic that should help clear stuff up:
The Gamers' Guide to Firearms - Part I
The Gamers' Guide to Firearms - Part II
I think you will find a lot of ideas and explanations in there that hopefully will both clear things up, provide optimization ideas, and spark some ideas that excite you about the character.
Sean Mahoney
|
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
Here is my advice (I am running a 4th Level Human (Taldor) Guntank in the Kimgmaker Campaign): Do it. This far, I am running one of the most powerful characters in the campaign. I have 2 more AC values than our Paladin (8 more than the Monk, and a whopping 12 more than the ranger.) While the Paladin probably deals the most damage in our Party, I deal reliable damage (Don't go with an axe musket, stick with a regular musket and your hand weapon of choice + non-tower shield, my DM made a ruling that you can shoot with you trigger finger in your shield hand, as long as it is not a tower shield (The specific rule in the book says that while using a tower shield you can not do things that you could with smaller shields [i.e. holding torches, pulling levers, holding your horses reins]) with a +9 hit chance and d12 damage (You do not start adding Dex into damage rolls until level 5 with Gunmastery [Also, whoever said you lose Gunmastery for Armormastery is a fool, you lose Nimble for it-- This isn't so bad as if you notice, for every point in armor mastery you have, you lose 1 rank of check penalty and gain 1 max Dex level, this combined with armor traits and feats makes a great combo]). Now with feats and traits and class features, you start losing max Dex levels, making it so you are dealing 10 to 12 damage average with a non-crit upwards in the 23 area. (The highest I've done criting was on a troll and that was 46 [12+12+10+12] and that is without adding Dex or enchanted weapons, that was my dingy starter firearms.) Gunslingers are my favorite class, and if you want a knight with a gun, definitally go Gunslinger.