Homebrew Class The Gun Mage

The Gun Mage

T
“ he mage drew this strange apparatus from her side and with a quick
flick of the wrist pointed it directly at the rampaging orc, it rang loud and
strong and a magical metal slug pierced the monster’s chest. She took out
a second apparatus and pointed it to the orc’s allies and fired another
round; victory was at hand!”

A specialized spellcaster, the Gun Mage is built primarily around his use
of equipment that is referred to as “Firearms”. These firearms (also called
“Guns”) are magically created by the Gun Mage using materials such as
sand, earth and stone. His power of transmutation magic allows him to
turn these materials into apparatus made of steel and wood. His power
extends to creating ammunition for his weapons.

Unlike other spell casters, the Gun Mage do not have spell slots but
rather have ritual magic and when they reach higher levels gain Mystic
Points which they can spend to cast specific spells. A Gun
Mage uses Intelligence as their spell casting ability and Level Prof Bonus Feature Gained
by 9th level in the class, he can use his guns as a spell 1st +2 Riflomancy, Archetype Choice
focus.
2nd +2 Mystic Spell Caster, Rapid Fire
The Gun Mage, though a weapon-bearing class, requires 3rd +2 Archetype – 1st Step, Pay in Blood
only the use of the magical firearms he is able to create 4th +2 Ability Score Improvement
using his ritual, his firearm-related abilities do not
function when using any other firearm. 5th +3 Specialized Shots (See Archetypes).
Riflomancy Upgrade (+1)
6th +3 Archetype – 2nd Step
Hit Die: d8
7th +3 Constructed Steed
Saving Throws: Dexterity, Intelligence
8th +3 Ability Score Improvement
Proficiency:
Weapons: Daggers, Club, Quarterstaff, Firearms* 9th +4 Mystic Spell Caster (see below)
Armor: Light, Medium 10th +4 Archetype – 3rd Step
Skills: (Two from) Arcana, Acrobatics, Athletics, Nature, 11th +4 Riflomancy Upgrade (+2)
Perception, Intimidation,
Tools: Tinkering Tools 12th +4 Ability Score Improvement
Language: Extra Language 13th +5 Gunner’s Luck
Starting Equipment: 14th +5 Mystic Spellcaster (see below)
• Tinkering Tools
15th +5 Archetype – 4th Step
• (a) Club or (b) Quarterstaff
• Two Daggers 16th +5 Ability Score Improvement
• (a) Leather Armor or (b) Scale Mail 17th +6 Riflomancy Upgrade (+3)
• (a) Explorer’s Pack or (b) Dungeoneer’s Pack 18th +6 Rapid Fire (+1 additional use)
• Coin pouch with 10 gp
19th +6 Ability Score Improvement
Notes: (Cannot multiclass)
20th +6 Sentry

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Homebrew Class The Gun Mage

Riflomancy (Gun Magic)

As part of your ability you may create your firearm, a ranged weapon that you are proficient with. Your attack and
damage roll use dexterity for this weapon. Creating this firearm requires a ritual to be done after a rest, once created
this weapon remains intact until it leaves your person for one hour or you dismiss it. This weapon can only be wielded by
its creator and any attempt to use it by another creature will fail. This weapon though magically created will not be
rendered inert in an anti-magic field, however any magical bonuses the weapon has will be temporarily stripped.

The weapon uses ammunition that the Gun Mage makes himself. The number of ammunition the Gun Mage can make is
at maximum of 20 per each rest (short or long). They can only make spent ammunition. They cannot keep more than
their maximum and anything beyond will just dissipate. The firearm is automatically reloaded as part of your attack. By
the 10th level in this class, the maximum number of ammunition they have is increased by 10.

The firearms a Gun Mage create are as follow:

Archetype Gun-Type Damage Type Type Range
Dueler Revolver 1d6 1-handed 60/100
Far-Ranger Long Rifle 1d8 2-handed 120/600
Assault Scattergun 1d8 2-handed 50/80
Heavy Gattler 1d10 2-handed 80/300

The potency of the firearm they create increases at certain levels as stated in the table below.

Gun type Class Modifier Damage Gun type Class Modifier Damage
Level Bonus Bonus Level Bonus Bonus
Revolver 5th +1 +2 Scattergun 5th +1 +1d6
11th +2 +1d6+2 11th +2 +2d6
17th +3 +2d6+4 17th +3 +3d6
Long Rifle 5th +1 +1d8 Gattler 5th +1 +1d6
11th +2 +2d8 11th +2 +2d6
17th +3 +3d8 17th +3 +3d6

Mystic Spellcaster
Your arcane powers allow you access to certain spells, when you reach 2nd level in The Gun Mage class you learn the
cantrip: Mending and your choice between Prestidigitation or Light. You also gain the ability to cast Identity and Alarm
as a ritual.

