Revised Gunslinger
Most warriors and combat specialists spend their years perfecting the classic arts of swordplay, archery, or pole arm tactics. Whether duelist or infantry, martial weapons were seemingly perfected long ago, and the true challenge is to master them.
However, some minds couldn’t stop with the innovation of the crossbow. Experimentation with alchemical components and rare metals have unlocked the secrets of controlled explosive force. The few who survive these trials of ingenuity may become the first to create, and deftly wield, the first firearms.
This archetype focuses on the ability to utilize powerful, yet dangerous ranged weapons. Through creative innovation and immaculate aim, you become a distant force of death on the battlefield. However, not being a perfect science, firearms carry an inherent instability that can occasionally leave you without a functional means of attack. This is the danger of new, untested technologies in a world where the arcane energies that rule the elements are ever present.
Should this path of powder, fire, and metal call to you, keep your wits about you, hold on to your convictions as a fighter, and let skill meet luck to guide your bullets to strike true.
Firearm Proficiency
Starting when you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with firearms, allowing you to add your proficiency bonus to attacks made with them.
Gunsmith
Upon choosing this archetype at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with Tinker’s Tools. You can use them to craft ammunition at half the cost, or repair damaged firearms. If materials are gathered, you can even craft firearms from the Firearms table using your Tinker’s Tools at half the cost. The materials needed are up to your DM's discretion.
Adept Marksman
When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you learn to perform powerful trick shots to disable or damage your opponents using your firearms.
Trick Shots. You learn three trick shots of your choice, which are detailed under “Trick Shots” below. Many maneuvers enhance an attack in some way. Each use of a trick shot must be declared before the attack roll is made. You can use only one trick shot per attack.
You learn an additional trick shot of your choice at 7th, 10th, 15th. Each time you learn a new trick shot, you can also replace one trick shot you know with a different one.
Grit Dice. You have four grit dice, which are d8s. A grit die is expended when you use it. You regain all of your expended grit dice when you finish a short or long rest. You gain another grit die at 7th level and one more at 15th level.
Saving Throws. Some of your trick shots require your targets to make a saving throw to resist the trick shot’s effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows:
Trickshot save DC
Quickdraw
When you reach 7th level, you add your proficiency bonus to your initiative. You can also stow a firearm, then draw another firearm as a single object interaction on your turn.
Hair Trigger
Upon reaching 10th level, when you roll initiative, you can use your reaction to expend one grit die and make a firearm attack against a creature within the normal range of your weapon. Add the grit die to the weapon's damage roll.
Lightning Reload
Starting at 15th level, you can reload any firearm as a bonus action.
Fastest Hand in the Realm
At 18th level, when you roll initiative and have any of your grit dice missing, you regain 1 grit die.
Hemorrhaging Critical
Upon reaching 18th level, whenever you score a critical hit on an attack with a firearm, the target additionally suffers half of the damage from the attack at the end of its next turn.
Trick Shots
These trick shots are presented in alphabetical order.
Bullying Shot
You can use the powerful blast and thundering sound of your firearm to shake the resolve of a creature. When you make a Charisma (Intimidation) check, you can expend one grit die and add the die to the roll.
Crushing Shot
When you hit a creature with a firearm attack, you can expend one grit die to attempt to harm their conviction. You add the grit die to the attack's damage roll, and the target must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, it suffers disadvantage on the next saving throw it makes before the end of your next turn.
Dazing Shot
When you make a firearm attack against a creature, you can expend one grit die to attempt to dizzy them. You add the grit die to the attack's damage roll, and the target must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, it suffers disadvantage on its attacks until the end of your next turn.
Deadeye Shot
When you make a firearm attack roll against a creature, you can expend one grit die to add it to the roll. You can use this trick shot before or after making the attack roll, but before any effects of the attack are applied.
Disarming Shot
When you hit a creature with a firearm attack, you can expend one grit die to attempt to shoot an object from their hands. You add the grit die to the attack's damage roll, and the target must make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, it drops an object its holding of your choice and that object is pushed 10 feet away from you.
Distracting Shot
When you hit a creature with a firearm attack, you can expend one grit die to distract the creature. You add the grit die to the attack's damage roll. The next attack roll against the target by an attacker other than you has advantage if the attack is made before the start of your next turn.
Forceful Shot
When you hit a creature with a firearm attack, you can expend one grit die to attempt to trip them up and force them back. You add the grit die to the attack's damage roll, and the target must succeed on a Strength saving throw or be pushed 15 feet away from you.
Piercing Shot
When you make a firearm attack against a creature, you can expend one grit die to attempt to fire through multiple opponents. On a hit, you add the grit die to the attack's damage roll, and you must then make an attack roll with disadvantage against every creature in a line directly behind the target within the normal range of your firearm. Only the initial attack can misfire.
Reactionary Shot
When a creature misses you with a melee attack, you can use your reaction and expend one grit die to make a firearm attack with advantage against the creature. If you hit, you add the grit die to the attack's damage roll.
Winging Shot
When you hit a creature with a firearm attack, you can expend one grit die to attempt to topple them. You add the grit die to the attack's damage roll, and the target must succeed on a Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.
Firearm Properties
Firearms are a new and volatile technology, and as such bring their own unique set of weapon properties. Some properties are followed by a number, and this number signifies an element of that property (outlined below). These properties replace the optional ones presented in the Dungeon Master’s Guide. Firearms are ranged martial weapons.
Reload. The weapon can be fired a number of times equal to its Reload score before you must use an action to reload it. If you can make more than one attack as part of the Attack action (such as from the Extra Attack feature), you can instead choose to reload the weapon in place of making an attack. You must have one free hand to reload a firearm.
