Spellbond Slinger (Gunslinger/Wizard)

(Original Concept by Cartmanbeck)

Primary: Gunslinger.

Secondary: Wizard.

Alignment: Any.

Hit Dice: d8.

Bonus Skills and Ranks: The spellbond slinger selects three wizard skills to add to her class skills in addition to the normal gunslinger class skills, one of which must be Spellcraft. The spellbond slinger gains a number of ranks at each level equal to 2 + Int modifier.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The spellbond slinger is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, all firearms, with light armor, but not with shields. A spellbond slinger can cast wizard spells while wearing light armor without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance. Like any other arcane spellcaster, a spellbond slinger wearing medium armor, heavy armor, or using a shield incurs a chance of arcane spell failure if the spell in question has a somatic component. A multiclass spellbond slinger still incurs the normal arcane spell failure chance for arcane spells received from other classes.

Spellcasting: A spellbond slinger casts arcane spells drawn from the wizard’s spell list. A spellbond slinger must choose and prepare her spells ahead of time. A spellbond slinger can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. Her base daily spell allotment is given on Table: Spellbond Slinger. A spellbond slinger otherwise learns, prepares, and casts spells as a wizard equal to her spellbond slinger level. She also receives bonus spells per day if she has a high Intelligence score.

Bonded Gun (Su): At 1st level, a spellbond slinger creates a bond with the firearm he has chosen with his gunsmith class feature. This bond is similar to the wizard’s arcane bond ability. In addition, a spellbond slinger receives an additional spell slot of each spell level she can cast, from 1st on up. Each day, a spellbond slinger can prepare one of the following spells in that slot, as determined by her chosen firearm.

Blunderbuss: 1st–burning hands; 2nd–web; 3rd–shout; 4th–waves of fatigue; 5th–cone of cold; 6th–waves of exhaustion.

Musket: 1st–magic missile; 2nd–spontaneous immolation; 3rd–lightning bolt; 4th–curse of magic negation; 5th–feeblemind; 6th–chain lightning.

Pistol: 1st–ray of enfeeblement; 2nd–scorching ray; 3rd–force punch; 4th–bestow curse; 5th–firesnake; 6th–disintegrate.

As a standard action, a spellbond slinger can cast one of these spells and deliver it using a ranged attack from his bonded gun, and any enhancement bonus which the gun possesses are added to the save DCs of the spells. If the spell has a single target and the gun’s attack hits, that target is affected with the effects of the spell (without requiring any additional attack rolls, though the target is still allowed any relevant saving throws). If the spell has an area of effect (other than a cone), the area is centered on the target of the attack. If the spell’s area is a cone, the cone’s origin is the barrel of the firearm.

Unlike a wizard’s bonded item, a spellbond slinger can cast spells without requiring concentration checks as long as her bonded firearm is on her person (she need not be actively wielding the firearm). This ability replaces deeds.

Arcane Grit (Ex): At 1st level, a spellbond slinger gains a grit pool that she can use in several ways. At the start of each day, a she gains a number of grit points equal to her Intelligence modifier. Her grit goes up or down throughout the day, but usually cannot go higher than her Intelligence modifier (minimum 1), though some feats and magic items may affect this maximum. A spellbond slinger can spend these points in one of the following ways:

A spellbond slinger regains arcane grit points in the same way as a gunslinger regains grit, but she also regains an arcane grit point any time she confirms a critical hit or when she reduces a creature to 0 hit points with a spell which she has cast. The creature must have a number of Hit Dice equal to or higher than that of the spellbond slinger. This ability otherwise functions as and replaces grit.

Bonus Feats: This is exactly like the gunslinger’s ability of the same name, except that a spellbond slinger may choose combat feats, metamagic feats, or arcane discoveries as a bonus feat. A spellbond slinger may not choose grit feats, except for Extra Grit, which applies to her arcane grit pool. For the purposes of arcane discoveries, a spellbond slinger treats her level as her wizard level.

Spell Dodger (Ex): This is exactly like the gunslinger’s nimble ability, except that a spellbond slinger applies her dodge bonus to all Reflex saving throws made against spells and spell-like abilities.

Table: Spellbond Slinger