Building the Ultimate Gunslinger

[RhesusPieces]

We just began a new home-brewed adventure path, and my GM gave me permission to build a gunslinger with a revolver. I want to build a two revolver gunslinger reminiscent of Roland from the Dark Tower books (I know, tropey trope trope. At least I'm not building an angsty adolescent vampire, right?).

Anyway, my concept of a 'true' gunslinger is one in which his fluid mechanics make him a continuous source of damage output, and once I've depleted my initial ammunition, I want to execute the following progression.

Round 1) Full-round attack with both guns. Ammunition depleted. Holster right gun as a free action.
Round 2) Rapid reload and full attack with left gun. Draw right gun as free action.
Round 3) Holster left gun as free action. Rapid reload and full attack with right gun.
Round 4) Draw left gun. Full attack with both guns. Holster right gun to complete the cycle.

This way I have a full attack every round with at least one gun, and I'll have a full attack with both guns every third round. I know this involves a liberal amount of free actions, but if you go through the actions it's entirely plausible.

The problematic part is holstering as a free action. I don't think quick draw allows you to also holster as a free action. I know I can buy weapon cords and then holster as a swift action, but the visualization of a gunslinger dropping his revolver and letting it flop around between his legs...just no. I could also buy a wand of Unseen Servant, and let the arcane caster in the group cast it on me. Then I could drop a gun, and the unseen servant could catch it and place it in the holster for me. It would work mechanically, but again, I hate the flavor of it. As far as I can tell, I just need to lobby for creating a quick holster feat so the progression would be something like this:

Level 1) Point blank shot and Deadly Aim (human)
Level 3) TWF
Level 4) Precise shot
Level 5) Rapid Reload
Level 7) Improved TWF
Level 8) Quick Draw
Level 9) Quick Holster

Ideas? Suggestions? Will I break the game?

[Dracovar]

If someone gets into close quarters combat with you, you're going to get slaughtered by opportunity attacks.

I think you need to take a hard look at Dodge -> Mobility -> Deft Shootist fairly early on. Then slid in Point Blank, Precise, Rapid, etc. Also look at the Pistolero archtype, which will be very helpful to the build and concept.

[RhesusPieces]

Dracovar wrote:

If someone gets into close quarters combat with you, you're going to get slaughtered by opportunity attacks.

I think you need to take a hard look at Dodge -> Mobility -> Deft Shootist fairly early on. Then slid in Point Blank, Precise, Rapid, etc. Also look at the Pistolero archtype, which will be very helpful to the build and concept.

I indeed am using the Pistolero archetype. It's perfect for what I do. Your observation about attacks of opportunity is a good one. However, deft shootist would only protect me when reloading or shooting. Drawing and holstering would still provoke. In my experience, enemies with combat reflexes are relatively rare, and if I'm in the middle of a ton of melee characters, I'm doing something very wrong. I just can't live with burning three feats early on when I'm starved for them to begin with.

It also helps that our group is, in all honesty, a bit too large. Everyone can't make every session, but we can have as many as 8 PC's. This makes it a lot easier for me to just post up behind our melee guys and unload. (For context, we've played one session so far and we earned just enough xp to level up, so I'm at level 2 now)

[Lamontius]

Advanced Firearms are a game-breaking disaster waiting to happen, especially if they are not commonly used amongst the whole group as well as the baddies.

So in response to your question, yes, I think you will break the game.

[RhesusPieces]

Lamontius wrote:

Advanced Firearms are a game-breaking disaster waiting to happen, especially if they are not commonly used amongst the whole group as well as the baddies.

So in response to your question, yes, I think you will break the game.

I am legitimately worried about this, and I realize I may need to abandon this plan and focus on developing just one revolver. Could you elaborate a little? Gunslinger is a full BAB class, so they're supposed to do a lot of damage. How much damage is too much damage? With my current trajectory, I'd be averaging 30 points of damage per hit with 6 potential attacks per round by level 12. How does this damage compare to a maxed out barbarian or fighter? Melee characters can do more damage per hit, but they target full AC and are unlikely to use TWF.

[RhesusPieces]

Furthermore, is it really that inconceivable considering a similarly leveled rogue can do six sneak attacks with 12 str damage per round?

[Wind Chime]

The only difference between Advanced Firearms and Old School after you start using the alchemist ammo and rapid reload trick is that guns don't explode on misfires (which can be dealt with a wand of jury rig) and the extra range of touch ac which is quite bad given there longer range anyway.