[d20 Modern] need optimisation

[SydneyLosstarot]

Hello again!

it happens so that we are going to have a Serenity-style game, using the d20M system(yes, we are well aware of Serenity RPG, but we're also too lazy to look into it, especially our DM).

the soon-to-be gamemaster has hinted this: neither of the players is going to be the ship captain, and we'll start the campaign with our NPC captain being killed(or otherwise being releived of his duties). So we are very likely facing a competition for the captainship. More likely, a wild west-style standoff with lots of gun pointing and heroic music.

so, the question is: are there any particularly good builds for a level 3-4 character which would help?
i was looking towars a more shooty character, maybe something like Fast 3/Tracer 1 or gunslinger.

that is, which way should i go? the snipery way with longarms, or shooty TWF way with pistols?

or maybe you could suggest another means of winning the battle?

i thought of 3 ways to solve the case:
1)convince the other guys i'm the top man here(highly unlikely, although i could be quite convincing)
2)be good at shooting(that's where optimisation kicks in)
3)trap the likely standoff area with radio-controlled mines and such in order to drop heavy objects and otherwise incapacitate more shooty and more sturdy guys

i guess there'll be four of us, of which none are likely to optimise their builds. we're a more RP-heavy group, but good builds always help.

so, any ideas?

[Zeful]

Get Double Tap, it can double your damage with the right weapon (like the Barrett Light Fifty, the second Longarm on the chart) for a -2 , which a laser sight can halve. Further taking Weapons focus removes the penalty entirely. Quick Reload is a good thing to have for a gunslinger.

For guns I'd recommend the .50 Desert Eagle and the Barrett Light Fifty, both are S(emiauto) weapons that you can use Double Tap with.

[NEO|Phyte]

If you end up going snipery, and there's going to be leveling up in the future, check out the Sniper prestige class in the Urban Arcana web enhancement. Gets various goodies, like increased bonuses when using Dead Aim, doubled range from Far Shot (normally +50%), the ability to reroll missed attacks (by spending more ammo), the capstone ability being able to guarantee a crit if you take a full-round action, an action point, and a -8 to attack with a Large or larger firearm while using the Dead Aim feat.

[Rei_Jin]

If you're looking at having to fight on a ship, I'd recommend staying away from reliance on guns. You're better off looking at the Brawl and Knockout Punch feats which would allow you to stun someone and take them down quickly.

If, of course, you're looking to kill them all in an open fire-fight, then I recommend explosives. Duck down, pull pin, throw over box, no more competition.

[SydneyLosstarot]

Thanks everyone!

Zeful, is TWF a viable option or am i better off with a single Desert Eagle?

NEO|Phyte, it's really too early to say for sure, but thanks for the tip, i'll see into that PrC later.

Rei_Jin, it's all about cinematics, really. it will be more of a prologue, so i may literally blow them to pieces to ascertain my authority and they'll be there in a short amount of time, fully recovered. Preventing anyone from being killed in this particular fight isn't a concern)
that being said, thanks for the tip. I'll rig the whole hangar bay with dynamite

[Zeful]

You could TWF, but I wouldn't recommend using Double Tap while you do so. -4 for one shot is a little extreme (even if you can nullify half of it).