Dual pistol cavalry horseman, how would you build?

[KuntaSS]

First, to justify the concept. The Gunslinger is fairly competitive in DPS but by no means the top dog, even when you account it targets touch AC. However, it's pretty infamous for having very little trouble actually hitting it's target at close range.

Mounted combat rules allow you to make a full attack with a ranged weapon while your mount is running at at a -4 penalty (with mounted archery feat.) This normally wouldn't be terribly great, except the Gunslinger will hit fairly consistently even with a whopping penalty.

So the tactic to be employed is: In open ground, at least during midlevels, I can approach most enemies from far outside of immediate danger, come within point blank range, unload two pistols, and ride away to prepare for the next assault. I could also integrate a thrown net on the first charge before quickdrawing my second pistol and unloading.

Finally, you may think, "Well what about when you are in a dungeon crawl?" Well you see, I'm still a gunslinger with two pistols, which is hardly the worst thing I could be cough ROGUE cough.

However, what do you all think? What is the best way to fulfill this concept, what sorts of feats should I take, what race would be best? Should I start out with cavalier to horsemaster, then start out gunslingin'? Should I take nature soul than animal ally? Would I be better off just being a hunter or ranger with guns?

[KuntaSS]

Also, my source of real life inspiration for the concept.

[Kazaan]

You'd need to invest in Ride a bit so you can guide effectively with your knees if both hands are occupied with Pistols. Furthermore, dual pistols give you reloading headaches. While you can take two iterative attacks, one with each pistol, before needing to reload, you must either juggle with weapon cords or sheathe/re-draw. Presuming you're just using Alchemical Cartridges and don't yet have Rapid Reload, that's two move actions to reload each weapon, plus two move actions to re-ready them (if using weapon cords or sheathe/quickdraw) or 4 move actions if you lack both weapon cords and quickdraw. That's 4-6 move actions to reload both firearms just so you can take 2 iterative attacks. By contrast, with Rapid Reload, Rapid Shot, and Alchemical Cartridges, you can get three attacks at lvl 6 using just one pistol. Now, if you get a couple of Pistols of the Infinite Sky, I could see using TWF maybe, but that's a costly option. Your best bet is a single pistol with Rapid Reload (should be standard for all Gunslingers, really) and Rapid Shot if you're going to go with Pistol. Musket Master still kind of blows it out of the water.

[ElementalXX]

Use Revolvers and the Animal Ally/Boon Companion feats so your horse dont dies of a fireball. Alternatively you can use the Gun Twirling feat. Also you can use leadership tought that requires more dm fiat

[KuntaSS]

My DM is pretty generous about leadership. Does pistol musketeer ever get to effective dual wielding at higher levels, or is it pretty awkward throughout? I could probably just go with musket master, it'd probably be less feat intensive and leave more room for grabbing a companion.

Gun twirl seems actually like not a bad idea. The flavor of it is pretty wack but mechanically it'd make the build more viable.

[ElementalXX]

Beware that gun twirling+TWF is whooping 6 feats. Precise shot requires 2, so at the end you invest 8 fets, witouth counting damage feats like deadly aim.

Having said that musket master is also very viable and much more easy to build.

Pistoleros are stronger on high levels while musket masters are stronger for about 11 levels. Really Signature Deed completely change how you play the gunslinger. If you start low level musket master will make your life much more easy. If you start high level Pistoleros will destroy everything with close and deadly signature deed.

For mounts the pegasus is a really nice option if you have the level. Also the undersized mount is really good so you can ride a medium creature, then you wont have problems on dungeons.

[Pendagast]

I just want to note, in serpent's skull, there was no place I couldn't take my horse, save one that I recall, and it was a single encounter.

Im sure some AP's/adventures are more restrictive, but I played for quite sometime, taking my horse all over the place.

[KuntaSS]

Shouldn't I just go with large mount plus narrow frame? And my DM does a homebrew campaign which is partially dungeon crawl and partially open field encounters so far.