Post 8 Gunslinger Feats, Are there any good ones?

[Lobo Apache]

Ok So I have my Gunslinger in a campaign where we are starting from level 1 and going upwards. I need help finding post level 8 feats for a human vanilla gunslinger.
for Stats I have :

Str 16
Dex 20
Con 17
Int 14
Wis 18
Cha 15

For current/planned feats I have:
Free: Dodge
1st: Rapid Reload (pistol)
3nd: Point Blank shot
4rd: Precise Shot
5th: Rapid Shot
6th: Quick Draw
7th: Two Weapon Fighting
8th: Improved Two Weapon Fighting

[BRADicPerformance]

Precise shot may need to be prioritized. The -4 for shooting into combat gets annoying, even if you're rolling against touch.

[chaoseffect]

There's also Deadly Aim and Clustered Shots to consider, as well that Signature Deed.

I agree with BRADicPerformance; I'd drop Dodge completely and go Point Blank and Precise at level 1.

[cnetarian]

SIGNATURE DEED, it is massive.

Weapon focus (pistol)

Combat reflexes (combine it with snap shot/imp. snap shot), I've gotten very much use out of that one. Also paired opportunists might work or target of opportunity, if someone else has the feat.

[Avatar-1]

The gunslinger is a power class, so you should rethink trying to hyper optimise it with the best-ever feats.

Having said that, to make it feasable, the ones you sort of need are:

• Point Blank Shot (as the pre-req to Rapid Shot)
  
• Deadly Aim
  
• Rapid Shot (by level 3 when you can reload as a free action, no earlier)
  

Dodge is only a good choice if you plan to also take Mobility and either Shot on the Run or that other one that requires those two feats whose name I can't remember.

Misfiring occasionally will avoid you going into munchkin territory, so Signature Deed likely isn't necessary, even with a Musket.

Improved Critical is an interesting choice that I recommend taking so long as you don't take Signature Deed for Quick Clear. It allows a 1-3 misfire chance by that point and a 19-20/x4 crit chance. It will make your gunslinger cool. Don't take Critical Focus to make critical confirmations easier, it's already easy and already deadly.

Extra Grit becomes useful only at the later levels. I made the big mistake of taking it at level 1 and didn't end up using it till about level 7. But at the later levels, it certainly helps. If you're going with an optimised build, you don't need it, because you're super-powered.

[cnetarian]

Rapid shot should be prioritized to level 3 (making [strike]rapid[/strike] point blank shot & rapid reload your 2 starting feats). At level 3 you should be able to afford to use alchemical cartridges, and rapid shot almost doubles your combat potential.

edit for mistake

[Rudolf Kraus]

I might consider power attack.

I know, you can't power attack with a gun, but this is your plan B feat, and it shores up a weakness instead of adding to a strength.

With that feat alone, you can step to the front line if you have to. Take it around 6 or 7, when you already have the key ranged attack feats.

[Avatar-1]

Sorry, I missed Rapid Reload because I play a musket master, who gets it for free.

Add that to the top of the list if you're playing a standard gunslinger.

[Deadmanwalking]

What these folks say, mostly. Personally, I think the TWF stuff is abit cheesy, but it's legitimate, I suppose (though reloading is...tricky, and requires specific items to be workable).

Also, if going with Pistols, there's no reason not to be a Pistolero...so he should do that. This seems like a decent list for a focused killer, for example:

Free: Rapid Reload (pistol)
1: Point Blank Shot
3: Precise Shot
4: Rapid Shot
5: Deadly Aim
7: Quick Draw
8: Two Weapon Fighting
9: Improved Critical
11: Signature Deed
12: Improved Two Weapon Fighting
13: Greater Two Weapon Fighting

Other Good Feats: Weapon Focus (Pistol), Dodge + Mobility + Deft Shootist (only if aiming for Deft Shootist, which is damn cool), Iron Will, Extra Grit,

[Natrim]

So...Two weapon fighting or no, if going pistols? I agree with taking the pistolero archetype if intending to focus on pistols. However, the biggest difference I've noticed is at 11th level, when a gunslinger can take Signature Deed, because that adds 3d6 (and further scaling) precision damage to every shot if Signature Deed: Up Close and Deadly is taken (as a pistolero).

