Hey all,
I've played PF1E for quite a while but I'm pretty inexperienced with PF2E. I recently joined a group that was playing a PF2E RotRL campaign and they were level 19, so I made a defensive/shield-based Champion and I've been having a lot of fun with that. I joined this group back in August, and that's pretty much all of my PF2E experience. We're now level 20 and we're expecting that the campaign will be over in roughly ~1 month-ish. Anywho, I've decided that for the next campaign that I'd like to play a Gunslinger Way of the Sniper, and I've come up with a planned build to level 20 (because we will be going to level 20, but we'll be starting at level 3). Anywho, I'd like some advice from the Gurus.
With this character, I'd like to shift gears a bit from defensive-based to offensive-based. My goal for this character is to be a stealthy/nimble guy with a lot of Get-out-of-jail free cards and hits like a Mac truck who acts as an "I got an app for that"-esque character to support my party with Alchemy/Potions and Crafting/Inventing. We are playing with the Free Archetype rule.
We have 5 players, and I have no idea what classes the others are planning on making.
The setting is going to be a homebrew world that is very "anti-magic-y", where magic users are not only rare, but hunted. This world is also void of 7-11's and Quickie Marts, so buying ammo from a proper shop is going to be a luxury, that's why I'm taking Munitions Crafter as my starting Gunslinger Feat, plus it gives me Crafting and Alchemy Crafting for free. There are a specific race of monsters called Devourers that exist here that can "sniff" out magic for hundreds of miles whenever it is casted, and if they show up then they kill everything and absorb the magic - these Devourers are incorporeal and can fly extremely fast. The GM is going to be doing % rolls anytime someone uses magic, and he has already said "if they show up, expect several deaths or even a TPK". There is also a consortium of "witch hunter"-like Zealots who actively hunt down magic users and kill them, as to prevent these Devourers from showing up and decimating their towns/cities. You *can* use magic here, but if you do you're going to get noticed. Anywho, I want to tempt fate with this Gunslinger and go into the Shadowdancer archetype for a couple of shadow-based Focus Spells that I can use if poop hits the proverbial fan.
My GM has also asked me if I want to take on an additional project of Kingdom Building to make an empire in this world, so I think I want to build an Empire that ends up being a bastion for magic users, and figure out some way of fighting off the Devourers. So since Shadowdancer requires Performance, I'm going to take Performance to Legendary and Impressive Performance to Make An Impression in lieu of Diplomacy, and be really good at swaying crowds and making speeches for this kingdom-building thing.
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Level 1
Ancestry: Human
Ability Boosts: Dex +2, Int +2
Ability Boosts: Str +2, Dex +2, Con +2, Int +2
Versatile Heritage: General Feat--> Natural Ambition (Hit the Dirt!)
Ancestry Feat: General Training (Fleet)
Background: Hired Killer
Ability Boosts: Str +2, Dex +2
Gunslinger's Way: Sniper
Slinger's Reload: Covered Reload
Initial Deed: One Shot, One Kill
Gunslinger Feat: Munitions Crafter
Alchemy Formula Book: Acid Flask (Lesser), Quicksilver Mutagen (Lesser), Tanglefoot Bag (Lesser), Thunderstone (Lesser)
Ability Boost: Dex +2
Skills 3 + Int Mod (2)
Lore: Underworld T (free - Hired Killer background)
Stealth T (free - Hired Killer background)
Crafting T (free - Munitions Crafter)
Crafting (Alchemy) T (free - Munitions Crafter)
Athletics T
Acrobatics T
Deception T
Performance T
Survival T
Starting Ability Scores:
Str 14
Dex 18
Con 12
Int 14
Wis 10
Cha 10
I'll be starting off with an Arquebus, so I need 14 strength for Kickback.
Level 2
Gunslinger Feat: Fake Out
Skill Feat: Quick Repair
Free Archetype: Sniping Duo Dedication
Level 3
General Feat: Quiet Allies
Skill Increase: Stealth E
Level 4
Gunslinger Feat: Alchemical Shot
Skill Feat: Specialty Crafting (Alchemy)
Sniping Duo: Triangulate
Level 5
Ancestry Feat: General Training: Diehard
Skill Increase: Performance E
Ability Boosts: Dex, Con, Wis, Cha
Level 6
Gunslinger Feat: Sniper's Aim
Skill Feat: Impressive Performance
Sniping Duo: Targeted Redirection
Level 7
General Feat: Swift Sneak
Skill Increase: Stealth M
Level 8
Gunslinger Feat: Grit and Tenacity
Skill Feat: Foil Senses
Free Archetype: Shadowdancer Dedication
Level 9
Ancestry Feat: General Training (Virtuosic Performance: Dance)
Skill Increase: Crafting E
Advanced Deed: Vital Shot
Level 10
Gunslinger Feat: Called Shot
Skill Feat: Magical Crafting
Ability Boosts: Dex, Con, Wis, Cha
Shadowdancer: Shadow Magic (Focus Pool: 1) Shadow Jump
Level 11
General Feat: Fane's Escape
Skill Increase: Crafting M
Level 12
Gunslinger Feat: Shooter's Camouflage
Skill Feat: Inventor
Shadowdancer: Additional Shadow Magic (Focus Pool: 2) Dance of Darkness
Level 13
Ancestry Feat: Advanced General Training (Impeccable Crafting)
Skill Increase: Performance M
Level 14
Gunslinger Feat: Dance of Thunder
Skill Feat: Nimble Crawl
Free Archetype: Acrobat Dedication (Acrobatics E, M)
Level 15
General Feat: Craft Anything
Skill Increase: Crafting L
Ability Boosts: Dex, Con, Wis, Cha
Greater Deed: Ghost Shot
Acrobatics become L automatically from Acrobat Dedication
Level 16
Gunslinger Feat: Hair Trigger
Skill Feat: Kip Up (Free Action)
Sniping Duo: Tag Team
Level 17
Ancestry Feat: General Training (Virtuosic Performance (Oratory))
Skill Increase: Performance L
Level 18
Gunslinger Feat: Deflecting Shot
Skill Feat: Legendary Performer
Sniping Duo: Vantage Shot
Level 19
General Feat: Legendary Sneak
Skill Increase: Stealth L
Level 20
Gunslinger Feat: Slinger's Reflexes
Skill Feat: Undecided
Ability Boosts: Str, Dex, Wis, Cha
Shadowdancer: Shadow Master
Ending Ability Scores:
Str 16
Dex 22
Con 18
Int 14
Wis 18
Cha 18
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I want to use Magical Crafting (at level 10) to start crafting Potions of Haste, Fly, etc. for my group, and I also want to use crafting to invent things. One of the first things I want to invent is an "Automatic Foxhole Machine" where I can set it up and it 1) creates cover and 2) starts digging to make the foxhole bigger each round. I also want to invent a "Folding Alchemy Lab" that folds into a small, easily-transportable box and then I press a button and it turns into a fully equipped Alchemy station, so I can make my alchemical ammo and potions even when I'm out in the middle of nowhere, or I can even fold this thing out while I'm in my foxhole and make something in an emergency.
