Gunslinger – Big Iron – Pathfinder 1E
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Big Iron
You knew this build was coming, do not lie to me. We are going after Texas Red and our Arizona Ranger will bring him back alive or maybe dead. No one will dare to make a slip, for we have a big iron on our hip. We are taking the Mysterious Stranger Archetype, multiclassing into Paladin with the Holy Gun Archetype, and the Grand Marshal Prestige Class. Our leveling will look something like the following:
Classes
Gunslinger 5/Grand Marshal 10/Paladin 5
Race
Gotta go for Human here. That floating +2 goes into dex naturally.
Ability Scores
If Intelligence is odd, round it up, otherwise everything in Dexterity.
15Point-Buy
Str 10/Dex 18/Con 10/Int 10/Wis 10/Cha 14
20Point-Buy
Str 10/Dex 19/Con 10/Int 12/Wis 10/Cha 14
25Point-Buy
Str 10/Dex 20/Con 10/Int 13/Wis 10/Cha 14
Traits
Reactionary for that +2 to Initiative, and Engineer to reduce misfire if your firearm becomes broken.
Favored Class Bonus
Hit Points Hit Points Hit Points.
Skills
We need Diplomacy, Intimidate, Knowledge(Local), Perception and Sense Motive. Spare a few points for Survival and Ride for thematic reasons. Stealth too if you can afford it, and Craft because boy, we are pissing gold pieces per shot fired.
Feats by Level
1-Deadly Aim
Human Bonus-Point-Blank Shot Gunslinger Bonus-Gunsmith
3-Precise Shot Bonus
4-Quick Draw
5-Rapid Shot
7-Weapon Focus(Pistol)
9-Overwatch Style
11-Vital Strike
13-Overwatch Tactician
15-Improved Vital Strike
Holy Gun Bonus
16-Extra Grit
17-Overwatch Vortex
19-Greater Vital Strike
We are reaching truly terrifying damage levels once again, but this time in a duel, not from a sniping position, again via Overwatch Style and Vital Strike. We can also totally just attack five times a round if we wish so via Rapid Shot. Quick Draw is a prerequisite, but it’s also extremely thematic.
Grand Marshal
We get a bunch of bonuses on Initiative, Perceptions, Charisma skills when in our home country, doubly so when in Urban Environment, and we can judge[1] our enemies as a swift action to get bonuses to attack, damage, even fast healing and such. Great stuff.
Starting Equipment
You start with a pistol for free. Keep that pistol until the end of the game as you can upgrade it to Masterwork and have your local mage enchant it(and you can further boost it via Divine Bond late game). Have your mage turn your pistol into a Pistol of the Infinite Sky if you are that terrified of not having rapid reload.
Final Thoughts on the Build
So, we can automatically bypass DR from evil creatures, deal some significant damage, yet act also as a face for the party, and our Big Iron[2] keeps getting better and better through the levels. We are also fairly sturdy as we can gain Fast Healing.
Our damage each round is about 16d8+64 via our Divine Bond before any magic item. If you have our Pistol of the Infinite Sky, we can attack five times a round for 5d8+80 which is not bad at all.
We are using our Big Iron[2] with great effect, and we can bring down even the most tenacious of foes in a few rounds only. Soon, they will beg to be taken alive instead of dead.
The Judge
So, you wanted to play as close as possible to Judge Dredd huh? Wants to shoot a criminal in
the face with a crossbow, gets in his face, scream I am the Law! and leave with zero explanation?
Well, I have a build for you.
We’re taking the Faceless Enforcer Archetype along with two Prestige Classes, Justiciar and
Sentinel. Our Leveling should look like the following:
Levels
Vigilante (Faceless Enforcer) 7/Justiciar 3/Sentinel 10
Race
Go for Human with the Military Training Alternate Racial Trait(We will pick the Heavy Repeating
Crossbow) and get that floating +2 in Dex.
Ability Scores
Put everything in Dexterity
15Point-Buy
Str 10/Dex 17/Con 13/Int 10/Wis 10/Cha 14
20Point-Buy
Str 10/Dex 18/Con 14/Int 10/Wis 10/Cha 14
25Point-Buy
Str 14/Dex 18/Con 14/Int 10/Wis 10/Cha 14
Traits
Armor Expert reduces our Armor Penalty, Tusked gives us a Bite attack if we ever get into
melee.
