Looking to build a gun-wielding robot builder.

[Loxsis Bale]

I want to make a human character that builds robots the perfectly mundane, non-magical, non-psionic, way and focuses on firearms to the exclusion of all other weapons. So far, I believe that a Sniper-specialist Technician is my best bet. If anyone can come up with a better class choice for this concept, I would love to see it.

[doc chaos]

Yup, that's what I'd go with.

[Isaac Zephyr]

Good for 3rd Party.

Keeping in first, I'd recommend maybe dipping into the campaign setting book Technology Guide and picking up an archtype and some of the feats.

[Loxsis Bale]

Problem is, I haven't been able to find a 1st party class or archetype that would allow non-spellcasting characters to make constructs, let alone robots.

[DeathlessOne]

The Master Craftsman feat will allow access to Craft Magic Arms and Armor, and Craft Wondrous Item feats for a non-magical character, though you still might have to get a caster level of 5 (maybe through a racial spell-like ability?) to qualify for Craft Construct.

[CloudCobra]

Loxsis Bale wrote:

Problem is, I haven't been able to find a 1st party class or archetype that would allow non-spellcasting characters to make constructs, let alone robots.

Yes and no. Robots (and constructs in general) are a real pain in the butt when it comes to making characters around that concept. You can't get around the Technology Guide because it has all the necessary feats specifically for robots. But the laboratories to build the robots with those feats are artifacts, so they are effectively only given by permission of the GM. You could technically take a character with Knowledge (engineering) in the 20+ range and create everything from the bottom up - turning the lodestones into magnets, creating copper wiring, building the coils, and so forth and so forth. In the end, though, you need the right character for it.

1) First take a Homunculist Alchemist (because they get the Construct building discovery right off the bat). You will need the following: Technologist feat, Craft Technological Item feat, Craft Technological Arms and Armor, Craft Robot [Iron Gods - The Divinity Drive, p.71), Craft (mechanical) 9 ranks, Knowledge (engineering) 9 ranks, and a robotics lab. I'd suggest the Gunslinger (Techslinger) or (Experimental Gunsmith). Consequently, you won't be creating robots until Level 9.

2) Here is a construct builder I came up with a while ago. But it was designed for a more steampunk (Alkenstar) setting. It's the only quasi non-spellcaster I've been able to cobble up since the Devs still can't seem to make up their mind whether Alchemists are actually magic wielders or not.

Spoiler:

Fighter (Opportunist + Trench Fighter)
Hit Die: d10
Starting Wealth: 5d6 x 10 gp (average 175gp.) In addition, each character begins play with an outfit worth 10 gp or less.

Class Skills
The fighter's class skills are Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Handle Animal (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (dungeoneering) (Int), Knowledge (engineering) (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Stealth (Dex), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str).

Skill Ranks Per Level: 2 + Int modifier.

Level BAB Fort Ref Will Special
1st +1 +2 +0 +0 Duplicitous, Underhanded
2nd +2 +3 +0 +0 Bonus feat
3rd +3 +3 +1 +1 Trench Warfare
4th +4 +4 +1 +1 Cunning Edge (Bombs)

Duplicitous (Ex)
An opportunist adds Bluff, Sense Motive, Sleight of Hand, and Stealth to his list of class skills. He gains 2 bonus skill ranks at each level, which must be allocated among these skills. This ability replaces bravery and alters the fighter’s class skills.

Underhanded (Ex)
An opportunist gains Improved Dirty Trick as a bonus feat at 1st level even if he does not meet the prerequisites. This ability replaces the bonus feat gained at 1st level.

Trench Warfare (Ex)
Starting at 3rd level, a trench fighter can select one specific type of firearm (such as a machine gun, revolver, or rifle). He gains a bonus equal to his Dexterity modifier on damage rolls when firing that type of firearm. Every 4 levels thereafter (7th, 11th, and 15th), the trench fighter picks up another type of firearm, gaining these bonuses for those types as well. Furthermore, when behind partial, normal, or improved cover, a trench fighter gains an additional +2 AC bonus from the cover. This ability replaces armor training 1, 2, 3, and 4.

Cunning Edge (Ex)
At 4th level, an opportunist can select an edge from those listed below. Every 4 levels beyond 4th, he can select one additional edge, to a maximum of five at level 20. This ability replaces the bonus feats gained at 4th, 8th, 12th, 16th, and 20th levels.

Bombs (Ex)
The opportunist can make a number of bombs per day equal to his Intelligence modifier (minimum 1). These bombs act as alchemist’s bombs and deal 1d6 points of fire damage, plus an additional 1d6 points for
every 3 fighter levels the opportunist has.

Investigator (Scavenger)
Hit Die: d8
The investigator’s class skills are Acrobatics (Dex), Appraise (Int), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Dex), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (all) (Int), Linguistics (Int), Perception (Wis), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), Stealth (Dex), and Use Magic Device (Cha).

