To make and flavor a "gunslinger"

[Dudewithknives]

Ok guys, you have been pretty helpful in the past when it came to helping me flesh out a character, now for the fun part.

I will be playing in a new campaign soon, and I am going to be playing a Warlock.

I talked with the GM about some refluffing of some things to make it more thematic.

I will be going with a Warlock of the Raven Queen, who carries a "pistol" as his main weapon.
The pistol is actually just my spell focus, it does not shoot bullets or anything.
My studded leather armor is a long thick leather cowboy duster, and my Sentinel Raven is the creepy bird on my shoulder.

Refluffed mechanic:

I will be going pact of the blade, with a small change.
I can use my Spell Focus "Pistol" as my pact weapon.
All it does however is give me the ability to call it to my hand like a normal pact weapon, and if I take the new Pact of the Blade invocations to give it a +1, +2, or +3 it gives me the bonus to my ranged spell attack and damage rolls like a ranged weapon would.
However, because the focus itself can not really be used to attack, I get no use out of Thirsting Blade or Life Drinker.
Essentially all I get is the ability to give my Eldritch Blast a +1 to hit and damage by taking the Improved Pact weapon invocations and be able to call it to me.

I know it is pretty weak but I am ok with that.

What I am looking for is more ways to fluff it out to be very gunslinger like.

ex.
I will carry a flask and when I cast a buff spell: Armor of Agythis, false life, ect, I will take a shot from my flask.
When I cast eldritch Blast, I will be "shooting" my pistol "focus" so it just looks like I fire purple smoky force bullets.
When I cast other spells I will mimic using it in different ways: Most of them will look like throwing a flask, or firing a magic bullet, or drinking from my flask.

What else can I reflavor to make it more Gunslinger like?

[jaappleton]

Casting spells is firing special magical ammunition. So casting Fireball is a special 'shell' of ammunition.

For bonus points, since it sounds like you're using the UA Warlock Invocations, do it in conjunction with 'Kiss of Mephistopheles' and cast it as a bonus action.

You might want to invest in two levels of Rogue for Cunning Action, to move around the battlefield easily. Maybe 3 levels for Swashbuckler, using the bonus to Initiative as a 'quickdraw'.

Asking if you can use Crossbow Expert to make one additional EB Ray attack (Just one single ray) as a BA seems like a good option.

[Asmotherion]

Ok guys, you have been pretty helpful in the past when it came to helping me flesh out a character, now for the fun part.

I will be playing in a new campaign soon, and I am going to be playing a Warlock.

I talked with the GM about some refluffing of some things to make it more thematic.

I will be going with a Warlock of the Raven Queen, who carries a "pistol" as his main weapon.
The pistol is actually just my spell focus, it does not shoot bullets or anything.
My studded leather armor is a long thick leather cowboy duster, and my Sentinel Raven is the creepy bird on my shoulder.

Refluffed mechanic:

I will be going pact of the blade, with a small change.
I can use my Spell Focus "Pistol" as my pact weapon.
All it does however is give me the ability to call it to my hand like a normal pact weapon, and if I take the new Pact of the Blade invocations to give it a +1, +2, or +3 it gives me the bonus to my ranged spell attack and damage rolls like a ranged weapon would.
However, because the focus itself can not really be used to attack, I get no use out of Thirsting Blade or Life Drinker.
Essentially all I get is the ability to give my Eldritch Blast a +1 to hit and damage by taking the Improved Pact weapon invocations and be able to call it to me.

I know it is pretty weak but I am ok with that.

What I am looking for is more ways to fluff it out to be very gunslinger like.

ex.
I will carry a flask and when I cast a buff spell: Armor of Agythis, false life, ect, I will take a shot from my flask.
When I cast eldritch Blast, I will be "shooting" my pistol "focus" so it just looks like I fire purple smoky force bullets.
When I cast other spells I will mimic using it in different ways: Most of them will look like throwing a flask, or firing a magic bullet, or drinking from my flask.

What else can I reflavor to make it more Gunslinger like?


