Making a Dark Tower gunslinger?

[gunslinger888]

I'm using 3.5 (any book) to create a 3rd level gunslinger--one of the Gunslingers from Stephen King's epic series, the Dark Tower.

I don't want him to be OP, but I want him to be able to hold his own. So far, I've built him from the PHB only.

I'm especially looking for feat combos that make sense for RP as well as crunch.

Ammo will be limited. I'm taking skill points in Craft (gunsmith) in order to be able to repair the sandalwood .45 revolvers and make my own bullets (yes, he'll carry a crucible and bullet molds) and gunpowder. Hostile, low-tech environment.

So far, he's a high dex/int and low str/cha ranger 2/fighter 1 with Luck of Heroes, combat expertise, exotic weapon proficiency (six-shooter), point blank shot, two weapon fighting, precise shot, track (obviously), and quick draw.

The GM has offered me the chance to trade armor and shield proficiencies for 2 defensive feats (Luck of Heroes and combat expertise).

Since I'm going to be counting every bullet, I thought about picking up weapon finesse next fighter level, so I could dual-wield knives or something.

I want this guy to be cool and strong, but not cheezzzy.

[RTGoodman]

What books do you have access to? There might be some decent feats, but they're not all Core.

The stuff you have seems okay, but see if your DM will let you use the Urban Ranger from here. I always thought it worked better for a Dark Tower-style Ranger. If he allows that, see if you can do something to get EWP (Six-Shooter) without having to spend a feat on it (like giving up something else from Ranger).


You know, I've got a whole Gunslinger PrC written up, but I've never posted it. I should get on that...

[gunslinger888]

Any books.

Why Urban?

[RTGoodman]

Why Urban?

I dunno - it just seemed to fit Roland better, to me. You don't necessarily have to use it. Of course, I haven't finished the series, so I don't know anything that happens after book 4 or so.

If you give me a bit, I can try to go through some books and see if there are any good feats out there. I know there's a Ranged Disarm out there somewhere, but I don't remember if it's a feat or a class ability; if it's a feat, it makes a lot of sense, since you can use it to shoot stuff out of peoples' hands.

EDIT: One that I did think of that you're missing is Rapid Reload. I'm not sure if/how it works with firearms, but it definitely works with both the mechanics and fluff.

[Swordguy]

I'd start with the d20 Deadlands books. Granted, d20 is a pretty bad system for firearms in general, but those would get you closest in spirit, I think.

[gunslinger888]

Sorry. Let me clarify: any 3.5 edition D&D books.

I read about Deadlands. Any fun to play?

[Mewtarthio]

So far, he's a high dex/int and low str/cha ranger 2/fighter 1 with Luck of Heroes, combat expertise, exotic weapon proficiency (six-shooter), point blank shot, two weapon fighting, precise shot, track (obviously), and quick draw.

Low Cha? Gunslingers in general have a very strong force of personality. Roland has incredible Cha, but he's got ridiculously high ability scores in general (sai King apparently didn't know about about the "diminishing returns" factor of point buy when he approved his character sheet). Ignoring him, look at all the other characters in the ka-tet. Eddie has a whole slew of great intimidation scenes, starting with scaring off the federal agents searching him for drugs. Susan managed to terrify a demon that was raping her. Jake can get himself taken seriously despite being a kid (okay, so the guns help a little). Even Oy the Billy-Bumbler is noted as being better able to communicate than other Billy-Bumblers--though that may just be Int (especially since he was apparently exiled from his pack).

[gunslinger888]

Hmmm...

I'm using skill points for intimidate.

I'd say Roland's dex and con and wisdom are off the charts, and his cha, though high, is effectively his dump stat.

He often lets his guns talk for him.

But I'm not making Roland, thankfully.

I'd need the elite elite array in order to approximate his B.A.ness

[Telonius]

Deadlands and d20 modern came to mind for me as well. Honestly, they'd probably be better at representing him than standard 3.5.

But, if you do go for it, and are looking to model Roland specifically, give him Middling strength, intelligence, and wisdom. Stratospheric dex, high charisma, high constitution. Paladin 1 (fallen)/ Ranger X. Permanencied Geas/Quest on him. Favored enemies: humans, slow mutants, lobstrosities, and anyone with initials R.F.