Skill Ranks per Level: 6 + Int modifier
Extracts per Day
Level BAB F R W Spec. 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th
1st +0 +0 +2 +2 Gadgetry, 1 - - - - -
Mechanical Inspiration,
Trapfinding
2nd +1 +0 +3 +3 Jury-Rig, 2 - - - - -
Construct Mastery
Gadgetry (Su)
A scavenger is a master of mechanical arts rather than alchemical ones, and he gains a competence bonus on Craft (clockwork) checks equal to his class level. He can use Knowledge (engineering) to identify wondrous items as if using detect magic and Spellcraft. A scavenger does not gain any bonuses to or special uses of the Craft (alchemy) skill.

Rather than prepare his extracts as consumable liquids, a scavenger constructs small, single-use devices infused with bits of his own magic aura to achieve the same effects. Alchemist and investigator discoveries that affect extracts result in identical effects on a scavenger’s gadgets (such as the infusion discovery, which would allow another creature to use a gadget, just as it would allow that creature to use an extract).

This ability modifies alchemy.

Mechanical Inspiration (Ex)
At 1st level, a scavenger can use inspiration to apply a bonus to Appraise, Disable Device, and Knowledge (engineering) checks without expending a use of inspiration, but he must spend a use of inspiration to apply a bonus on Knowledge, Linguistics, and Spellcraft checks.

Inspiration can also be used on attack rolls and saving throws, at the cost of expending two uses of inspiration each time from the investigator’s pool. In the case of saving throws, using inspiration is an immediate action rather than a free action.

This ability modifies inspiration.

Trapfinding
An investigator adds 1/2 his level to Perception skill checks made to locate traps and to Disable Device checks (minimum 1). An investigator can use Disable Device to disarm magical traps.

Jury-Rig (Ex)
Beginning at 2nd level, a scavenger can sacrifice one of his gadgets to repair or enhance an adjacent mechanical device, such as a lock, trap, or vehicle. Doing so either repairs 1d6 points of damage per extract level of the gadget sacrificed or applies a bonus or penalty to one specific skill check involved in using the device. The scavenger could, for example, sacrifice a gadget to impose a penalty on all Disable Device checks to disarm a trap, add a bonus on all Disable Device checks to open a lock, or add a bonus on all Profession (driver) checks to drive a carriage.

This modifier is equal to twice the extract level of the gadget sacrificed, and lasts for 10 minutes per class level.

This ability replaces poison lore.

Construct Mastery (Ex)
At 2nd level, a scavenger gains a +2 bonus on all Craft checks to modify or repair creatures of the construct type, as well as a +2 bonus on all weapon damage rolls against constructs.

This ability replaces the investigator’s poison resistance and poison immunity.

Alchemist (Tinkerer, Vivisectionist)
Hit Die: d8
Class Skills

The alchemist’s class skills are Appraise (Int), Craft (any) (Int), Disable Device (Dex), Fly (Dex), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (arcana) (Int),
Knowledge (nature) (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), Survival (Wis), Use Magic Device (Cha).

Skill Ranks per Level: 4 + Int modifier

Extracts per Day
Level BAB F R W Spec 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th
1st +0 +2 +2 +0 Alchemy, 1 — — — — —
Sneak Attack 1d6,
brew potion,
Clockwork Bond,
throw anything
2nd +1 +3 +3 +0 Discovery, 2 — — — — —
Tinkering
3rd +2 +3 +3 +1 Sneak Attack 2d6, 3 — — — — —
swift alchemy
4th +3 +4 +4 +1 Discovery 3 1 — — — —
5th +3 +4 +4 +1 Sneak Attack 3d6 4 2 — — — —
6th +4 +5 +5 +2 Discovery,
Clockwork Familiar 4 3 — — — —
7th +5 +5 +5 +2 Sneak Attack 4d6 4 3 1 — — —
8th +6/+1 +6+6+2 Discovery, 4 4 2 — — —
Greater Tinkering
9th +6/+1 +6+6+3 Sneak Attack 5d6 5 4 3 — — —
10th +7/+2 +7+7+3 Discovery, 5 4 3 1 — —
Clockwork Upgrade
11th +8/+3 +7+7+3 Sneak Attack 6d6 5 4 4 2 — —
12th +9/+4 +8+8+4 Discovery 5 5 4 3 — —
13th +9/+4 +8+8+4 Sneak Attack 7d6 5 5 4 3 1 —
14th +10/+5 +9+9+4 Discovery, 5 5 4 4 2 —
Clockwork Mimicries

