Adept Core Class: Gunfighter

The Gunfighter

Disclaimer: This class is subject to balance changes and revisions as playtests are conducted

The Gunfighter is dextrous with firearms. Their snap-shooting and high-precision attacks are a defining feature, allowing quick follow-up attacks for high amounts of ranged burst damage. The general philosophy with the Gunfighter is: why fire lots of shots and hit with only a few when you can take down a target with a few well-placed rounds?

Archetype Overview

Hexbinder

Channels magical energies to manipulate the effects of the weapons used and can perform some light spellcasting. The Hexbinder is a 1/3rd caster.

Kingfisher

Uses dual-wielded one-handed firearms to dish out lots of burst damage and can hit multiple targets or dazzle opponents and use crowd control methods to alter the flow of battle.

Marksman

Uses two-handed rifles to take targets down with high precision from a distance and can call out shots to inflict status effects and plays similarly to a Rogue.

Tactician

Uses two-handed automatic weapons with precision to turn the tide of battle in dangerous close-quarters situations. The Tactician guides the team and confers bonuses to allies. The tactician takes advantage of cover, and uses breach and clear tactics to engage opponents in enclosed spaces. Can use a ballistic shield in tandem with a one-handed sidearm.

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Player Equipment Category

Hit Points

Hit Dice: D8

Starting HP: 8 + CON Modifier

Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5 if averaged) + your CON modifier per Gunfighter level after 1st

Proficiencies

Armor: Light Armor, Medium Armor

Weapons: Simple Weapons, Firearms (Simple, Martial), and Finesse Weapons

Tools: Gunnery Kit

Saving Throws: Dexterity, Charisma

Skills: Choose 2 from Acrobatics, Athletics, Deception, Insight, Intimidation, Investigation, Perception, Performance, Persuasion, Sleight of Hand, and Stealth.

Starting Equipment

Gunnery Kit


(a) Baseline Medium Armor and one Common Resistance Mod
or
(b) Baseline Light Armor and One Mundane 2-Handed Longarm and 2 Spare Magazines


(a) Adventuring Kit
or
(b) Dungeoneering Kit


(a) One Mundane 2-handed Longarm and 4 Spare Magazines - Excluding Light Machine Guns (Shotgun spare ammunition doubled, comes with 6 shotgun slugs as well)
or
(b) Two matching Mundane 1-handed Sidearms and 6 Spare Magazines

One Common rarity or lower Simple Melee weapon

Ammunition matching the above weapon's spare magazines and one loaded magazine per weapon

Features

1st Level

Gunfighter Firearm Skills

The Gunfighter uses Dexterity to make ranged attacks. All firearms wielded by the Gunfighter use the Dexterity modifier and Proficiency Bonus to hit. This does not stack with any Heavy Gunner firearm proficiencies when Multiclassing.

Focus Points

A Gunfighter's gotta keep their focus in battle, with sharp eyes and sharp aim, they can push the limits with their focus. Focus Points are a Gunfighter's resource pool. It starts at 1 plus your Dexterity Modifier. Focus points are fully recovered after finishing a short or long rest. You also have Focus DC, calculated as follows: Focus DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Dexterity Modifier. In this document, things that consume a Focus Point are italicized.

Gunsmithing

Repair, modify, or craft firearms at half the time.

Run and Gun

If you move a minimum of 10 feet and attack in a turn, you get a bonus to your Evasion equal to your Proficiency Bonus until the start of your next turn. To use this feature, you must use a Focus Point.

Blindfire (Reaction)

When in cover, you can spend your Reaction to take a ranged opportunity attack once when a hostile target enters a 30 foot half circle, opposite the cover you are behind, originating from your player. Because they are on the opposite side of the cover you're behind, you make your attack roll without your Proficiency Bonus.

2nd Level

Tactical Reloads (Bonus Action)

Reloading your weapon completely now only takes a Bonus Action and you don't drop the magazine when reloading using this feature. Dual-wielded weapons now only take an Action and not both a Bonus Action and Action to reload.

3rd Level

At 3rd level, you choose an archetype from the list available that you strive to emulate in your combat styles and techniques. The archetype you choose grants you features at 3rd level and again at 7th, 10th, 15th, and 18th levels.

