Hello everyone,
I am converting my ongoing pathfinder game in Andoran to fifth edition. One of my players is playing a Marksman from Ultimate Psionics by Dreamscarred, and I want him to still play the same type of character. Now, my campaign has a big late-18th century feel to it and forearms are somewhat common. I have looked at just letting hiom play whicever class and giving him a proficiency with firearms, but I felt he lost a lot of the feel his character had. So I ended up cooking this Archetype for Fighters and would like to have your comments and suggestions on it. We haven't tested it yet, the game is in a couple of days.
In short, I wanted to make a Battle Master like archetype, who would have a bit less versatility in exchange for using his maneuvers more often. His character is the type to stay at the back, take his time and fire one lethal shot.
I also welcome any addtion you guys might have to the list of maneuvers. 
Gunslinger (Fighter Archetype)
The gunslinger is a fighter who has taken using firearms to an art form. Adept at using
both pistols and muskets, the marksman is a force to be reckoned with up close, or from
afar.
==Maneuvers==
You learn 2 maneuvers up taking this archetype at 3rd level, and 1 more at 7th, 10th
and 15th level. Each level you learn a new Maneuver, you can replace one you had
previsouly taken. The save DC for your maneuvers is 8 + your proficiency bonus +
Dexterity of Intelligence Bonus (your choice). You may only use 1 Maneuver per turn.
==Marksman Dice==
Your maneuvers are fueled by a pool of marskman dice (which are d8s) of which you have
four. A marksman die is expended when you use it and can be regained by spending a
short or long rest. You gain a new marskamn die upon reaching 7th and 15th level.
==Firearm maintenance==
At 3rd level, a Gunslinger gains proficiency with the gunsmithing kit.
==Combine Maneuvers==
At 7th level, you may expend a marksman die to combine two maneuvers together, gaining the effect of boths at once. This increases to three maneuvers at 15th level.
==Improved Marskmanship==
At 10th level, your marksman dice turn into d10s. At 18th level, they turn into d12s.
==List of Maneuvers==
Snap Shot
You may expend a marksman die on your turn before making an attack. You may add your
Intelligence modifier to damage rolls made with firearms during that turn. This
includes any attacks you may make as bonus actions or as part of the Extra Attack
ability.
Aimed Shot
You may spend a full round doing nothing but aiming at your target. So long as you do
not move before your next turn, remove a marksman die from your reserve and add it to your attack roll and damage roll. You may aim for any number of consecutive turns, provided you still have marksman dice in your reserve. For each turn spent aiming, reduce the number necessary to score a critical hit on your d20 by 1. For example, if you aim for three turns, you score a crtitical hit on a 17-20.
Trip Shot
When you hit a creature with a firearm attack, you may expend a marksman die to attempt
to knock the target down. If the target is Large or smaller, it must make a Strength
saving throw. Add your superiority die to the DC. On a failed save, the creature falls
prone.
Disarming Shot
When you hit a creature with a firearm attack, you may expend a marksman die to attempt
to disarm the target forcing it to drop an item of your choice that it is holding. In
addition to taking damage, the target must make a Dexterity saving throw. Add your
superiority die to the DC. On a failed save, the creature drops the item. it lands at
its feet.
Unstoppable Force
When you make a ranged firearm attack, you may expend a marksman die to have the bullet
pierce through the first target and attempt to hit a target standing directly behind
it. The second target must be standing within 5 feet of your original target in a
straight line from you. If the attack roll used to hit the first target would be high
enough to hit the second target, then it takes damage. Roll damage normally, but add
your marksman die to the damage as well.
Distracting Shot
You may use a well-placed shot to create an opening for an ally to strike a creature
you are firing at. when you make an attack against a target with a firearm, expnd a
marksman die to have the attack deal no damage, but to give Advantage on the next
attack made against the creature.
Trick Shot
You may expend a marksman die to fire and hit a target that you can see that is behind cover while ignoring said cover. Before making the attack roll, roll your marksman die. You ignore a number of points to AC given by the cover equal to the number rolled.
Make every shot count
Whne you fail an attack roll, you may expend a marksman die to roll it and add the number to your attack roll. If the attack hits, you add that same number to your damage.
EDIT: Forgot to mention, firearms are martial weapons in this campaign.
EDIT 2: Changed names of 2 maneuvers.
EDIT 3: Modified Aimed Shot
Not to bad, I have to say though, why not just take battle master and just give them accses to a few of your new manuvers?
cowleymen wrote:
No problem, I have to admit that is very true. Let me know how this plays out in your group, if it is to powerful ect.
cowleymen wrote:
I might suggest a rename of Two maneuvers:
*Sniper Shot -> Snap Shot
*Aim -> Aimed Shot
Sniper Shot and Aim have very similar expectations as names, and it would be confusing givin the limited Maneuver list to include both, IMO.
Aimed shot would fit the description of Aim very well while also sticking with the naming conventions of the other Maneuvers.
Snap (or Quick) shot would differentiate the two maneuvers, as well as what I believe their uses in game would be. Aimed shot obviously requires more time to get off, and sacrifices movement and defense to do so. Snap shot, going by your description for Sniper Shot, would seem very much suited for being used during combat itself, or just as it begins (Gunfight/Dueling).
Otherwise it seems very well put together, and I'd also like to hear about how it played out for the character in game!
Thanks Lupus, I ended up changing the names.
the game is tonight, and they have quite the encounter set up. I'll post a list of how it went tomorrow.
So the game went well, they only ran into 1 encounter (4 orcs and an Orc Shaman).
I can't say the gunslinger upstaged anyone yet, we'll see next game.
Just a comment, unless firearms are wildly inaccurate, use expensive ammunition, or have a tendency to explode after every few shots, I can't imagine why Aimed Shot would be worth using in combat. You're trading movement + 2-4 attacks from Extra Attack, for around a +5 bonus to one attack roll. It's a lot more effective to put as many bullets downwind as you can. If it's meant to encourage a "one-shot-one-kill" style, you're spending a valuable resource - especially if you spend multiple dice - to get across only a single attack of damage, so there's no "one-kill" in that equation.
Battlemaster has Precision Attack, which lets you add your superiority die to the attack roll that same turn. That sets a precedent that you don't really need to force the player to not attack to get the same bonus. If you're attached to waiting a turn for style reasons, I'd give something much more substantial, like advantage on the roll and double damage, and a substantial bonus to critical range. If you're spending a die for it, it should be noticeably better than what you could have accomplished without spending that die.
Related, Trick Shot. If there were a maneuver to boost accuracy at will, there would no need for Trick Shot, which just boosts accuracy up to a (low) limit. I'd add an extra effect to make spending a marksman die really worth it, or drop it, and let the player add whatever awesome trick shot flavor text they want to their descriptions of their attacks.
Macv12 wrote:
Aedfhandor wrote: