School of the Spellslinger

Spellslingers specialize in the use of firearms in concert with their magic to become a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield. Much like their normal, gun slinging bretheren, the spellslingers did not stop with the innovation of the crossbow. But they went even further, incorporating magic into their fighting styles and even finding ways to augment their attacks with elemental energies.

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.

Also, you become able to use firearms as spellcasting focuses.

Gunsmith

Upon choosing this school 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 potent 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

Magical Marksman

When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you learn to perform powerful trick shots to disable or damage your opponents using your firearms.

Special Shots. You learn three special shots of your choice, which are detailed under “Special Shots” below. Many maneuvers enhance an attack in some way. Each use of a special shot must be declared before the attack roll is made. You can use only one special shot per attack.

You learn an additional trick shot of your choice at 6th, 10th, and 14th level. Each time you learn a new trick shot, you can also replace one trick shot you know with a different one.

Grit. You gain a number of grit points equal to your Intellingence modifier (minimum of 1). You regain 1 expended grit point each time you roll a 20 on the d20 roll for an attack with a firearm, or deal a killing blow with a firearm to a creature of significant threat (DM’s discretion). You regain all expended grit points after a short or long rest.

Saving Throws. Some of your special shots require your targets to make a saving throw to resist the special shot’s effects. The saving throw DC is equal to your spell save DC.

Extra Attack

Starting at 6th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

Quickdraw

When you reach 6th level, you add your proficiency bonus to your initiative. You can also stow a firearm, then draw another firearm as a single object interaction on your turn.

Rapid Repair

Upon reaching 10th level, you learn how to quickly attempt to fix a jammed gun. You can spend a grit point to attempt to repair a misfired (but not broken) firearm as a bonus action.

Lightning Reload

Starting at 14th level, you can reload any firearm as a bonus action.

Showdown

At 14th level you can stare down a target and initiate a magical duel. As an action you cause yourself and a target creature within 30 ft of you to roll percentile dice and compare the results, the person with the higher result winning the duel. If the duel's winner is your opponent, they can move up to their movement speed and gain an action that must be used against you (such as with an attack against you, a spell that would damage you, etc). If you win the duel, you can make 3 attacks with a firearm that deal one extra damage die of damage.

You can only use this feature once per long rest.

Spellslinger Techniques

These spellslinger techniques are presented in alphabetical order.

All In

You focus your aim down to a single point and fire at a target with extreme precision. You can expend one grit point to automatically hit with an attack, but all attacks against you have advantage until the end of your next turn.

Arcane Shots

You attune one of your firearms to pure arcane energy, causing it to fire beams of force in a line out to its short range. You can spend two grit point as a bonus action to cause one firearm in your possession to fire a beam of force for each attack that deals 3d10 force damage for 1 minute. A creature in the line can make a Dexterity saving throw to take half damage. The beam ignores half and 3/4 cover.

The force damage increases to 3d12 at 14th level. A weapon can only be attuned to one damage type at a time.

Basaspit

You spit a caustic substance at a creature within range to deal damage. You can spend one grit point as an action to make a spell attack against a creature within 20 ft of you, dealing 2d10 acid damage on a hit.

This damage increases to 4d10 at 14th level.

Chivalrous Charm

You tip your hat or head at a creature within range and speak some words of acknowledgement to them, possibly charming them. You can expend one grit point as a bonus action to force a creature within 60 feet of you to make a saving throw. If the creature fails its saving throw, it is charmed by you until the end of your next turn. The creature will not willingly attack you or your allies while charmed in this way.

Deadeye

You make an impossible shot at a creature within range for devastating damage. You can expend two grit points to cause an attack to be a critical hit. This counts towards the conditions of regaining grit points.

Earthen Shots

You attune one of your firearms to elemental earth, causing it to deal extra bludgeoning damage and possibly cause the shots to slow their target on a hit. You can spend one grit point as a bonus action to cause one firearm in your possession to deal an extra 1d6 bludgeoning damage for 1 minute. Also, during the duration of this ability, attacks with the chosen firearm will force the attack's target to make a Strength saving throw or have their speed reduced by 10 until the end of your next turn.

The bludgeoning damage increases to 1d8 at 6th level, 1d10 at 10th level, and 1d12 at 14th level. A weapon can only be attuned to one damage type at a time.

Fey Shots

You attune one of your firearms to the mystical energies of the Feywild, causing it to deal extra psychic damage and cause the shots to temporarily hypnotize the target. You can spend one grit point as a bonus action to cause one firearm in your possession to deal an extra 1d8 psychic damage for 1 minute. Also, during the duration of this ability, attacks with the chosen firearm will force the target of the attack to make a Wisdom saving throw or become charmed (a creature immune to charming is immune to this effect). A creature charmed in this way is mesmerized by visions of the Feywild and is also considered blinded and has its speed reduced to 0.