Hexbinder

Kingfisher

Marksman

Tactician

4th Level

Ability Score Improvement or Feat

Choose an ASI or feat this level

5th Level

Extra Attack

Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

6th Level

Improved Gunsmithing

Beginning at 6th level, you can now craft, modify, or repair firearms at both half the time and half the resource cost.

Brass Recovery

Beginning at 6th level, you can recover the spent casings after combat and 'reload' ammunition without the metal material cost. Reloads are a means of conserving ammunition by reusing the spent casings.

7th Level

Archetype Features

Hexbinder

Kingfisher

Marksman

Tactician

8th Level

Ability Score Improvement or Feat

Choose an ASI or feat this level

9th Level

Cover Expert

Starting at 9th level, when behind cover, your cover is raised by a factor of one, unless already in High Cover. Light Cover is treated as Half Cover, and Half Cover is treated as if it were High Cover. While in cover, your evasion now goes up by an additional +3. Starting at 18th level, this feature is improved so that all cover is treated like High Cover.

10th Level

Archetype Features

Hexbinder

Kingfisher

Marksman

Tactician

11th Level

Deadly Aim

You shoot to kill. After making a successful ranged weapon attack, you can expend two Focus Points to add your Dexterity Modifier to your damage roll.

12th Level

Ability Score Improvement or Feat

Choose an ASI or feat this level

13th Level

Ammo Scrounger

Having traveled Dunia for so long, you know what to look for when seeking out useful items. You now find double the consumables and ammunition on fallen opponents when making an investigation check. Additionally, any containers you search will have double the metal and chemical resources they normally would have.

Hexbinder

14th Level

Quick Swap

You are frighteningly quick with your hands. Holstering a 2-handed weapon to switch to any different weapon you are carrying that isn't in a holster is now a Bonus Action.

Additionally, you may now use any of your Gunfighter Archetype features that require a Bonus Action for free, once per turn, without spending your one Bonus Action. Using this aspect of the Quick Swap feature consumes a Focus Point.

15th Level

Archetype Features

Hexbinder

Kingfisher

Marksman

Tactician

16th Level

Ability Score Improvement or Feat

Choose an ASI or feat this level

17th Level

Deadlier Aim

Your lethality with firearms is unmatched. After making a successful ranged weapon attack, use four Focus Points to add double your Dex Modifier to your damage roll.

18th Level

Archetype Features

Hexbinder

Kingfisher

Marksman

Tactician

19th Level

Ability Score Improvement or Feat

Choose an ASI or feat this level

Hexbinder

20th Level

Death's Toll

If your HP is going to be reduced to 0 by an attack, you will instead take no damage and automatically roll a Critical Success on one ranged weapon attack against your attacker. Your remaining Focus Points will be reduced to 0 and the Focus Points consumed will heal you for the same HP. This feature can only be used once per Long Rest.

Archetype Features

Hexbinder

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3rd Level

When you reach 3rd level, you learn how to imbue your firearm attacks with magic from a source of willpower. Your spellcasting modifier is your Charisma. You may choose a focus at this level.

Charisma is your spellcasting ability for your Hexbinder spells, so you use your Charisma whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Charisma modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a Sorcerer or Warlock spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.

Spell save DC = 8 + Proficiency bonus + Charisma modifier Spell attack modifier = Proficiency bonus + Charisma modifier

Source Channeler

Choose 3 cantrips and 3 1st level spells from either the Sorcerer or Warlock spell list, but not from both. You will continue learning spells from this chosen spell list.

The highest level spell you can learn increases to 2nd level spells at 7th level Hexbinder, then to 3rd level spells at 13th level Hexbinder, and finally 4th level spells at 19th level Hexbinder. You learn a new spell from your chosen spell list every even-numbered level and learn an additional leveled spell at the following levels: 7th, 13th, and 19th levels.

On level-up, you can choose to change out one of your learned spells for a spell of the same level from the spell list initially chosen.

Source Stability

Your volatility threshold is raised by 3 points, up to 9 volatility. Your volatility threshold is raised by 1 every even-numbered level, capping out at 18.

