Gunslinger (5e Class)

## **The Gunslinger**

"When a bow ain't strong enough, and magic takes too long, an' some big ol' ogre's comin' to kill y'dead, you'd reckon you're dead as a doornail. But, if yer a gunslinger... That ogre's dead in less 'n' 2 seconds."

- Arfiscal Avis, Professional Gunslinger Bounty Hunter.

A gunslinger is a class that is like the lovechild between an archer, and a wizard. They use innate magic to improve their damage output, either directly or indirectly, actively or passively. Wherever they're a sniper hundreds of feet away, or a vigilante 10 feet away, they're a deadly force for all enemies to fear.

## **Playing a Gunslinger**

As a Gunslinger, your damage relies on you staying just behind the front lines, or even in the very far back, taking down key targets from afar with your mastery of both firearms, and a bit of magic.

### **Quick Build:**

You can make a Gunslinger quickly by following these suggestions. First, make your highest stat Dexterity, followed by Intellect. Second, choose either the Folk Hero or Soldier background, depending on which would fit your character more. Third, choose a firearm, a simple weapon like a shortsword, and a gaming set.

## **Creating a Gunslinger**

### **Requirements**

**Alignment:** Any

**Starting Age:** Moderate

**Race:** Any

### **Class Features**

As a Gunslinger you gain the following class features.

Hit Points
**Hit Dice:** 1d10 per Gunslinger level

**Hit Points at 1st Level:** 10 + Constitution modifier

**Hit Points at Higher Levels:** 1d10 (or 6) + Constitution modifier per Gunslinger level after 1st

Proficiencies
**Armor:** Light Armor

**Weapons:** Simple Weapons and Firearms

**Tools:** One Gaming Set

**Saving Throws:** Dexterity, Intellect

**Skills:** Choose 2 from Deception, Intimidation, Investigation, Perception, or Sleight of Hand.

Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

* (*a*) A firearm of your choice & a dagger
* (*a*) a Gaming Set
* (*a*) Studded Leather armor
* (*a)* 20 bullets for the firearm
* 6d6 (21) gold

### **Spells and Whatnot**

#### **Firearm Mastery**

At 1st level, you choose one of the following firearm masteries. At 11th level, you can choose another one.

##### **Revolvers**

You can dual wield Revolvers with no downsides.

##### **Snipers**

In the regular range of Snipers, you have advantage on attack rolls, and no longer get disadvantage in the long range.

##### **Shotguns**

Instead of firing three bullets, if an enemy is within 5 feet of you, you can instead fire directly into them, dealing double damage. (only one damage/attack roll, multiplied by 2)

#### **Maverick**

Beginning at 2nd level, 1/2 your level + your Intellect modifier times per day, you can choose to go last in the initiative roll for one round. When you do, your next regular shot against a target deals 1.5x damage. At 7th level, this is increased to 2x damage.

#### **Quick Reload**

Starting at 3rd level, reloading your firearm only costs a bonus action, instead of a regular action.

#### **Ability Score Increase**

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.

#### **Extra Attack**

Upon gaining 5th level you get the good shit.

#### **Path of the Gunslinger**

At 5th level, you choose a Path of the Gunslinger Archetype, which are featured at the bottom of this page.

#### **Warhead**

Beginning at 6th level, 1/2 your level + your Intellect modifier times per day, before you attack a target you may choose any element from the following list for your attack to do, for that turn: acid, fire, cold, necrotic, radiant, lightning, psychic, force. If you attack twice (e.g. double tap), you must use Warhead twice for both shots to deal elemental damage.

#### **Quick Adjust**

At 9th level, 1/4 your level + your Intellect modifier times per day, if you fail an attack roll, you can reroll it, adding your Intellect modifier to the roll.

#### **Headshot**

Starting at 11th level, each time you make an attack, roll a d10. If you roll a 10, if your attack roll hits, you get a guaranteed critical hit. If you already had rolled a critical hit, then add another die to the damage, as if you triple-critted. At 14th level, you get headshots on 9-10.

#### **Gunslinger's Grit**

At 13th level, whenever an enemy hits you with an attack, you gain +1 AC until the end of your next turn. This caps at +5 AC.

#### **Hawkeye**

At 17th level, if an attack roll of yours is 9 or lower, it is counted as 10.

#### **Enhanced Targeting**

At 18th level, 1/2 your level + your Dexterity modifier times per long rest, for any attacks or features that would cause you to only attack one target, you can instead target two different targets, spending twice the bullets and/or the uses.

