Copper Canoneer (Cavalier/Gunslinger)

Some warriors are known for their skill with a mount, while others are known for their skill with a gun. Copper cannoneers are skilled firearms experts, specifically with culverins and hand cannons. Through their expertise, they have learned to train their mounts to serve as a normal steed, but also as a mobile cannon and secondary triggerman, allowing the mount to discharge the weapon with a special triggering mechanism constructed for that purpose. Few are sure how the practice started, but all are sure of how it ends–with their foes laying lifeless on the ground. (Original Concept by Lindley Court)

Primary Class: Cavalier.

Secondary Class: Gunslinger.

Alignment: Any.

Hit Dice: d10.

Bonus Skills and Ranks: The copper cannoneer selects three gunslinger skills to add to his class skills in addition to the normal cavalier class skills. The copper cannoneer gains a number of ranks at each level equal to 4 + Int modifier.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The copper cannoneer is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with all firearms, plus the hand cannon. He is also proficient with light and medium armor, but not with shields.

Cannoneer: At 1st level, a copper cannoneer gains the gunslinger’s gunsmith ability, except that he gains one of the following cannon-like firearms of her choice: culverin or hand cannon. This ability replaces challenge 1/day.

Mounted Cannon (Ex): At 1st level, a copper cannoneer’s mount is trained to carry and operate his chosen firearm through the use of a specially crafted harnesss. This harness secures the firearm to the mount and negates the–4 penalty on the attack rolls and the knock prone effect usually received when the copper cannoneer would normally discharge his chosen firearms without support (such as a wall, a window, or a stand). The harness is fitted with a special mechanism that allows the mount to discharge the firearm, using a standard action. The copper cannoneer may command his mount to discharge the firearm as a free action. When discharging the firearm, the mount uses the copper cannoneer’s attack bonus, but takes a –4 penalty on the attack roll. The firearm must be loaded for it to be discharged by the mount. The mount cannot load the firearm. This ability and siege mount replace tactician.

Deeds: At 3rd level, a copper cannoneer gains the gunslinger’s deeds ability. He gains access to deeds at 3rd level and every four levels thereafter, but only gains access to the following deeds.

Targeted Blast (Ex): At 3rd level, when using his culverin or hand cannon, the copper cannoneer can spend 1 grit point to focus the brunt of the blast on a single creature within the target area. The target creature takes 1 additional point of damage for each level the copper cannoneer possesses. This is precision damage and is not multiplied on a critical hit. At 7th level and for every 4 levels the copper cannoneer possesses beyond that, he can select an additional creature to target with this bonus damage. Targets must be selected before any attack rolls or saving throws are made.

Vigilant Loading (Ex): At 3rd level, as long as the copper cannoneer has at least 1 grit point, he does not provoke attacks of opportunitywhen loading a culvering or hand cannon. At 10th level, this also applies to cannons and light ballistae.

Dead Shot (Ex): At 7th level, a copper cannoneer gains the gunslinger’s dead shot deed.

Scattershot (Ex): At 7th level, if the copper cannoneer has at least 1 grit point, he can increase the effectiveness of scattering shots from his culverin or hand cannon. The cone radius of scattering shots increase by 5 feet at 7th level, for every two levels the copper cannoneer possesses, to a maximum of 30 feet at 17th level. If the copper cannoneer spends 1 grit point, the cone radius of scattering shot increases by 10 feet, plus 5 feet every two levels the copper cannoneer possesses beyond 7th, to a maximum of 40 feet at 19th level.

Lightning Reload (Ex): At 11th level, as long as the copper cannoneer has at least 1 grit point, he can reload a single barrel of a one-handed or two-handed firearm as a swift action once per round. If he has the Rapid Reload feat or is using an alchemical cartridge (or both), he can reload a single barrel of the weapon as a free action each round instead. Furthermore, using this deed does not provoke attacks of opportunity.

Mighty Blast (Ex): At 11th level, a copper cannoneer can spend 1 grit point to enhance the power and range of firearm. The damage of his culverin or hand cannon increases by one damage category (1d10 to 2d6, 2d6 to 2d8, etc.), and its range increases by 5 feet for a number of rounds equal to his Charisma modifier.

Vigilant Shooter (Ex): At 15th level, as long as a copper cannoneer spends 1 grit point when he does so, he does not provoke attacks of opportunity when firing a culverin or hand cannon. At 18th level, this also applies to cannons and light ballistae.