Source Binding

Starting at 3rd level, you can imbue your ranged weapon attacks with a damage-dealing spell's effects and damage type once per turn.

Note: Source binding only applies to ranged weapons that utilize attack rolls. Secondary AOE effects from the weapon, such as a grenade, cannot be source-bound.

You add extra damage matching the spell's damage type to your ranged weapon attack, but the base damage and damage type from the weapon itself remains unchanged. The additional damage formula is Source Binding = 1d6 + 1d6 multiplied by the Spell Level. This raises your volatility by the same amount as the spell's level. This also uses a Focus Point when you do so. AOE effects start from the point of impact on the first target hit with a successful attack for each attack.

AOE source binding requires that you raise volatility by number of targets hit.

You can bind spells to your ranged attacks as long as you can cast spells, like the Oathsworn's Divine Smite.

7th Level

Additional Source Spells

Your source of power grows. At 7th level, you learn any 2nd level evocation spell from the spell list you chose at 3rd level.

Additional Source Binding Power

Starting at 7th level, if you bind a ranged weapon attack with a 2nd level cast, you deal an additional 3d6 damage matching the spell's damage type.

10th Level

Quickened Spellcaster (Bonus Action)

Starting at 10th level, you can cast a leveled spell or cantrip as a Bonus Action. The number of Focus Points consumed is 2 + the Spell's Level when you use this feature. This raises your volatility by 1 additional point when you use this feature. This is similar to the Quickened Spell metamagic.

13th Level

Additional Source Spells

Your source of power grows. Starting at 13th level, learn any 3rd level spell from the previously chosen spell list.

Additional Source Binding Power

Starting at 13th level, if you bind a ranged weapon attack with a 3rd level cast, you deal an additional 4d6 damage matching the spell's damage type.

15th Level

Source Recovery

You can use Focus Points to reduce your Volatility by 1 per Focus Point spent, up to an amount equal to 4 Volatility + your Charisma Modifier per Short Rest.

Hexbound Twincasting (Action)

You can now twincast your spells at a cost of two Focus Points plus the spell's level in Focus Points. This functions the same as the Sorcerer's metamagic option Twinned Spell, where you cannot twincast a spell with an area of effect.

18th Level

Font of Empowerment

Any time you imbue your ranged weapon attacks with a spell's effects, you may spend an additional amount of Focus Points matching the spell's level plus an additional Focus Point to deal full damage with the Source Binding effects, up to a maximum of 30 (5d6) extra magical damage.

19th Level

Additional Source Spells

Your source of power grows. Learn any 4th level spell from the previously chosen spell list.

Additional Source Power

Starting at 19th level, if you bind a ranged weapon attack with a 4th level cast, you deal an additional 5d6 damage matching the spell's damage type.

Back to the Archetype Overview

Kingfisher

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3rd Level

Disarming Shot (Attack)

Starting at 3rd level, you can use this maneuver. After making a successful ranged weapon attack, you can attempt to force your opponent to drop a chosen weapon. Your opponent must make a Dexterity saving throw against your Focus DC. On a failed save, choose which weapon they drop from their hands. To use this feature, you consume a Focus Point.

Quick on the Draw (Reaction)

Starting at 3rd level, you can use this maneuver. Fire a single shot at an opponent attacking you, as a Reaction. You take this Reaction before their attack connects. They must make a Dexterity saving throw against your Focus DC or their attack will miss. You use a Focus Point to perform this reaction.

7th Level

Akimbo Expert

Starting at 7th level, using the Rapid Shooting special maneuver with dual-wielded handguns does not incur a -5 penalty to hit.

Fast Reactions

Starting at 7th level, you can now take 2 Reactions per round of combat if you use the Quick on The Draw maneuver for at least one of those Reactions.

When you obtain the Duck and Dodge maneuver, you may use that maneuver as one of your 2 Reactions.

10th Level

Deadeye (Attack)

Your raw speed and precision with dual-wielded firearms is unmatched. Starting at 10th level, while dual-wielding firearms, you are able to fire individual shots in a burst on as many targets in your line of sight of your choosing or dump a full burst from both firearms into a single target as an attack. These shots cannot miss, but you use up 4 Focus Points to perform this attack. You can perform this maneuver once per short or long rest.