Favored Class Bonus
HP.
Skills
So, we will need Knowledge(Religion), Knowledge(Local), Diplomacy, Intimidate,
Profession(Judge), Perception and Sense Motive.
Feats by Level
1-Deadly Aim
3-Point-Blank Shot
Bonus 4-Weapon Focus(Heavy Crossbow)
5-Precise Shot
7-Persuasive
9-Deific Obedience(Abadar)
11-Rapid Shot
Bonus 12-Vital Strike
13-Improved Vital Strike
15-Overwatch Tactician
17-Greater Vital Strike
Bonus 17-Overwatch Vortex
19-Rapid Reload(Heavy Repeating Crossbow)
Social Talents by Level
1-Owl’s Sight
3-Always Prepared
7-Many Guises
Vigilante Talents by Level
4-Signature Weapon
Equipment
Get yourself a Heavy Repeating Crossbow and the best armor you can get and don’t forget the
helmet.
Final Thoughts on the Build
You are capable of downright insane damage with that Crossbow of yours, and you can Dictum people you hit with your bolts. On top of that, your social skills are top notch and you remain versatile enough that people won’t bother you when not in service as The Law.
Big Iron
You knew this build was coming, do not lie to me. We are going after Texas Red and our Arizona Ranger will bring him back alive or maybe dead. No one will dare to make a slip, for we have a big iron on our hip. We are taking the Mysterious Stranger Archetype, multiclassing into Paladin with the Holy Gun Archetype, and the Grand Marshal Prestige Class. Our leveling will look something like the following:
Classes
Gunslinger 5/Grand Marshal 10/Paladin 5
Race
Gotta go for Human here. That floating +2 goes into dex naturally.
Ability Scores
If Intelligence is odd, round it up, otherwise everything in Dexterity.
15Point-Buy
Str 10/Dex 18/Con 10/Int 10/Wis 10/Cha 14
20Point-Buy
Str 10/Dex 19/Con 10/Int 12/Wis 10/Cha 14
25Point-Buy
Str 10/Dex 20/Con 10/Int 13/Wis 10/Cha 14
Traits
Reactionary for that +2 to Initiative, and Engineer to reduce misfire if your firearm becomes broken.
Favored Class Bonus
Hit Points Hit Points Hit Points.
Skills
We need Diplomacy, Intimidate, Knowledge(Local), Perception and Sense Motive. Spare a few points for Survival and Ride for thematic reasons. Stealth too if you can afford it, and Craft because boy, we are pissing gold pieces per shot fired.
Feats by Level
1-Deadly Aim
Human Bonus-Point-Blank Shot Gunslinger Bonus-Gunsmith
3-Precise Shot Bonus
4-Quick Draw
5-Rapid Shot
7-Weapon Focus(Pistol)
9-Overwatch Style
11-Vital Strike
13-Overwatch Tactician
15-Improved Vital Strike
Holy Gun Bonus
16-Extra Grit
17-Overwatch Vortex
19-Greater Vital Strike
We are reaching truly terrifying damage levels once again, but this time in a duel, not from a sniping position, again via Overwatch Style and Vital Strike. We can also totally just attack five times a round if we wish so via Rapid Shot. Quick Draw is a prerequisite, but it’s also extremely thematic.
Grand Marshal
We get a bunch of bonuses on Initiative, Perceptions, Charisma skills when in our home country, doubly so when in Urban Environment, and we can judge our enemies as a swift action to get bonuses to attack, damage, even fast healing and such. Great stuff.
Starting Equipment
You start with a pistol for free. Keep that pistol until the end of the game as you can upgrade it to Masterwork and have your local mage enchant it(and you can further boost it via Divine Bond late game). Have your mage turn your pistol into a Pistol of the Infinite Sky if you are that terrified of not having rapid reload.
Final Thoughts on the Build
So, we can automatically bypass DR from evil creatures, deal some significant damage, yet act also as a face for the party, and our Big Iron keeps getting better and better through the levels. We are also fairly sturdy as we can gain Fast Healing.
Our damage each round is about 16d8+64 via our Divine Bond before any magic item. If you have our Pistol of the Infinite Sky, we can attack five times a round for 5d8+80 which is not bad at all.
We are using our Big Iron with great effect, and we can bring down even the most tenacious of foes in a few rounds only. Soon, they will beg to be taken alive instead of dead.