When you reach your 9th level in this class, you gain access to Mystic Points, upon which you are initially provided 3. You
may use 1 Mystic Point to cast any of the following spells:
• Hunter’s Mark • Silence • Spider Climb
• Misty Step • Knock
You regain any spent Mystic Point at the end of a long rest.

Once you reach 14th level, the number of Mystic Points increases to 5 and additionally you may spend 2 Mystic Points to
cast any of the following spells:

• Arcane Eye • Stone Shape • Freedom of Movement

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Homebrew Class The Gun Mage

Rapid Fire
When you reach 2nd level, on your turn, after using your action to attack and shoot your firearm, you can shoot your
firearm again an additional time. These attacks can be replaced by your Specialized Shots. Once you use this feature, you
must finish a short or long rest before you can use it again. You gain an additional use of this ability at 18th level, but only
once on the same turn.

Pay in Blood
Starting at 3rd level, your mystic knowledge allows you to draw upon your body for additional ammunition. As a bonus
action, you may willingly lose 5 HP from both your current and maximum hit point pool to magically create up to a 20
ammunition. This lost HP cannot be recovered until you take a long rest. You may use this ability once per long rest. You
can only use this ability if you have 6 or more HP left.

The number of ammunition you can create using this feature increases by 10 by the 13th Level.

Specialized Shot
At 5th level, The Gun Mage gains a “Specialized Shot” which can be taken instead of doing a regular attack. These
Specialized Shots are considered to be attack rolls and are subject to any other rule that might govern attacks. Unless
otherwise noted, doing a shot with a firearm uses 1 ammunition. These Specialized Shots work only with firearms that
the Gun Mage made using the Riflomancy ritual.

Constructed Steed
When you reach the 7th level of this class, you gain the ability
to transmute earth, stone and wood into a steed capable in
taking you to battle. You can do this by doing a ritual that
involves using a large amount of earth, stone or wood as
material.

The form of the animal may differ depending on the

archetype, with the Heavy getting only a Giant Boar or a
Buffalo while the other archetypes get their choice of Horses,
Elks, Ponies or Camels.

The steed’s stats are stated in the stat block nearby.

Additionally, once created they gain temporary hit points
equal to half of your Gun Mage’s level. The steed also regain
these temporary hit points after taking a long rest.

This creature is a construct that assumes the form of an

unusually intelligent, strong, and loyal animal. The construct looks, feels and even smells like the animal it is portraying
and realistically acts like them, but unlike real animals they do not eat, produce waste or even breathe and when
wounded they do not bleed. They are still considered beasts for effects that can affect beasts specifically.

It understands one language of your choice that you speak and you can communicate with it telepathically while it is
within 1 mile of you.

The creature serves you as a mount, both in combat and out, and you have an instinctive bond with it that allows you to
fight as a seamless unit. While riding this mount, you do not have disadvantage on firing your weapon due to riding a

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Homebrew Class The Gun Mage

mount and you gain advantage on saving throws against effects that would either knock you off the mount or from
falling prone from getting knocked off or jumping off your mount.

This creature cannot be commanded to attack.

When this creature drops to 0 hit points, it disappears, leaving behind no physical form (except for its base materials).
You may also dispatch it, turning it into its base components leaving no trace of what it used to be.

Gunner’s Luck
Starting at 13th level, you may immediately re-roll any initiative roll you make after seeing the result, you may choose
which result to take. You may use this ability only once each rest (short or long).

Sentry
At 20th level, the Gun Mage gains a powerful ability that allows them to create another copy of themselves during battle.

As an action, you may use this ability to instantaneously create an image of yourself. This image is made of stone and
earth and is distinguishable from yourself. This image moves on your turn and may only use its action to use one of your
Specialized Shots and move a number of feet equal to your movement. It does not have access to any bonus action. It’s
hit points are half of your current maximum and its AC is permanently set at 14 (it cannot be increased). The image is
only active for 1 minute and after the duration crumbles into dust along with any of its equipment.

When it attacks, it’s attack and damage roll is equal to your attack and damage roll and spends ammunition from its own
pool of ammunition which is equal to your maximum ammunition count.

Once you use this ability, you cannot use this until you complete a long rest.

Archetypes
The Gun Mage has four different archetypes that determine what kind of tactics do they use in combat. This also guides
what type of gun and ammunition do they use and even determines how many ammunition can the Gun Mage carry.

Dueler
Twin-gun shooting, combat marksman that excels on close-quarter firing.
Level Step Name Ability
st
3rd 1 Quick Draw You are not at disadvantage while attacking adjacent an enemy creature while
using your firearm. You can also stow/draw up to two revolvers.
5th Specialized Shot: You may create a second Revolver during your Gun Magic ritual.
• Twin Shot When doing Twin Shot, you fire another shot from the firearm in your off-hand.
6th 2nd Trickster’s Guile You gain proficiency with Sleight of Hand, if you already have proficiency with
the skill, you gain double proficiency.
You also gain proficiency with performance checks using your revolvers, if you
already have proficiency, you double it for checks using your revolvers.
10th 3rd Honed Reflexes If both guns are out and you are not incapacitated, you gain +1 AC against
attacks and have advantage on dexterity saving throws on effects that you can
see.
15th 4th Firearm Flourish You gain an additional use of Rapid Fire.

