Well, heck. When I first set about to revise the original Gunslinger subclass  I didn’t realize there were already so many out there. But my aim was to update the original subclass created by Matt Mercer (which was itself adapted from Pathfinder) to the 2024 version of 5th Ed. and maybe expand it some. But overall I wanted it to play similar to the original and be as simple as possible.

Here is the list of the major changes from the original subclass.

• Ranges in the Firearms chart have been reduced to be more in line with the DMG.
• Mastery properties have been added to firearms.
• Firearm Proficiency ability renamed and also lets you treat firearms with loading property as reload 1.
• Gunsmith ability renamed and to bring in line with crafting rules added smith tool’s proficiency for making ammunition
• Innovations is a brand new feature that outlines a process only hinted at in the original version. It gives an organized system to allow players to create their own modified firearms.
• Adept Marksman changes the number of Grit points from being dependent on the Wisdom score and changes it to the Proficiency bonus. 
• Quickdraw changed from a proficiency bonus to initiative (you can still get this with the new Alert feat) to having advantage on initiative rolls.
• New ability, Gunfighter, lets you use a firearm as an improvised weapon effectively with a little incentive, too.
• Rapid Repair renamed, and also added a way to more reliably repair a misfire.
• The new firearm rules on reloading in the DMG ‘24 have made Lightning Reload pointless, so I changed it to a reaction used after running out of shots.
• Hemorrhaging Critical changed from 18th level ability to a trick shot, and the critical hit part is removed and replaced with a saving throw. 
• New 18th level ability, Gun Savant added which allows multiple trick shots used on an attack and makes sure you start every fight with some grit.
• Bullying Shot upgraded to cause the Frightened condition.
• New Trick Shots added – Accurate Shot; Flaming Shot; Miracle Shot; Point Blank Shot; Rapid-Fire Shot; Ricochet Shot; Shatter Shot; and Unload.

Firearm 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 reload it with an action or a bonus action. 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	100g	2g (20)	1d8 piercing	1 lb.	(20/60)	Light, reload 1, misfire 1, Sap
Pistol	250g	4g (20)	1d10 piercing	3 lb.	(30/90)	Reload 1, Vex
Musket	500g	5g (20)	1d12 piercing	10 lb.	(40/120)	Two-handed, reload 1, misfire 1, Slow
Pepperbox	550g	4g (20)	1d10 piercing	5 lb.	(40/120)	Reload 6, misfire 2, Vex
Blunderbuss	600g	5g (5)	2d8 piercing	10 lb.	(15/45)	Reload 1, misfire 2, Topple
Hand Mortar	Crafted	10g (1)	2d8 fire	10 lb.	(20/60)	Reload 1, misfire 3, explosive, Sap

 

Gun Adept

Starting when you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with firearms. You may ignore the loading property of any firearm and treat it as if it had the reload 1 property instead. If you are able to make multiple attacks with the attack action then you may use just one of those attacks to reload a firearm.

Guncraft

Upon choosing this archetype at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with Tinker’s Tools. You’ll use these to repair damaged firearms. You can craft your first musket or pistol at 1/5th of the normal cost. You also gain proficiency with Smith’s tools, and can use these to craft ammunition for your firearms. You can also innovate extremely experimental and intricate firearms through your ingenuity.

Innovations. Inspired by a flash of genius, you are able to create a unique firearm (or other technological device at DM discretion) using a tinker’s kit, and may create an additional innovation at levels 7, 10, & 15. To find out what you can create you must determine the number of innovation points the new firearm is worth. Consulting the table below, add or or subtract innovation points based on changes from the base firearm in each category. At 3rd level your invention can have an innovation value no higher than 5. At 7th you can create one with an innovation value up to 8, at 10th no higher than 12, and at 15th level it can be no higher than 18. The cost in gold pieces to craft the item is 100 times its total innovation value.