I would vote against buffing both Attack and Damage; Compare it to "Wand of the War Mage", which gives it's bonus only on the Attack Roll.

I would make it work normally (since I suppose guns exist in your campain), wile it also functions as a Spellcasting focus.

The downside is that, Eldritch Blast does not need a material focus to cast, so technically, it's just for show, 'till you get your hands on the +weapon invocations.

Now, if you (and your DM) are oppen to a heavy homebrew, here is a suggestion: You can make the Gun sentient, and make it the soul of a sorcerer traped in the Gun, who can use metamagic on spells cast through it 3/day. Alternativelly, you can make it's barell (assuming we are talking about a mill-pistol?) have the property to save up to 6 Eldritch Blast Beams in "spell bullets" (Saving them up by not using any number of beams wile you cast eldritch blast), and use them as an action on a subsequent turn. This brings more balance, wile the Gun is actually giving you a bonus of up to 2 beams every X rounds, if you cut down the number of your beams on rounds before, for a pseudo-nova round. The real bonus is that you can "charge" the gun before a fight, for a free mini-nova round per combat.

[Lombra]

Sounds a lot like Hol Horse from JoJo's bizarre adventure and his stand: Emperor.

Refluffing EBs as projectiles shot from a gun is very cool, but adding power to the already glorious EB looks like a mistake to me: it makes it just too good. I'd let go the bladelock and go for something else, the gun will pop in your hand whenever you cast a ranged spell and it's projectiles will be the spells, material components will come from a component pouch refluffed as one of those belts used to hold the projectiles.

[Joe the Rat]

Which background are you taking?

Outlander: Lone Drifter in the Wilderness - You also get instrument proficiency (I recommend Yarting (essentially a guitar) or Harmonica). This gives you the survival skills. Also good for the Mountain Man vibe.
Folk Hero: Farmers and Actual Cowboys. The different tools can reflect different occupations (blacksmithing, tanner (leatherwork & furs), wood carving (whittling), or carpentry (coffin-maker) for various roles/occupations
Hermit: Gives you the crazy mountain man vibe.
Acolyte: Priest turned Gunfighter. Pale Rider, without the back from the dead angle.
Haunted(Curse of Strahd): ...or with that angle. High Plains Drifter was the better movie.
Soldier/Mercenary veteran: Many westerns were set post Civil War - Issues returning to society, explanation of fighting ability or social status, etc. If you want to go disreputable, swap out rank/signs for Bad Reputation from Pirate. Now you're a notorious Outlaw.
Criminal: Or just be an outlaw. Highwayman and banditry is stage coach and caravan robbery. Hired killer is a hired killer. Again, if notoriety is more appropriate than contacts, Bad Reputation.

generally, you are looking for proficiency in some combination of: Animal Handling, Perception OR Survival, Vehicles (Land), instrument proficiency (harmonica or guitar), crafting tool proficiency (your pick), or playing cards.

Other points of consideration:
The invocation bonuses for your pistol are also in line with a Rod of the Pact Keeper. See if you can get the Rod's other benefit (+1 spell slot per day) at some point - as a level up bonus, as an invocation, or by acquiring one down the road as a personal quest. Talk with your DM.
Alternatively, you might be able to incorporate wands into your pistol as well. Again, DM perogative.

A good cowboy always has a knife. Keep those daggers you start with. And some rope.
Always sipping dwarven rye: flask as focus/flavor. Also a nice visual for the false life invocation. Taking a snoot when you're beaten and sore: load a few potions of healing instead. DO NOT USE ONE FLASK FOR BOTH.

Medium Armor proficiency would still be appropriate for the breastplate.
The Alert feat would be another good way to get to "Quick Draw".

Hold Person: A spectral lasso shooting out of the barrel, or a bullet turning into a bola?

[Dudewithknives]

Casting spells is firing special magical ammunition. So casting Fireball is a special 'shell' of ammunition.

For bonus points, since it sounds like you're using the UA Warlock Invocations, do it in conjunction with 'Kiss of Mephistopheles' and cast it as a bonus action.