Misfire. If make an attack roll with a firearm, and the dice roll is equal to or lower than the weapon’s Misfire score, the attack automatically misses as though you had rolled a 1 on the d20. Creatures who use a firearm without being proficient increase the weapon’s misfire score by 1.
Blunderbuss. As an action, you may make a ranged weapon attack with this weapon at each creature within a 15 foot cone. Only the initial attack can misfire. You cannot make attacks with this weapon except by using this action.
Ammunition
All firearms require ammunition to make an attack, and due to their rare nature, ammunition may be near impossible to find or purchase. However, if materials are gathered, you can craft ammunition yourself using your Tinker’s Tools at half the cost. Each firearm uses its own unique ammunition and is generally sold or crafted in batches listed next to the price.
Firearms
| Name | Cost | Ammunition | Damage | Weight | Range | Properties |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palm Pistol | 50gp | 1g (20) | 1d8 piercing | 1 lb. | (40/160) | Light, reload 2, misfire 2 |
| Pistol | 75gp | 2g (20) | 1d10 piercing | 3 lb. | (60/240) | Reload 4, misfire 2 |
| Musket | 75gp | 4g (20) | 1d12 piercing | 10 lb. | (120/480) | Two-handed, reload 1, misfire 3 |
| Pepperbox | 150gp | 2g (20) | 1d10 piercing | 5 lb. | (80/320) | Reload 6, misfire 3 |
| Blunderbuss | 300gp | 6g (20) | 2d8 piercing | 10 lb. | 15ft. Cone | Two-handed, reload 2, misfire 4, special |
New Feats
Listed below are new feats that can be added to your game if you choose to use the Revised Gunslinger alongside the optional feat rules from the PHB. These feats have been balanced against preexisting feats and as such should be perfectly fine for use in home games.
Akimbo
You master fighting with two firearms, gaining the following benefits:
- When you use the Attack action to attack with a one-handed firearm, you can use your bonus action to attack with another one-handed firearm that you're holding.
- You do not need a free hand to reload a firearm.
- You can draw or stow two one-handed firearms when you would normally be able to draw or stow only one.
Close Quarters Shooter
You excel at using firearms within close range of your enemies. You gain the following benefits:
- Being within 5 feet of a hostile creature doesn’t impose disadvantage on your attack rolls with firearms.
- You can treat firearms you wield as though their Reload property was 1 higher than normal.
- Attacking a prone creature with your firearm does not impose disadvantage on your attack roll when you are further than 5 feet from your target.
Firearm Specialist
You are adept at using guns effectively. You gain the following benefits:
- You gain proficiency with firearms.
- If you misfire on an attack with a firearm, you can use your reaction to reroll the d20. You cannot use this feature of this feat again until you complete a short or long rest.
- When you use the Attack action and attack with a one-handed weapon, you can use a bonus action to attack with a palm pistol you are holding.
Design Notes
What follows is a list of the changes this subclass makes from the original Gunslinger written by Matt Mercer. Each change will include a reason for the change alongside it.
Major Changes
Firearm Crafting and Properties
- You can no longer draft or create new firearms. The main purpose for the Revised Gunslinger is to simplify the subclass, and having ambiguous crafting rules with obviously broken rewards doesn't work towards that goal.
- The misfire property has been simplified. Having an arbitrary check that was near impossible to fail didn't feel fun. Additionally, the higher level a fighter got, the more likely they were to misfire and break their weapon, which doesn't make a ton of sense.
- The explosive property has been completely removed due
to the fact that the Hand Mortar has also been removed.
- The Blunderbuss has been completely reworked to be better in line with older versions of the weapon. The damage has been buffed, as it is no longer single target, though it doesn't scale with Extra Attack, helping its balance.
Trick Shots and Grit
- You now learn three trick shots instead of two, due to the fact that there are now more trick shots.
- You no longer learn a new trick shot at level 18, as one of the level 18 features of this subclass has been buffed significantly.
- Grit points no longer scale with Wisdom, and are instead grit dice. Having an additional stat to put points into while a Crossbow Battlemaster build could just use Dex wasn't fun whatsoever.
- Grit die cannot be regained from critical strikes or killing "significant threats." The rapid regeneration of grit does not work in the new system.
- You gain another grit die at 7th and 15th level, equaling the Battlemaster in terms of total dice.
- Every single trick shot has been reworded, buffed, replaced, or removed to work with the new grit die system.
- Deadeye Shot has been reworked to instead grant a bonus to the roll, rather than advantage. This works the same as Precision Strike from Battlemaster.
- Removed Violent Shot, as a flat damage buff was instead incorporated into most of the other trick shots.
- Added Crushing Shot, Distracting Shot, and Reactionary Shot to increase the trick shot options.
Subclass Features
- Replaced Rapid Repair with Hair Trigger, as repairing is no longer a mechanic.
- Replaced Vicious Intent with Fastest Hand in the Realm. The boosting of critical chance was made to work with the crit grit regain system, and is not applicable to Revised Gunslinger. Fastest Hand in the Realm instead works similarly to Battlemaster's capstone, but doesn't incentivize the burning of die like the latter.
Minor Changes
- The reload property has been reworded to better work with 5e terminology.
- Most firearm and bullet costs have been changed to help low level players actually play their subclass.
- The Rapid Repair feature has been reworded to specify a grit die rather than a grit point, and no longer references broken firearms.
- The Firearm Proficiency feature has been reworded to prevent redundancy.
- Changed some of the wording in the subclass's introductory lore that indicated you could craft firearms.
Final Words
This subclass should only be played when your DM is comfortable working guns into their world. Due to the removal of firearm crafting, you will have to find or buy your firearms, which could pose problems for your DM's world building. Be sure to communicate with the table about what you will be playing before you choose this subclass.
Thanks for reading!