Good gun-using PrCs?

Whizbang Dustyboots

Gnometown Hero
I was going to remake the Arcane Archer PrC as a gun-using prestige class for my home campaign, dumping the need for elvish blood and (naturally) including Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Firearm) into the requirements.

But man, it's boring, and although it's a magical PrC, I'm not sure I like turning the Hail of Arrows ability into a Hail of Bullets ability and giving instant reloads like that.

Are there any good gun-using PrCs out there? I've grabbed some of the PDFs that deal with the subject in the past, and they didn't really excite me with their flavor or their mechanics.
 

log in or register to remove this ad

The Iron Kingdoms has the pistoleer, and the rifleman. I have enjoyed using both, as well as their gun mage base class.
 

The gunslingers in Stephen King's fiction were a PRC until he retconned.

gunslingerprcla4.jpg
 

There is, of course, the other WotC archery PrCl out there- Order of the Bow Initiate. A few tweeks and voila!

AEG's Swashbuckling Adventures has a 5 level PrCl called the Rois et Reines Rifleman which isn't bad- it has boosts to range, offhand proficiency, and a few other bennies.

Have you checked out D20 offshoots like Northern Crown and Iron Kingdoms (I don't have them near me right now)? Both use firearms, so they should have something you can use.

Deadlands D20 doesn't have many, and they tend more towards equipment and non-gunfire related powers.

I'd imagine Sidewinder and Spycraft would also have something you could use.
 


What kind of guns are you using? Some time ago I fiddled around with guns in dnd and produced some interesting results (at least to me).

Personally, I don't like mixing the typical flintlock type guns in with dnd. I would prefer to use guns from the 1860's. But, Im not sure how that would play out. I think if revolvers and carbines were introduced to a dnd world, they would replace swords and armor as basic armament. So you'd have gunslingers and wizards, basically. Is there a game/setting that does that (without weird steampunk rules)?
 

Whizbang Dustyboots said:
You know, the Order of the Bow (minus the religion prerequisite) looks really close to what I'm looking for. Good call.

Getting rid of the religion prereq? That just doesn't seem right.

"My gun is my shepherd, I shall not want."

(The theme from Sledgehammer! is suddenly running through my head.)
 

Cthulhudrew said:
Getting rid of the religion prereq? That just doesn't seem right.

"My gun is my shepherd, I shall not want."

(The theme from Sledgehammer! is suddenly running through my head.)

For some reason guns + religion = Full Metal Jacket for me.
 

dog45 said:
What kind of guns are you using? Some time ago I fiddled around with guns in dnd and produced some interesting results (at least to me).
It's the Ptolus setting, so it's dragon pistols and such. (The technology PDF download Web enhancement for Chaositech at Montecook.com has a lot of them.) They're mostly flintlock types, but with fantasy/steampunk enhancements in some cases.

So far, the players haven't taken the Exotic Weapon Proficiency (other than in the pbp game here that you're in!), but the Midwood players just recovered an antique masterwork pistol from a haunted abbey and I'm expecting someone to get it cleaned and stick it in their belt as a back-up weapon soon.

Personally, I don't like mixing the typical flintlock type guns in with dnd. I would prefer to use guns from the 1860's. But, Im not sure how that would play out. I think if revolvers and carbines were introduced to a dnd world, they would replace swords and armor as basic armament. So you'd have gunslingers and wizards, basically. Is there a game/setting that does that (without weird steampunk rules)?
Spellslinger does it, as might some others.
 

Only one I'm aware of (besides the Gunslinger advanced class in D20 Modern), given my limited spending money, is my own prestige class the Gilden Fusilier, on my Rhunaria homebrew's page (as linked in my sig; the PrC is in the PrC section and the firearm rules are in the miscellaneous houserules section).

Not sure it'd fit what you're looking for, and it's definitely a bit strong as a PrC (but strongly limited by roleplaying matters in my setting; flintlock guns are new and rare, and the PrC requires involvement with the King's military and thus a certain degree of acceptance from the Royal Magi, if the Fusilier ever intends to acquire magical guns or magical bullets). Heavily gun-focused though; no real benefit from the class in melee, d6 hit dice, mediocre skills, and effectively neutered when lacking a loaded gun (and Rhunarian guns use some realistic rules for loading and firing; no Rapid Reload feat application, cannot be made masterwork (though magic enhancements are doable regardless), can't be fired more than once every 1-2 rounds, small chance of failing to fire (due to minor loading mistakes, more likely if nonproficient), takes longer to load if nonproficient, much more expensive and rare than most other mundane weapons, etc.).

Basically though, the PrC gains a few bonus feats for firearms use and shooting on the move, including Weapon Focus and Specialization in flintlock firearms at 4th-level, along with class features that aid in sniping, moving among treetops and other good sniping positions, reloading on the move, firing two guns at once, and imbuing firearms or bullets with minor, temporary enhancements once in a while.

I can't afford Ptolus, so I'm not sure what rules Monte Cook made for firearms in the setting, and thus I'm unsure if the Gilden Fusilier would be stronger with such firearm rules (as-is, I know it's balanced sufficiently for my Rhunaria setting, where wealth is less abundant than in the core, and adventurers aren't walking vaults).
 

Pets & Sidekicks

Remove ads

Top