Innovations Table

Innovation Points	Damage	Range	Reload	Breakthrough	Setback	Misfire
Base	1d8	20	1	–	–	1
1	1d10	30	–	Light, Tuned Mastery	Short Range	–
2	1d12	40	2	Collapsible, Shield	Two-Handed	2
3	2d6	60	–	Alternate damage, Illuminator	Heavy (Firearm), Junk	–
4	2d8	80	4	Scope & Tripod	Smoky	–
5	3d6	100	5	Grappling Hook	Overheating	3
6	2d10	120	6	Explosive, Trapped	–	–
7	2d12	Long range X 4	8	Scattershot	–	–
8	3d8	–	10	Armorbane	–	4
10	3d10	200	Special*	–	Unstable	–

 

 

Innovation

The number by which you increase or decrease the innovation's total value for each category (each category’s description states whether it increases or decreases). The base level with no modifications is a firearm with 1d8 piercing damage, a range of 20/60 feet, and includes the properties of reload 1 and misfire 1.

Damage

This is the amount of piercing damage dealt to a creature or object hit by a successful attack of the weapon. This category adds its innovation value to the total.

Range

This is the firearm’s normal range in feet. Multiply the normal range by three to determine the firearm’s long range. If you choose an innovation level of 7 points or higher in this category, then the weapon’s long range is four times its normal range instead of three. This category adds its innovation value to the total.

Reload

The number of shots that can be fired before it must be reloaded. This category adds its innovation value to the total. *At the 10 point innovation value the firearm can have a large capacity of shots before reloading, but the DM may require certain accommodations depending on how many. A reload value of 15 at this level might not require anything, but having 20, 30, or more could require the weapon to have the two-handed or heavy properties; to be stationary; to have a belt-feeder, etc.

Breakthrough

Any other trait that improves the firearm is listed here. This category adds its innovation value to the total. The following are some possibilities that a firearm could possess.

Light This firearm has the light property. A firearm with this cannot also have the two-handed or heavy properties. Double the innovation points gained for any increase in the damage and range categories.

Tuned Mastery  Normally the DM will determine what mastery property the newly designed firearm will have based on its traits and similarities to existing ranged weapons. But when you take this breakthrough you can give your firearm any mastery property you choose (DM discretion). Once chosen it cannot be changed.

Collapsible  You can use your action to quickly fold the firearm into a smaller size for storage or transport. Someone seeing the collapsed weapon may not realize its nature unless they succeed on a DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check.

Shield  The firearm is fitted with a shield that is usable in combat. You gain all the benefits of holding a shield and can still fire the gun normally, but the weapon does gain the heavy property without a reduction in its innovation value.

Alternate Damage  The weapon deals a different damage type instead of piercing. Common choices include fire, acid, bludgeoning, or slashing. This will usually increase the cost of ammunition and may involve other consequences (DM discretion).

Illuminator  By having a continual flame enchantment placed inside a hollow tube fitted with specially placed mirrors, this innovation emits bright light in a 30 feet cone and dim light for 30 feet after that in the direction it is pointed. A bonus action can activate a switch that can cover or uncover the light.

Scope & Tripod  This increases the firearm’s normal and long range by 20 feet each. The weapon must have the two-handed property to benefit from this breakthrough.

Grappling Hook  You can attach or ready this accessory and fire it with a bonus action. The grappling hook reaches up to 100 feet away and attaches to a solid surface made of wood or stone. You can cause the line to retract and pull yourself up with a reaction immediately after it is fired, or as a bonus action on later turns. You can pull yourself up at a rate of 60 feet every round it retracts, or you can carry up to one other creature of your size or smaller at half that speed.

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 half of the firearm’s normal damage. If the weapon misses, the ammunition fails to detonate, or bounces away harmlessly before doing so. Ammunition will cost double or more.

Trapped  This innovation is trapped to harm anyone that doesn’t know how to bypass it. A DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check is necessary to notice the trap, and a DC 18 Intelligence (Investigation) is required to bypass it. Anyone firing the weapon without bypassing the trap takes 2d10 lightning damage and the weapon automatically misfires.

