Useing Scribe scroll to imbue spells in ammo instead of a parchment?

[valise]

Greetings all. I wanted to get your all's input on an idea i had. I am a big fan of the gun mage from iron kingdom. I like the theory behind the spellslinger, just not the execution of it. I have a gestulted gunslinger/wizard. I would like the input of all the giants out there on being able to use the feat scribe scroll, normally used for nothing more then making some quick coin. To putting it into a long term practical use. Such as being able to inscribe the ammo with the spell that would of normally go onto a scroll.

My char as i mentioned is a wizard gunslinger. the archtype for gunslinger is a musket master, instead of musket he is using a rifle.

Yes i now it would be up to the DM but i wanted others input also. I personally think it would be rather fun being able to imbue a metal cartridge for my rifle with a varying degrees of spells ranging from lvl 1 to 9.

[Troacctid]

Complete Arcane actually has rules for this starting on page 137.

[valise]

Thank you much. I honestly forgot about that in the Complete Arcane. I havent touched 3.5 in a great number of years. As it reads i would allow that ruling as a DM even though it is from a 3.5 book. What about the rest of you all out there?

[Tohsaka Rin]

Sure, just so long as the cartridge was specifically a blank.

Being able to use a scroll AND make a gun attack at the same time seems too good.

[valise]

I had thought about that. Something i am going to discuss with several DM's that i know when i can get a hold of them. In general I am personally welling to allow both the spell effect from inscribing the bullet along with the base damage from the bullet its self. The rifle honestly does not do a lot of damage, not in and of them selves. Yes with about half a dozen feats dedicated to ranged combat feats the damage can be upped a good chunk, though still in the long run under a regular blaster wizard or dedicated melee combat. A wizard will only become a serious threat to taking over the damage lead if he has the time to sit down and inscribe a large amount of ammo with spells.

[Tohsaka Rin]

Considering that hitting with a melee attack AND a spell is the domain of a base class (duskblade, I think?) and an entire PrC (Spellsword, I'm pretty sure), giving away class abilities for basically free doesn't jive well with me.

And you wanna give it a ranged attack, too? Sheesh.

[Jack_Simth]

Yes i now it would be up to the DM but i wanted others input also. I personally think it would be rather fun being able to imbue a metal cartridge for my rifle with a varying degrees of spells ranging from lvl 1 to 9.Fun, yes... but there's a couple of catches:

1) Normally, you're limited to one spell per round. Quicken spell gets you a second (at a significantly reduced level). If this flies, though, there's pretty good odds that someone at the table will ask about iterative attacks using this sort of ammo. That'll likely lead to the question of dual-wielding revolvers with this sort of ammo. No. Just... no.

2) Part of the normal problem with scrolls is that you need to fetch each one as you use them. You're using a rifle. That comes with a multiple round clip in most cases. You're reducing the action cost of using scrolls fairly meaningfully. That's bad for game balance.

So when proposing a house rule about it... you'll want to figure out how to address those.

[DrMotives]

This reminds of an anecdote I heard about a wizard PC who inscribed his spells on ammo. But he wasn't a gunslinger, he was a golfer. The spells were on balls, and he carried a bag of clubs to launch them with.

[Troacctid]

One of the key properties of variant-style magic items is that they still have the same activation time and key properties of the original item. If the normal scroll requires a standard action to use, so will a bullet-scroll. It would use the normal range and area for the spell (you couldn't shoot someone 50 feet away with a bullet-scroll of a touch-range spell), it would provoke attacks of opportunity, and you'd still need to meet the same requirements (either having the spell on your class list, or making a Use Magic Device check) as for a normal scroll.

If you change that, you've left the realm of scrolls, and the bullets can no longer be priced as scrolls or crafted with the Scribe Scroll feat. Specifically, if they're still doing normal bullet damage, they are magic ammunition, and would require Craft Magic Arms and Armor instead.

[valise]

-nods understandingly- I appreciate your all's input on this. I see the points and agree. It was just an idea. Lucky there is away to still pull this off and follow what has been mentioned. He is after all a gestalt wizard gunslinger. take craft wondrous item then craft magic arms and armor. From there use the magic crafting rules for the ammo. and he reloads all the same as a standard musket master does.

I greatly appreciate your all's input, its insightful. I had thought this might be the case but figure i would pitch the idea of using the scribe scroll feat. I have no objection of going the longer and more expensive route to craft custom magical ammo and stock pile the ammo till a truly frightening BBEG shows up.

[Crake]

Just go a spell slinger mage? They can make spell storing bullets.

[valise]

thought about the spellslinger but they really don't due what i truly want, and this way there is no draw backs, just bonuses. Taking the extra feats is a bonus as i can still make money off the gear i enchant for the group and what i sell.