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Homebrew Class The Gun Mage

Far-Ranger
Expert marksman from a considerable range. Able to pick-off targets other people may not even see.
Level Step Name Ability
3rd 1st Eagle-Eyed You gain advantage on perception checks for looking at far away things.
5th Specialized Shot: When doing Aimed Shot, you ignore disadvantage on your firearm when the
• Aimed Shot target is beyond the regular range of the weapon.
nd
6th 2 Piercing Round You ignore half-cover when shooting at a target with the weapon at a range of
more than 20 feet. +1 to hit with the Long-Rifle.
rd
10th 3 Massive Critical When you roll a critical hit with the firearm, roll an additional 1d8 for the
damage. The additional dice rolled becomes 2d8 when you reach 17th level on
this class.
th
15th 4 Death from a You may take an aiming stance on your turn from a target that is 60 feet away.
Distance While on the stance, your movement is 0 but you have advantage on hiding
checks. You also hit a critical on a roll of 19 while on this stance.

Heavy
Carries a massive fire-arm that can dispense a huge amount of ammunition to pepper a target and turn it to smithereens
in seconds.
Level Step Name Ability
3rd 1st Massive Magazine You ammunition cap is increased from 20 to 35.
5th Specialized Shot: When doing Burst Shot and your attack hits, roll an additional 1d8 to your
• Burst Shot damage roll. Using Burst Shot, uses 2 ammunition instead of 1. You roll an
additional 1d8 when you reach level 15.
nd
6th 2 Concussive Ammo Your firearm deals an additional 2 force damage, this bonus increases to 3 at
level 13. When you hit a critical with your firearm, the bonus damage from this
feature is tripled.
10th 3rd Master Gunner You ammunition cap is increase by an additional 20 and using “Pay in Blood”,
you only pay half its cost, but gain double the ammunition.
th
15th 4 Demolition Your weapon gains the siege property.
You may also negate a target’s resistance to your damage once per rest.

Assault
Mobility and tactics are key points to this archetype; armed with a firearm that can either hit close-knit groups or deliver
a large slug of ammunition to a target, the archetype is a versatile shooter that is a force to be reckoned with.
Level Step Name Ability
3rd 1st Mobile and Hostile You may use your bonus action to move half your movement.
5th Specialized Shots: When you use either shot, you do not suffer disadvantage when in melee with
• Buck Shot an enemy creature.
• Spray Shot • Using Buck Shot, when you hit a target, the target takes a bonus force
damage equal to your proficiency.
• Using Spray Shot, when you hit a target, an adjacent creature takes a bonus
force damage equal to your proficiency.
6th 2nd Overwatch When an enemy enters within 15 feet of you, you may use your reaction to fire
one shot at the enemy (Buck Shot or Spray Shot can be used), if he is hit, his
movement is reduced to 0 until his next turn. If the target is flying and has a
means of remaining in the air, he stays afloat, otherwise he falls.

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Homebrew Class The Gun Mage

10th 3rd Grenadier Your firearm gains an attachment that allows you to fire specific vials at an
enemy instead of normal ammunition. The vial deals an additional 3d6 damage
of the specifically mentioned type, your firearm’s range however is halved and
rolling a 3 or below on the die will automatically miss and you instead receive
that 3d6 damage. Vials that can be used for this feature are: Alchemist Fire, Acid
Vial, Vial of Holy Water (damage is radiant), Poison Vials (usage of any other vial
and/or liquid not stated in this feature is subject to DM discretion)
This feature cannot be combined with Buck Shot or Spray Shot.
15th 4th Blitzer Your spray shots can target another adjacent creature to the target and it takes
damage equal to your proficiency. Using your Mobile and Hostile feature, you
can now move your full movement and Opportunity Attacks against you while
using this feature are at a disadvantage.

DISCLAIMER:

This document is free of use for any group that wishes to use
it.

This homebrew class was primarily made with D&D 5th

Edition in mind. The main idea of this class is to simulate the
archetypical western hero that uses firearms but blending it
with the fantasy elements of D&D, creating an amalgamation
of sorts of a spellcaster that shoots guns. Though firearms
were already set in the game-universe, the author noted of
how cumbersome these were to actual play and a person wanting to play the archetype mentioned above may not get the satisfaction she wants.
Also, the shift of the class from a purely fighter-type to a spellcaster was to reflect how the archetype is often shown to have a level of mystique to
them and to provide them with features that the archetype often wants to have but would require them to have abilities beyond what a fighter can
do.

The design notes were made by the author following elements he has observed through other games but was not based wholly with any other
class.

Images used are from PAIZO and is used only as reference, the author does not monetize the use of this document.

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