Specialist: Gun Mage

Gun Mages are arcane marksmen who channel carefully inscribed rune formulas through specialized weapons called rune cannons. A rune cannon might resemble a rune-etched crossbow, a wheel-lock pistol, or another setting-appropriate repeating weapon. Gun Mages combine precise ranged attacks with finesse weapons, using controlled Rune Shots for reliable battlefield effects or pushing their weapons beyond safe tolerances when a desperate moment demands it.

Level 3: Rune Cannon Armament

Using Smith's Tools or Woodcarver's Tools, you create a rune-bound ranged weapon called a rune cannon. When you create it, choose its appearance. It might resemble a pistol, hand crossbow, compact arbalest, or another setting-appropriate weapon that would ordinarily require loading. Its appearance has no effect on its game statistics.

The rune cannon is a Martial Ranged weapon that deals 1d10 Force damage, has a normal range of 60 feet and a long range of 120 feet, and has the Ammunition property. It can be wielded in one hand and doesn't have the Light, Loading, or Two-Handed property. Its repeating feed allows you to fire it without a free hand; you must still supply appropriate ammunition.

While wielding the rune cannon, you can use it as a Spellcasting Focus for your Artificer spells. In addition, you can use Intelligence instead of Dexterity for its attack and damage rolls, and it is the weapon through which you use your Rune Shots. These benefits are granted by this subclass feature, not by the weapon itself.

You can have only one rune cannon at a time. If it is lost or destroyed, you can create a replacement when you finish a Long Rest, provided you have the required tools.

A rune cannon is a weapon and a Spellcasting Focus, and nothing more. It isn't a magic item, doesn't require attunement, doesn't expend a use of Replicate Magic Item, and doesn't require or count as a Magic Item Plan. It can't be created, replaced, or enhanced by a Magic Item Plan, including Weapon +1. The weapon grants no bonus to attack or damage rolls and has no independent scaling or magical properties. Any Rune Shot effect comes from your Gun Mage features, not from the rune cannon.

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D&D Beyond Equipment: A companion Rune Cannon homebrew weapon is available for use with this subclass. It includes the necessary weapon modifiers and a compatibility note explaining D&D Beyond's equipment limitations. The Rune Cannon Armament feature remains authoritative for its game statistics and properties.

Level 3: Tools of the Trade

You gain proficiency with Martial Ranged weapons and Martial Melee weapons that have the Finesse property. You also gain proficiency with Smith's Tools or Woodcarver's Tools. If you already have the chosen tool proficiency, you gain proficiency with another type of Artisan's Tools of your choice.

Smith's Tools

You gain proficiency with Smith's Tools. If you already have this proficiency, you gain proficiency with another type of Artisan's Tools of your choice.

Woodcarver's Tools

You gain proficiency with Woodcarver's Tools. If you already have this proficiency, you gain proficiency with another type of Artisan's Tools of your choice.

Level 3: Gun and Blade Training

While holding your rune cannon in one hand, you can use Intelligence instead of Strength or Dexterity for the attack and damage rolls of a one-handed melee weapon with the Finesse property held in your other hand. This feature doesn't grant an additional attack and doesn't cause either weapon to gain the Light property.

Level 3: Rune Shot

You learn to preload arcane rune formulas into your rune cannon's ammunition. Before you make an attack roll with your rune cannon, you can apply one of your active Rune Shots to that attack. You can apply only one Rune Shot to an attack and no more than two Rune Shots during a turn.

A Rune Shot generates its listed Overheat when you declare it, whether the attack hits or misses. All effects described as occurring on a hit occur only if the attack hits. If a Rune Shot calls for a saving throw, the save DC equals your Artificer spell save DC.

At 3rd level, your Arcane Capacity is 2, and you can use Rune Shots with an Overheat of 1 or 2. Whenever you finish a Long Rest, choose a number of eligible Rune Shots equal to your active loadout size, as shown in the Progression table. You can use only Rune Shots in your active loadout.

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 Overchanneling, Recoil, and Fatigue

Safe Rune Shot

The first Rune Shot you apply during a turn doesn't cause Arcane Recoil if its Overheat is no greater than your Arcane Capacity.

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 Overchanneling

If you apply a second Rune Shot during the same turn, you overchannel. After the second attack resolves, total the Overheat of both Rune Shots. Your Overage equals the amount by which that total exceeds your Arcane Capacity, to a minimum Overage of 1.

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 Arcane Recoil

When you overchannel, you take Force damage based on your Overage, as shown in the Arcane Recoil table. This damage can't be reduced or prevented in any way.

