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I didn't feel like waiting until August for the ACG to come out, so I went ahead and put something together. It's nothing too complicated, but it has uniqueness. I'm trying to see if people think adding guns doesn't overstep the balance of the class.
Gentlemen are proficient with firearms, and not proficient with bucklers.
GENTLEMAN’S FINESSE (Ex)
At 1st level, a Gentleman gains the benefits of the two weapon fighting feat when wielding a light or one-handed piercing weapon and a one handed firearm.
This ability replaces Swashbuckler Finesse.
PANACHE (Ex)
A Gentleman can regain panache with either a light or one-handed piercing weapon, or a one-handed firearm.
DEEDS
A Gentleman gains the following Deed,
Quick Clear (Ex): At 1st level, as a standard action, the gentleman can remove the broken condition from a single firearm he is currently wielding, as long as that condition was gained by a firearm misfire. The gentleman must have at least 1 grit point to perform this deed. Alternatively, if the gentleman spends 1 grit point to perform this deed, he can perform quick clear as a move-equivalent action instead of a standard action.
This replaces the Derring-Do Deed.
Opportune Parry and Shot (Ex): At 1st level, when an opponent makes a melee attack against the gentleman, he can spend 1 panache point and can expend a use of an attack of opportunity to attempt to parry that attack. The gentleman makes an attack roll as if he were making an attack of opportunity. If his attack roll is greater than the roll of the attacking creature, the attack automatically misses. For each size category the attacking creature is larger than the gentleman, he takes a –2 penalty on his attack roll. The gentleman must declare the use of this ability after the creature’s attack is announced, but before that attack roll is made. Immediately after a gentleman performs a successful parry, as long as he has 1 panache point he can make an attack as an immediate action against the creature whose attack she blocked with a one-handed firearm.
This replaces the Opportune Parry and Riposte Deed.
Precise Strike (Ex): At 3rd level, as long as he has at least 1 panache point, a gentleman gains the ability to strike precisely with a light or one-handed piercing melee weapon (though not natural weapon attacks), adding his Gentleman level to his damage roll up to his Dexterity modifier. To use this deed, a Gentleman cannot attack with a weapon in his other hand other than a one handed firearm or use a shield. He can also use this ability with one-handed firearms, as long as the target is within 30 feet of him. Any creature that is immune to sneak attacks is immune to a precise strike, and any item or ability that protects a creature from critical hits also protects a creature from a precise strike. The extra damage of precise strike is precision damage, and isn’t multiplied with a critical hit.
As a swift action, a Gentleman can spend 1 panache point to double his precise strike’s damage bonus on the next attack. This must be used before the end of his turn, or it is lost. This deed’s cost cannot be reduced any ability or effect that reduces the amount of panache points a deed costs (such as the Signature Deed feat).
This replaces the normal Precise Strike Deed and the Menacing Swordplay Deed.
Targeting (Ex): At 7th level, as a full-round action the gentleman can spend 1 panache point to make a single attack with a one handed firearm that cripple’s part of a foe’s body. The gentleman chooses a part of the body to target. If the attack succeeds, the target takes the following effects, depending on the part of the body targeted. If a creature doesn’t have one of the listed body locations, that part cannot be targeted. Creatures that are immune to sneak attacks are immune to these effects. Items or abilities that protect a creature from a critical hit also protect a creature from a targeted strike.
• Arms: On a hit, the target takes no damage from the attack but drops one carried item of the swashbuckler’s choice, even if the item is wielded with two hands. Items held in a locked gauntlet aren’t dropped on a hit.
• Ears: On a hit, the target takes no damage and is staggered, deafened, and confused for 1 round. This is a mind-affecting sonic effect. Ears may only be targeted if target is within your natural reach.
• Legs: On a hit, the target takes no damage and is repositioned 5 feet. If your attack roll beats the target’s AC by 10 or more, they are unable to take a 5 foot step on their turn. The target does not need to be within your reach. Creatures more than one size category larger than your firearm or that are immune to fear effects are immune to this effect.
• Torso: On a hit, the target is damaged normally and knocked prone. Creatures with four or more legs or that are immune to trip attacks are immune to this effect.
• Wings: On a hit, the target is damaged normally and must make a DC 20 Fly check or fall 20 feet.
On a successful targeted shot, the gentleman may spend an additional 1 panache to make an attack of opportunity against the target with a light or one-handed piercing weapon.
This replaces the superior feint and targeted strike deeds.
Opportune Targeting (Ex): At 11th level, the gentleman may make a targeted shot when using Opportune Parry and Shot.
This ability replaces the Subtle Blade Deed.
Finishing Shot (Ex): At 19th level, when the Gentleman confirms a critical hit with a light or one-handed piercing melee weapon, he can spend 1 panache point to make a finishing shot. The gentleman makes an attack and automatically hits with a one-handed firearm he is wielding. The target must succeed at a Fortitude saving throw (DC = 10 + 1/2 the gentleman’s level + the gentleman’s Dexterity modifier) or the attack is automatically a critical hit. Performing this deed does not count for regaining panache. Creatures immune to critical hits automatically pass the Fortitude save.
