Handcannoneer (5e Class)

Design Note: This class is being used in a campaign in order to test its features, strengths and weaknesses. However, it is probably that in the current state, is not balanced. Ask for your DM if you can use it in their sessions.

Handcannoneer (5e Class)

At the distance, an army of undead is approaching to the city. The crackling noises produced by their rusty swords is the only sound that can be heard. In front of them, a man holding a handcannon with two barrels, loaded and ready to shoot when they get close to him. When he pull the trigger a blast is heard and the undeads get decimated by the spread ammo, throwing away a few of them, but it's not enough to repel all of them.

A half-elf behind the man is setting up his handcannon. A burst of explosive rounds is flying over the undeads, quickly dropping onto them and provoking an explosion ,dispersing the undeads. However, this does not scare them, walking towards the city.

A round reached an undead, which bounced between two rocks. A third person is present, a halfing who his handcannon is smaller than the others. He tries to shot again, but the ammo fails to fire. Maybe a defective round? There is no time to think about it. The army is closer, so he reloads his gun, hoping that does not fail again. In the battlefield, you can not fail twice or your enemy is going to use his luck against you.

The handcannoneer are heavy weapons specialists adept in the use of firearms that others would consider unwieldy even the most favorable situations. You can not expect them to rely on a single technique to have mastered the use of their weaponry, using a wide range of options to unleash chaos. Some may just rely on their brawn and experience to send anyone standing in their way flying in a hail of iron and fire while being an impenetrable wall. Others may stay back behind their fellow frontliners and rain hell upon the enemy from afar. Few of them may use their intellect to handcraft their ammo for any given situation. Whatever their preferred method of fighting is, every handcannoneer is one of a kind and wielding their guns makes them an unstoppable adversary.

This class is inspired by a homebrew 3.5e gunslinger archetype created by Maxximilius called Handcannoneer. Created by Alexcooper97

Creating a Handcannoneer

First thing to know is what type of character you want, or what would fit your character concept best. Is your character going to be a tanky frontliner, or would you rather sit back and attack your opponents from afar? If not, do you consider to have the most versatile option to compensate a role that is lacking your party as a support?

The juggernaut focuses on standing in the middle of the fray being both hard to kill and disable, using their archetype features to gain resistance versus some damage types, negating enemies advantage gained from flanking them. This is the archetype which will most likely gain the most benefit from a high Constitution score as well.

The bombardier does pretty much the complete opposite from the juggernaut, sitting way back and using their archetype features to gain more damage and more reliably hit their enemies by attacking them from above, if a clear sky is available at least. If the campaign is in a setting where you won't be able to use the advantage to range or have a high roof very often, this archetype will suffer substantially and it is advised you ask your GM how the setting for most encounters will be set up like.

The inventor takes a middle-ground when it comes to range, preferring to stand somewhere in the middle of the two previous entries. This class specializes in having the tools for every situation, focusing on a more support-y role through the use of all kinds of disabling types of ammunition. I guess you could say this is the caster-variant of the handcannon archetypes as its types of ammunitions can be compared to spells cast by spellcasting classes.

Quick Build

You can make a handcannoneer quickly by following these suggestions. First, put your highest ability score in Strength, Dexterity or Intelligence, depending if you choose Juggernaut, Bombardier or Inventor as your Handcannoneer Specialist, followed by Constitution. Second, choose the Engineer background, other fitting backgrounds could also be Soldier, Guild Artisan or Scavenger. Third, choose a mace, the hide armor and an explorer's pack as your starting equipment.

Class Features

As a Handcannoneer you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

Hit Dice: 1d8 per Handcannoneer level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + Constitution modifier per Handcannoneer level after 1st

Proficiencies

Armor: Light and Medium armor
Weapons: Simple weapons, Handcannons, Siege weapons
Tools: Tinker's Tools
Saving Throws: Constitution, gain 1 from chosen archetype
Skills: Sleight of Hand, choose 2 from chosen archetype

Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

• Any one simple weapon
• (a) Leather armor or (b) Hide armor
• (a) A dungeoneer's pack or (b) An explorer's pack or (c) A scholar's pack
• A firearm that is obtainable with your arquetype and 6 units of ammo for it.
  • Can use special shells as ammunition instead of cannonballs and gunpowder
• Tinker's Tools
• If you are using starting wealth, you have 5d4 x 10gp in funds.

Table: The Handcannoneer

Level	Proficiency Bonus	Features
1st	+2	Heavy Weapons Specialist, Heavy Firearms Forging, Archetype Feature
2nd	+2	Modified Rounds (I), Ammo Exploits
3rd	+2	Archetype Feature
4th	+2	Ability Score Improvement
5th	+3	Fast Reload
6th	+3	Archetype Feature
7th	+3	Tinkering Genius
8th	+3	Ability Score Improvement
9th	+4	Modified Rounds (II)
10th	+4	Archetype Feature
11th	+4	Ammo Exploits (II)
12th	+4	Ability Score Improvement
13th	+5	Takedown Movement
14th	+5	Archetype Feature
15th	+5	Modified Rounds (III)
16th	+5	Ability Score Improvement
17th	+6	High Quality Ammo
18th	+6	Archetype Feature
19th	+6	Ability Score Improvement
20th	+6	Living Legend

Heavy Weapons Specialist

At 1st level, you choose an specialty that defines your character from the list of available Heavy Weapons Specialist. Your choice grants you features at 1st level and then again at 3rd, 6th, 10th, 14th and 18th level.