15th Level

Duck and Dodge (Reaction)

Grant yourself advantage on Dexterity saving throws until the start of your next turn by using a Focus Point and a Reaction to bob and weave.

If you have used this maneuver on your turn, you take only half damage from an area of effect spell or attack if you fail on your saving throw, and instead take no damage if you succeed.

King's Flourish (Attack)

As a single Attack action, make a ranged weapon attack against as many targets that are in range and line of sight of you, making a single shot for each target.

Each target successfully hit must make a Constitution saving throw against your Focus save DC or be Dazed until the end of your next turn. Use up four Focus Points to make this attack. Dazed targets cannot use their Reactions.

18th Level

Lightning Triggerfinger

You are lightning fast, never caught surprised, and will always take the first turn.

Additionally, you can fire two more shots per burst attack with single-handed firearms at the cost of two Focus Points, once per turn.

Back to the Archetype Overview

Marksman

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3rd Level

Precise Shot (Attack)

Starting at 3rd level, you can use this maneuver. When you make a 2-handed ranged weapon attack on a target, you may choose to reduce their cover benefits by a factor of one for any attacks you make against them until the start of your next turn by spending a Focus Point.

If an enemy is in High Cover, it is then treated as half cover. If an enemy is in half cover, then it is treated as light cover. If an enemy is in light cover, it is treated as if there is no cover. This feature reduces cover by a factor of two at 7th level, and ignores cover at 10th level.

Targeted Shot (Attack)

Starting at 3rd level, you can use this maneuver.

You may choose to make a ranged attack on a target's specific body part and inflict the following effects based on the body part selected. To do so consumes a Focus Point.

Head: You deal additional damage equal to your Proficiency Bonus, but you must make the Attack Roll without your Proficiency Bonus.

Torso: The target must make a Constitution Saving Throw against your Focus DC or be Dazed and unable to take Reactions until the end of your next turn.

Arms: You impose disadvantage on all attacks made by the target until the start of your next turn.

Legs: You hamstring an opponent and reduce their movement speed to 0 until the start of your next turn.

Wings: You force the target to land. They cannot fly again until they heal.

7th Level

Improved Critical Range

Starting at 7th level, the range for critical ranged attacks with 2-handed firearms is increased, requiring only 19-20 to land a Critical Success.

Heartpiercer

Your damage is much more consistent when you fire a burst with any of your ranged weapon attacks. You may choose to reroll any 1's or 2's in your damage roll, up to as many as your Proficiency Bonus and spend an amount of Focus Points equal to the number of rerolled die whenever you use this feature.

You must use the new rolls, even if they have landed on a 1.

10th Level

Lethal Spree (Attack)

Starting at 10th level, after making a critical success with a 2-handed ranged firearm attack (excluding Light Machine Guns, Submachine Guns, and weapons with 6 or more burst attacks' worth of ammunition in their magazines), you get a free follow-up burst attack with that same weapon.

This ability can chain as many times as you roll criticals with as many shots as are left in your magazine.

Additionally, the requirement to roll a Critical Success with a ranged attack is lowered further reduced by 1, to a default of 18, expanding the range to 18-20 required for a Critical Success with a ranged weapon attack. This effect can stack with others that increase your critical success range. This feature can only be used once per short or long rest.

15th Level

Spotting Equipment Suite

You have obtained a special schematic granted by the Marksman archetype. Starting at 15th level you may now craft specialized piece of infrared spotting equipment which allows you to see hidden targets, whether they are hidden by magical means or using active camouflage.

You also gain access to Nightvision equipment which allows you to see in the dark, twice as far as normal darkvision would allow you to. You are no longer disadvantaged when making ranged weapon attacks against invisible targets while using this feature. Using Nightvision during the day makes it more difficult to see, however and incurs disadvantage on attacks. Toggling Nightvision on or off is a free action.

With the Spotting Equipment Suite, you are also able to hit targets beyond your effective range without penalties.

The crafting requirements for the Spotting Equipment Suite are as follows.

