I'm thinking of making a Gulch Gunner. I would like to not provoke attacks for reloading, but in order to gain grit, I'd like to provoke when I attack.
Can I choose not to use the feat if I feel like it would be more beneficial otherwise?
Whether you can choose to "turn off" a feat that's worded to give you some feature continuously is a matter of debate on the boards. Ultimately I think it has to be dealt with case-by-case on a RAI basis. In this case I vote that Yes, you can turn it off, because... err, because that feels right. Having trouble articulating why.
Advanced Firearms: Advanced firearms are chamber-loaded. It is a move action to load a one-handed or two-handed advanced firearm to its full capacity. The Rapid Reload feat reduces this to a free action.
Choose a type of crossbow (hand, light, heavy) or a single type of one-handed or two-handed firearm that you are proficient with. You can reload such a weapon quickly.
Prerequisite: Weapon Proficiency (crossbow type chosen) or Exotic Weapon Proficiency (firearm).
Benefit: The time required for you to reload your chosen type of weapon is reduced to a free action (for a hand or light crossbow), a move action (for heavy crossbow or one-handed firearm), or a standard action (two-handed firearm). Reloading a crossbow or firearm still provokes attacks of opportunity. If you have selected this feat for a hand crossbow or light crossbow, you may fire that weapon as many times in a full-attack action as you could attack if you were using a bow.
Normal: A character without this feat needs a move action to reload a hand or light crossbow, a standard action to reload a one-handed firearm, or a full-round action to load a heavy crossbow or a two-handed firearm.
Special: You can gain Rapid Reload multiple times. Each time you take the feat, it applies to a new type of crossbow or a new type of firearm.
Free actions don’t take any time at all, though there may be limits to the number of free actions you can perform in a turn. Free actions rarely incur attacks of opportunity.
So, reloading is free and doesn't provoke. Just shoot their face and provoke, but remember just because they can attack on an opportunity, doesn't mean their not smart enough not to. And expect your DM to always try to disarm you when doing so. So, locked gauntlet.
Best I got. I don't play with firearms.
Oh, if you go this route, you don't need the deed. But yes, you can declare your loading in an inefficient, nonchalant manner to which provokes; you can also declare your shooting him in a blatant obvious way to which would provoke. Kinda like pool sharking. You play crappy a few games, then when the stakes are right, rake in the dough.
But it says under rapid reload that "Reloading a crossbow or firearm still provokes attacks of opportunity."
Otherwise, thanks for the input! It is much appreciated!
Sorry. Overlooked that. Its one of those things. Just say I'm loading my firearm "deftly," but I'm "blatantly" firing. Standard operating procedure.