Level 1 Protector of the People
Racial Heritage (Ratfolk) {Human bonus}
Improved Dirty Trick {Fighter 1} BAB +1
Level 2 Point Blank Shot {Fighter 2} BAB +2
Level 3 Precise Shot {Fighter 3} BAB +3
Level 4 (Gain Craft Construct w/ golem done){Invest. 1} BAB +3
Level 5 Splash Weapon Mastery {Fighter 4} BAB +4
Level 6 Brew Potion, Throw Anything {Alchemist 1} BAB +4
Level 7 Two-Weapon Fighting {Investigator 2} BAB +5
Level 8 Tumor Familiar {Alchemist 2} BAB +6/+1
Level 9 Improved Two-Weapon Fighting {Alchemist 3} BAB +7/+2
Level 10 Infusion {Alchemist 4} BAB +8/+3
Level 11 Rapid Shot {Alchemist 5} BAB +9/+4
Level 12 Extend Potion {Alchemist 6} BAB +10/+5
Level 13 Greater Two-Weapon Fighting {Alchemist 7} +11/+6/+1
Level 14 Syringe Stirge {Alchemist 8} +12/+7/+2
Level 15 Master Craftsman {Alchemist 9} +13/+8/+3
Level 16 Material Mastery {Alchemist 10} +14/+9/+4
Level 17 Craft Wondrous Items {Alchemist 11} +15/+10/+5
Level 18 Spell Knowledge {Alchemist 12} +16/+11/+6/+1
Level 19 Craft Magic Arms and Armor {Alchemist 13} +17/+12/+7/+2
Level 20 Wings {Alchemist 14} +18/+13/+8/+3

Protector of the People (Story) {Horror Adventures, p.90)
You have vowed to construct a defender for your community.
Prerequisite: Your community has come under prosecution and
requires considerable defense, or you have the Raiders,
the Righting a Wrong, The War, or the Way Things Work background.
Benefit: You temporarily gain the Craft Construct feat for the
purposes of building one golem to satisfy the goal of the story feat.
You do not need to meet the prerequisites of the Craft Construct feat,
and it can't be used as a prerequisite for any other crafting endeavor.
Goal: Craft a golem of CR 5 or greater and donate it to your community
for its defense against persecution. You and your allies must fund
the construction, not the community. You must be significantly involved
in the golem's construction. After completion, this golem cannot be
used as a personal adventuring companion; it is the property of the
community to which it was dedicated. The donated creature must be a
golem and not another type of construct, such as an animated object.
Completion Benefits: You gain Craft Construct as a bonus feat without
meeting its prerequisites and can use it for any purpose. The cost to
build any construct that normally costs less than the cost of your
donated golem is permanently reduced by 10%; the cost of the base
materials is not reduced, however.

Hope this helps.

[Meirril]

Loxsis Bale wrote:

I want to make a human character that builds robots the perfectly mundane, non-magical, non-psionic, way and focuses on firearms to the exclusion of all other weapons. So far, I believe that a Sniper-specialist Technician is my best bet. If anyone can come up with a better class choice for this concept, I would love to see it.

I'm going to point out that creating robots is outside of the scope of the Iron Gods campaign in which Robots and Technology play a central role. By the time you have facilities capable of producing robots, the campaign is over. So if this is something you want as something other than just you're characters background and motivation you better make sure the GM is on board with what you want to accomplish and will make the appropriate facilities available to you. Like you should ask what would be necessary and if he's ok with it happening during the game.

You also need to talk about costs, considering none of the robots listed in the bestiary have listed gp amounts to create. If you can't come up with a system, I can't see you actually creating any robots.

[Mathmuse]

The following feat is available in the article, "Ecology of the Robot," in The Divinity Drive, the 6th module in the Iron Gods adventure path. Prerequisites marked TG are from the Technology Guide.

Craft Robot
You can build robots.
Prerequisites: Craft Technological Arms and ArmorTG, Craft
Technological ItemTG, TechnologistTG, Craft (mechanical) 9 ranks,
Knowledge (engineering) 9 ranks.
Benefit: You can create robots, provided you have access
to a robotics lab and the necessary materials. A robot’s price
is equal to its CR × 20,000 gp, and the cost to create one is
half this amount. Creating a robot takes 1 day for every 1,000
gp of its price. At the end of the process you must attempt a
single Craft (mechanical) skill check to finish the robot. Failing
this check means that the robot doesn’t function and the
materials and time are wasted. The DC for this skill check is
equal to 20 + the robot’s CR (minimum 21). A newly created
robot has average hit points for its Hit Dice.
Special: A robotics lab is required to craft robots and
uses 200 charges each day it is in operation. See page 16 of
Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Technology Guide for more
information on technological laboratories.

The gunslinger Boffin in my Iron Gods campaign was building robots before 9th level, due to a homebrew feat. Boffin was a nerdy dwarf, but she wanted Leadership to gain a robot pilot for her spaceship. I was already Going Wild with Technology in that campaign. We created a variant, Leadership of Robots, which let her recruit only robots. Finding friendly robots was rare, so I added that she could rebuild destroyed robots via her Craft Technological Items feat, but with their hit points and abilities reduced to CR 1/2. She could repair only as many robots as she could recruit as followers. It took a lot of electronic parts, too, which I let her scavenge from other broken robots.