4 Rare Electronic components

2 Rare Glass materials

2 Rare Metal materials

18th Level

Ultimate Headhunter

You strike true more reliably than anyone else on the planet. The requirement for a critical success with a ranged weapon attack is lowered even further, reduced by 4, to a default of 16, in other words, the range for a critical success with a ranged weapon attack is increased to 16-20. This effect can stack with others that increase critical range.

Back to the Archetype Overview

Tactician

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3rd Level

Focus Fire Tactic (Bonus Action)

Starting at 3rd level, you can use this maneuver as part of a weapon attack. You call out a target and each subsequent attack by you and allied targets each round gets a +1 stacking bonus to hit, up to 6 stacks. The stacks are removed if no attacks are made against that target in a round. Using this feature consumes 2 Focus Points.

Shield Wall

Starting at 3rd level, you are now capable of using Ballistic Shields and a 1-handed weapon at the same time. Normally, this requires a Feat for other classes. As part of this feature when you make a Shield Bash attack, you use your Dexterity Modifier instead of your Strength Modifier when making attack rolls and damage rolls.

With this feature, while you are equipped with a Full Ballistic Shield and while it is not raised, you get the equivalent of a Medium Cover bonus. While it is raised, you gain the equivalent of a High Cover bonus. This works in tandem with the Cover Expert feature.

You can act as mobile cover for your allies with the Full Ballistic Shield raised by using the Shield Wall feature as a Bonus Action. This reduces your movement by 15 feet instead of the usual 10 feet while the shield is raised. If an ally is in an adjacent space, and you are between them and an enemy, it grants a High Cover bonus to your ally. Otherwise, lowering or raising the Full Ballistic Shield is a Free Action.

As with other shields, the Full Ballistic Shield cannot grant you its Evasion Bonus at the same time as High Cover.

Heavy Armor Specialist

You are now proficient in Heavy Armor starting at 3rd level and can craft it. When you reach 6th level in this class, you can make an Improved version of it, at 11th level you can make an Advanced version, and lastly at 16th level you can make a Masterwork version.

If you already have Heavy Armor in your possession, you may spend a Long Rest improving it for half the materials cost of crafting when you reach the required levels in this class.

7th Level

Breach and Clear Tactics

You are well-trained in defeating entrenched positions. Starting at 7th level, enemies cannot make ranged opportunity attacks against you, nor can they take opportunity attacks when you enter melee range.

You are now trained in Martial Melee weapons and can use any Submachine Gun class firearm 1-handed without incurring penalties to hit. You may also use a Bonus Action to make the Shield Bash attack with a shield, if it is in your offhand.

CQC Operative

You are specialized in fighting in close quarters. Starting at 7th level, enemies in Melee do not impose disadvantage on your ranged weapon attacks. You add double your Proficiency Bonus to your attack rolls with ranged weaponry if a target is within 30 feet.

10th Level

Extended Burst (Attack)

Your recoil control has improved to the point where you can fire an extended burst. As part of a ranged weapon attack you fire twice as many rounds as you normally would in a burst without adding your Proficiency Bonus modifier to hit. Use a Focus Point to use this feature.

When met, the CQC Operative conditions grant you your normal attack roll with the weapon instead of losing the Proficiency Bonus.

15th Level

Speed Shooting (Bonus Action)

Make a Single Shot AP III ranged weapon attack against a target inside of your effective range as a Bonus Action. This consumes a Focus Point when you use this feature.

Freethrow (Bonus Action)

You've spent a lot of time practicing breach and clear tactics and have thrown many grenades. You no longer need to spend an action to retrieve the device from your inventory, and may throw it with one hand. You may now quickly throw a grenade or similar device as a Bonus Action, and are able to bounce it off of a surface for half the distance you threw it. To use this feature, you must use two Focus Points.

Additionally, grenade throws now use your Dexterity modifier when calculating extra distance thrown.

18th Level

Laser Focus

Use this feature to give yourself advantage on a ranged weapon attack when the target is within 30-10 feet of you. Consumes two Focus Points to do so. Stacks with the CQC Operative feature.

Perfect Fit

While wearing heavy armor, you can now add double your Dexterity modifier to your evasion rating. For example, if your Dexterity modifier is +3, you can now instead add +6 to your evasion rating. This does not stack with the Tailored Fittings armor mod.

Back to the Archetype Overview