Overage	Recoil Damage	Strain Save DC
1	1d8 Force	14
2	2d8 Force	16
3	4d8 Force	18
4	6d8 Force	20

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 Arcane Strain

After taking Arcane Recoil damage, make a Constitution saving throw. The DC equals 12 + twice your Overage. On a failed save, you suffer Arcane Fatigue until the end of your next turn.

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 Arcane Fatigue

While suffering Arcane Fatigue, you can apply no more than one Rune Shot during your turn. Arcane Fatigue doesn't prevent you from applying your normal safe Rune Shot, casting Artificer spells, or using your other class features.

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 Progression

Artificer Level	Arcane Capacity	Maximum Overheat	Active Loadout
3-8	2	2	3
9-14	3	3	4
15-20	4	4	5

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Arcane Mark Shot

Arcane Mark Shot (Overheat 1)

Before making the attack roll, you gain a +2 bonus to the roll, and the attack ignores Half Cover. On a hit, the target can't benefit from being Invisible against you until the end of your next turn. This Rune Shot deals no additional damage.

Binding Shot

Binding Shot (Overheat 2)

On a hit, the attack deals an additional 1d6 Force damage, and the target must succeed on a Strength saving throw or have its Speed reduced to 0 until the start of your next turn.

Cataclysm Round

Cataclysm Round (Overheat 4)

On a hit, the attack deals an additional 4d6 Force damage. Each other creature within 10 feet of the target must make a Dexterity saving throw, taking Force damage equal to your Intelligence modifier on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

Dimensional Fracture Shot

Dimensional Fracture Shot (Overheat 4)

On a hit, the attack deals an additional 3d6 Force damage. If the target is Large or smaller, it must succeed on a Charisma saving throw or be teleported up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space you can see.

Disruption Shot

Disruption Shot (Overheat 2)

On a hit, the attack deals additional Force damage equal to your Intelligence modifier. Until the start of your next turn, the target has Disadvantage on Constitution saving throws it makes to maintain Concentration, including any saving throw caused by this attack.

Executioner Shot

Executioner Shot (Overheat 4)

If the target has fewer than half its Hit Points remaining, you have Advantage on the attack roll. On a hit, the attack deals an additional 4d6 Force damage.

Impact Shot

Impact Shot (Overheat 1)

On a hit, the attack deals an additional 1d6 Force damage, and the target must succeed on a Strength saving throw or be pushed up to 10 feet directly away from you.

Mirage Shot

Mirage Shot (Overheat 3)

On a hit, the attack deals an additional 2d6 Force damage, and the target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or have Disadvantage on attack rolls until the start of your next turn.

Ricochet Shot

Ricochet Shot (Overheat 3)

On a hit, the attack deals an additional 3d6 Force damage. One other creature of your choice within 10 feet of the target takes Force damage equal to your Intelligence modifier.

Rune Break Shot

Rune Break Shot (Overheat 3)

On a hit, the attack deals an additional 2d6 Force damage. Choose one spell of 3rd level or lower currently affecting the target. The target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or the chosen spell ends on the target.

Shatter Shot

Shatter Shot (Overheat 2)

On a hit, the attack deals an additional 2d6 Force damage. If the target is an unattended object, the Rune Shot's damage dice deal maximum damage instead of being rolled.

Trick Shot

Trick Shot (Overheat 1)

On a hit, the attack deals an additional 1d6 Force damage. You can then move up to 10 feet without provoking Opportunity Attacks from the target.

Level 5: Arcane Ballistics

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Level 9: Runic Savant

Runic Savant

Your Arcane Capacity and maximum Rune Shot Overheat each increase to 3, and your active Rune Shot loadout increases to four. You gain access to the Overheat 3 Rune Shots.

Whenever you finish a Short Rest, you can replace one Rune Shot in your active loadout with another Rune Shot for which you meet the Overheat requirement. Whenever you finish a Long Rest, you can replace any number of Rune Shots in your active loadout.

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Level 15: Master Gun Mage

Your Arcane Capacity and maximum Rune Shot Overheat each increase to 4, and your active Rune Shot loadout increases to five. You gain access to the Overheat 4 Rune Shots.

In addition, you gain the Arcane Overdrive feature.

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 Arcane Overdrive

Once per Long Rest, when you apply your second Rune Shot during a turn, you can activate Arcane Overdrive. After that attack resolves, you take no Arcane Recoil damage and make no Arcane Strain saving throw for that overchannel. You automatically suffer Arcane Fatigue until the end of your next turn.

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