Gun Sage

In the rugged, lawless expanses of the frontier, where survival hinges on the quickness of the draw and the sharpness of the eye, the Gun Sage stands as a paragon of firearm mastery. These elite marksmen are more than just gunslingers; they are tacticians, blending the calculated precision of a sniper with the raw ferocity of a gunslinger. Gun Sages view combat as an art form, where every shot is a brushstroke on the canvas of the battlefield.

A Gun Sage’s journey is one of relentless practice and unwavering discipline. Their training transcends mere marksmanship, encompassing an intricate understanding of strategy, positioning, and weapon mechanics. On the dusty streets of frontier towns or the open plains, they move with the grace of a dancer and strike with the deadly accuracy of a master craftsman.

As a Gun Sage, you are a testament to the power of dedication and precision. Your journey is marked by continual growth and adaptation, with each showdown serving as an opportunity to refine your technique and deepen your understanding of the gun. Whether facing down a band of outlaws or protecting a town from marauding bandits, you stand ready, poised to turn the tide of any conflict with your unparalleled marksmanship.

Embrace the path of the Gun Sage, and let your firearm be the instrument through which you express the true art of combat.

Ranged Forms

When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you learn three shooting stances of your choice from the list of stances at the end of this archetype description. You can prepare two shooting stances by spending at least one hour during a short or long rest practicing your shooting forms through drills or target practice.

You can learn and prepare additional shooting stances as indicated on the Shooting Stances table below.

In combat, as a bonus action on your turn, you can enter a shooting stance, granting you special abilities for as long as you are in that stance. You can exit your current stance or enter a new stance as a bonus action. Your shooting stances end if you are incapacitated, knocked prone, or when combat ends. You may only benefit from one stance at a time.

Shooting Stances Table

Fighter Level	Stances Prepared	Stances Known
3	2	3
7	3	5
10	4	7
15	5	9
18	6	11

 

Shifting Stances

At 7th level, you can rapidly switch from one stance to another. Once per turn, you can enter or exit a stance as a free action.

Innovated Techniques

At 10th level, you have unlocked the secret to combining shooting stances. You can now gain the benefit of two different shooting stances at the same time. They must both be activated following the rules for entering stances.

The two stances may have conflicting features; when this happens, the second stance’s rule overrides the previous stance’s rule. For example, if you gained a +2 bonus to attack rolls when you entered Precise Shot stance, then you enter Defensive Shot stance using this feature, the Defensive Shot stance reduces your attack rolls based on your current bonus (including the Precise Shot bonus), not your original attack roll.

Tactical Mastery

At 15th level, your profound expertise in shooting forms and stances allows you to exploit the battlefield to your advantage, predicting and countering enemy movements with remarkable precision.

Battlefield Awareness

Your deep understanding of combat allows you to anticipate and counter enemy strategies. When you use your Action Surge, you can immediately switch to a different stance as part of the same action, without using a bonus action or reaction. Additionally, while in this new stance, you can ignore one type of disadvantage (such as on attack rolls, ability checks, or saving throws) that you would normally incur due to the stance’s effects until the start of your next turn.

Perfect Response

You can use your reaction to switch to any shooting stance you know whenever you are attacked or when a creature you can see within 30 feet of you is attacked. This stance remains active until the start of your next turn, after which you revert to your previously active stance. This switch does not count against the number of stances you can have prepared.

Unyielding Focus

You gain proficiency in Wisdom saving throws. If you already have this proficiency, you can add your proficiency bonus to your Wisdom saving throw on top of the proficiency.

Signature Stance

At 18th level, you have mastered your shooting stances. Pick one stance you know. You always gain the benefits of this stance, and it doesn’t count against the number of stances you can have active at once. You cannot enter this stance any longer since you are always in this stance.

Deadeye

You focus intensely on your target, ensuring every shot counts. While in this stance, you gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls with ranged weapons. In addition, when you hit a creature with a ranged weapon attack, you can reroll one damage die, but you must use the new roll.

You suffer a -2 penalty to Dexterity saving throws while in this stance.

