I was thinking of this character concept, It would be a Goliath or another tall and muscular race and for their weapon they would use a 40 lb cannon, for his weapon, but I can't seem to think of what class I could use that would fight the cannon wielder or if there is a better race that could care a cannon as a weapon.
The Artillerist subclass for Artificer is exactly what (I think) you want. I was getting ready to type out a whole big thing about how you'd want to go ask the people in the homebrew forum, but yeah... Artillerist covers it.
You don't know what fear is until you've witnessed a drunk bird divebombing you while carrying a screaming Kobold throwing fire anywhere and everywhere.
That, or you could be a Gunslinger and use an actual cannon, instead of being a spellcaster. Or, any class at all and take the Firearms Specialist feat, and use the Firearms from the DMG or the Exandrian versions described in Gunslinger. Or, splash some levels of Artificer, and get firearm proficiency that way...
The primary hurdle of Firearms is your DM consenting to them existing. Once you're past that, they're not necessarily any harder to work into conventional classes than any other ranged martial weapon like a heavy crossbow.
....
Or just be really really strong, and carry around an actual Siege Weapon cannon that you plop in combat and use the usual DMG rules for.
If you don't want to be an artificer, I think it could potentially work with another class provided you and the DM are in agreement that the Goliath can carry the cannon efficiently. The issue is that a cannon is a siege weapon (details can be found in the Dungeon Master Guide) and it requires three actions to fire it (one to load the weapon, on to aim the weapon, and one to fire it). Additionally, there is no feat or class feature that would allow you to ignore any of these steps nor add your proficiency modifier to attacks made with it (I think a cannon is a flat +7 to hit). As such, you would be stuck taking three rounds to make one attack, and could not benefit at all from the Extra Attack feature.
So while it can definitely be done, I think youre not going to feel as strong in combat as you want if you try to use a siege weapon as a normal weapon owing to its setup requirements.
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Not being able to add your proficiency modifier to a cannon attack and using a flat +7 isn't necessarily a BAD thing, if you're a clumsy brute with a poor dexterity who wants to fire a cannon, and then close to range. +7 to hit is a solid modifier in Tiers 1 and 2.
The Artillerist subclass for Artificer is exactly what (I think) you want. I was getting ready to type out a whole big thing about how you'd want to go ask the people in the homebrew forum, but yeah... Artillerist covers it.
I ended up going this route when I had a similar character in mind, but a big part of the concept was the Brawny Guy With the Big Gun (think Jane from Firefly or the generic guy with a big gun and a cigar clenched in his teeth) and it's hard to reconcile that with a class focused on INT with almost zero use for STR. In addition, Artificer has so many built-in aspects of "you're a mechanical/magical genius" that I felt I had to bend over backwards with every feature to make it fit.
I ended up changing to a grizzled, aged veteran who was no longer strong but retained decades of battlefield experience and had a deep understanding of his custom gun and the different kinds of ammo it used (reflavored cantrips and other spells). It worked, but I had to change so much that it left me dissatisfied.
In an attempt to homebrew a better fit, I made an Arcane Archer-ish fighter subclass that could use STR with a heavy crossbow and used different ammo for different effects. But I never felt like I got it quite right.
Thanks, for the ideas. I didnt even think about using an arificer, I was think more fighter or something. This should really help to create my character. I found a homebrew race called a golem, that would be big enough to hold a cannon. Also i was thinking about mounting a ballista to a back of a centaur.
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I was thinking of this character concept, It would be a Goliath or another tall and muscular race and for their weapon they would use a 40 lb cannon, for his weapon, but I can't seem to think of what class I could use that would fight the cannon wielder or if there is a better race that could care a cannon as a weapon.
Artificer / Artillerist? Re-fluff some spells (shatter, fireball) as cannon shots?
The Artillerist subclass for Artificer is exactly what (I think) you want. I was getting ready to type out a whole big thing about how you'd want to go ask the people in the homebrew forum, but yeah... Artillerist covers it.
If that doesn't appeal to you, then yeah... Homebrew & House Rules.
You don't know what fear is until you've witnessed a drunk bird divebombing you while carrying a screaming Kobold throwing fire anywhere and everywhere.
If you don't make a Tortle with two shoulder-mounted cannons and name it Blastoise you're missing out on an opportunity.
That, or you could be a Gunslinger and use an actual cannon, instead of being a spellcaster. Or, any class at all and take the Firearms Specialist feat, and use the Firearms from the DMG or the Exandrian versions described in Gunslinger. Or, splash some levels of Artificer, and get firearm proficiency that way...
The primary hurdle of Firearms is your DM consenting to them existing. Once you're past that, they're not necessarily any harder to work into conventional classes than any other ranged martial weapon like a heavy crossbow.
....
Or just be really really strong, and carry around an actual Siege Weapon cannon that you plop in combat and use the usual DMG rules for.
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I'm going to make this way harder than it needs to be.
If you don't want to be an artificer, I think it could potentially work with another class provided you and the DM are in agreement that the Goliath can carry the cannon efficiently. The issue is that a cannon is a siege weapon (details can be found in the Dungeon Master Guide) and it requires three actions to fire it (one to load the weapon, on to aim the weapon, and one to fire it). Additionally, there is no feat or class feature that would allow you to ignore any of these steps nor add your proficiency modifier to attacks made with it (I think a cannon is a flat +7 to hit). As such, you would be stuck taking three rounds to make one attack, and could not benefit at all from the Extra Attack feature.
So while it can definitely be done, I think youre not going to feel as strong in combat as you want if you try to use a siege weapon as a normal weapon owing to its setup requirements.
Three-time Judge of the Competition of the Finest Brews! Come join us in making fun, unique homebrew and voting for your favorite entries!
Re-imagining unpopular subclasses as part of FIFY WotC. Let us know what you think of our changes!
Not being able to add your proficiency modifier to a cannon attack and using a flat +7 isn't necessarily a BAD thing, if you're a clumsy brute with a poor dexterity who wants to fire a cannon, and then close to range. +7 to hit is a solid modifier in Tiers 1 and 2.
dndbeyond.com forum tags
I'm going to make this way harder than it needs to be.
I ended up going this route when I had a similar character in mind, but a big part of the concept was the Brawny Guy With the Big Gun (think Jane from Firefly or the generic guy with a big gun and a cigar clenched in his teeth) and it's hard to reconcile that with a class focused on INT with almost zero use for STR. In addition, Artificer has so many built-in aspects of "you're a mechanical/magical genius" that I felt I had to bend over backwards with every feature to make it fit.
I ended up changing to a grizzled, aged veteran who was no longer strong but retained decades of battlefield experience and had a deep understanding of his custom gun and the different kinds of ammo it used (reflavored cantrips and other spells). It worked, but I had to change so much that it left me dissatisfied.
In an attempt to homebrew a better fit, I made an Arcane Archer-ish fighter subclass that could use STR with a heavy crossbow and used different ammo for different effects. But I never felt like I got it quite right.
My homebrew subclasses (full list here)
(Artificer) Swordmage | Glasswright | (Barbarian) Path of the Savage Embrace
(Bard) College of Dance | (Fighter) Warlord | Cannoneer
(Monk) Way of the Elements | (Ranger) Blade Dancer
(Rogue) DaggerMaster | Inquisitor | (Sorcerer) Riftwalker | Spellfist
(Warlock) The Swarm
Thanks, for the ideas. I didnt even think about using an arificer, I was think more fighter or something. This should really help to create my character. I found a homebrew race called a golem, that would be big enough to hold a cannon. Also i was thinking about mounting a ballista to a back of a centaur.