Artificer: Pioneer Specialist | Create, use, and infuse firearms as a gun-toting, spell-slinging artificer!

<div class='cover-header'>Artificer: Pioneer Specialist</div>

<div class='cover-footer'>Create, use, and infuse firearms with this subclass for the world's greatest roleplaying game</div>

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# Fighter: Gunslinger (Revised)
Matt Mercer's Gunslinger is one of the most popular 5e homebrews for introducing firearms into D&D. This section attempts to bring this subclass' design closer to other official options and reduce some clunkiness, as well as integrate changes made for the Pioneer subclass.

## Firearm Proficiency
Starting when you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with firearms. These firearms have their own unique set of weapon properties, and replace the optional firearms found in the DMG.

## Gunsmith
Upon choosing this archetype at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with gunsmith's tools. If you already have this proficiency, you gain proficiency with one other type of artisan's tools of your choice.

## Adept Marksman
When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you learn to perform trick shots.

**Trick Shots.** You learn two trick shots of your choice. Each use of a trick shot must be declared before the attack roll is made. You can use only one trick shot per attack. You learn an additional trick shot of your choice at 7th, 10th, 15th, and 18th level. Each time you learn a new trick shot, you can also replace one trick shot you know with a different one.

**Grit.** You have four grit points. You regain all expended grit points after a short or long rest. You gain another grit point at 7th level and one more at 15th level.

**Saving Throws.** The saving throw DC for trickshots is calculated as  8 + your proficiency bonus + your Dexterity modifier.

## Quickdraw
When you reach 7th level, you add your proficiency bonus to your initiative. You can also stow a firearm, then draw another firearm as a single object interaction on your turn.

## True Grit
Starting at 10th level, when you roll initiative and have no grit points remaining, you regain 1 grit point.

## Lightning Reload
Starting at 15th level, you can reload any firearm as a bonus action.

## Vicious Intent
At 18th level, your firearm attacks score a critical hit on a roll of 19-20, and whenever you score a critical hit on an attack with a firearm, the target additionally suffers half of the damage from the attack at the end of its next turn.

### Revised Trick Shots List

#### Dazing Shot
When you make a firearm attack against a creature, you can expend one grit point to attempt to dizzy them. On a hit, the creature must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or suffer disadvantage on attacks until the end of your next turn.

#### Deadeye Shot
When you make a firearm attack against a creature, you can expend one grit point to gain advantage on the attack roll.

#### Disarming Shot
When you make a firearm attack against a creature, you can expend one grit point to attempt to disarm them. On a hit, the creature must succeed on a Strength saving throw or drop 1 held object of your choice and have that object be pushed 10 feet away from you.

#### Distracting Shot
When you make a firearm attack against a creature that is concentrating on a spell or using a feature that requires concentration, you can expend one grit point to, on a hit, impose disadvantage on the saving throw it makes to maintain its concentration.

#### Long Shot
When you make a firearm attack against a creature, you can expend one grit point to increase your weapon's normal range to match its long range for the attack roll.

#### Menacing Shot
When you make a firearm attack against a creature, you can expend one grit point to attempt to frighten them. On a hit, the target must make a Wisdom saving throw or be frightened of you until the end of your next turn.

#### Piercing Shot
When you make a firearm attack against a creature, you can expend one grit point to, on a hit, make a separate attack roll against another creature in a line directly behind it within your first range increment.

#### Reacting Shot
When a creature misses you with a ranged attack, you can use your reaction and expend one grit point to make a firearm attack against that creature.

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# Artificer: Pioneer Specialist
Pioneers specialize in pushing the limits of firearms technology, combining technical expertise with experimental infusions and spells. Pioneers can be found within the ranks of modern and well-funded armies and mercenary companies, both producing and maintaining weaponry and utilizing them on the battlefield.

## Pioneer Spells
Starting at 3rd level, you always have certain spells prepared after you reach particular levels in this class, as shown in the Pioneer Spells table. These spells count as artificer spells for you, but they don’t count against the number of artificer spells you prepare.

| Level  | Spells |
|:---:|:-----------:|
|  3rd | *Fog Cloud*, *Shield*            |
|  5th | *Cordon of Gunfire*, *Scorching Ray*          |
|  9th | *Conjure Barrage*, *Lightning Arrow*          |
| 13th | *Artificial Grit*, *Fire Shield* |
| 17th | *Conjure Volley*, *Swift Trigger*           |

## Focus Fire
Also at 3rd level, you know how to turn a firearm into a spellgun. When you finish a long rest, you can use gunsmith's tools to make arcane modifications to a firearm, turning it into a spellgun. These modifications are deactivated or destroyed if new modifications are made to a different firearm, but otherwise last indefinitely.

You can use your spellgun as a spellcasting focus for your artificer spells. When you attack with your spellgun, you can use your Intelligence modifier, instead of your Dexterity modifier, for its attack and damage rolls.

## Extra Attack
Starting at 5th level, you can attack twice, rather than once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

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## Infused Munitions
Starting at 9th level, your spellgun imparts an infusion upon nonmagical ammunition it fires, improving weapon reliability in some cases. When your spellgun is used with nonmagical ammunition for spells involving weapon attacks or firing ammunition, or for performing trick shots, duplicated rounds are fired instead and the weapon's misfire score is ignored. This ability does not count against your known or created infusions.

## Spellslinger
By 15th level, you have mastered the ability to store spells within your spellgun. When you use the Spell-Storing Item feature on your spellgun, your choice of spells is expanded up to 5th-level. 3rd- and 4th-level spells can be used a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of once). 5th-level spells can be used a number of times equal to half of your Intelligence modifier rounded up (minimum of once).