Scattershot  Each shot affects a cone-shaped area up to half of its normal range. Make only one attack roll, every target in the area with an armor class equal to or less than your attack roll takes half of the firearm’s damage. Ammunition for a firearm with this breakthrough will cost double or more the usual price (DM discretion). A firearm with this trait cannot have a normal range higher than 80 (for a 40ft cone).

Armorbane  Ammunition fired from this weapon shreds through metal armor like it was cloth. Any creature targeted by this firearm is treated as if its Armor Class is no higher than 10 + its Dexterity bonus.

Setback

A property or other trait that provides a drawback to using the firearm. This category subtracts its innovation value to the total. The following are just a few of the possible setbacks that could affect the firearm’s performance.

Short Range  This reduces the weapons range to 15(30). You can further reduce the range to 10(20) for a total innovation reduction of 2 points, or make it a melee-only weapon with the finesse property for a total innovation reduction of 4 points

Heavy  A firearm with the heavy property gives you disadvantage on attack rolls if both your Strength and Dexterity scores aren’t at least 13. 

Junk  If this weapon misfires, it gives disadvantage to any tinker check to repair it during combat. Even if it is repaired, it gains a cumulative +1 to the misfire score until you have a chance to correct it during a short or long rest with your tools.

Smoky  Whenever this gun is fired it creates a thick cloud of smoke in the 5 foot square area directly in front of you in the direction you fired. This cloud is a Heavily Obscured area that lasts until the end of your turn unless in an area of strong winds.

Overheating  Every time this weapon is fired its misfire value increases by 1 for all subsequent shots fired until the start of your next turn. This penalty is cumulative. If this firearm has a reload value of less than 4 then it is not worth as much innovation value reduction. A reload of 2 is only worth 3 points of innovation reduction, and a reload of 1 is worth only 2 points.

Unstable  When a misfire is rolled, this firearm suffers a catastrophic backfire. The weapon is destroyed and you suffer twice the firearms normal damage, or half that if you succeed on a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw. The weapon cannot be repaired but can be remade and if you are able to recover all of the pieces of the original they can supply up to one quarter of the cost of raw materials needed.

Misfire

All experimental weapons have the chance to misfire. Rolling this number or lower on the attack roll with the firearm causes a misfire. This category subtracts its innovation value from the total.

Adept Marksman

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

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

You learn an additional trick shot of your choice at 7th, 10th, 15th, and may choose two more at 18th level. Each time you learn a new trick shot, you can also replace one trick shot you know with a different one.

Grit. You have a pool of grit points equal to your proficiency bonus. You regain 1 spent 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 spent grit points after a short or long rest.

Saving Throws. Some of your trick shots require your targets to make a saving throw to resist the trick shot’s effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows:

  Trick Shot save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Dexterity modifier

Accurate Shot

When you make a firearm attack against a creature, you can spend one grit point to add your proficiency bonus to the damage on a successful hit. If that attack misses by 5 or less, then the target takes damage equal to your proficiency bonus of the same type as the shot grazes them.

Bullying Shot

You can spend one grit point while firing a shot at a creature within the gun’s normal range. The target takes 1 point of slashing damage from the graze of the bullet nearly missing and they must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or become frightened of you. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns to end the effect. As long as the target is frightened you have advantage on any Charisma (Intimidation) checks against it.

Dazing Shot

When you make a firearm attack against a creature, you can spend one grit point to attempt to daze your opponent. On a hit, the creature suffers normal damage and must make a Constitution saving throw or suffer disadvantage on attacks until the end of their next turn.

Deadeye Shot

When you make a firearm attack against a creature, you can spend one grit point to gain advantage on the attack roll.

Disarming Shot

When you make a firearm attack against a creature, you can spend one grit point to attempt to shoot an object from their hands. On a hit, the creature suffers normal damage and must succeed on a Strength saving throw or drop 1 held object of your choice and have that object be pushed 10 feet away from you.

