Desperado (Gunslinger/Bard)
Gunslingers tend to be a frank and unforgiving lot, relying on their firearms to get them out of trouble. However, there are some gun-toting transients who enjoy traveling from town to town, making a name for themselves on a whistle and a prayer. Desperados utilize thier guns, innate talents, forceful personality, and rugged charms to gain advantages during combat. Often overlooked by others as simple roving strangers, desperados can be danger foes, for they rely greatly on such oversights to melt into their surrounds until they are ready to act. With their propensity for luck, and battle an inevibility, desperados choose to engage their enemies directly, with confidence and panache. They typically begin battle by humming some unknown tune to bolster themselves and their allies. Then, throughout the course of the fight, they employ other methods to intimidate, demoralize, and even frighten them into defeat. Whether they are whistling a tune or striking a pose in the heat of battle, desperados can charm unwhitting enemies as readily as put a bullet in their heads.
Primary Class: Gunslinger.
Secondary Class: Bard.
Alignment: Any.
Hit Dice: d10.
Bonus Skills and Ranks: The desperado may select three bard skills to add to his class skills in addition to the normal gunslinger class skills, one of which must be Perform. The desperado gains a number of ranks at each level equal to 4 + Int modifier.
Table: Desperado
Weapon and Armor Proficiency
The desperado is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with all firearms, and with shields (except tower shields).
Grit (Ex)
This is exactly like the gunslinger ability of the same name, except that the desperado uses her Charisma modifier to determine her grit points
Desperado's Tune
At 1st level, as an expert of surviving dangerous situations by the grit of his teeth, she has mastered a strange and unique art of singing without truly singing. By using the Perform skill, she can use her tunes to create magical effects on those around her, including herself if desired. She can use this ability for a number of rounds per day equal to 4 + his Charisma modifier. At each level after 1st, a desperado can use desperado’s tune for 2 additional rounds per day. Each round, the desperado can produce any one of the types of tunes that he has mastered, as indicated by her level. Most of her tune’s effects apply to any ally who can hear them. However, the desperado's lone wolf nature and the natural quiet of her tunes restrict this effect to allies within 30 feet. This ability otherwise functions as bardic performance. This ability replaces 1st level deeds, bonus feats gained at 4th, 8th, 16th, and 20th level, and true grit.
Hum: At 1st level, a desperado can hum as a swift action. Each round the hum is maintained, the desperado and all allies within 30 feet that can hear him gain a +1 morale bonus to all saving throws against charm and fear effects. At 5th level, and every five levels thereafter, this bonus increases by +1, to a maximum of +5 at 20th level.
Whistle: At 4th level, a desperado can add a whistle to his tune performance. This expends an additional round of desperado’s tune. Each time the desperado whistles during her humming performance, she gains one additional move action during her turn. This move action can only be used for movement, to reload her firearm, or to make an Acrobatics skill check. A desperado cannot whistle for consecutive rounds.
Pose: At 8th level, as a full-round action, a desperado can spend two rounds of her desperado’s tune to make an Intimidate skill check with a DC equal to 10+ the highest HD among all possible affected enemies. If successful, all nonallied creatures that can see her become panicked for three rounds. Pose is a mind-affecting fear effect.
Dramatic Pause: At 12th level, as a full-round action, a desperado can spend four rounds of her desperado’s tune to make a dramatic pause, and gains the effects of a sanctuary spell (DC 10 + 1/2 her desperado level + her Charisma modifier) until the end of the next round. During the next round, the desperado and her allies also gain a +4 morale bonus to all attack and damage rolls. At 20th level, this bonus increases to +6. The desperado can extend the duration of this bonus by humming. Once her current hum ends, so does this bonus.
Crescendo: At 16th level, as a swift action, a desperado can spend four rounds of her desperado’s tune to make a crescendo. The desperado and her allies fast healing 2 and a morale bonus to all attack rolls and saving throws equal to 1/2 her desperado level for one round. The desperado can extend the duration of this bonus by humming. Once her current hum ends, so does this bonus.
Deadly Climax: At 20th level, a desperado can spend 8 rounds of her desperado’s tune to convince a number of enemies equal to her Charisma modifier that they are about to die. To be affected, each target must be able to see and hear the desperado perform this final note for 1 full round and be within 30 feet. The targets receive a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 the desperado’s level + the desperado’s Charisma modifier) to negate the effect. If a creature’s saving throw succeeds, the target is staggered for one round, and the desperado cannot use climax on that creature again for 24 hours. If a creature's saving throw fails, it drops to 1 hit points and is prone. Deadly climax has no effect on enemies with Hit Dice equal to or exceed the desperado's level. Deadly climax is a mind-affecting effect.
Deeds (Ex)
At 3rd level, a desperado gains access to her 1st level deeds. Every four levels beyond 3rd, the desperado gains access to each subsequent level of deeds (3rd, 7th, etc.), up to 15th level deeds at 19th level. However, the desperado may choose only two deeds that she knows of each level. This ability otherwise functions as and replaces deeds.
Stranger's Fortune (Ex)
Starting at 5th level, a desperado can ignore a firearm misfire a number of times per day equal to her Charisma bonus. She can use this ability as a free action. This ability replaces gun training
Jack-of-All-Trades (Ex)
At 13th level, a desperado gains the bard’s jack-of-all-trades ability. This ability replaces the bonus feat gained at 12th level.
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Sidebar
As a skilled, if limited, bard, the desperado can learn Masterpieces (Ultimate Magic). For such purposes, they may trade one deed that they would learn in place of a spell. They must meet all other requirements for the Masterpiece.