
Claxon |

I don't see the need for "whichever comes first". It says "it reduces the misfire value of the firearm by 1 for 1 hour or until the firearm is discharged".
So it kind of has "whichever comes first" built into the phrasing of the sentence. Or until discharged means that the oil's effect lasts up to 1 hour, or until discharged (fired once).
It's good for one shot, provided you make that shot within one hour from when you apply the oil.
But to be clear, it's 26 gp per shot for two handed weapons (they only get 10 shots per bottle) or 13 gp per shot for one handed weapons (they get 20 shots). At high levels, you're biggest problem isn't the cost but the fact that you're firing 5+ shots a round. You're not going to benefit from this oil multiple times a combat without wasting rounds reapplying it.

Java Man |

The other reading I can see is that it lasts for one hour, or one shot if you don't use it within the hour. The price looks way to low for that however.
Since it takes 1 minute to apply you won't be using it mid fight. So for a few gold and the effort to write it down and record it you get to reduce your misfire chance by 1 for the first shot of every fight. Not too exciting.
Context: a couple of my players have asked about adding firearms to our game and I am looking over rules, equipment, classes and what not to decide how I want to proceed.

vhok |
The other reading I can see is that it lasts for one hour, or one shot if you don't use it within the hour. The price looks way to low for that however.
that's some weird english your using friend. that is clearly not what is written. 1hour OR first shot. that literally means whichever comes first.

Claxon |

Context: a couple of my players have asked about adding firearms to our game and I am looking over rules, equipment, classes and what not to decide how I want to proceed.
If none of them have the gunslinger class then firearms are pretty terrible and your game wont have any problems from introducing firearms.
If any of them do take the gunslinger class be careful. They could just make a normally effective ranged martial character, or they could build an exploitative two weapon fighting, dual one-handed firearm, 8+ shots a round against touch AC monster that will ruin encounters.

Derklord |

Java Man wrote:If none of them have the gunslinger class then firearms are pretty terrible and your game wont have any problems from introducing firearms.Context: a couple of my players have asked about adding firearms to our game and I am looking over rules, equipment, classes and what not to decide how I want to proceed.
There are plenty of ways to make firearms very strong on non-Gunslingers.
The Shadowshooting enchantment, getting a Shadowcraft fiream, and the Spell Cartridges feat can grant free action that doesn't require hands.
The Reliable or Greater Reliable weapon enchantments and having the firearm be crafted by someone with the Create Enhanced Firearm feat can remove misfires.
And that's early firearms, of course. Advanced firearms utterly warp the game so hard that they effectively remove all other weapons from the game.

Melkiador |

There are plenty of ways to make firearms very strong on non-Gunslingers.
Very strong is overselling it. And almost all of those options are very expensive in gold and/or requirements.
But yeah, if you just want to be adequate with a firearm, there are ways other than just being a gunslinger. But all of them take heavy investment, and don't really come online until later. Of course, firearms themselves are fairly expensive too.
So unless you are just dropping firearms in the treasure, the party won't be able to make much out of them until later in the game, where other options can be at least as beneficial.