Powder Mage

Shortly after firearms are invented, it was discovered that certain people had the propensity to ingest gunpowder and derive magical power from it.

Firearm Proficiency

Starting when you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with firearms, allowing you to add your proficiency bonus to attacks made with firearms.

Gunsmith

Upon choosing this archetype at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with Tinker’s Tools. You may use them to craft ammunition at half the cost, repair damaged firearms, or even draft and create new ones (DM’s discretion). Some extremely experimental and intricate firearms are only available through crafting.

Firearm Properties

Firearms are a new and volatile technology, and as such bring their own unique set of weapon properties. Some properties are followed by a number, and this number signifies an element of that property (outlined below). These properties replace the optional ones presented in the Dungeon Master’s Guide. Firearms are ranged weapons.

Reload. The weapon can be fired a number of times equal to its Reload score before you must spend 1 attack or 1 action to reload. You must have one free hand to reload a firearm.

Misfire. Whenever you make an attack roll with a firearm, and the dice roll is equal to or lower than the weapon’s Misfire score, the weapon misfires. The attack misses, and the weapon cannot be used again until you spend an action to try and repair it. To repair your firearm, you must make a successful Tinker’s Tools check (DC equal to 8 + misfire score). If your check fails, the weapon is broken and must be mended out of combat at a quarter of the cost of the firearm. Creatures who use a firearm without being proficient increase the weapon’s misfire score by 1.

Explosive. Upon a hit, everything within 5 ft of the target must make a Dexterity saving throw (DC equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Dexterity modifier) or suffer 1d8 fire damage. If the weapon misses, the ammunition fails to detonate, or bounces away harmlessly before doing so.

Ammunition

All firearms require ammunition to make an attack, and due to their rare nature, ammunition may be near impossible to find or purchase. However, if materials are gathered, you can craft ammunition yourself using your Tinker’s Tools at half the cost. Each firearm uses its own unique ammunition and is generally sold or crafted in batches listed below next to the price.

Firearms

Name	Cost	Ammo	Damage	Weight	Range	Properties
Palm Pistol	50g	2g (20)	1d8 piercing	1 lb.	(40/160)	Light, reload 1, misfire 1
Pistol	150g	4g (20)	1d10 piercing	3 lb.	(60/240)	Reload 4, misfire 1
Musket	300g	5g (20)	1d12 piercing	10 lb.	(120/480)	Two-handed, reload 1, misfire 2
Pepperbox	250g	4g (20)	1d10 piercing	5 lb.	(80/320)	Reload 6, misfire 2
Blunderbuss	300g	5g (5)	2d8 piercing	10 lb.	(15/60)	Reload 1, misfire 2
Bad News	Crafted	10g (5)	2d12 piercing	25 lb.	(200/800)	Two-handed, misfire 3, explosive
Hand Mortar	Crafted	10g (1)	2d8 fire	10 lb.	(30/60)	Reload 1, misfire 3, explosive

Powder Charges

When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you gain the option to influence your abilities via the consumption of gunpowder.

Powder Enhanced Abilities: When you consume a charge, you gain the option to use a Powder Charge ability. You may do this twice per day at no risk, but additional charges induce risk of Powder Blindness. Roll a d20. On a 1, you lose your sight, and the ability to use powder charges in this manner, for 24 hours.

You may learn 2 Powder Charge Abilities at 3rd level.

You gain an additional safe use of a powder charge per day, as well as a new powder charge ability, at 7th, 10th, 15th, and 18th level.

 

Powder Aura

When you reach 7th level, you may detect any gunpowder within a 30 foot radius, and you gain +1 to any attack and damage rolls made with a firearm.

Pistol Master

Thanks to your extensive practice with one-handed firearms, you gain the following benefits upon reaching 10th level:

• Being within 5 feet of a hostile creature doesn’t impose disadvantage on your ranged attack rolls.
• When you use the Attack action and attack with a one-handed weapon, you can use a bonus action to attack with a pistol you are holding.

Lightning Reload

Starting at 15th level, you can reload any firearm as a bonus action.

Vicious Intent

At 18th level, your firearm attacks score a critical hit on a roll of 19-20, and you regain a grit point on a roll of 19 or 20 on a d20 attack roll.

Hemorrhaging Critical

Upon reaching 18th level, whenever you score a critical hit on an attack with a firearm, the target additionally suffers half of the damage from the attack at the end of its next turn.

Powder Charge Abilities

These powder charge abilities are listed in Alphabetical order.

Bullet Time

When you consume a powder charge, you may choose to apply the effects of the Haste spell until the end of your next turn.

Elemental Shot

When you consume a powder charge, you may choose to imbue your attack with your will and deal 2d6 damage of either Fire, Cold, Lightning, or Radiant damage. 

Oracle Shot

When you consume a powder charge, you may choose to see through a bullet you fire, for a distance of 1000 feet or until the bullet strikes something. 

Packed Barrel

When you consume a powder charge, you may choose to bend your will to the powder in the barrel of the firearm you are holding. It deals an additional damage die (whatever die your weapon uses) of Force Damage as you supercharge the shot. 

In addition, the target must make a DC 15 strength saving throw or be knocked back 10 feet. 

Precision Shot

When you consume a powder charge, you may gain advantage on any firearm attacks made this turn. 

Remote Detonation

You may consume one powder charge to detect and harmlessly detonate any gunpowder you detect within 30 feet. You may choose to include or exclude any gunpowder within range.

In addition, once you gain the Powder Aura, you may choose to instead detonate gunpowder to its normal effect. 

Steely Endurance

When you consume a powder charge, you may choose to gain resistance to nonmagical weapon attacks for 1 minute. 

Swift Healing

When you consume a powder charge, you may choose to regain 2d6+your Constitution Modifier in health. You gain one additional die per safe use of Powder Mage Abilities.