How do I make a gunslinger with a decent damage progression?

Question

I am considering playing a Gunslinger when next we play Pathfinder (I am currently GMing a game, and we'll be switching off afterwards), and thumbing through the Ultimate Combat Playtest v. 2, and I'm wondering how best to keep my damage progression on a decent track. I've considered a couple of things, like taking the various feats which increase damage and critical threat range (seems most guns crit at x4), and enchanting my gun, but I was wondering if anyone had some other ideas on how to keep damage high.

There are a couple of things working against me:

• Ammo is expensive: A single shot, if made by the Gunslinger costs a minimum of 1gp 1sp, and that's the kind of ammo which takes a standard action to reload (move if you have rapid reload). Alchemical rounds cost something like 6gp a piece.
• Guns are expensive: A single shot pistol is 1,000 gp (but the Gunslinger can make one for half). Ultimately I think I want a revolver so I can get up to 6 shots before having to reload.
• Guns don't add ability bonuses: Like crossbows, they do static damage. 1d8 for a pistol.

Things working for me:

• Within one Range Increment, guns resolve against touch AC: Which means I will probably almost always hit. That's awesome, but doesn't help my damage.
• Aimed shots at level 7: These are kind of awesome, and can cause nifty status effects.

I don't really need powergaming levels of damage here, just want to keep a moderate level of damage.

Answer 1

Be a Pistolero, take two weapon fight, two double pistols, and rapid shot (and pre-reqs). At 11th level take signature deed (or w/e it's called) and place it on the bonus deed you got from becoming a pistolero. You'll also need rapid reload and alot of alchemic rounds.

Using the double pistols special each shot can shoot 2 bullets, since it's now a free action to reload and you only need to possess 1 grit point in order to perform the deed given to you at first level.

You can fire 3 times a round off of your normal attacks + 1 from 2 weapon fight + 1 from rapid shot which = 5 shots. Each shot is shooting 2 bullets so 10 shots a round. Say you miss with every shot 10 * 3d6 / 2 on average = 45 damage a round WHEN YOU MISS ALL OF YOUR TOUCH ATTACK SHOTS. :P Have fun.

Answer 2

The answer to your cost-per-shot problem is buried in the starting Feats for Gunslingers.

Gunslingers start with Gunsmithing Feat. The Gunsmithing Feat allows you to (among other things):

"Crafting Ammunition: You can craft bullets, pellets, and black powder for a cost in raw materials equal to 10% of the price. If you have at least 1 rank in Craft (alchemy), you can craft alchemical cartridges for a cost in raw materials equal to half the price of the cartridge. At your GM's discretion, you can craft metal cartridges for a cost in raw materials equal to half the cost of the cartridge. Crafting bullets, black powder, or cartridges takes 1 day of work for every 1,000 gp of ammunition (minimum 1 day)."

So there you go. Gunslingers make their own ammo for 10% of the listed cost.

Answer 3

Your main problem is that the Gunslinger is gimped by the awful Pathfinder gun rules. It will never have comparable damage to other characters. Consider getting your DM to allow better firearm rules, they exist in the Pathfinder Freeport Companion and Adamant Entertainment's Tome of Secrets, and here's a great free set of gun rules (I wrote) for Pathfinder from LPJ Design via RPGNow.

Answer 4

I may be a bit late with this, but one thing to keep in mind if you play in the normal Pathfinder setting (Golarion). If you've got your eyes on a revolver, your DM may be more stringent with their availability - just because they're on the equipment tables doesn't mean you'll be able to find one.

The finalised gun rules* mention different stages of firearm availability and Golarion defaults to "Emerging Guns", meaning revolvers and other Advanced Firearms are very rare:

Firearms become more common. They are mass-produced by small guilds, lone gunsmiths, dwarven clans, or maybe even a nation or two—the secret is slipping out, and the occasional rare adventurer uses guns. The baseline Gunslinger rules and the prices for ammunition given in this chapter are for this type of campaign. Early firearms are available, but are relatively rare. Adventurers who want to use guns must take the Gunsmithing feat just to make them feasible weapons. Advanced firearms may exist, but only as rare and wondrous items—the stuff of high-level treasure troves.

Basically; it's entirely up to the DM where, when and how you get a revolver if you're using the normal Pathfinder setting as-is.

If this doesn't apply to your question, then just ignore it - but maybe it'll help anyone else who finds this page through Google.

*Found here: http://www.d20pfsrd.com/equipment---final/firearms

Answer 5

Deadly Aim and Point Blank Shot combined with Rapid Shot offer the best boosts to damage. In my opinion, there is nothing wrong with the Paizo firearm rules. A misfire is easily resolved by a Gunslinger.

Answer 6

The double pistol. It is a standard action to load each barrel of the gun, or a move action if your character has Rapid Reload for the specific gun (p. 136, Ultimate Combat).

The Gunslinger gains a massive damage boost at level 5 when you gain Gun Training, adding you Dex to damage, and as you are using a ranged weapon, and Dex is one of the biggest boosts to your AC, it is a huge damage bonus.

Your damage per hit might not be the highest in the party, but you are the most likely to hit of any member in the party, meaning your damage is likely to be the most consistent, and the highest on average. The only way to keep your damage on par and increasing at the same rate as your other party member is to have advanced firearms paired with rapid reload, so you can pump out the maximum amount of ammo. The Pistolero deed Up Close and Deadly also helps, especially when paired with Two-Weapon Fighting, Rapid Shot or Snap Shot feats.

The Gunslinger is not designed to be the highest damage-dealer, as they gain other abilities such as Nimble and Deeds, along with having more skills than a fighter. So, they are better understood as a cross between Fighter and Rogue.