If you attempt to use a 3rd- or higher level spell that normally has consumable material components, these materials must be consumed when producing the spell's effects, otherwise the spell will automatically fail.

### New Infusions
#### Auto-Repairer
Item: A firearm (requires attunement)

This magic weapon grants a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with it when it's used to make a ranged attack. In addition, whenever this weapon misfires, the wielder can use their reaction to cause the weapon to automatically repair itself. Once completed, this ability can't be used again until the next dawn.

#### Enhanced Mechanisms
Prerequisite: 10th-level artificer

Item: A firearm (requires attunement)

This magic weapon grants a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with it when it's used to make a ranged attack. In addition, while this weapon has this infusion, its misfire score is reduced by 1.

#### Speedloader
Prerequisite: 6th-level artificer

Item: A firearm (requires attunement)

This magic weapon grants a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with it when it's used to make a ranged attack. In addition, this weapon has 4 charges. As a bonus action, the wielder can expend a charge to reload the weapon. The weapon regains 1d4 expended charges daily at dawn.

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### New Artificer Spells
#### Cordon of Gunfire
*2nd-level transmutation*
___
- **Casting Time:** 1 action
- **Range:** 5 feet
- **Components:** V, S, M (four or more pieces of firearm ammunition)
- **Duration:**  8 hours
___
You plant four nonmagical pieces of firearm ammunition in the ground within range and cast magic upon them to protect an area. Until the spell ends, whenever a creature other than you comes within 30 feet of the ammunition for the first time on a turn or ends its turn there, one piece of ammunition shoots out to strike it. The creature must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take 1d6 piercing damage. The piece of ammunition is then destroyed. The spell ends when no ammunition remains.

When you cast this spell, you can designate any creatures you choose, and the spell ignores them.

**At Higher Levels.** When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, the amount of ammunition that can be affected increases by two for each slot level above 2nd.

#### Artificial Grit
*4th-level divination*
___
- **Casting Time:** 1 action
- **Range:** Self
- **Components:** V, S, M (a powder horn of smokepowder worth 50 gp)
- **Duration:** 1 minute
___
You draw upon the knowledge of seasoned gunslingers. You gain a number of grit points equal to half of your Intelligence modifier rounded up (minimum of one) and learn two trick shots of your choice for the duration of the spell. When all of the grit points gained from this spell are expended, the spell ends.

**At Higher Levels.**  When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 5th level, you instead gain a number of grit points equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of one) and learn all trick shots for the duration of the spell.

#### Swift Trigger
*5th-level transmutation*
___
- **Casting Time:** 1 bonus action
- **Range:** Touch
- **Components:** V, S, M (a firearm)
- **Duration:**  Concentration, up to 1 minute
___
You cast transmutational magic on your weapon to enhance its mechanisms, enabling more rapid fire. On each of your turns until the spell ends, you can use a bonus action to make two attacks with the affected weapon. If the weapon leaves your possession, the spell ends.

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### Gunsmith's Tools

##### Artisan's tools, 25 gp, 6 lb.

*A set of gunsmith's tools allow you to produce and maintain firearms and ammunition.*

**Components.** Gunsmith's tools include a brass hammer, a wrench, a screwdriver, metal files, a cleaning rod, a wire brush, and a vial of oil.

**Investigation.** When inspecting a firearm, you can accurately assess its condition and understand its underlying nonmagical mechanisms.

**Arcana.** You can unlock more information on Arcana checks involving magical materials or systems relevant to firearms, such as smokepowder and magical firing mechanisms.

**Gunsmithing.** You can craft firearm ammunition at half the cost of its market value, repair misfired firearms, and mend broken ones. You can also draft and create new firearms and modify pre-existing ones at the DM's discretion.

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> ##### Flavouring Spells
> Spells cast from a spellgun can be flavoured as being produced by the weapon. E.g.  *grease* fires fat globules from the gun's barrel; *catapult* shoots energy at an object, then the user aims in the target direction.

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### Feats and Misc.
#### Gunner (Revised)
*This pre-existing feat has been modified to better suit Matt Mercer's firearm rules.*

You have a quick hand and keen eye when employing firearms, granting you the following benefits:
* Increase your Dexterity score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
* You gain proficiency with firearms.
* You gain one grit point and learn two trick shots of your choice. You regain this grit point when expended after a short or long rest.
* Being within 5 feet of a hostile creature doesn’t impose disadvantage on your ranged attack rolls.

#### Minor Revisions
A spellgun is now added to the list of items applicable for the Enhanced Arcane Focus infusion. The Repeating Shot infusion can now be applied to firearms, but does not affect reloading in any fashion and, when firing the magic ammunition, the misfire score of the weapon is increased by 1. For the purpose of applicability for infusions, firearms should be considered martial weapons.

The *flame arrows* spell can now be applied to twelve or more pieces of nonmagical firearm ammunition. The extra 1d6 fire damage is applied when a target is hit by this magic ammunition. The spell’s magic ends on the piece of ammunition when it hits or misses, and the spell ends when all of the affected pieces of ammunition have been fired.

*NB: The [Firearm Specialist](https://www.dndbeyond.com/feats/firearm-specialist) feat is assumed to be available under this homebrew.*

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##### Image Credits
 * Front Cover - [Ameera Sheikh](https://www.artstation.com/mikandii)
 * New Artificer Spells - [Mike Pape](https://www.artstation.com/wingbuffet)
 * Gunsmith's Tools (top) - [Nicolas Noël Boutet](https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/24861)
 * Gunsmith's Tools (bottom) - [Amanda Phelps](https://www.artstation.com/artofamandanp)
 * Revisions and Misc. - [Tiago Alexandre](https://www.artstation.com/talexior)

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