So I'm relatively new to pathfinder, but I've been hoping to play a multiclassed rogue/gunslinger/spellslinger, with the central idea for the character being that I use a rifle, sneak around, and A) Lay some hurt on people when I catch them by surprise, or B) Add in respectable damage from moderate range while my party is beating on something.
The concept seems a pretty sound one to me, and while I do end up a bit of a generalist, it seems like it ought to be feasible. Sadly, a number of things seem to stack against serious firearm skulk & shoot types, not the least of which is the 30ft range to sneak attacks. My GM is willing to waive that rule for me, since in the situation is makes pretty much no sense at all, which turns the idea into feasible again.
Of course, I'm getting sorta screwed by splitting things up that much, and I'll probably never be doing more than an additional 2D6/3D6 of sneak attack damage, but I was considering trying to branch out for a level or two of shadowdancer (hide in plain sight right off the bat has the potential to be very, very nice, and a 2nd level would probably grant me improved uncanny dodge that I'd never otherwise see, although it'd only happen at a level I may never reach anyway.) The downside being I end up using 2 feats that won't really help me much if things are going my way, though one of them at least helps me GTFO without getting killed, so it could be worse.
I'm wondering if I'm overlooking something really great, because honestly it's seeming to me that the only even semi-okay-looking option is to go with Deadly Aim and all the Vital Strike feats I can, and possibly get into some of the feats that come after Point Blank Shot (which, again, is almost burning a feat since I'd likely be out of the effective range of it if I'm picking my fights. On the other hand, again, it's a little help when things aren't going well for me). A lot of the spellslinger stuff would probably be spent on Mage Bullet, rather than direct casting through the gun, and my direct casting might just be heavily utility-based since the party lacks a solid caster. I'm pretty okay with that too, because I'm wondering if between a few of the gunslinger feats and Deadly Aim it couldn't make for some rather nasty single hits.
Another question that seems to be in the air is just how much of a help is Rapid Reload. With a 2-handed, cartridge fed firearm, if it doesn't get reloading down to a free or swift action, it almost seems like I'd be better off dropping it entirely, because shooting and scooting is more or less right out.
Anyone have any thoughts?
Ummm, spell slinger is garbage, so that's one thing. I've actually been toying around with a sniper idea. Look at the cavalier archetypes luring cavalier and musketeer. They stack, and make for a great sniper like character. Then take some levels in urban barbarian for that DEX rage thingy. Lastly, go the vital strike tree and take furious finish to max out the damage dice. Maybe a level of lame oracle so you can rage cycle and use mending to fix your gun after misfires.
I'm not sure how sound this is, as I've just been toying with it in my header, but maybe it's a good idea. Sorry if it's way off what you wanted.
Oh, and five levels of gunslinger for DEX to damage of course.
The best you are going to get is probably like this:
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/rogue/archetypes/paizo---rogue -archetypes/sniper
Rogue (sniper)
and then whatever gunslinger you choose, I usually just ban those at my games or convince the DM to do so. Just keep in mind that you'll probably have a hard time sneak attacking AND not being caught when you have to be within 30(lvl 1) to 90(lvl 18) feet when your gun has a loud BOOM and flash.
As with all Gunslingers and Rogues, expect to die screaming if the enemies ever use decent tactics.
Luckily, the 30ft sneak attack max range is being waived as a house rule, because upon mentioning it to my GM he scoffed at the very idea. To be completely frank, it's bordering on silly for a handgun, and utterly absurd for a longarm.
Still haven't hammered out the details on just what the range will be, but I imagine it'll be 1st or 2nd range increment of the weapon, which will be 80 to 160 feet. With a level in shadowdancer and a little of the right magic, I'm thinking I can still manage to be stealthy enough to have fun most of the time.
For the record, the sniper extends the SA damage range.
I'd personally go with some silly build like Rog(Ninja?Sniper?)2/spell Slinger 1/Sorc 2/"PrC that gives SA and is good"1/Arcane trickster (advance Sorc Casting).
This'd let you shoot spells from your gun, and you'd make up for the lower BAB by having an enhancment bonus on the gun, and you'd get around the restricted schools stuff by using the Sorc casting instead of the wizard casting.
But that's because I'm silly.
The problem is that what will end up as fun for you will likely invalidate the entire rest of the party. It's why gunslingers are generally banned outright. Ranged touch attacks with dex to dmg for a class that needs nothing but dex is just too good (even if it can be an expensive fighting style).
