Gunner: Class

A Homebrew Class for Use With 5e.

Introduction: This is a homebrew class which utilizes either the

speed, range, and mentality of a gunner. The class is designed with
three archetypes in mind. These archetypes are designed to reflect a
desire for different playstyles within a class. The three archetypes
are representative of a Mid-Range High-Attack Volume, Long-Range
High-Damage or, a Long-Range Support.

by Ryan Joshua Barrowman

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The Gunner: Premise
Reliant on the speed of their draw, the steadiness of their aim, and their ability to pick the best positions in
the battlefield. A gunner makes use of a new technology to the world, fire-arms.

These mechanical marvels deliver death at a distance, with far more stopping power than a bow or
crossbow. It takes a steady hand to prime the weapons; and those who do not take these tools of death
seriously often lose their lives.

It is important for the gunner to know and understand the limitations of their weapons, reload time and
misfire risk (etc.). Utilising this knowledge means most gunners bolster their arsenal with a series of
supplementary weapons (often of their own improvisation).

Class Features
As a gunner you gain the following class features:

Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d8 per gunner level.
Hit Points at 1st Level: 10+ your Constitution Modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per gunner level after 1st.

Proficiencies
Armour: Light armour
Weapons: Firearms, Simple Weapons
Tools: Tinkers Tools

Saving Throws: Dexterity, Wisdom

Skills: Choose three from Acrobatics, Athletics, Investigation, Nature, Perception, Sleight of Hand, Stealth,
Survival.

Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
 (a) leather armour or (b) padded armour
 (a) two daggers or (b) a hand axe
 A pistol and an ammo pouch with 20 rounds.

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Maximum Cover
Beginning at 1st level, you have significant experience with the damage that can be done with your
weapons. As a result, you know to make the most out of any cover you can. You gain the following benefits:
 When in ½ cover treat it like ¾ cover.
 When in ¾ cover the attacker has disadvantage.

Basic Powder Crafting

Due to the scarcity of professionals able to tend to your weapon you have become proficient in the
practice yourself. You’ve learned much from your repairs and modifications and as such you gain the
following benefits:
 When your weapon jams you can take an action to unblock it, in combat.
 Outside of combat you can clean your weapon to reduce the misfire chance.
 You can create basic explosives as a 1-hour action.
 You also gain the Throw Grenade bonus action.

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Fighting Style
At 2nd level, a specialty fighting style is adopted. Only one fighting style can be chosen, and the option
chosen cannot be chosen more than once.

Close Quarters Combat

While within 30ft of an opponent, you gain +2 attacks made with your fire-arm.

One Handed Specialist

While wielding a one-handed fire-arm, or explosive, you gain +1 to your attacks with those weapons.

Sharpshooter
While wielding a two-handed firearm, you gain + 2 to attacks made with that weapon.

Tactically Minded
You gain advantage on Nature/Perception checks to find out information against an opponent you face.

Gunner Archetype
At 3rd level an archetype can be chosen for the gunner to follow. The choice will grant features at 3 rd, 7th,
11th and 15th levels.

Meat Shield
Beginning at 3rd level; when you grapple a creature, you can use them as a meat shield. This grants ½
cover and any attacks that miss you, but would hit the grappled creature, the creature takes half damage.

Ability Score Improvement

Upon reaching 4th, 8th, 12th, 16th and 19th level it is possible to increase one ability score of your choice by 2,
or two ability scores by 1. Abilities cannot be increased above 20 using this feature.

Improved Powder Crafting

Starting at 5th level. As you become more familiar with the mechanisms of your weapons and explosives
you can more successfully make modifications to your weapon (To be discussed with your DM).

You can also create improved explosives.

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Run and Gun
Starting at 8th level you can make a dash and an attack in the same action. Due to the inability to steady
yourself against recoil, nor steady your barrel, as you sprint your attack is at a disadvantage.

You can also stow your gun and draw another as a bonus action.

Point Blank
Starting at 8th level you can use a one-handed fire-arm in melee range for an opportunity attack, without
penalty.

Camouflage
Starting at 10th level a minute can be spent to camouflage yourself, providing you have access to local
elements to cover yourself with. Whilst you are camouflaged in this way you gain +10 bonus to
Dexterity(Stealth) checks, as long as you are not moving or taking an action. Once you have moved, or
have taken an action, you must camouflage yourself again to regain the benefit.

