Gunslinger TL;DR?

[Arenabait]

So I'm going to be playing in a campaign with advanced guns everywhere, and decided: well, I think I'll play a gunslinger! The only problem is: I'm unsure of a lot of the mechanics, and would like to get a better grip around the whole thing.

Now, I'm not looking for optimization tips or anything, I simply want to know: What mechanics are particularly relevant to a gunslinger that might not be relevant to a fighter or melee rogue?

[NomGarret]

Most of that falls under "how do guns work?" If you've ever had a rogue or fighter with a gun, you're familiar with misfire chance and being touch attacks at close range.

Beyond that, the other mechanic to wrap your head around is grit. Some things you can do if you spend it, some things you can do as long as you haven't spent all of it. In my experience, you'll use the former infrequently enough that it won't affect the latter.

For the most part, gunslinger class features are about overcoming the barriers every other class has to using guns as a primary weapon, not adding features which present a learning curve of their own.

[Necroticplague]

Now, I'm not looking for optimization tips or anything, I simply want to know: What mechanics are particularly relevant to a gunslinger that might not be relevant to a fighter or melee rogue?

Gunslinger itself doesn't have any really intricate mechanics. The Firearm rules, themselves, however, have some details you may want to look over. Some include:

1. Penetration. Basically, 'hit touch AC when close enough'*. For Advanced firearms, this is 5 ranged increments.
2. Misfire. If you roll low enough, you auto-miss, and your gun breaks. How low differs for each weapon
3a. Handedness. Firearms don't become one-handed or light if you wield smaller ones, they remain at their handedness.
3b. Handedness. Unlike for other type of weapons, two hands aren't strictly required to use a two-handed firearm. You can hold a two-handed firearm in one arm and fire it, albiet at a penalty.
4. Reloading. For Advanced firearms, you don't need to reload one-at-a-time like for other things, one move-round action involves slamming an entire magazine in. Rapid Reload reduces this to free, meaning Advanced Firearms have much less reloading problems than everything else.
5.Scatter/Automatic. Basically, instead of just hitting one person, some let you attack everyone in a cone or line, respectively, making an attack against each at a -2.

[eldskald]

For the most part, gunslinger class features are about overcoming the barriers every other class has to using guns as a primary weapon, not adding features which present a learning curve of their own.

Exactly. In a guns everywhere campaign, these kinda fall apart because advanced guns are made to mitigate these barriers as well. In a normal game, no class can feasibly use guns. On a guns everywhere game, there are no reasons not to use guns since they will outclass all other weapons. Advanced guns are just so much better than any other weapon in the game, it's like real life. I think the designers inteded to make it simulate real life. Advanced guns are everywhere, cheap and easy to use. Meta-wise, there is no reason to use any armor anymore, since everyone uses guns. Just like in real life, hahaha...

In the end, no matter what class you're playing, you will be using guns. Classes that that have dificulty to use ranged weapons are at a disadvantage, like barbarians and rogues. Gunslinger is as good as a trench fighter, depending on what you want to do. Read the rules on how the guns work. And pay attention to scatter quality. Dealing area damage is a historical pain to martials, and guns are the only weapons able to do it decently.

[Fouredged Sword]

Eh, everyone may have guns, but a lot of characters are still going to wear light armor because why not after a point. Nobody is using full plate, yes, but plenty of people are going around in a chain shirt for the extra defense VS melee and things like animal attacks.

[TheIronGolem]

Eh, everyone may have guns, but a lot of characters are still going to wear light armor because why not after a point. Nobody is using full plate, yes, but plenty of people are going around in a chain shirt for the extra defense VS melee and things like animal attacks.
That, and armor is still a hardpoint to hang enchantments on. Yes, Bracers of Armor exist, but sometimes you want that slot for something else.

[Ninjaxenomorph]

In Adventurer's Armory 2, there's actually a suit of dwarven-made suit of halfplate still gives armor bonuses against firearms.

[icefractal]

Mostly just the same factors that apply to any ranged combatant, with the addition that you want to stay within penetration range.

Anything that gives you unreachability (climbing, flight, a strong front line) will be helpful, as will the ability to see foes before they see you (dark vision, smoke sight, good Perception and Stealth).

There are a /lot/ of feats for guns, so check them out. With the right feats, the Gunslinger can be an extraordinarily /reliable/ warrior. Compared to many combat styles, almost no type of foe shuts them down.

Also, generally speaking the more shots the better. Depending on the rest of your group a single shot sniper may still contribute fine, but a twin pistol quick shooter will always have the advantage.

[lord pringle]

With Guns Everywhere, Gunslinger becomes way less desirable, except for the fact where they get Gun Training at level 1. If you go from one level of Gunslinger into 3 levels of Trench Fighter, that gets you two bonus feats as well as double dex to damage with firearms at level four. If you then roll into 5 levels of Savage Technologist, you'll get a version of rage that boosts your dex as well as triple dex to damage at 9th, at which point you become mobile artillery.

[grarrrg]

(on phone, so no FAQ links)
3a. Handedness. Firearms don't become one-handed or light if you wield smaller ones, they remain at their handedness.
To a point.
You still need to follow the default Inappropriate Size rules.
Default rules:
A Medium character can use a Large one handed sword, but it becomes a two handed sword (w/to hit penalty). A Medium character cannot use a Large two handed sword at all.
The Gun-hand rule applies AFTER this:
A Medium character can use a Large one handed Gun, and it stays one handed (still w/to hit penalty). A Medium character cannot use a Large two handed gun at all.

FAQ Linky (http://paizo.com/paizo/faq/v5748nruor1g1#v5748eaic9p04)


With Guns Everywhere, Gunslinger becomes way less desirable, except for the fact where they get Gun Training at level 1. If you go from one level of Gunslinger into 3 levels of Trench Fighter, that gets you two bonus feats as well as double dex to damage with firearms at level four
You can't add the same stat to the same thing twice.
The best you get is Dex to damage once.

[would linky, but already quoted below]
EDIT: off phone, added link

[lord pringle]

You can't add the same stat to the same thing twice.
The best you get is Dex to damage once.

You can if they don't replace the normal but add to it, have different names and are all untyped bonuses.

[Necroticplague]

You can if they don't replace the normal but add to it, have different names and are all untyped bonuses.

Let's see, just to look over this to confirm that's the case....

Gun Training: A bonus equal to dexterity modifier.
Trench fighter: A bonus equal to dexterity modifier.
Crack Shot: adds DEX to damage.

Sorry, no luck.


Do ability modifiers from the same ability stack? For instance, can you add the same ability bonus on the same roll twice using two different effects that each add that same ability modifier?

No. An ability bonus, such as "Strength bonus", is considered to be the same source for the purpose of bonuses from the same source not stacking. However, you can still add, for instance “a deflection bonus equal to your Charisma modifier” and your Charisma modifier. For this purpose, however, the paladin's untyped "bonus equal to her Charisma bonus (if any) on all saving throws" from divine grace is considered to be the same as "Charisma bonus (if any)", and the same would be true for any other untyped "bonus equal to her [ability score] bonus" constructions.

So, since the first two aren't typed, they're equal to the third, which don't stack.

[lord pringle]

So, since the first two aren't typed, they're equal to the third, which don't stack.

Aw, really? That stinks. I'm not too terribly familiar with Pathfinder's system of errata, how official is that ruling?

[grarrrg]

Aw, really? That stinks. I'm not too terribly familiar with Pathfinder's system of errata, how official is that ruling?

FAQ's are about the same as actual Errata > very official.