Any and all feedback/advice is welcome, thanks :)
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I'm not gonna go through every line of feats, but it largely looks like you're making the right decisions. My one hesitation: it looks like you're not getting darkvision until level 8 with the shadow dancer. I'd highly suggest either snagging if earlier or keeping some darkvision elixirs on hand. Needing a light source is a huge giveaway for a sniper. Whether that will matter will depend on your campaign, but... Most campaigns involve going into a pitch black cave eventually.
Tanglefoot bag probably doesn't do much for you. If you want to save money in the long run, I'd put black powder ammo into your book - being able to make free bullets is nice (and also saves on bookeeping). If your GM doesn't care about tracking mundane ammo I'd probably still replace it with another bomb. Also note that Quicksilver Mutagen cannot be produced using Munitions Crafter (it isn't a bomb or ammo). The mutagen is also the same bonus type as runes anyways (it's generally one point higher at a given level, but).
The alchemists tools item is sufficient for Advanced Alchemy and is already portable - they fixed the oddity of "I need to transport a giant lab with me" with that.
Good advice, I've updated my char sheet and replaced Tanglefoot Bag with Black Powder. My GM does care about me tracking my mundane ammo, so this is a good change.
As far as Quicksilver Mutagen, I should be able to craft that with Crafting (Alchemy) right? I'm mainly wanting QS Mutagen as a self-buff for challenging BBEG fights, or in fights where I think I need the extra + to hit.
I'm not gonna go through every line of feats, but it largely looks like you're making the right decisions. My one hesitation: it looks like you're not getting darkvision until level 8 with the shadow dancer. I'd highly suggest either snagging if earlier or keeping some darkvision elixirs on hand. Needing a light source is a huge giveaway for a sniper. Whether that will matter will depend on your campaign, but... Most campaigns involve going into a pitch black cave eventually.
Yeah, I agree that having a torch is a bad idea for a sniper, but I also kinda think it might be a waste to get Gloomseer at level 1 and Darkseer at level 5 if I'm getting Greater Darkvision at level 8. Is there a cheap and easy way of getting Low-light or Darkvision prior to level 8 that doesn't cost me feats?
Tanglefoot bag probably doesn't do much for you. If you want to save money in the long run, I'd put black powder ammo into your book - being able to make free bullets is nice (and also saves on bookeeping). If your GM doesn't care about tracking mundane ammo I'd probably still replace it with another bomb. Also note that Quicksilver Mutagen cannot be produced using Munitions Crafter (it isn't a bomb or ammo). The mutagen is also the same bonus type as runes anyways (it's generally one point higher at a given level, but).
The alchemists tools item is sufficient for Advanced Alchemy and is already portable - they fixed the oddity of "I need to transport a giant lab with me" with that.
Good advice, I've updated my char sheet and replaced Tanglefoot Bag with Black Powder. My GM does care about me tracking my mundane ammo, so this is a good change.
As far as Quicksilver Mutagen, I should be able to craft that with Crafting (Alchemy) right? I'm mainly wanting QS Mutagen as a self-buff for challenging BBEG fights, or in fights where I think I need the extra + to hit.
I'm not gonna go through every line of feats, but it largely looks like you're making the right decisions. My one hesitation: it looks like you're not getting darkvision until level 8 with the shadow dancer. I'd highly suggest either snagging if earlier or keeping some darkvision elixirs on hand. Needing a light source is a huge giveaway for a sniper. Whether that will matter will depend on your campaign, but... Most campaigns involve going into a pitch black cave eventually.Yeah, I agree that having a torch is a bad idea for a sniper, but I also kinda think it might be a waste to get Gloomseer at level 1 and Darkseer at level 5 if I'm getting Greater Darkvision at level 8. Is there a cheap and easy way of getting Low-light or Darkvision prior to level 8 that doesn't cost me feats?
Elixirs of darkvision maybe? Not sure how frequently you'll need it.
Is there a cheap and easy way of getting Low-light or Darkvision prior to level 8 that doesn't cost me feats?
I was trying to avoid Goggles of Night since you'll eventually not need them... But you can always sell them, hand them to another party member, or just use them for the item bonus.