The psychic damage increases to 1d10 at 10th level and 1d12 at 14th level. A weapon can only be attuned to one damage type at a time.

Fire Shots

You attune one of your firearms to elemental fire, causing it to deal extra fire damage and cause the shots to explode on a hit. You can spend one grit point as a bonus action to cause one firearm in your possession to deal an extra 1d6 fire damage for 1 minute. Also, during the duration of this ability, attacks with the chosen firearm will explode and cause creatures within 5 ft of the attack's target to make a Dexterity saving throw or take the fire damage that the target took.

The fire damage increases to 1d8 at 6th level, 1d10 at 10th level, and 1d12 at 14th level. A weapon can only be attuned to one damage type at a time.

Frost Shots

You attune one of your firearms to elemental water, causing it to deal extra cold damage and possibly cause the shots to stun the target. You can spend one grit point as a bonus action to cause one firearm in your possession to deal an extra 1d6 cold damage for 1 minute. Also, during the duration of this ability, attacks with the chosen firearm will force their target to make a Constitution saving throw or be stunned until the end of its next turn.

The cold damage increases to 1d8 at 6th level, 1d10 at 10th level, and 1d12 at 14th level. A weapon can only be attuned to one damage type at a time.

High Noon

You use an amazing amount of energy to unload your gun at targets within its range. You can spend two grit point as an action to make a number of attacks against creatures within your firearm's range equal to the number of bullets that you have loaded into your firearm. You cannot target a creature more than once in a turn with an attack from this ability A critical hit with any of these attacks reduces the target of the critical attack to 0 hit points as long as that creature is below 100 hit points.

After using this technique, you gain one point of exhaustion.

High Roller

You make a dramatic motion while firing your weapon, possibly causing you to deal extra damage. You can spend one grit point while making a DC 13 Charisma (Performance) check to deal double damage with the attack. A critical hit will double the damage even after it has been doubled by this ability. 

Lightning Shots

You attune one of your firearms to elemental air, causing it to deal extra lightning damage and possibly cause the shots to knock the target prone. You can spend one grit point as a bonus action to cause one firearm in your possession to deal an extra 1d6 lightning damage for 1 minute. Also, during the duration of this ability, attacks with the chosen firearm will force the attack's target to make a Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.

The lightning damage increases to 1d8 at 6th level, 1d10 at 10th level, and 1d12 at 14th level. A weapon can only be attuned to one damage type at a time.

Radiant Shots

You attune one of your firearms to divine energy, causing it to deal extra radiant damage and possibly cause the shots to blind the target. You can spend one grit point as a bonus action to cause one firearm in your possession to deal an extra 2d8 radiant damage for 1 minute. Also, during the duration of this ability, attacks with the chosen firearm will force the attack's target to make a Constitution saving throw or become blinded.

The radiant damage increases to 2d10 at 10th level and 2d12 at 14th level. A weapon can only be attuned to one damage type at a time.

Shade Shots

You attune one of your firearms to the necrotic energies of the Shadowfell, causing it to deal extra necrotic damage and possibly cause the shots to weaken the target. You can spend one grit point as a bonus action to cause one firearm in your possession to deal an extra 2d8 necrotic damage for 1 minute. Also, during the duration of this ability, attacks with the chosen firearm will force the attack's target to make a Constitution saving throw or become poisoned until the end of your next turn and also cannot regain hit points until the end of its next turn (creatures that are immune to the poisoned condition are immune to this secondary effect).

The necrotic damage increases to 2d10 at 10th level and 2d12 at 14th level. A weapon can only be attuned to one damage type at a time.

Thunder Shots

You attune one of your firearms to elemental air, causing it to deal extra thunder damage and possibly cause the shots to deafen the target for a short time. You can spend one grit point as a bonus action to cause one firearm in your possession to deal an extra 1d6 thunder damage for 1 minute. Also, during the duration of this ability, attacks with the chosen firearm will force the attack's target to make a Constitution saving throw or be deafened until the end of your next turn.

The thunder damage increases to 1d8 at 6th level, 1d10 at 10th level, and 1d12 at 14th level. A weapon can only be attuned to one damage type at a time.

Twinshot

You can quickly fire two shots, either at the same target or at different ones. You can spend one grit point to fire two shots as a part of the same attack. These two shots use the same attack roll and can be aimed at either the same target or two different targets.