So I have this idea for a class that uses a partial Vancian partial Spell Points system of using magic. Here's the basics and fluff, I need help fleshing out the crunch.
Medium BAB, D8 HD, Good Saves are Will and Ref, Bad saves are Con.
Vancian Casting. Extremely limited, mostly utility spells (reloading hands, mage hand, abundant ammunition, maybe some spells also.) Thinking spontaneous, but limited in the max spell level.
Grit/Spell Points with words of power casting. This will allow for some deeds from gunslinger and other appropriate gun using archtypes. Also used for making and/or firing bullets empowered with words of power, and be used like the arcane grit of the spellgun archtype for the wizard. I'm thinking either a combined pool that you can shoot magic bullets with on the fly using offensive words of power, or seperate pools where you make your magic bullets at the begining of each day like prepped spells, and the grit is just grit. I'm thinking the second is a bit more balanced. Have like a spellpoint pool you can draw from, a max level your spelled bullet can be by level(each spell level is one spell point). This gives the class some flexibility. The class could have a few really powerful spell bullets, but runs out of spell bullets quickly, or quite a few lower leveled spell bullets, but none of the stopping power. Or one big spell bullet and a few smaller ones.
Any thoughts on the crunch?
If it helps any, I'm thinking this could be an MCA with Bard and Gunslinger as the parent classes. No songs, replaced by magic bullets, but all the fun utility spells and skills. Also, for inspiration, think Gene Starwind from Outlaw Star.
I'm bad at crunch for things like this, but I LOVE the Gene Starwind feel you are going for.
Did someone say MCA? If you nail down what you want to keep and get rid of from both classes, I can help you mash it together. Depending on what you keep/get rid of, may also help decide what to use as your Primary class.
O_o...
Okay, first, I like the idea of a 3/4 BAB, 6/9 Guncaster class, sure.
I'd say a Magus/Gunslinger Hybrid would be best, or alternatively a Gunslinger/Wizard. Gunslinger/Alchemist would also be fantastic, as the bullets/cartridges would likely be thematically better as Alchemical items rather than containers of Magic.
Take a look at basically combining the Myrmidarch and/or Eldritch Scion Archetypes, and putting a much-greater emphasis on Evocation-school spells, as well as debuffs.
That being said, drop Words of Power as a basic quality of the Class, especially if you're going
WOP should only be allowed for Spontaneous Casters, and only as an option; they're EXTREMELY hard to get used to, and so heavily favor Spontaneous casters that they actually come close to making Prepared casters bad.
Bard and Skald are the best-suited for WOP, with Oracle, Sorcerer, Inquisitor, and Bloodrager being secondary classes (you still have some wonky bits with bonus Spells still being there, but it's not... really bad, per-say).
I was actually thinking Bard as the parent class with Gunslinger as the secondary class. Drop the songs, reduce the spontaneous spell list to utility/battle field control spells(you can never go wrong with grease), add in arcane grit, add on words of power that can only be crafted onto bullets. Give the WoP some form of point based spell casting (1 point per level) so you can make either a few major power bullets, several medium power bullets, or lots of spell low level spell bullets. Have the bullets have some crafting time(full minute per) so you can customize them throughout the day, but not at will. Give full range of offensive WoP abilities(including positive/negative energy, cause holy bullets are totally cool). Give access to the different shape words too that make sense. Keep the skill monkey'ness of the bard, add in some grit deeds that make sense thematically(such as the quicker reload, or the mysterious strangers adding of cha to attacks(and possibly spell bullets? Might make them to powerful)
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The cool thing is how the class makes sense. As firearms effectiveness becomes more and more apparent, the chances of a bardish trickster mixing his talents in magic with the deadliness of a gun. Sort of like an arcane desperado, a man that manipulates his enemies into his lines of fire, and then finishes them off with bullets, blade or spells.
Another thing that's mostly fluff but might help with design elements. This is for a homebrew campaign setting I'm making with heavy magitech/steampunk elements in it. Guns will be moderately common but still a little expensive. The campaign itself will be set in the frontier, kind of wild west themed. Also going to be mixing in some elements from the Mass Effect D20. Going to probably pull some of the mass effect races, pathfinder'ize them a bit, and have them replace other races. Elves for example, will be replaced by Quarians, who are the cursed descendants of the ancient elves who have to wear special environmental suits to keep from falling to disease. They traverse the world, especially the new frontier as clans similar to gypsies, but with an affinity for magic and technology. Turians and Krogans will be descended from dragons and share heritage with kobolds and lizard folk, but will be socially similar to how they are presented. Asari will be an ancient race that controls the main empire. Still all female. Salarians will be a mostly servitor race to the Asari, intelligent and sneaky, often acting as scientists, spies, and courtiers. Their short lives ensure they don't get to overly ambitious. Drell will be desert/plains dwelling nomads that make knowledgeable scouts/guides on the frontiers, and fall into the rolls of body guards/assassins in more civilized climates. No Volus, Vorcha will be seen as similar to Goblins(fast breeding, tribal, primitive, and violent), and often times will work with goblins/orcs/ogres. Humans will be humans. Gnomes and Dwarves will be around doing their thing. Half Elves will be a race descended from ancient elves and humans, but have been around so long that they can maintain their own population now. Ancient Elves that aren't cursed are extremely rare, often living in their own isolated city states with minimal contact to the outside world. Thinking about adding Dromites from the Ultimate Psionics in, aswell as access to those classes. Also, thinking this empire might be multi world spanning, with the only true natives to this new planet being the Drell, Vorcha, Dromites, some monstrous humanoids(others being brought across by clandestine societies trying to carve their own kingdoms), and possibly the Vanara and Hanar. I should really just make this campaign world idea it's own topic. Maybe once I have more fleshed out.
Bumping this as I still want more help/input/ideas