![[GunslingerClass.png|400]] ## What Is a Gunslinger? The Gunslinger is a warrior who relies on precision, quick reflexes, and nerves of steel to overcome their enemies. While Fighters master the traditional weapons of the battlefield, Gunslingers have embraced something far more dangerous: firearms. At first glance, a Gunslinger might appear to be little more than an adventurer with a gun. The reality is far more complicated. Firearms are powerful weapons, but using them effectively requires discipline, confidence, and an understanding of when to take risks. Some Gunslingers are wandering gunfighters who travel from town to town. Others are bounty hunters, soldiers, spies, lawkeepers, criminals, inventors, or professional killers. Some carry carefully maintained weapons passed down through generations, while others constantly modify and experiment with their firearms. What unites them is their ability to remain calm when everything around them descends into chaos. A Gunslinger does not simply fire a weapon. They wait for the right moment to pull the trigger. --- ## Life by the Gun Gunslingers often live dangerous lives. Their skills naturally attract dangerous professions, and many find themselves working as mercenaries, bounty hunters, bodyguards, soldiers, investigators, or adventurers. Others wander simply because remaining in one place for too long has a habit of attracting old enemies. Firearms also set Gunslingers apart from ordinary warriors. These weapons represent a different approach to combat, one built around explosive power, careful aim, and specialised equipment. For some Gunslingers, their weapon is simply a tool. For others, it becomes an important part of their identity. A particular pistol, rifle, or other firearm might have been inherited from a mentor, taken from a defeated enemy, constructed by the Gunslinger themselves, or carried through countless battles. Whatever their origins, Gunslingers quickly learn one important lesson. When your life depends upon a weapon, you learn everything there is to know about it. --- ## Risk Dice One of the defining abilities of the Gunslinger is their willingness to take chances when the situation demands it. This is represented by **Risk Dice**. Risk Dice allow a Gunslinger to perform special maneuvers, pushing their abilities beyond what an ordinary marksman could accomplish. Rather than simply attacking an enemy, a Gunslinger can use these maneuvers to influence the battlefield in different ways. The exact techniques available to them expand as they become more experienced, giving the Gunslinger different options for dealing with dangerous situations. Using these abilities is about knowing when the reward is worth the risk. A cautious Gunslinger might save their resources for the perfect opportunity. A reckless one might gamble everything on a single spectacular shot. Both approaches can work. Provided the Gunslinger survives the consequences. --- ## Firearms and Critical Hits Firearms are at the heart of the Gunslinger. The class has access to an arsenal ranging from relatively simple guns to more unusual and specialised weapons, each offering different advantages on the battlefield. Learning which weapon suits a particular situation becomes an important part of playing the class. Some firearms favour close confrontations. Others allow the Gunslinger to attack enemies from much farther away. Different firearm properties and mastery properties can further change how those weapons behave in the hands of an experienced shooter. Gunslingers are also particularly dangerous when they land a **Critical Hit**. A fortunate shot can suddenly transform an ordinary attack into a devastating moment, rewarding the Gunslinger for taking chances and making every attack roll potentially significant. Few things capture the Gunslinger better than watching the battlefield turn against them, raising their weapon, and discovering that one bullet was all they needed. --- ## Skill and Nerve A Gunslinger survives through more than accuracy. They must know when to move, when to take cover, when to conserve their resources, and when to risk everything. Positioning is particularly important. A Gunslinger usually wants enough distance to make effective use of their firearms without allowing enemies to close the gap. That does not mean every Gunslinger hides at the back of the battlefield. Some deliberately fight at dangerous distances, relying upon quick reactions and aggressive tactics. Others prefer careful positioning, attacking enemies from places where retaliation is difficult. Regardless of their approach, Gunslingers reward confidence and good decision-making. The weapon may provide the firepower. The person holding it decides where that firepower matters. --- ## The Gunslinger's Place in an Adventuring Party In most adventuring groups, the Gunslinger serves as a powerful ranged combatant. While heavily armoured companions engage enemies directly, the Gunslinger can identify dangerous targets and attack them from a distance. This makes them particularly useful against enemies that are difficult for melee characters to reach. Flying creatures, distant spellcasters, enemy archers, and creatures occupying dangerous positions can all find themselves