This replaces the Deadly Stab Deed.
DEFT SHOOTIST (Ex)
At 3rd level, a Gentleman gains Deft Shootist as a bonus feat. At 11th level, he gains Ricochet Shot as a bonus feat.
This ability replaces Nimble.
POINT BLANK PRECISION (Ex)
At 4th level, the Gentleman does not take a -4 penalty for shooting at an opponent in melee if he threatens that opponent with a light or one-handed piercing weapon.
This ability replaces the Bonus Feat gained at 4th level.
GENTLEMAN’S WEAPON TRAINING (Ex)
At 5th level, a Gentleman gains a +1 bonus on attack and damage rolls with light or one handed piercing melee weapons and one handed firearms. These attack and damage bonuses increase by one for every five levels beyond 5th. Additionally, a Gentleman treats one handed firearms as light weapons when determining two weapon fighting penalties.
This ability replaces Swashbuckler Weapon Training.
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DESIGN NOTES:
Weapon Training removes Improved Critical and improves every 5 instead of 4 levels.
Deft Shootist replaces all instances of Nimble, an up to +5 bonus to AC.
Point Blank Precision is not as good as a bonus feat that could grant precise shot, since point blank shot is a great feat for the class, and precise shot may not be needed since it's against touch AC. This is to maintain overall balance. It also may be useful to a character attempting to stack twf with rapid shot.
Keeping Precise Strike balanced while allowing firearms is tricky. Attempted to mix limiting factors of precise strike and gun training. In addition, multiple deeds have been given up.
The same attempt has been made with Targeting. The bonus here is less pronounced than it may appear, since any gunslinger with Deft Shootist would effectively be able to target in melee anyway. Multiple deeds are exchanged to shift balance from Precise Strike.
Bleeding Wound and Perfect Thrust will not be altered to allow firearms despite their gunslinger parallels.
Finishing Shot is a weaker version of deadly stab, but is a little flashier. And death effects are so common in capstones already anyway. Plus, the class can stand to lose a little power and be ok.
I had wanted to replace Derring-Do with a social version, but it was removed for the archetype.
The clearest issue is reloading. I wrote this for a setting with advanced firearms which helps considerably. There are magical means of alleviating the problem, but they're not available at low levels. I don't know if I consider less gunplay at low level too much a problem.
What do you think?
I forgot again to put a link to the google drive document in the original post so updates could be seen.
But here it is:
"The Gentleman" is a pretty bad name, honestly, and losing Weapon Finesse itself is poor design. This is an archetype that combines short-ranged weapons with finesse weapons; why would you drop Weapon Finesse from the class?
Ultimately, you end up dropping a lot (and I do mean a lot) of swashbuckler deeds for gunslinger deeds that don't often make sense. For example, when do you see a Swashbuckler make a targeted strike with a pistol? And you're dropping the Swashbuckler's ability to FEINT instead? This sort of character is huge on feinting.
Instead of altering deeds, this would work MUCH better (with better wording, of course):
Deeds: A "gentleman" can use his deeds while holding a one-handed firearm in his off-hand. He cannot use his deeds while wielding a buckler in his off-hand.
In addition, you'll probably want something to make the character's off-hand weapon considered a Light weapon, as a –4 penalty on the gentleman's melee weapon attack is pretty huge.
If there are any deeds from the Gunslinger this character should get, its Utility Shot and Pistol Whip.
The thing about light for twf is an update in the doc already, and a couple.other changes too. Weapon finesse is moot because of it gave finesse you'd have to take twf, so that's a wash. And a potential handicap for the rare character who doesn't want finesse, whereas twf is truly integral.
I don't know how you can say what sort of character this is while saying its not that sort of character in the same sentence. You should no more compare this class to a vanilla swash than you would a zen Archer to a vanilla monk. There is a big difference and elements of sameness. You're allowing your personal concept of what you call a swashbuckler far too much influence on what is merely a collection of abilities with a name on it. Speaking of names, I'm also not too fond of gentleman, but all the good ones seem to be taken and it fit the campaign I did this for.
The feint deed has a very different purpose than a regular feint.
It drops a lot of deeds because guns are effective and basically dropped right in. That power increase has to be accounted for.
Your "much better" solution sounds awful and boring. The point is to be OK with a gun and sword while allowing a gunslinger or swashbuckler to have their domain. Just saying OK you can hold a gun does nothing to individualize the class. Which is also why its OK that it loses some deeds.
When's the last time you saw a gunslinger shoot someone in the face and it merely confuse them?
I really like this archetype. It has a lot of flavor if used correctly as a noble duelist and the like. Can make for an awesome villain npc class. I like the blend of both gunslinger and swashbuckler mechanics.