Deadly Blast (Ex): At 15th level, the copper cannoneer can spend 1 grit point to make a deadly blast with his culverin or hand cannon. As a standard action, the copper cannoneer makes a single ranged attack. When he does, he makes the attack against the target’s touch AC and ignores all damage reduction. If the attack is successful, the target takes damage as normal. The attack is also treated as a splash weapon attack, dealing damage equal to the copper cannoneer’s level to all creatures within 5 feet of the target.

Cannoneer’s Luck (Ex): At 19th level, the copper cannoneer can spend grit to reroll an attack roll made with his culverin or hand cannon, or skill checks related to siege engines. It costs 2 grit points to reroll an attack roll, and 1 grit point to reroll a skill check. The copper cannoneer must take the result of the second roll, even if it is lower. The deed’s cost cannot be reduced by the true grit class ability, the Signature Deed feat, or any other effect that reduces the amount of grit a deed costs.

Stunning Shot (Ex): At 19th level, the copper cannoneer gains the gunslinger’s stunning shot deed.

This ability replaces cavalier’s charge, challenge 3/day, demanding challenge, and challenge 7/day.

Grit (Ex): At 3rd level, a copper cannoneer gains the gunslinger’s grit ability, but uses his Charisma to determine his number of grit points instead of his Wisdom.

Spotter (Ex): At 4th level, as a standard action, a copper cannoneer’s mount can pinpoint a target within the copper cannoneer’s line of sight and inform him of the target's exact location. During the copper cannoneer’s next turn, if he makes a ranged attack against the pinpointed target and would take a penalty on his attack roll due to range, he may reduce this penalty by an amount equal to his Charisma modifier (to a minimum penalty of 0). The copper cannoneer must be mounted upon or adjacent to his mount and able to communicate to use this ability, though a copper cannoneer may move away from the mount during his turn and still gain the benefits of this deed. This ability replaces expert trainer.

Cannon Training (Ex): Starting at 5th level, a copper cannoneer increases his skill with the culverin and hand cannon. He gains a bonus on damage rolls equal to his Dexterity modifier, and when he misfires with these firearms, the misfire value increases by 2 instead of 4. Every four levels thereafter (9th, 13th, and 17th), the bonus on dama-ge rolls increases by +1. At 13th level, a copper cannoneer never misfires with a culverin or hand cannon. This ability replaces banner, greater tactician, challenge 5/day, and master tactician.

Siege Mount (Ex): At 10th level, a copper cannoneer’s mount is trained in the operation light siege engines, and is treated as a member of the engine’s crew. This allows the mount to assist the copper cannoneering in the positioning, aiming, and firing (not loading) of light sieges engines. The copper cannoneer and mount can operate any light siege engine requiring a crew of 2 or fewer. Light siege engines requiring more than a crew of 2 to operate (the light trebuchet) would still require a total crew of 3. In addition, the copper cannoneer can use his Handle Animal skill checks in place of any other checks required for positioning, aiming, or handling a light siege engine.

Natural Shot (Ex): At 14th level, as part of a full-attack action, the copper cannoneer’s mount can discharge his culverin or hand cannon, treating the firearm as one of its natural attacks. The firearm must be loaded for the mount to discharge the firearm as normal. This ability replaces greater banner.

Supreme Blast (Ex): At 20th level, whenever the copper cannoneer makes a firearm attack with his culverin or hand cannon while mounted, he deals double the normal amount of damage. In addition, if the copper cannoneer confirms a critical hit on a culverin or hand cannon attack while mounted, the target is stunned for 1d4 rounds. A Will save reduces this to staggered for 1d4 rounds. The DC is equal to 10 + the copper cannoneer’s base attack bonus. This ability replaces supreme charge.

HAND CANNON

A hand cannon is a lighter and less powerful version of a culverin, consisting of a simple smoothbore tube, sealed at one end except for a small hole used to ignite a gunpowder charge. A wooden stock partially encases the barrel, allowing the wielder to hold it under his arm with relative ease when carrying it. Unlike a culverin, firing a hand cannon without support (such as a wall, a window, or a stand) does not imparts a –4 penalty on the attack rolls, nor is the wielder knocked prone, unless the wielder uses a hand cannon larger than his size. A hand cannon uses 3 doses of black powder and either a single small cannonball or grapeshot. A hand cannon has the following statistics.

Table: Copper Cannoneer