Gun-Toting Hexblade?

[Morrison]

So there's an obscure UA warlock invocation called Arcane Gunslinger (in the Modern Magic release) that lets a Blade-pact warlock count a gun as their pact weapon. At first I was inclined to disregard it, thinking the end result would be a warlock with one less invocation, able to do ranged attacks that still weren't as good as Eldritch Blasts. Then I realized how much the Hexblade patron fixes all the flaws in the bladelock and builds on its strengths.

So would a Hexblade with Arcane Gunslinger be any good?

[Amdy_vill]

played it, it was fun. especially with the gun options added by matt.

[JackPhoenix]

Isn't it a bit pointless? Sure, you can create a gun as your pact weapon, but you can already transform any magic weapon, including firearms, into a pact weapon even without the invocation. And you'd still need to get around the reloading issue once you get Thirsting Blade (and you'll want to, otherwise, you may as well stick with the usual EB spam). The easiest way to do that (assuming there are no houserules like Crossbow Expert applying to firearms) is to take 2 levels of Artificer for Repeating Shot.... which, coincidentally, turn your gun into a magic weapon compatible with Pact of the Blade.

[Garfunion]

Isn't it a bit pointless? Sure, you can create a gun as your pact weapon, but you can already transform any magic weapon, including firearms, into a pact weapon even without the invocation. And you'd still need to get around the reloading issue once you get Thirsting Blade (and you'll want to, otherwise, you may as well stick with the usual EB spam). The easiest way to do that (assuming there are no houserules like Crossbow Expert applying to firearms) is to take 2 levels of Artificer for Repeating Shot.... which, coincidentally, turn your gun into a magic weapon compatible with Pact of the Blade.

There is now a feat in Tasha’s guide called gunner which allows you to ignore the load property.

[Morrison]

played it, it was fun. especially with the gun options added by matt.

What release are those in? Do you just mean the ones in the gunslinger subclass?

[Amdy_vill]

Isn't it a bit pointless? Sure, you can create a gun as your pact weapon, but you can already transform any magic weapon, including firearms, into a pact weapon even without the invocation. And you'd still need to get around the reloading issue once you get Thirsting Blade (and you'll want to, otherwise, you may as well stick with the usual EB spam). The easiest way to do that (assuming there are no houserules like Crossbow Expert applying to firearms) is to take 2 levels of Artificer for Repeating Shot.... which, coincidentally, turn your gun into a magic weapon compatible with Pact of the Blade.

I am fairly certain that the weapon has to be a melee weapon if you don't have the invocations.
I am wrong but the versatility of gun asses is still good.


What release are those in? Do you just mean the ones in the gunslinger subclass?

gunslinger, tal'dorei campaign setting, and wildemount

[Talionis]

A three level Dip into Devotion Paladin grants +Charisma to hit which can nullify the Sharpshooter penalty.

[jesterjeff]

Welp, now I got a Roland build to make. 5 lvl hexblade, 4 lvls artificer artillerist, 5 lvl devotion paladin.

[samcifer]

A three level Dip into Devotion Paladin grants +Charisma to hit which can nullify the Sharpshooter penalty.

I did a sorcadin (5 Devotion Paladin/ 5+Divine Soul Sorc) awhile back for an evil campaign and had the GWM feat using the +5 CHA to counter the -5 to hit for +10 dmg. It was enjoyably over-powered on damage output.