Mobile Marksman

You maintain high mobility while keeping your sights on your target. While in this stance, your movement does not provoke opportunity attacks. Additionally, you gain a +10 bonus to your movement speed.

If you end your turn without making a ranged weapon attack, you lose 10 feet of movement speed until the end of your next turn.

Rapid Fire

You prioritize speed and volume of shots over precision. While in this stance, you can make additional ranged weapon attacks equal to half your proficiency bonus when you take the Attack action on your turn. These attacks do not benefit from any attack roll bonuses you might have.

You suffer a -1 penalty to attack rolls with ranged weapons while in this stance.

Sniper

You take a moment to line up a perfect shot. While in this stance, your ranged weapon attacks score a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20. You can also add your proficiency bonus to damage rolls with ranged weapons.

Your movement speed is halved, and you have disadvantage on Dexterity saving throws while in this stance.

Shooting Stances

These shooting stances may vary in name depending on the schools and masters who teach them.

Close Quarters

You are adept at using firearms in tight spaces and close combat. While in this stance, you do not suffer disadvantage on ranged weapon attacks made within 5 feet of a hostile creature. Additionally, you can use a bonus action to make a melee weapon attack with the butt or blade of your firearm.

You suffer a -2 penalty to AC while in this stance.

Deadeye

You focus intensely on your target, ensuring every shot counts. While in this stance, you gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls with ranged weapons. In addition, when you hit a creature with a ranged weapon attack, you can reroll one damage die, but you must use the new roll.

You suffer a -2 penalty to Dexterity saving throws while in this stance.

Defensive Shot

You adopt a defensive position, preparing to evade and counter. While in this stance, you gain a +2 bonus to AC. Additionally, when you are hit by a ranged attack, you can use your reaction to reduce the damage by 1d10 + your proficiency bonus.

You suffer a -2 penalty to attack rolls with ranged weapons while in this stance.

Explosive Shot

You load and fire ammunition designed to deal area damage. While in this stance, your ranged weapon attacks deal an additional 1d4 damage to the target and all creatures within 5 feet of it.

You must take a bonus action to reload after each shot while in this stance.

Gunslinger

You blend precision with rapidity, making each shot a deadly threat. While in this stance, your ranged weapon attacks ignore half and three-quarters cover. Once per turn, when you score a critical hit with a ranged weapon attack, you can make one additional ranged weapon attack as part of the same action.

You suffer a -1 penalty to AC while in this stance.

Mobile Marksman

You maintain high mobility while keeping your sights on your target. While in this stance, your movement does not provoke opportunity attacks. Additionally, you gain a +10 bonus to your movement speed.

If you end your turn without making a ranged weapon attack, you lose 10 feet of movement speed until the end of your next turn.

Pinpoint

You take careful aim to hit weak spots in your opponents’ defenses. While in this stance, your ranged weapon attacks have advantage against creatures that are at least 30 feet away from you.

You have disadvantage on ranged weapon attacks against creatures within 30 feet.

Rapid Fire

You prioritize speed and volume of shots over precision. While in this stance, you can make one additional ranged weapon attack when you take the Attack action on your turn. This attack does not benefit from any attack roll bonuses you might have.

You suffer a -1 penalty to attack rolls with ranged weapons while in this stance.

Sharpshooter

You focus on long-range precision shooting. While in this stance, the normal and long range of your ranged weapons is doubled. Additionally, your attacks with ranged weapons ignore any penalties due to long range.

You suffer a -2 penalty to AC while in this stance.

Sniper

You take a moment to line up a perfect shot. While in this stance, your ranged weapon attacks score a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20. You can also add your proficiency bonus to damage rolls with ranged weapons.

Your movement speed is halved, and you have disadvantage on Dexterity saving throws while in this stance.

Suppressive Fire

You focus on controlling the battlefield and hindering enemy movements. While in this stance, you can use your action to force all creatures in a 30-foot cone to make a Wisdom saving throw (DC = 8 + your Dexterity modifier + your proficiency bonus). On a failed save, creatures are frightened of you until the end of your next turn.

You cannot make normal attacks during the turn you use this ability and must use your action to maintain suppressive fire.