End of the day, realism should never be as important as game balance. Then again, if your GM allows relatively modern rifles (say, mid-19th century), your fellow players have all rights to demand hand grenades, modern steel alloyed melee weapons, etc as well. Even if you can sort out the mess of house rules you'll end up with, the guns will win and make this a short and annoying campaign. I suspect that you'll end up rerolling after your GM notices that the only way to limit the problems is by starting every combat with sniping YOU with more guns and/or magic. That's an arms race that benefits no one, let alone the non-magic/gun users. Save yourself some friends - don't do it.
I seriously doubt it's going to be much of an issue, if for no other reason that it's very, VERY situational build. Bear in mind that this is a single longarm, and I'm splitting across 3, maybe 4 different classes. My saves aren't stellar, my BAB is levels behind everyone else, and I'll never get into the truly nice stuff offered by running a more pure character -- which includes everything past level 7 GS, and that means the deed that allows for reloading as a fast action. The fact that I'm shooting against touch AC is the only thing keeping me viable, honestly.
I really, really doubt I'm going to be a serious threat of overshadowing the rest of the party. When things go my way, yeah, I might pull off some fearsome tricks -- but it's still dangerously close to glass cannon territory. Any time I end up with someone on me, it's a bad day and it probably is going to hurt pretty bad. I'm also more invested in INT than DEX (though my DEX ain't bad), so it's not like I'm minmaxing my stats here. It's makes working the generalist side of things a lot easier, which is kinda fun. I'll have a lot of tricks up my sleeve, I'll be able to fudge a lot of things to a workable degree, and when things go right I may even be able to put some serious hurt down, but it will be anything but a show-stopper.
RAW without minmaxing is fun. Houserules are for more power (with a few exceptions).
I always thought that banning gunslingers (who are worse than Archer fighters in about 90% of the time, unless you allow advanced firearms), and allowing full casters to be a bit of a hypocrisy. Saying they are so OP they ruin friendships is just mind blowing.
Anyway, OP should take a look at Myrmidarch Magus. You could probably get a nice spell gunner out of Musket Master 5/Myrmidarch X. Could try Spellslinger and trench fighter mix in there (trench fighter gets DEX to damage at only 3 levels in, and the extra feats can help you getting the stuff you want). So if you don't want to go the backstabby route, something like Spellslinger 1/Myrmidarch 4/Trench Fighter 3 could work, although getting at least 1 level of Musket Master in there for quick reloading would be pretty nice.
Spellslinger might be "garbage", but it is still a full casting class. that plus one level of gunslinger, and add in some or none EK and Deadly Aim, you have a mean gunslinger that is still a full caster.
Drop the Rogue though.
Instead of Rogue, what about Alchemist?
I've made a build like this before and we played if for the endgame in a homebrew campaign. We ended up PVPing because of the BBEG's offer. Needless to day despite me losing because good guys have all the advantages, I am quite satisfied with the build because everyone knew given time, I win.
Works at higher level though (at least a level 10 rogue because of the advanced talents and sniper goggles) but I guess with your gm hand waiving sneak attack range you have no worries about the latter.
First, get a halfling, alternate racial trait swift as the shadows.
When added with the advanced rogue talent stealthy sniper, you'll end up sniping at 0 penalty (Stealthy sniper reduces penalty for sniping to -10, swift as the shadows reduces it by a further 10)
The only other advanced rogue talent you should need after that is Crippling strike. -2 strength damage per attack is no joke. In said pvp situation I nearly took down the strongest "good guy" that took down the rest of my party of traitors already. When he realized he will lose when his strength reached zero he panicked and went to finish the objective with the mcguffin. After 8 rounds the elf STILL hasn't found me.
Using a rifle? Great! You get touch attack as long as you stay within 400ft! That is equivalent to a -40 to perception for whoever tries to spot you at your maximum range. Alternatively you can also just use something like a wand of acid arrow.
Get stuff that will increase your stealth and perception even further. I took shadow armor, reduce person potions, cats grace potion, etc for dex as an example. Remember with reduce person, your projectiles return to normal size after they leave you.
Consider stuff like oil of silence, scent cloak and fly potions to make sure people cannot detect you through other means like scent and tremorsense. Beneficial bandolier will help you reload as a swift action so you can attack each round instead of every alternate round. See Invisibility Sight can ensure the spellcasters can't hide from you by just going invisible.
Get a contingency item in case someone actually finds you and gets to you. I used the cheap Boots of escape (8000 at that level is quite cheap...) Use Magic Device with a dc25 to emulate race as a gnome, you get to poof up to 400 feet in another direction.
There was also other stuff. But I can't remember them now.
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