staring down the barrel of a Gunslinger's weapon. Risk Dice and maneuvers also give the Gunslinger options beyond simply dealing damage. Choosing the right maneuver at the right moment can help turn a difficult encounter in the party's favour. Outside combat, Gunslingers can fill many different roles depending upon the character. A Secret Agent might excel at infiltration and deception. A wandering gunfighter might be an experienced tracker or bounty hunter. Another Gunslinger might possess extensive knowledge of firearms and unusual technology. Whatever their background, Gunslingers tend to develop one particularly useful habit. They pay attention. In their profession, noticing trouble a few seconds early can be the difference between walking away and being carried away. --- ## Gunslinger Subclasses As a Gunslinger grows in power, they develop a particular style of gunfighting. Their subclass represents the kind of Gunslinger they have become. ### Deadeye The Deadeye is the consummate marksman. Patience and accuracy define their approach to combat. Rather than relying upon flashy displays or reckless shooting, the Deadeye specialises in making carefully placed attacks and taking advantage of opportunities others might overlook. For the Deadeye, distance is not a disadvantage. It is protection. ### High Roller The High Roller treats combat like a game of chance. These Gunslingers embrace risk more readily than most, gambling on uncertain outcomes and trusting that fortune will favour them when it matters. Confidence, bluffing, and calculated recklessness are all part of their approach. Every battle is another wager. And the High Roller intends to collect. ### Secret Agent The Secret Agent combines gunfighting with espionage. They are spies, infiltrators, assassins, and operatives who understand that information can be every bit as dangerous as a loaded firearm. A Secret Agent may work for a kingdom, organisation, secret society, or simply themselves. Where other Gunslingers kick down the door, the Secret Agent may already be standing on the other side. ### Spellslinger The Spellslinger combines firearms with magic. Rather than choosing between spellcraft and gunplay, they bring the two together, supplementing their skills as a Gunslinger with supernatural abilities. Their magic provides additional options that conventional firearms cannot, allowing them to approach problems in ways other Gunslingers might never consider. For a Spellslinger, gunpowder and magic are simply different kinds of ammunition. ### Trick Shot The Trick Shot turns extraordinary marksmanship into an art. Their gunfighting style is built around remarkable shots and spectacular displays of skill that would seem impossible in the hands of an ordinary shooter. Where another Gunslinger might simply hit their target, the Trick Shot wants to do something memorable while doing it. The battlefield becomes their stage. The firearm becomes their instrument. ### White Hat The White Hat represents the heroic gunfighter. They are defenders, lawkeepers, wandering champions, and Gunslingers who choose to use their weapons in defence of others. That does not necessarily mean they follow every law they encounter. Sometimes the law itself is the problem. What matters is that when innocent people are threatened and everyone else is afraid to act, the White Hat is often the one who steps forward. --- ## What It Feels Like to Play a Gunslinger Playing a Gunslinger is about taking calculated risks. You have the reliability of a martial character combined with resources and manoeuvres that give you meaningful decisions during combat. Sometimes the correct choice is to keep shooting. Sometimes it is worth spending a Risk Die to attempt something more ambitious. And sometimes the entire encounter can come down to whether one particularly important shot finds its mark. The class also provides a strong identity outside combat. A Gunslinger might be a mysterious wanderer who rarely speaks, an enthusiastic inventor fascinated by firearms, a charming gambler who treats danger as entertainment, a professional spy, a dedicated lawkeeper, or an outlaw with half the kingdom searching for them. Two Gunslingers can carry similar weapons while feeling like completely different characters. The gun is simply where the story begins. --- ## Should You Play a Gunslinger? The Gunslinger is an excellent choice for players who enjoy ranged martial combat but want more tactical choices than simply attacking every turn. You may enjoy the class if you like: - Firearms and gunfighting - Powerful ranged attacks - Risk Dice and combat manoeuvres - Chasing devastating Critical Hits - Tactical positioning and choosing the right moment to attack - Different firearms with specialised properties - Themes of gunfighters, bounty hunters, spies, gamblers, outlaws, and lawkeepers You may prefer another class if you want extensive traditional spellcasting, straightforward melee combat, or a heavily armoured warrior designed to stand directly in front of monsters. For players who want to face impossible odds with a steady hand, a loaded firearm, and just enough nerve to gamble everything on one final shot, few classes capture that fantasy better than the Gunslinger.