Feat suggestions: Iron Will, Point Blank Shot, Rapid Shot, Quick Draw, Rapid Reload, Improved Initiative, Leadership, Blind-Fight, Precise Shot, Improved Precise Shot, Ranged Sunder, Diehard.

"Relentless" character trait.

Skills: Intimidate, Bluff, Know (nobility), Spot, Search, Listen, Perform (dance), Heal, Concentration, Survival

Needed: Something to make him immune to fear.

[Aurion]

Imp inititive, quickdraw, rapid shot, and rapid reloads are a must have for the gunslingers as they are described as so fast that you can barely see thier hands move. I would talk to your dm about maybe making a house ruling on Many shot eventually to try and simulate how quickly they fire too. I'm not so sure that Roland or any of the gunslingers would have that high of intelligence. Roland was after all the least intelligent of his original ka-tet. I would also suggest a home ruling on the vorpal quality for your revolvers to simulate the great aim of a gunslinger at getting headshots or hitting other vital areas.

I'm curious what alignment you are going to play this as, because I can see a few alignments working for a gunslinger. I'm also wondering what sort of damage your revolvers are doing.

The real problem here is that the gunslingers are so rediculously powerful that there is no way to accurately represent them at low levels, and even at higher levels there are going to be problems. For instance, does Roland even miss a shot through out the entire series? Maybe once or twice at best, even the rest of his ka-tet barely miss a shot. A modification of the Order of the Bow initiate, or something that adds precission based damage is the only way to represent how much damage those guns really do.

[gunslinger888]

I really am not making Roland. I'm making a Gilead gunslinger, but I couldn't possibly approximate Roland with a 28 point-buy.

1. I agree about your feat selection choices, especially improved init, quickdraw, rapid reload, precise shot, etc. There is a feat I saw recently that would make him immune to fear. I would definitely have to take levels in fighter to get all the feats he'd need at 20th.

2. Questions of armor: this gunslinger obviously wears no armor. With a dex of 16, he's pretty vulnerable. I'm thinking of taking Luck of Heroes and buying bracers of armor to keep him alive.

3. I'm going to play him as Lawful Neutral. He follows the code of the gunslingers. This particular gunslinger is out for revenge against those who helped to bring about the downfall of Gilead. Neutral will reflect his willingness to do anything to accomplish his goals. It will be dangerous to know him, and frienship with him may possibly be costly. He is a dangerous man, not a bad or good man.

4. Roland is extraordinary, and I imagine the character I'm making will have an incredible potential, but at level 3, he'll be somewhat limited.

5. My GM says 2d6 (20x2) damage. The DMG says 2d8 (20x2) damage for a medium pistol. I don't have a ruling yet. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

6. What do you guys think about trading martial weapon proficiency for exotic weapon proficiency (six-shooters)?

7. Bullets are extremely limited. He'll be making his own. What would you do for a backup weapon in case he runs out?

8. Which makes more sense--two weapon fighting or rapid shot? He'll be using two pistols, just as Roland does.

[TehJhu]

I'd actually consider Roland's dump stat to be Strength.

The two times I can remember him being in melee combat (Tull and the abandoned town in 'Little Sisters of Eluria') he wasn't able to fight very well at all. He also obviously prefers ranged weapons to melee and never does anything particularly difficult in terms of brute strength.

Personally, I'd say a gunslinger class should get something like a Wisdom bonus to AC like a monk, since they don't wear any armor and obviously are trained in mental things at least half as much as physical.

Still, my friends and I have tried to make gunslingers as classes before and it never works out. They're just to good. You wind up having to sacrafice the things that make them awesome in order for them to be balanced. Still, if its a solo campaign, or one with just other gunslingers, why not let you all be pefect shots who's hands move faster than blue blazes?

[gunslinger888]

I'm considering taking a level of swordsage as he levels in order to get the wisdom bonus to AC and in order to do some amazing things with his weapons.

[Mewtarthio]

Check the homebrew forums. Somewhere, floating around out there, is a homebrew discipline called "Falling Star" that deals in ranged weapons.

[RandomNPC]

Don't think he's all kinds of high stats. The books flat out say he's not all that bright, he just has awesome instincts, and isn't smart enough to ignore them.

that'd be int as a dump stat. wisdom as a peak stat.