What would your playstyle be as a ranged battlesmith

Quote from StonyMac >>

Quote from Sequilonis >>

One thing to keep in mind - a Repeating Shot Pistol ignores the Loading property and creates its own ammunition, but there is nothing in the description that allows you to ignore the Ammunition, which says that you need a free hand to load a one-handed ranged weapon. This means that RAW you can't hold a shield in your other hand while using your pistol. You'll need to talk to your DM to make sure they will let you hand wave that restriction based on the magic item's description of its magically created ammunition. I would think most would be fine with it, but I recommend you double-check just to be sure.

I mean I see what you are saying that it does not explicitly say it ignores that property and part of the ammunition property is that you need a free hand to load ammunition. However, that is a very stingy reading of the RAW. Repeating shot does say that if the weapon lacks ammunition the weapon automatically makes its own ammunition when you make a ranged attack so there is no reason you need a free hand to load ammunition in it. I think the reason that the repeating shot weapon is worded that way is so that you could load magic or special ammunition if you wanted to instead of the magically generated but generic ammunition. It might not be possible to load your own ammo if it totally ignored the ammunition property.

Repeating Shot EFA p112: This magic weapon grants a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with it when it's used to make a ranged attack, and it ignores the Loading property if it has that property... If the weapon lacks ammunition, it produces its own, automatically creating one piece of magic ammunition when the wielder makes a ranged attack roll with it. The ammunition created by the weapon vanishes the instant after it hits or misses a target.

Ammunition PHB'24: You can use a weapon that has the Ammunition property to make a ranged attack only if you have ammunition to fire from it. The type of ammunition required is specified with the weapon's range. Each attack expends one piece of ammunition. Drawing the ammunition is part of the attack (you need a free hand to load a one-handed weapon). After a fight, you can spend 1 minute to recover half the ammunition (round down) you used in the fight; the rest is lost.

 I agree with you that it is a stingy reading. But the weapon DOES have the Ammunition property and no given way to ignore it. Even the Gunner feat does not wave this restriction. A DM could interpret that it produces a piece of ammunition that you then still have to load into the weapon. I was just suggesting you check with your DM to make sure. 

I'm gonna be playing a battlesmith (though starting at first level) soon as well. My question is, I rolled for stats and (after background bonuses) I have 17 int and 16 dex. I too want to do a ranged martial build (when possible) so I was wondering if I should take war caster (for the int bonus) or sharpshooter (which would bring me to 17 dex)?

Quote from Bardguy5623 >>

I'm gonna be playing a battlesmith (though starting at first level) soon as well. My question is, I rolled for stats and (after background bonuses) I have 17 int and 16 dex. I too want to do a ranged martial build (when possible) so I was wondering if I should take war caster (for the int bonus) or sharpshooter (which would bring me to 17 dex)?

Keep in mind that you have a class feature that lets you substitute INT for any attack roll with a magic weapon as part of the Battlesmith Battle Ready feature (lvl3).   Meaning you don't need to pump Str or Dex to use your weapons effectively.  And when you get Flash of Genius, you can apply that bonus to saving throws, which can forego the need for War Caster if you're not getting hit often.  Even then, finding, buying or crafting an Amulet of Health to set your bonus to +4, and the fact you have Proficiency in Con saves, means War Caster on ranged build is unnecessary.  Most of the Benefits of Warcaster, even on Battlesmith, lean into melee builds.   

Sharp Shooter with a Repeating weapon lets you use it as pseudo-melee weapon, and being able to ignore most types of cover AND no ranged penalty means anything in line of sight fair game.  With a Repeating Heavy Cross bow (or Long Bow) you have 400ft of range, and are basically a sniper.   And if you have a decent amount of books, theres nothing stopping you from using the various Magical Ammunition types.   Walloping Ammo is my goto since they are cheap to make, and if it ever knocks down a flying enemy, that falling damage on top of things.  Arcana Unleashed also introduced several uncommon ammo types with strong effects.  Goading, Dispelling, Healing, Torpedo, Void Ammo, Anchoring Arrows, Rust Arrow, Bird's Eye Bolt, Paralyzing Bolt all common or uncommon rarity.  If you get the Valda's Player Pack 2, you combine sharp shooter and Magitechnician feats with the magical ammo to raise the DC of all the Ammo effects to your Spell save DC.   Walloping Ammo goes from a base DC13 up to DC16 (at lvl 8) assuming you're investing the bonuses into INT18 or higher.   

This also opens up the thrown weapons, letting you opt for a returning hand axe, spear or Javelin at their longer ranges, to free up an Attunement slot.  

Hand Cross bow with a Shield becomes a viable option; and there are several good shield options.   The Boomerang shield which you can throw, and duel wielding with an other magical shield.   If you have Monsters of Drakkenheim book, the Reflector shield can use a reaction to retaliate common elemental damage back to its source. Really good against spell casters.   Getting an Amulet of Health (for 19 CON) and Sources of Temp HP you can afford a few hits in order to punish those enemies.   Arrow Catching shield to realistically give you 20+ AC against ranged attacks, and can protect nearby allies.  

https://www.dndbeyond.com/magic-items/10185330-reflector-shield

https://www.dndbeyond.com/magic-items/4577-arrow-catching-shield

https://www.dndbeyond.com/feats/2377371-magitechnician