Gunner?

[Azmodo]

What class would work best for a gunner character in 3.5? I haven't been able to find anything specifically made for a gun wielding character. The best I can come up with is a ranger, but that doesn't seem ideal.

[gorfnab]

What class would work best for a gunner character in 3.5? I haven't been able to find anything specifically made for a gun wielding character. The best I can come up with is a ranger, but that doesn't seem ideal.
Does it have to be a gun or can you maybe use a crossbow?

One level Targeteer Fighter ACF (Drag #310) gives you some interesting crossbow options. Choose Hand Crossbow and Great Crossbow as your exotic weapons. Choose Arrow Swarm as your Targeteer ability. You'll need the Hand Crossbow Focus (DoTU) feat and you'll eventually want the feats Crossbow Sniper (PHB II) and Dead Eye (Drag #304). The weapon you'll want for this setup is a +1 Aptitude (ToB) Great Crossbow (RoS). If you can get Strongarm Bracers (MIC) then you can wield a Large size Great Crossbow. Other than this you'll want the standard range weapon based feats Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Rapid Shot, etc. For additional class look into sources of precision damage (sneak attack, skirmish).


What about adapting some of the archery options that are available?
Toxophilite - The Archery Handbook (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?269705-Toxophilite-The-Archery-Handbook)
The Archery Handbook (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?PHPSESSID=arj3lt40mohs5o5k6alee9nq71&topic=2892.0)
KSB Snow Owl's Archer Build Thread (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=194.0)
Swift Hunter Handbook (http://dictummortuum.blogspot.com/2011/09/swift-hunters-handbook.html)

[Inevitability]

I made a Junkrat adaption for the Villainous Competition you may like: it's in my sig.

[Firest Kathon]

Backport the Pathfinder Gunslinger (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/gunslinger).

[BearonVonMu]

Where are you finding the guns for your character to use? Wherever that is would probably have some sort of class to use them effectively.

[Vizzerdrix]

Where are you finding the guns for your character to use? Wherever that is would probably have some sort of class to use them effectively.

Most likely either the dmg or a faerun book. Neither has any support.

[Eisfalken]

What class would work best for a gunner character in 3.5? I haven't been able to find anything specifically made for a gun wielding character. The best I can come up with is a ranger, but that doesn't seem ideal.

Take thug fighter from UA.

There's loads of good feats for firearms even in the regular rules. Blind-Fight, Point Blank Shot, Far Shot, Precise Shot, Improved Precise Shot, and Improved Initiative are there in the main book. Penetrating Shot from PH2 is great for making line attacks. Complete Warrior has Ranged Disarm, Ranged Pin, Ranged Sunder, and Sharp-Shooting. Dragon Compendium has Dead Eye (lets you add Dex bonus to ranged damage). If you want some rogue-like skills, try Heroes of Battle for Guerilla Scout and Guerilla Warrior, and take Ready Shot to do an "aimed shot" that does good bonus damage. Races of the Wild has Able Sniper (ranged attack bonus plus bonus on Hide checks to stay hidden).

You may want to dip rogue for sneak attack, and get certain extra things like Flick of the Wrist, Staggering Strike, and a few useful ambush feats.

[DMVerdandi]

Use modern firearms at the back of the DMG.

Pick T1 class of choice. Pick Smiting Spell Metamagic. Choose spells that increase your ability to perform ranged attacks...Profit.

Divine T1 classes may be better than Arcane at some things. Zen Archery would also allow for pretty decent WIS ability optimization.

Archivist would be good, but so would an Artificer , a Spontaneous Divination Wizard, or an Dragon 319 Erudite (Spell to power).

[Eisfalken]

Use modern firearms at the back of the DMG.

Pick T1 class of choice. Pick Smiting Spell Metamagic. Choose spells that increase your ability to perform ranged attacks...Profit.

Divine T1 classes may be better than Arcane at some things. Zen Archery would also allow for pretty decent WIS ability optimization.

Archivist would be good, but so would an Artificer , a Spontaneous Divination Wizard, or an Dragon 319 Erudite (Spell to power).

So, basically, you're just telling him to throw the firearms in the nearest garbage can and play yet another T1 spellcasting powerhouse whose spells/powers/whatever are ten times better than any gun.

[ShurikVch]

I suggesting Psychic Warrior (or Ardent with Justice mantle) - because of access to Call Weaponry (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/callWeaponry.htm) power; it will allow to mitigate high cost of ammo, and even to summon machine guns and cannons; because both classes are Wis-based, Zen Archery is a must

[Gemini476]

The main reason you can't find much in the way of 3E gunners is because WotC decided to mostly just keep that stuff in d20 Modern. They also didn't import any of the old settings that used guns - Red Steel, Hollow World, etc. - so the "standard" D&D they made products about didn't really have any guns that those hypothetical gunners could use.

Unfortunately from what I've heard d20 Modern isn't too good, though, so I don't know if that would help you much (if at all).

[Firest Kathon]

Beyond the Gunslinger (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/gunslinger) class, Pathfinder has support for both "classical" (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/equipment---final/weapons/firearms) and futuristic (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/equipment---final/weapons/technological-weapons) guns.

[Fizban]

Your choice of Crusader, Swordsage, or Warblade, using the Black Rain (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?99529-The-Sublime-Gunslinger-s-Art-Black-Rain-Discipline&p=5471518) discipline to make your guns relevant.

Alternatively or additionally, seek out Sorcery and Steam (http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/498/Legends--Lairs-Sorcery--Steam?it=1), which has rules for old firearms that aren't garbage (I've suggested them in at least half a dozen threads by now, arguing at length). Their musketeer class isn't much better than any other 3rd party base classes (which are 90% wizard variants or garbage*), but it does the important job of rushing you through the reload feats faster than you could do with plain fighter so you can master guns in time to PrC out or switch to a martial adept without losing too much ground.

*See Sturgeon's Law: 90% of everything is garbage.

[ShurikVch]

Note: guns are just a sort of weapon; you don't need special "Gunner" class anymore than special "Swordman" class to use swords

Thus, take a level in Exotic Weapon Master - for Close-Quarters Ranged Combat;
if you gonna use cannons a lot - Master Siege Engineer;
to craft your one powder - Lesser Planetouched Shyft (Fiend Folio) with Craft Wondrous Item at 1st level, maybe dip in Alchemist Savant to craft faster;
Dancing/Raging Mongoose maneuvers don't specify melee attacks

[ExLibrisMortis]

Totemist with Manticore Belt is pretty gun-like.

Unseen Seer with telekinesis can do serious burst damage, depending on how you read SA-on-spell rules.

[Tarvus]

What class would work best for a gunner character in 3.5? I haven't been able to find anything specifically made for a gun wielding character. The best I can come up with is a ranger, but that doesn't seem ideal.

Honestly most archery builds will be fine and apply to you. A large portion of the relevant feats refer to "ranged weapons" rather than specifically bows or crossbows, so all you have to do is check the specific wordings of the relevant feats to make sure they apply.

I'd start with the Archery Handbook (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=642.0) for builds.

That said, I think your main issue won't be your build, but in your equipment. A lot of the good ranged focused enchantments, like Splitting, are explicitly limited to bows or arrows. What equipment are you using?

Besides the DMG's limited selection, a good source is Dragon #321's rules and stats for Gunpowder weapons (notably the Breachloading weapon mod, the Gunman's bandolier and the Blunderbuss) and theres also gun like items like Vulcanian Thunder Club from Dragon #304 or the Sand Blaster from one of the Monster Manuals.