I'd also point there are several different 'good/great' ways to build a pistol gunslinger with optimizing to the hilt.

Rapid Reload is a critical, unavoidable feat, and that requires point-blank shot. Rapid Shot is quite nice as well, minimal penalty for an additional shot? Yes please, may I have another!

Deadly Aim will stack up very nicely for damage. I had a GM look over at my 7th level gunslinger demanding to know just how I was able to do so much damage, so consistently. For your 8th level starting Gunslinger, that'd be -3 to hit for +6 to damage, on all of the attacks. If rolling against Touch AC, that's really not much of a penalty. Then throw in that point blank shot you already should have taken, +1 to hit and to damage if within 30ft (which hey, pistols only resolve against touch AC if in 20 feet! So that's up to +7 damage from feats, +plus any enhancements on the firearm +dexterity modifier from gun training...Generally, about +11 or +12 to damage, easily up to +14, I've seen 15..per shot. At level 8.) So you would have, with rapid shot, and no two weapon fighting, 3d8+36 tp 3d8+45 a round. At only a total of -4 penalty, so...with a Dex of 20, +10/+10/+5 against touch ac, for 1d8+13-14 (+1 or +2 pistol) per shot? That's more then plenty of dakka for 8th level.

However, Snap Shot and Clustered shot, also Deft Shootist, are also handy paths. Deft Shootist allows you to avoid AoO's, which is a huge benefit, but that 3 feat investment is painful. Snapshot enables you to take those attacks of opportunity with your firearm, which is nifty, although I have to ask how useful is that when you only have 1 shot in the firearm, assuming a base pistol, at most 2 with a double barreled pistol, that could be used. After all, reloading is a free action...which means, on your turn. Can't reload during someone else's turn, so that's of limited benefit, unless one is being allowed revolvers.... *shrug*

Clustered shot is one that commonly gets overlooked, but can be very nice. The ability to more or less ignore most DR, and the prerequisites are easy to meet too.

So, in no particular order, for a single pistol build...

1: Point Blank Shot, Rapid Reload
3: Precise Shot
4: Deadly Aim
5: Rapid Shot
7: Clustered shot
8: Quick Draw
9: Improved Critical
11: Signature Deed. which Deed, well, depends on your build, if pistolero I'd recommend Up Close and Deadly in a heartbeat, and otherwise Dead Shot is rather impressive as well. I would also like to point out that Pistolero or Musket Master, at 13th level, no longer misfire with their style of firearm, so Quick Clear is only worth considering for a vanilla gunslinger. IMO, YMMV.

If going for two weapon fighting, I'd swap out the quick draw or the clustered shot, or both, for the two weapon fighting/improved TWF, and at 12th take Greater TWF. The order matters less as you're building for 8th level not planning a 1st level to go up to 8th, so as long as you have fun... TWF will more or less require some finangling with weapon cords/gloves of storing/level dipping into alchemist for a tentacle or some such, but can potentially double your output. Again, whatever you find fun.

Hope we've been helpful!

[cnetarian]

Natrim wrote:

Snapshot enables you to take those attacks of opportunity with your firearm, which is nifty, although I have to ask how useful is that when you only have 1 shot in the firearm,...

There was a FAQ/errata on this.

[Natrim]

cnetarian wrote:

Natrim wrote:

Snapshot enables you to take those attacks of opportunity with your firearm, which is nifty, although I have to ask how useful is that when you only have 1 shot in the firearm,...

There was a FAQ/errata on this.

Ah! That makes Snapshot much more valuable then. Thank you Cnetarian!