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Disabling Shot
Starting at 14th level you gain access to the Disabling shot action.

Killer Instinct
At 18th level, you become able to detect invisible enemies within 30ft of you. Any enemy that is invisible
within this range can be attacked without penalty. An obscured enemy can be attacked without penalty at
any range. This ability does not ignore cover and does not work if you are blinded or deafened.

Blaze of Glory
At 20th level, you become able, once per day, to resist damage which would otherwise render you
unconscious. Instead of falling unconscious you are reduced to one hit point.

You are then able to take an immediate reaction shot against all enemies within sight and range, without
penalty, should ammunition (not just that which is currently loaded) permit.

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Disabling Shot
Starting at 14th level you gain access to the Disabling shot action.

Killer Instinct
At 18th level, you become able to detect invisible enemies within 30ft of you. Any enemy that is invisible
within this range can be attacked without penalty. An obscured enemy can be attacked without penalty at
any range. This ability does not ignore cover and does not work if you are blinded or deafened.

Blaze of Glory
At 20th level, you become able, once per day, to resist damage which would otherwise render you
unconscious. Instead of falling unconscious you are reduced to one hit point.

You are then able to take an immediate reaction shot against all enemies within sight and range, without
penalty, should ammunition (not just that which is currently loaded) permit.

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Sniper Tactics
Starting at 11th level. So long as you remain prone you gain advantage to your attack, however, your attack
costs your action and your movement.

Vital Shots
Starting at 15th level your attacks are considered critical upon rolling a natural 19 or a 20. You can, once
per day, also add an extra set of damage die to your critical damage (making it x3 damage dice).

The Support Specialist

Working together, as a unit. That is how the support specialist works. Every shot they make is aimed at
maximizing the synergy of the team.

Suppressing Fire
Starting at Level 3 you can use your action to lay down suppressing fire on a single target. The target
receives disadvantage on their next attack. If the target creature moves, you can take a ranged attack of
opportunity against them.

Launcher
Starting at level 7 you develop the ability to fashion your explosives into munitions for your weapon. They
are no longer thrown and instead possess the range of your weapon. Any explosives which are aimed at a
specific creature do 1 weapon die of damage (with no modifiers) and their effects remain the same.

Covering Fire
Starting at Level 11 you become able to intervene, as a reaction, on an attack against one of your allies,
where you can see both the aggressor and your ally.

Sundering Shot
Starting at Level 15, once per short rest, you can use your action to make a Sundering Shot.

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Fire-arms
The guns which are available to be used with the gunner.

Weapon Cost Weight Range Damage Type

Home-Made 150gp 3lb 40/150ft 1d8 Capacity: 2
Pistol Piercing Misfire: 1
One-Handed
Pistol 300gp 3lb 60/175ft 1d10 Capacity 4
Piercing Misfire 2
One-Handed
Revolver 450gp 4lb 60/175ft 2d6 Capacity 6
Piercing Misfire 2
One-Handed
Musket 350gp 10lb 200/450ft 1d12 Capacity 1
Piercing Misfire 3
Two-Handed
Rifle 650gp 15lb 250/575ft 2d8 Capacity 1
Piercing Misfire 2
Two-Handed
Deadeye’s 1200gp 20lb 300/1000ft 2d10 Capacity 1
Rifle Piercing Misfire 2
Two-Handed

Misfire
The misfire number of a gun determines how likely it is to jam during use. When an attack roll’s dice result
falls below the fire-arm’s misfire number the weapon jams. This increases the misfire score by 2 and
requires an action to undo.

If a fire-arm attack role is a critical fail then 1d20 must be rolled. If the roll is less than 10 then the weapon
breaks and will require repairs before it can be used again. To repair a broken fire-arm 2/3 successful
tinkering checks must be made over a period of 1 hour to fix the gun to combat readiness. This will
increase the misfire chance by 1 permanently.

To remove this effect, over a period of 24 hours, the gun must be fully repaired. This will require 2/3
successful tinkering checks to fix the gun to its original misfire chance.

Some attacks or abilities can increase the misfire score of a fire-arm.

Modification
In much the same way an artificer or wizard can enchant items. The gunner can tinker with their weapon
to upgrade it. This should be discussed with the DM to ensure an appropriate DC to tinkering checks is
given. These modifications should be described to the DM and the DM will decide how it effects your
weapons stats if successful.

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