New DM trying to help a new player who wants to Rogue lvl 5 - gunslinger/warhammer

[5eftw]

Hey all,

So I’ve been playing in 5e for a few years and have run a couple 1-offs, but I’m trying out my first campaign run on Waterdeep Dragon Heist. (With the adjustment that all characters are starting at lvl 5)

One of the newer players has put together a character idea of gunslinger with a warhammer, however he built a rogue.

I let him know about the specialized nature of gunslingers as an archetype under fighters, and he proposed running it as a crossbow expert feat instead.

I have an idea from other threads of letting him do a crossbow expert and treating the warhammer (of his own design) as a rapier that does bludgeoning instead of piercing, with maybe a +1 to damage based on other threads, but does anyone have other suggestions?

Is there anyway mechanically to let him have what he wants with an adjusted gunslinger and warhammer, or is the crossbow and adjusted warhammer the best option?

Thanks for any suggestions, lessons or feedback!

[Teaguethebean]

well the gunslinger is easy just say his hand crossbow is a flintlock pistol done and balanced. Now the war hammer is a bit more struggle considering rogues don't get them and they can't sneak attack. Have you asked him why he wants a war hammer. but if you want to be nice perhaps let clubs be finesse but other than that I wouldn't let him have a home brew weapon or perhaps recommend gladiator background for a war hammer proficiency.

[Angelmaker]

I think it doesn't break too much if he either deals 1D8 or 1D10 plus a horde of D6 for sneak. That point of damage literally won't be noticeable. There is no way to mechanically prime any non (finesse) weapon or str-based weapon to be used for sneak attacks, but it doesn't break anything if you simply let him have it.

[ProsecutorGodot]

There is a companion feat to Gunslingers that serves a similar function to Crossbow Expert. It's a bit difficult to find on DND Beyond as it's part of the critical role content that you can choose to enable while creating your character. Here's a cliffnotes version:

Firearm Specialist:
You gain proficiency with Firearms.
reaction to reroll a misfire per short/long rest (the gunslinger archetype guns follow unique misfire rules, you can see them on the equipment page for those guns)
Crossbow Expert Bonus action attack

As for the warhammer, you can just allow him to use it. It's not like he wouldn't be able to use a 1d8 weapon if he couldn't use the warhammer.

[Unoriginal]

Not trying to go badwrongfun or anything, but at lvl 5 PCs would likely steamroll through all the encounters of the module save against the BBEG in person. So take that into account.

As for the Rogue, you could easily replace their proficiency with longsword or rapier for warhammer without any real impact.

For gunslinging, it depends which rules you use.

[Mikal]

Level 5? Then he has one or two (if Vuman) chances to take the weapon master feat. He gains proficiency in up to four weapons, so at least two of them can be a warhammer and the firearm of his choice.
Alternatively, multiclass into a class that has the proficiency.

Easy peasy

Just make sure he's aware sneak attack doesn't work with the warhammer.

[Vogie]

I would start them off with a hand crossbow and finesse hammer.

There are NPCs with pistols in Dragon Heist, so you can plan that they will run across one & pick it up eventually, and let them either exchange their crossbow feats for firearm ones, or just allow the crossbow expert to apply to the pistol

[Wildarm]

I had a player want to use pistols and it's not a big deal provided they take something that helps them make smoke powder. We used alchemy kit proficiency. We just re-skinned the crossbow proficiency he had as a similar damage crossbow. Tinker tool proficiency let him repair his guns. Eventually he was able to improve them and make custom ammo using the same magic item creation rules in XTGE. He had to learn Gunsmithing tool proficiency for that. All good fun and not overpowering in any way. Letting players do cool(but not unbalancing) things is a DMs job!

[Unoriginal]

Smoke powder is explicitly a magic item that requires it's own formula, though.

Not that guns are ridiculously strong, but smoke powder being that rare is a factor in the adventure.