How does Gunslinger perform from levels 1-5?

[Ender730]

Just curious how a Gunslinger performs from level 1-5. Do you guys even use guns for the first couple of levels? Do you get frustrated from levels 3-5 due to misfires and spending so much money on bullets?

[Helaman]

Not badly depending on how you do it.

I like the musket master archetype with some alchemical cartridges...

Standard fire, move action reload and a 5ft step. Works just fine... start with a normal round and powder already in the gun to save on time and money and action economy for the first round if the Gm lets you. The archetype comes into its own by level 3.

I find pistols to be meh.

Money can be variable IF the GM uses the crafting and alchemy rules for you to make your own bullets and powder.

Misfires? Thats what grit is for.

[Quatar]

Yes Gunslingers work fine at low levels.

You CAN use a bow I suppose, you're proficient with it and most your feats that you'll take the first few levels (PBS, Rapid Shot, Deadly Aim etc) all work with bows just fine.
However a good bow cost 100+ gp and you can get a lot of bullets for that, while you get your starter gun for free.

And I agree, keep normal powder and bullets on you and use them whenever you have a standard action "free", outside of combat for example, or nobody in range yet and you have to move (and a single move action is enough).

[trollbill]

I have a Mysterious Stranger so damage at early levels wasn't a problem but misfires were considerably worse. I carried a bow for backup until I could afford backup guns. Ammo cost is not really that bad unless you are in a low gold campaign. If you have a build designed to get multiple shots every round then ammunition costs will go up with level. One of my backup guns was a Dragon Pistol and I still get regular use out of it even thou I don't need a backup any more.

[kaisc006]

6gp a shot really is not bad. In PFS, my character only shot 8-12 bullets each adventure during the first few scenarios which is pocket change.

[Helaman]

Sounds like you were using cartridges all the time. Like I said, preload with standard shot and powder. First shot costs little if you are using the massive pfs discount gunslingers get with craft alchemy.

I've done 2 games with my level 1 pfs musket master now and I have plenty if cash in hand... To the point I am thinking of adamantite bullets... Tell me of a class/character that can afford to consider that before level 2?