Flaming Shot

When you make a firearm attack against a target, you can spend one grit point to pack the barrel with extra powder, turning the shot into a miniature fireball. Increase the attacks misfire score by +3, but if it hits a target within 60 feet the shot deals an additional 3d6 fire damage

Forceful Shot

When you make a firearm attack against a creature, you can spend one grit point to attempt to trip them up and force them back. On a hit, the creature suffers normal damage and is pushed 15 feet away from you if it fails a Strength saving throw.

Hemorrhaging Shot

When you make a firearm attack against a creature, you can spend one grit point to make the target suffer necrotic damage equal to half of the damage from the attack at the end of each of its turns if it fails a Constitution saving throw. This effect ends on a successful save. Constructs and other creatures without blood are immune to this effect.

Miracle Shot

When a creature you can see within range of a firearm you are holding makes a ranged attack with a throwing weapon, bow, or crossbow (but not another firearm), you can spend 1 grit point to use your reaction to shoot the other projectile out of its intended flight path. If your attack roll is equal to or higher than the target’s attack roll, then the projectile is deflected and misses its original target.

Piercing Shot

When you make a firearm attack against a target, you can spend one grit point to attempt to fire through multiple opponents. The initial attack gains a +1 to the firearm’s misfire score. On a hit, the creature suffers normal damage and you make an attack roll with disadvantage against every creature in a line directly behind the target within your normal range. Only the initial attack can misfire.

Point Blank Shot

When you make a firearm attack against a creature within 5 feet, you can spend 1 grit point to make the attack brutally effective. If the attack hits treat any roll of 3 or less on a damage die as a 4, and if the attack is a critical then roll the firearm’s damage dice a third time to add to the total damage.

Rapid-Fire Shot

When you make a firearm attack against a creature, you can spend two grit points to squeeze an extra shot in a rapid-fire barrage. You can make one more attack than you are normally able to when you take the attack action to shoot a firearm at least once during the attack. This extra attack must be used to shoot the firearm and cannot be used to reload. All attacks made with this action are at +1 to the misfire score.

Ricochet Shot

When you make a firearm attack against a creature, you can spend one grit point to bounce the shot off a wall (or similar object) and hit the target around a corner or other cover. The target must be within normal range and the attack roll is at disadvantage.

Shatter Shot

When you make a firearm attack against a target, you can spend one grit point to cause it to deal structural damage to non-living materials. On a hit, the shot deals double damage to objects. If used against a construct, instead add an additional +1d6 force damage and the attack roll scores a critical on a roll of 18-20.

Unload

When you make a firearm attack against a creature, you can spend four grit points to unleash a furious attack that attempts to empty all of the gun’s ammunition. When you use the attack action to shoot a single with all of the attacks you normally get, you may take two additional attacks against the same target firing the same firearm. None of the attacks may be used to reload, and all of the attack rolls are at +2 to the misfire score.

Violent Shot

When you make a firearm attack against a creature, you can spend one or more grit points to enhance the volatility of the attack. For each grit point spent, the attack gains a +2 to the firearm’s misfire score. If the attack hits, you can roll one additional weapon damage die per grit point spent when determining the damage.

Winging Shot

When you make a firearm attack against a creature, you can spend one grit point to attempt to topple a moving target. On a hit, the creature suffers normal damage and must make a Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.

Quickdraw

When you reach 7th level, you have advantage on initiative rolls. You can also stow a firearm, then draw another firearm as a single object interaction on your turn.

Gunfighter

At 7th level you have learned how to use your firearms as last-ditch melee weapons. You are considered proficient in using a firearm as a melee weapon, and treat it as a mace with no mastery property. The firearm’s melee damage changes if it has the following properties – light (1d4), two-handed (1d8), or two-handed and heavy (1d10). If you fire a gun with your attack action, then you can use your bonus action to make a melee attack with that same gun.

Repair Genius

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. You can also spend a grit point to gain advantage on the roll to repair a misfire.

Lightning Reload

Starting at 15th level, you can spend a grit point to reload any firearm as a reaction after the last shot is fired. This can be done in between attacks of the same attack 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.

Gun Savant

Upon reaching 18th level you are able to use up to three trick shots on every attack. If you roll initiative and have no grit points, you regain 2 grit points.