You might want to invest in two levels of Rogue for Cunning Action, to move around the battlefield easily. Maybe 3 levels for Swashbuckler, using the bonus to Initiative as a 'quickdraw'.

Asking if you can use Crossbow Expert to make one additional EB Ray attack (Just one single ray) as a BA seems like a good option.


All those sound like cool plans but I am pretty much stuck on going Raven Queen, and Kiss of Mephestopheles os infernal only.

Also, I can't multi class.

Any ideas on how to reflavor Thristing Blade and Life Drinker, without making them broken or anything?

I because pact of the blade is essentially just being used to buff Eldritch Blast they can not really give me another attack or Cha to damage considering I already get bonus attacks and Cha to damage due to agonizing blast.

Maybe:

Thirsting Blade = Pistol Whip
I can use Eldritch Blast in melee range with no disadvantage as long as the target is within 5 ft.

Life Drinker = Trickshot
I can fire an eldritch blast just in front of a target to knock dust or debris into their eyes.
I can cause 1 blast from an eldritch blast casting for the turn to do no damage but the target must make a Dex save or be blinded until the the start of my next turn

[Joe the Rat]

TB and LD try to help you keep pace with other martials, and somewhat keep pace with Eldritch Blast, so you don't need an analog, just replacement options.
Raiding the other patrons isn't the worst thing.
Kiss of Mephistopheles - fireball without having to know fireball. You can make barrels explode.

Either as separate invocations, or some sort of effect suite, you could get the other cantrip riders. Frost Lance (fey pact) slows the target by 10'. Either it's a trick shot (leg shot), or you've chilled their souls with the ghostly round. Shadow of the Raven (new): Targets hit can't regain hp this round. Bleeder, or another soul chiller. Blinding shot - blurs the target's vision, giving them disadvantage on their next attack (Vicious Mockery/Frostbite rider). There's your sand in the eye. Grasp of Hadar makes a nice lasso-on-a-blast.

[DivisibleByZero]

TB and LD try to help you keep pace with other martials, and somewhat keep pace with Eldritch Blast, so you don't need an analog, just replacement options.

You don't even need that, because those were aimed at melee/martials, and EB (even fluffed as firing from a gun) already keeps pace with them.
No replacements needed, just choose different Invocations.

[Dudewithknives]

I would vote against buffing both Attack and Damage; Compare it to "Wand of the War Mage", which gives it's bonus only on the Attack Roll.

I would make it work normally (since I suppose guns exist in your campain), wile it also functions as a Spellcasting focus.

The downside is that, Eldritch Blast does not need a material focus to cast, so technically, it's just for show, 'till you get your hands on the +weapon invocations.

Now, if you (and your DM) are oppen to a heavy homebrew, here is a suggestion: You can make the Gun sentient, and make it the soul of a sorcerer traped in the Gun, who can use metamagic on spells cast through it 3/day. Alternativelly, you can make it's barell (assuming we are talking about a mill-pistol?) have the property to save up to 6 Eldritch Blast Beams in "spell bullets" (Saving them up by not using any number of beams wile you cast eldritch blast), and use them as an action on a subsequent turn. This brings more balance, wile the Gun is actually giving you a bonus of up to 2 beams every X rounds, if you cut down the number of your beams on rounds before, for a pseudo-nova round. The real bonus is that you can "charge" the gun before a fight, for a free mini-nova round per combat.

The reason I was looking for a + to hit and damage is because there is no version of a "basic" focus in the DMG.

There is + to hit on them but they all give something else like ignoring cover, or + to save DC's and a bonus spell, which is absolutely amazing.

However, where is my just plain basic + hit and + damage to ranged spell attack focus.
I do not care bout the much better options that are available with the other foci, I just want a magic focus for blasting people.

As far as the pact of the blade things goes, I already have a "familiar" sort of with Sentinel Raven, so do not really need chain, and Tome is awesome but I am leaning more away from being a pure caster.
That just left blade, and their invocations in the UA from a month or so back looked great, just need to use a focus instead of a sword or whatever.

[Dudewithknives]

Now that Xanathar’s is out and Raven Queen did not make the cut, I guess I need a different patron idea.