One of my players is a great roleplayer and played his redeemed scoundrel of gun wielder. Gunslinger seemed like a perfect fit for the concept. Unfortunately, it turned out not so much. The class doesn't have much for him to do other than shoot things. To make matters worse, he has some of the most insane luck I've ever seen. By shear bad luck, he misses half of his attacks. In a recent session, he rolled 3 misfires in a single combat. This really bothers him because he can't do the one thing his class is supposed to do -- be a tough guy with a gun. He's had so many instances where he roleplayed his character epically only to miss or misfire that it stopped being funny a year ago. And his character's girlfriend is a witch with the fortune hex -- that's how horrible his luck is.
Do you have any recommendations on how to expand his options without spellcasting? He's level 8, so that should open some options.
Ask him what he wants to do and if it's reasonable, let him do it.
He said he doesn't know because he hasn't mastered the Pathfinder rule set and content.
Can the arcane archer Prestige class be altered to allow for an arcane gunslinger? I have no idea if this is even remotely feasible, but it sounds cool. :D
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I'm playing a musket master in S&S with my home group and ran into a similar problem. While it's great to get some nice damage rolls (and the crits!), I did find it start to get boring after awhile. So I did a few things to help liven it up for me.
I started carrying/crafting alchemical items. I had a great moment where I didn't have my gun (underwater) and used bottled lightning on a few foes. And anti-toxin is your friend against poisons. Smokesticks are nice when getting flanked by rogues.
Pick up some potions. Always useful and gives other options.
Look at dipping. I took gunslinger up to 6, then started on Inquisitor. I've been having a blast with the extra options it provides. Yes, some of those are spells, but just an addition to my bag of tricks. Plus considering the touch attack thing, it's not like the reduced BAB hurts that much. Took the War (Tactics) domain to help the bard go quicker, which gets me Inspire Courage faster. And just hit level 3 inquisitor, so I'll start to benefit from my teamwork feat.
Find the fun magic items. I have a hat that turns into a boat. It's currently my favorite magic item. Thus far I've used it as an impromptu wall during a bar fight (hey, I had some jerk shooting at ME!), rode it while jumping ship (summoned as I leapt over the railing), and as a boat even several times.
Skills. In my group, I'm currently the best at Perception, best at Profession (Sailor), best at Stealth, second best at Sense Motive. I have decent intimidate and bluff. I have some knowledge skills. Craft (alchemy). And a few points in Sleight of Hand. (we do use a rule where classes get 2 additional skill points a level). So I find what I can do with those. It does suck for the group when you get possessed and an ability to turn invisible freely every round, as a character with the best Stealth score in the group. Also with the +20 from invisibility, it made my stealth modifier higher than everyone elses combined perception modifier. So that was fun!
Just a few of the things I did.
He could actually take levels in Alchemist as well. I mean, it's easy enough to just spend skill points on the Craft but the Grenadier archetype allows the alchemist to apply an alchemical weapon to another weapon (OR AMMUNITION) and for a two level dip in Grenadier he should find himself with two discoveries (one to choose, the other is Precise Bombs. I would suggest Explosive bomb to go with it.
Now he's a gunslinger with alchemical fire on his bullets and when people get too close he can lob a bomb at them with a 10 foot splash radius, even if allies are in there. Course with only 2 levels in Grenadier the bomb damage is only 1d6, 1 more level and it'd be 2d6 but a three level dip is a lot of effort for a few tricks. He'd have Mutagens and Elixers too though, cause some minor magic effects on yourself (one of the first level elixers is deadeye shot - auto +20 on an attack roll)
Maybe it's not exactly an optimized dip but it does bring some more possibility to the character while staying fairly close to the Gunslinger flavor.
He should look up into Inquisitor, it really meshes well with the Gunslinger, if you search Gunslinger Inquisitor on those messageboard I'm sur you'd find something that'd fit him
I played a mysterious stranger in s&s and honestly found the class multi functional with out of combat social skills and options to do stuff in combat that did not involve damage.
One way is to shift focus and expect the missfires. Doing an epic intimidate then click and having smoke come out the wrong end is comedic gold ans he should work with it.
On a serious note you can't reeally do anything about rolling 1 or 2 at the wrong moment.
On a serious note you can't reeally do anything about rolling 1 or 2 at the wrong moment.
That's true, but it just amplifies his desire to spread out a bit.
I'm willing to let him rebuild his character.
I think if you want to play a Gunslinger that is focused on other stuff that Mysterious Stranger is good. Focusing on Charisma allows you to do alot of social stuff And it is /really/ hard to mis-fire a dead shot.
Is it really worth losing Quick Clear though?