Hey folks, pretty new to Pathfinder and I want to 'build' a unique and useful seafarer's weapon that might double as a tool: a monkey's fist/slungshot (basically a flail made from rope and a weight instead of chain and a spiked ball). Traditionally used as the end of a "heaving line" to throw a rope a long distance, it has also served as a deadly improvised weapon (and heavily-weighted ones are banned by most ports for legitimate safety reasons these days).
The Monkey Fist's Nasty Cousin - the Slungshot
For context, I'm refining a character that serves intermittently in an ongoing campaign as an occasional party member/semi-NPC (as my IRL work schedule and the campaign's story allows). He's a level 11 Buccaneer gunslinger (so dex-based combat), and a moderately renowned pira- privateer captain. In my current build, he's an excellent shot with some very fine guns, but combat experience has proved problematic - he's got a decent sword, but modest strength and all feats are currently geared for gunplay. As such, he proved next to useless after a few consecutive bad rolls broke both his guns early in a major fight. So, I'm wanting something that's both thematic and reasonably effective, without having to spend too much in the way of melee feats or skills to make it viable.
Here's what I'm thinking for stats for a basic Slungshot:
As a Martial Light Weapon (melee) - 1gp - 1d4 - x2 crit - 3 lbs - Bludgeoning - can Trip, easily Concealed
As a Simple Light Weapon (ranged) - 1d4 - x2 crit - 50 ft range - Bludgeoning
So, on its own, nothing amazing, but my thought was to take the Weapon Finesse feat to take advantage of my dex (around 18) for attack, and then enchant the item as Agile so I can add my dex bonus to damage. Would that together allow for it to make a meaningful contribution to a fight, if I have to resort to using it? It could be thrown in combat in a pinch, but it's intended to be kept in-hand. As a buccaneer, I might use it as an off-hand weapon in addition to a pistol, to take advantage of the free sword-and-pistol feat. Not sure if I want to give up a gun-specific feat for two-weapon-fighting since I'm primarily a ranged/RP character, but I dunno. Maybe I could have it do double-duty for dual wielding from a brace of pistols...
Now, I had another idea for it though - would the Anchoring enchantment potentially allow it to serve as a sort of "grappling hook" outside of combat? Could I bend a line to it and have it "stick" if it lands where I want it to? I guess that'd be a DM call, but I think it'd be immensely appropriate. Or, is there something else y'all can think of that that would otherwise make it useful in out-of-combat scenarios?
Unrelated: Is there any specific reason the "buccaneer" class is limited to Humans?
