Greets!
Forgive the ignorance of the questions, but I'm rolling up a Spellslinger for my group's new campaign, and I ran into some rather confusing questions regarding the casting feature.
When I cast an area affecting spell through the gun, does this shape the spell into a single target attack (assuming cone or line), or otherwise change the range/shape of the spell?
Scenario: I shoot Burning hands from my gun, Does it
A: Hit my direct target only?
B: emit from my gun as if I had simply used my hands.
C: Strike my target and emit as if I were standing in front of him?
I can see compelling arguments for all three, possibly even a D: my choice on casting.
Similarly, if I shoot Scorching Ray
Do I...
... Make a touch roll for each ray?
... lose the ability to split them between targets?
... work off the range rules of my gun instead of the base ray?
Lastly, and this one's probably more a question for my DM than the official rules since it's a 3.5 backwards compatibility question: If I cast a spell using the Ocular spell feat (Spend a standard action, prepare any spell that does not have a target of personal only as a ray spell in my eye), I can fire that from the gun as a ray? The mechanics of Ocular spell make it seem more as if I'm casting the spell then storing it in my eye, which could conflict with the verbage of casting a spell in the gun and shooting it.
You only add the enhancement bonus of the weapon to the attack or the spell DC.
Nothing else changes except the other descriptors of using a gun.
A: No, you hit the same targets of the spell
B: Exactly, using the bonuses
C: Nope
The reason is that when the spell calls for a attack roll you can add the bonus of the gun and when it doesnt like burning hands, you usually add that to the spell DC.
For Scorching Ray you do all the rays and roll all the rays. Your range is the one of the Scroching ray and add enhancement or save DC bonuses.
Ocular Spell looks really weird. But from my interpretation it would convert spells into rays. And you fire through the gun at range 60 as the spell mentions.
You only add the enhancement bonus of the weapon to the attack or the spell DC.
...
The reason is that when the spell calls for a attack roll you can add the bonus of the gun and when it doesnt like burning hands, you usually add that to the spell DC.
...
That makes sense, a little disappointing, but it makes sense. (I had visions of sniping from a bit farther away. I guess I still can with regular ammo. Gish build, ho~) I almost wonder why I can't just cast all non-personal spells through the gun in the first place then, down to pistol whipping for the regular touch spells.
The enhancement bonus brings up another question. Enhancement bonus added via sacrificing spell slots stacks with a bonus already present? Say my starting wealth allows a +1 enhance bonus, I can drop a level 2 spell slot for an additional +2 enhance bonus, totaling +3 to attack rolls and save DCs?
That makes sense, a little disappointing, but it makes sense. (I had visions of sniping from a bit farther away. I guess I still can with regular ammo. Gish build, ho~) I almost wonder why I can't just cast all non-personal spells through the gun in the first place then, down to pistol whipping for the regular touch spells.The enhancement bonus brings up another question. Enhancement bonus added via sacrificing spell slots stacks with a bonus already present? Say my starting wealth allows a +1 enhance bonus, I can drop a level 2 spell slot for an additional +2 enhance bonus, totaling +3 to attack rolls and save DCs?
On your first mention you can get reach spell and increase the range for special cases. Or maybe a Rod of Extend Metamagic.
On the second, sadly, enhancement bonuses don't add up unless specifically stated. I recommend that you also review the Archetype for Ray Focused Maguses Myrmidarch with Ranged Spell Strike they offer different options and you could get some Gunslinger Feats in order to use firearms. Its a different option but Spellslinger seems to rock the house too. Specially with heavier spellcasting.
That's kind of odd, because the Magus version specifically states you can, but there's that "specifically" word again.
I ended up going Ranged Gish with a regular generalist Wizard chassis and a gunslinger dip amongst other multiclass and archetype shenanigans. I was having a hard time choosing my opposition schools and just felt like I was losing too much.
Thanks for helping with the rules!
Glad I could help. I think I will try the Spellslinger in my next game seems fun.
Or maybe an arcane archer hehe :)
Oh I didnt knew that! Is it errataed?
Oh I didnt knew that! Is it errataed?You can reason it by inference.
Cap on abilites for non epic weapons is +10 total. Of that a maximum can be a +5 in enhancement bonuses. By extension the total cap of what you can put on a weapon is +5/+5 in enhancements and abilities. Bladebound magi after 4th level would then be fully free to spend all of their arcane pool on weapon abilities. (as would any other magi who get their hands on magic weapons)
I guess that could be the case, as the Magus and Paladin specifically state that the weapon bonuses stack. It should apply the same to the SpellSlinger.