Nobles, swashbucklers, and soldiers spend years perfecting the classic arts of swordplay, but few warriors take the time to gain the same expertise with firearms, and fewer attempt to learn the Art of weaving magic into their gun-play, expanding upon the art of Elven Arcane Archery. The opportune few who have proper training of the elven arcane arts, or innate gifts from nature are able to dedicate themselves to the craft of an Arcane Gunner. This archetype assumes a campaign world where guns are either rare or available only in select seafaring or steampunk like locations, and only up to an old-west level of development to fit in more easily with the standard theme. While anyone can aim a pistol or rifle and fire it, an Arcane Gunner is both proficient with and a cut far above the rabble. Unlike a traditional Gunslinger, Arcane Gunners combine the power of magic with the devastating power of firearms to act as masters of ranged combat. Where Gunslingers draw on bravado, courage, and confidence to perform amazing deeds with their firearms, an Arcane Gunner draws upon their connection with magic that they have gained either through training or innate nature in order to weave magic into their attacks.

Firearms Training

As an Arcane Gunner, you make your mark upon the world as an expert with whichever firearms are prevalent and known to the individual. Starting when you choose this archetype at 3 level, you gain proficiency with firearms, allowing you to add your proficiency bonus to attacks made with firearms. (If you already have or gain firearms proficiency, you then acquire advanced firearms proficiency.)

Arcane Proficiencies

Upon choosing this archetype at 3 level, you can now enhance your firearms abilities using the secrets of magic. You gain proficiency in both the Arcana skill and with Tinker’s Tools. You also learn the mending cantrip. You may use them to craft ammunition at half the cost, repair damaged firearms, or even draft and create new ones (DM’s discretion).

Arcane Gunshot

At 3 level, you learn to unleash special magical effects with some of your shots to disable or damage your opponents using your firearms. When you gain this feature, you learn two Arcane Gunshot options of your choice. (See “Arcane Gunshot Options” below). They are all magical effects that can be added to your firearm's damage as bonus effects, and each one is associated with one of the schools of magic. Once per turn, when you shoot a firearm as part of the Attack action, you can apply one of your Arcane Gunshot options to your next shot. You decide to use the option when the shot hits a creature. You have two uses of this ability, at 3 level and you regain all expended uses of it when you finish a short or long rest.

You gain an additional Arcane Gunshot option of your choice and one additional use of the ability when you reach certain levels in this class: 7, 10, 15, and 18 level. Each time you learn a new Arcane Gunshot, you can also replace one Arcane Gunshot you know with a different one. Each option also improves when you become an 18 level fighter.

If an option requires a saving throw, your Arcane Gunshot save DC equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier.

Burning Shot

You infuse evocation magic into your shot. The creature hit by the shot takes an extra 2d6 of chosen type=(acid or fire) damage.

The (type) damage increases to 4d6 when you reach 18 level in this class. 

Burst Shot

You infuse evocation magic into your shot. The creature hit by the shot takes an additional 2d6 force damage. Each creature in a 10-foot-radius sphere around the target must make a Constitution saving throw. Those targets take 2d6 force damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one.

The force damage increases to 4d6 when you reach 18 level in this class.

Enfeebling Shot

You infuse necromantic magic into your shot. The creature hit by the shot takes an extra 2d6 necrotic damage. The target must also succeed on a Constitution saving throw, or the damage dealt by its weapon attacks is halved until the start of your next turn.

The energy damage increases to 4d6 when you reach 18 level in this class.

Flash Shot

You infuse illusion magic into your shot. The creature hit by the shot is subjected to a blinding flash before its eyes. and takes an extra 2d6 radiant damage. The target and anyone within 5 feet of the target must also succeed on a Constitution saving throw, or be blinded until the start of your next turn.

The radiant damage increases to 4d6 when you reach 18 level in this class.

Freezing Shot

You infuse evocation magic into your shot. The creature hit by the shot takes an extra 2d6 cold damage and its speed is reduced by 10 feet until the start of your next turn.

The cold damage increases to 4d6 when you reach 18 level in this class.

Healing Shot

You infuse evocation magic into your shot. The creature hit by the shot takes no damage (bullet consumed) and instead regains hit points equal to 2d6 + your Charisma modifier. A creature can choose to let this attack bypass their AC and automatically hit, if so a d20 attack roll is still made for the purposes of Misfires, and Healing Shot has no extra healing effect on a critical hit.

The healing increases to 4d6 when you reach 18 level in this class.

Lightning Chain Shot

You infuse evocation magic into your shot. The creature hit by the shot takes an additional 2d6 of lightning damage. A bolt of lightning then arks from that target to one additional previously unaffected target which must be within 10 feet of the first target. Any additional potential (randomly chosen) targets that are within range must make a Dexterity saving throw DC 20 or take 2d6 lightning damage.

The lightning damage increases to 4d6 when you reach 18 level in this class, additionally the bolt will arc again from the second target (if save failed) to a new previously unaffected target within 10 feet of the second target which must then also save for damage.

Stunning Shot

You infuse evocation magic into your shot. The creature hit by the shot takes an extra 2d6 force damage and must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save the creature is stunned until the beginning of your next turn.

The force damage increases to 4d6 when you reach 18 level in this class.

True Shot

You infuse Divination magic into your next shot, your gun directs your hand to aim and seek a target. When you use this option, you don’t make an attack roll for the attack. Instead, choose one creature you have seen in the past minute. Your firearm directs itself in the target’s direction, and then fires, the shot flies towards that creature, seeking the shortest direct path and bending around corners when necessary. If the target is within the weapon’s range and there is a path large enough for the shot to travel to the target, then the target must make a dexterity saving throw. Otherwise the shot will disappear after traveling as far as it can. On a failed save, the target takes damage as if it were hit by the shot, plus an extra 1d6 force damage, and you learn the target’s current location. On a successful save, the target takes half as much damage, and you don’t learn its location.

The force damage is increased to 2d6 when you reach 18 level in this class.

Arcane Reload

At 7 level, you have an innate arcane understanding of any firearm you are holding. You no longer need to have a free hand to load your held firearms. This is now instead done magically and uses the available ammunition and supplies on hand. In addition if your specific weapon uses ammunition that uses casings you are able to magically collect your spent cartridges and casings after they are ejected from your firearm but not the spent rounds.

Magic Bullet

When you reach 7 level, you gain the ability to infuse magic into the bullets fired from your firearm. Whenever you fire a non-magical bullet from a firearm, you can make it magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to the non-magical attacks and damage. The magic fades from the bullet immediately after it hits or misses its target.

Arcane Foresight

Upon reaching 10 level, your synchronicity with firearms as a conduit for your magic allows you to see disaster coming, and take action to prevent it. When you misfire a firearm during an attack you may spend one use of Arcane Gunshot to prevent the misfire. The attack action is still used, however no ammo is used and the firearm does not need to be repaired before being fired again.

Ever-Ready Gun-Arts

Starting at 15 level, your Arcane Gunshot becomes available whenever battle starts. If you roll initiative and have no uses of Arcane Gunshot remaining, you regain one use of it.

Arcane Gunshot (Improvement)

Starting at 18 level, All #Die rolls for Arcane gunshot effects are from this point onward doubled. (1D becomes 2D, 2D becomes 4D etc.)