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| This is the way I play my gunslinger. Reach out and Kill someone! |
I have a confession: I LOVE the gunslinger class. There is something about it that just jives with me. To me though.. I don't see the class as the 'Blondie' character from all those Sergio Leonie movies but guys like Solomon Kane and the characters from The Three Musketeers, though with the addition of the Swashbuckler class from the Advanced Class Book there has been more drift towards that.
Let's look at the Pros vs Cons.
Pro:
-Martial Character: Good fort and ref saves. Good HP and BAB.
-Touch based attacks: Most definitely a plus. You can hit things a lot easier than most. Granted touch is typically only in the first increment but that can still be a ways. Most hand held guns are 30' range and muskets have 40', but with a distance weapon and the right deeds you can go out to as far as 100' as your touch attack, add in additional deeds and you can do the second and third increment easily. Not that you'll have many chances reach out that far.
-Class Deeds: A variety of ways to use your class and grit to help out. Like butt-stroke to knock down the guy that just moved up to stab you for shooting his buddy. Some are latent, requiring only that you have grit on hand; others require an actual expenditure of grit to pull off. Additionally, with the arrival of the Advance Class Guide, there are dares. A sorta 'reverse' deed. You get to use these when you run OUT of grit. And can till you earn grit back, you get a benefit and an additional way to earn grit back. Always a plus given you can't do stunts to earn grit in PFS.
Con:
-Table variance: Somethings will be interpreted differently. Such as reloading. Some GMs will allow some free actions and others will allow unlimited. Clarification: There is a discussion on how many free actions of the same type can be done. Such as using rapid reload to ensure that you can do a full attack action. Does Rapid shot apply to the 2nd weapon in two-weapon fighting, ect.
-Feat economy: Depending on what sort of build you're using, feats are going at a premium. Almost every GS will want PB/Precise Shot, then you go things like deadly aim, rapid reload (for each weapon), and the list goes on and on. Depending on your attack style you might need to get two-weapon fighting (and it's following feats), snap shot (ditto) and so on. This ties back to what you want to do and how you get it.
-Will Save: All martials have this problem but when you got an enhanced chance to hit anyone, your vulnerability to mind control/fear MUST be considered. Most of the gunslinger archetypes have this offset by a little given grit is typically wisdom-based. Things like Ring of the Sublime (Taldor book),
Seducer's Bane (Ultimate Equipment), and even just simply stocking up on Iron Will and/or a Cloak of Resistance can do a lot. If you play a multiclass gunslinger like me, your will saves can really suck.
-Weapon Focused Class: There is a problem when most of your class features hinge on a single weapon type. You can get into situations where that weapon isn't useful. Particularly when said weapon has a 5 to 15% chance to misfire. Expensive weapons. A sunder for a sword user is expensive, if it's magical even more so; but they can simply pick up an axe and keep most of their abilities. A gunslinger, already putting out a grand or more, is looking at being completely useless for many many levels if they lose their initial gun before they can replace it.
Playstyle:
How you play your gunslinger can be very relevant. It will set up your gear and feat selections. It also means you'll have to know how the rules apply to your combat style very well additionally, as not all GMs are happy with the gunslinger and aren't as sure of the rules concerning firearms as other facets of pathfinder.
-Sniper: This is the single shot musket wielder type of role. Standing off a ways and taking a shot at folks once at a time. Some things like deadly aim, vital strike and focused shot. You take a shot, maybe with a few additions, and hang back to help out by picking on casters with held actions. A musket is a nasty weapon to hit with. Can add a LOT to the concentration check of a caster.
-Pistol Packing M@#$-F@#$er: The guy who stays in close, popping off shots. The pistolero archetype is designed for this. You got up close and deadly to add in unavoidable damage, even a miss does half the UC&D damage. So you're sure to do something. Very feat intensive. but can do a lot. Snap shot makes for AoO fun with pistols, as could a dip into a Picaroon Swashbuckler.
-Two-gun packing momma/daddy: Focused on filling air with a hella of a lot of lead. These builds tend towards rapid shot, two weapon fighting and very little else. This is the one you hear about the horror stories about. Hails of lead from two guns in hand with hideous amounts of attacks in a round adding up to terrifhying amounts of damage that seem to kill everything the gunslinger looks at. This is sort of like Pistol Packer MFer.. but taken to an extreme. Everything is focused on putting a bullet storm into folks.
Feats to consider:
-Point Blank/Precise Shot: Duh,, a staple for most gunslingers. Adds damage for most short increments AND discard the shooting into melee penalty. NOTE: The precise shot feat isn't really that important to gunslingers. Kyrie, my gunslinger/alchemist, didn't get precise till 7th level and didn't have that much trouble hittiting targets in melee. Look on it as a feat tax you don't really need to worry about unless you want to ensure you hit EVERYTHING you shoot at.
-Deadly Aim: A good reason to get precise shot as while a -4 for shooting into melee isn't a challenge, a -6 to -MORE is. It allows you to get back up at the bonus damage the archer in the group is making with his strength bow. I know more than a few gunslingers who never every NOT use deadly aim in a fight after getting it.
-Two-Weapon Fighting (and on): Two pistol wields are big. You can do a sword and gun build but most of the builds go for MAOR guns. There are a few things that tie to this. Sword and Gun (Ultimate Combat) requires a LOT of feats: PB Shot, Rapid Shot, Snap Shot and Two-Weapon AND a +6 BAB.
-Rapid Shot: In and of itself, an extra shot with a -2 to hit who woudln't want it with a gun? You're typically hitting a lower AC and thus penalties aren't that big a deal.
Things to Buy/Get:
-Backup gun: FIRST major priority. Not the absolute priority but a back up gun is always useful. Because you never know when you'll encounter one of those sunder builds thar rarely occur in PFS but could make you cry.
-Powder Horns: Cause.. fire magic makes you cry, and explode.Stock up on them to ensure you don't get wet ammo.
-Endless bandolier: The ability to carry weapons, ammo, and ect in a bandlier is just neat. And helpful. Let's you radically reduce your weight and gives access to the weapons easily.
-Magic Ammo. At a premium. You'll have to buy in lots of 50 and thus you're going to need to figure out what you're really going to use. There is a specific boon out there, Custom Order, that lets you buy a specific order of ammo in lots of 10. Very handy.
Archetypes:
Gunslinger:
-Gun Tank:
-Musket Master:
-Mysterious Stranger:
-Pistolero:
Calvalier:
-Spellscar
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