Heavy Firearms Forging

Starting 1st level, you can craft a few types of weapons and ammo to different firearms, including your handcannon. You can craft firearms with the heavy property and siege-weapons, including proper ammunition (GM's discretion).

You are no longer limited by the normal 5gp per day rule for crafting firearms. You can craft regular ammo for your handcannon spending 5sp when you finish a short rest, once per day, crafting up to 10 plus your proficiency bonus (maximum 30 in your inventory) or all the expended ammo when you finish a long rest. You can't surpass the maximum ammo capacity by any means.

Crafting a firearm takes 1 day of work for every 100gp of the firearms total price. Details about construction siege weapons can be found through provided link. Constructing_Siege_Engines_(5e_Variant_Rule)

Modified Rounds (I)

At 2nd level, you learn to create modified rounds that allow you to perform different actions and blasts. You are able to craft up to 2 rounds plus half your Strength, Dexterity or Intelligence ability modifier (your choice), rounded up. You can create up to 2 rounds when you finish a short rest or all spent rounds when you finish a long rest.

Ammo Exploits

At 2nd level, you think of new forms of using your hand cannon blasts. You gain two exploits from the list below, which you can use spending one modified round to enhance your next attack.

• Ground Zero Ammo. As a bonus action, you use a modified round that sweeps the ground, on impact. Each creature in the area of the attack must make a Strength save in order to avoid falling prone.

• Compressed Air Ammo. As a bonus action, you use a modified round that explodes on contact, and strikes with compressed air that pushes the enemies. Each creature in the area of the attack must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the targets are pushed 5ft. from you, and lose half of their movement speed until the end of their next turn. On a successful save, they are only pushed 5 ft. If a creature strikes something, the creature and what it strikes each take 1d8 bludgeoning damage.

• Smoked Ammo. As a bonus action, you use a modified round that can create on the area of your attack a heavily obscured area until the end of your next turn.

• Emergency Ammo. As a reaction, you use a modified round to try to difficult your enemy's attacks against you with a harmless quicker shot, aiming to disrupt your enemy's attacks. Until the start of your next turn, melee attacks rolls made against you have disadvantage.

• Concussive Ammo. As a reaction, if you get hit, you may use a modified rounds to shot rubber, harmless rounds to a upcoming attack made against you, aiming to loss your enemy's focus. Whenever that attacker hits you, you gain resistance to his attacks until the end of the attacker's turn. The magical damages are not affected by this ammo exploit.

• Hollow-point Ammo: As a bonus action, you use a modified round to shot one creature at your range. You ignore your hanndcannon AoE damage (as your juggernaut's cone area or the bombardier's explosive area) to increase the damage roll by 1 die.

• Grease Ammo: As a reaction, you shot a round filled with slippery grease to your attacker's feet. You may use a modified round to create a 10ft. square area. When the grease appears, each creature standing in its area must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw (DC 8 plus your proficiency bonus plus your Strength, Dexterity or Intelligence ability modifier (Your choice) or fall prone. A creature that enters the area or ends its turn there must also succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or fall prone. It lasts until the start of your next turn.

Ability Score Increase

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. You can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.

If your DM allows the use of feats, you may instead take a feat.

Fast Reload

Beginning at level 5th, you are able to reload your weapon in less time. As a bonus action, you can reload your handcannon.

Tinkering Genius

Starting at level 7th, after countless hours of working on your hand cannon and your modified ammo, you’ve mastered your tinkering skills. Gain double your proficiency bonus for checks made with tinkering tools or your sleight of hand skill.

Modified Rounds (II)

Beginning at level 9th, You are able to craft rounds up to 3 plus your Strength, Dexterity or Intelligence ability score (your choice).

You can create up to 3 rounds when you finish a short rest, once per day or all spent rounds when you finish a long rest.

Ammo Exploits (II)

At level 11th, you can choose another two options from the ammo exploit feature.

Takedown Movement

When you reach 13rd level, you can save some time after slaying an enemy, being able to reposition yourself, after having moved. If you kill an enemy, and you have already used all your movement in your turn, you can move up to half your movement speed. You can use this feature once per round.

Modified Rounds (III)

Beginning the 15th level, a short break is enough to get you back into the frey, thanks to you mastered crafting skills. You are able to craft up to 5 plus your proficiency bonus plus your Strength, Dexterity or Intelligence ability modifier (your choice). You can create all expended rounds when you finish a short rest.