## **Path of the Vigilante**

For some Gunslingers, they believe that the law and its officers are corrupt, and that they need to take the law into their own hands. These are Vigilantes. Most Vigilantes use Revolvers, and Shotguns.

#### **Quickdraw**

Starting when you choose this path at 5th level, when you roll initiative, you can quickly draw your gun, and make an attack with advantage on any target within your range. If this kills the target, then your next attack also has advantage.

#### **Justice Bullets**

Beginning at 10th level, 1/2 your level + your Intellect modifier times per long rest, you can add 1d8 radiant damage to your next shot, as a free action. If the target is the opposite alignment of yours, and resistant to radiant, this deals full damage anyways, and if they're immune, the radiant deals half.

#### **Fan the Hammer**

Beginning at 15th level, 1/2 your level + your Intellect modifier times per long rest, you can fire off all of your ammunition in your current clip, in a 20 ft. cone in front of you. You cannot crit with this feature, or make headshots.

#### **I t ' s H i g h N o o n**

At 20th level, Your Int Mod + 1 times per long rest, you can choose 6 targets within 60 ft. of you. You can either fire instantly to hit all targets, bypassing attack rolls, or wait 2 turns to crit on all of them. You still roll a d10 for a Headshot, using this ability. If it's high noon, this deals +1 damage. There are but two drawbacks. Your Movement speed is Halved, and enemies that can hear you and have an intellect higher than 3 knows that something's up.

## **Path of the Spellshot**

Some Gunslingers prefer to have magic at their fingertips, arcane energy pulsating throughout their bullets, to strike fear in the hearts of those unaware of their abilities. Any guns work well for Spellshots.

Below is a table for spell slots that Spellshots can have.

#### **Mage's Bullets**

Starting at 5th level, you have spell slots, as shown by the above table. You take spells from the Wizard spell list, and whenever you choose a spell, you permanently assign it to a slot. Whenever you level up, you may exchange spells with another.

**Spell save DC** = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier

**Spell attack modifier** = your Dexterity modifier + your Intelligence modifier

You can only get spells that either do damage, or force the target to make a saving throw. If the spell deals damage and requires a saving throw, the target hit by the bullet cannot make a saving throw.

#### **Piercing Spells**

Starting at 10th level, 1/2 your level + your Intellect modifier times per day, when you hit a target with a spell-imbued bullet, the spell damage will pierce through the target, going up to it's max range if it was casted regularly. (e.g. Magic Missile would still go 120 ft. until it hits another target.)

#### **Mana Tap**

Beginning at 15th level, for the cost of one spell slot, you can fire another shot, provided your clip still has one in it. For each slot above 1st, you can fire another bullet, up to 4 more bullets per turn.

#### **Hextech Mastery**

At 20th level, you can change spells each time you take a short or long rest. Additionally, 1/2 your level times per day, when you imbue a bullet with a spell, you can choose to cast it as if you were using a 5th level spell slot.

## **Path of the Marksman**

Silent, but deadly, a Marksman is a fearsome foe, able to kill at a distance with ease, and with precision. Snipers are a must-have gun, while either Shotguns or Revolvers work as a nice secondary.

#### **Future Targets**

Starting at 5th level, choose two humanoid races (e.g. goblinoids, orcs). You add your proficiency bonus to all damage rolls against those targets. At 10th, and 15th levels you can choose two more races. At 20th level, all humanoid races take this bonus damage.

#### **Aim Down Sights**

At 10th level, 1/2 your level + your Intellect modifier times per long rest, you can take steady aim at a target. While taking steady aim, you can only move up to 10 ft., and if a target hits you, you must make a DC (5 + damage taken) Constitution roll, or lose focus. If you keep focus, at the start of your next turn, you fire a guaranteed Headshot bullet, ignoring all AC.

#### **Fast Learning** **Headshots**

You gain the Headshot feature at 10th level, instead of 11th. You also gain Improved Headshot at 13th level, instead of 14th.

#### **Scope-like Oculation**

At 15th level, you have double the range on every gun attack and feature.

#### **Shadowbender**

At 20th level, 1/2 your level times per day, you can bend shadows around yourself and up to 2 targets within 30 ft. of you, giving yourself and chosen targets 1/2 cover no matter which location you are at, for 5 minutes. Additionally, targets shrouded by shadows have advantage on Stealth checks.