High Quality Ammo

When you reach 17th level, your vast knowledge about gunpowder and its applications in handcannons has leaded you to create the most optimized ammo for your weapons. The damage rolls of your handcannons are increased by an additional die.

Additionally, you can shoot one more time before you need to reload your handcannon.

Living Legend

At 20th level, your prowess with your handcannon, along with the experience you harvested, has given you exceptional capabilities, beyond the physically possible for your kind. You increase your Strength, Dexterity or Intelligence score (your choice) by 4. Your maximum to those scores becomes 24 if it's not already higher.

In addition, your ammunition is much more dangerous. When you roll a 1 on a damage die, you can reroll the die and keep the second roll.

Juggernaut Specialist

An unwavering warrior on the frontline, excelling at blasting and ramming his enemies with his trusty Spread Cannon, lethal in short range fights, getting the enemy bussy and focuses in him because of his unrelenting power. His features keeps the Juggernaut in the heat to the battle, sticking to the enemy frontline, bearing the damage deal by them to stop it from getting to his backline. But the juggernaut's role is not only defend his companions but deal large amounts of damage to nearby enemies with his Spread Cannon.

Juggernaut Proficiencies

Saving Throws: Strength

Skills: Choose two from Athletics, Insight, Intimidation, Medicine, Perception, Persuasion, Survival.

Juggernaut Features

As a Juggernaut you gain the following archetype features:

Juggernaut Firearm: Spread Cannon

In the 1st level, the Spread Cannon is useful when you are going to spend mostly the time in the frontline, near the upcoming enemies that wait to ambush you in close quarter combats. However, your cannon is the key to disrupt the enemy's plans to ram into your backline. You gain a Spread Cannon (heavy, two handed, exotic, 18lb.), gain proficiency with it and can be used in two main ways:

• Spread Cannon Blast: As an action, you can use it to blast a cone of bullets. Each creature in a 10-foot cone from you must make a Dexterity saving throw (DC equal to 8 plus your Strength ability modifier plus your proficiency bonus). A creature takes 1d8 piercing on a failed salve, or no damage on a successful one. (This can be explained as bullets not blasting on the targets direction who did succeed the saving throw). You need to reload your Spread Cannon after every two shots as a action.
• Cannon Smash: As a melee attack action, you can smash the Spread Cannon against an enemy, dealing 2d4 plus your Strength ability modifier, bludgeoning damage.

Finally, you also gain a +1 shield-bonus to AC whenever you are wielding a Spread Cannon, and any attempt to disarm or otherwise make you drop your weapon is made at disadvantage whenever you are holding a Spread Cannon with both hands.

Bulky Muscles

At 1st level, thanks to your hard training and hours of holding a huge firearm, your muscles can carry a great amount of weight and future scars. You may add your Constitution modifier to your Strength score when calculating your carrying capacity.

You also obtain 1 additional hit point every time you level up, added after your hit dice roll.

Improvised Point-blank Blast

At 3rd level, you use a modified shell that fires more pebbles on impact, but its force come with bad recoil. As an action, when you shoot your Spread Cannon enemies make their saving throw with disadvantage, but the next two attacks made against you have advantage.

Juggernaut's Strength (I)

Beginning at level 3rd, your blast attacks increases one damage die (2d8 piercing)

Juggernaut's Strength (II)

When you reach level 6th, you are able to attack twice using the attack action on melee attacks.

Adittionally, your blast attack increases one damage dice (3d8 piercing).

Juggernaut's Strength (III)

Beginning at level 10th, your blast attack increases one damage die (4d8 piercing).

Also, you may use one of your attacks to shoot a blast, being able to combine a Spread Cannon Blast and a melee attack.

Unflinching

Starting 10th level, your body is learning to endure heavier attacks, being sometimes a better option to bear it than dodge it. Whenever you roll a Dexterity saving throw to reduce damage taken, you may roll a Constitution saving throw instead.

Additionally your shield-bonus to AC when wielding a Spread Cannon is further increased by 1 (total +2).

You gain one of the following ammo exploit:

• Recovery Blank Shell: When you receive an attack that should cause you falling prone, as a reaction, you may use a modified ammo to aim and fire the floor before you touch it, causing the recoil to get you on your feet again, preventing you to get prone.
• Caltrop Shell: As a reaction, you can use one modified ammo to shot a cartridge that creates caltrops near your position. You create a 15ft. square that becomes difficult terrain. Whenever creature that enters the area or moves on it receives 1d4 slashing damage, once per turn. The area lasts 1 minute.

Juggernaut Firearm: Improved Spread Cannon

At level 14th, after all this time, you’ve noticed for a long time your incapability to fight at greater distances, so, after all this time you’ve been able to engineer a way to shoot further. You gain the following ammo exploit.

• Long-spread Shell: You use a modified round that explodes on impact, or after 30ft of travel, and then causes a 15ft cone magic piercing damage, on impact. Each creature in the area is under the effect of Spread Cannon's blast shot.

One Man Army

At 18th level, your Spread Cannon is the only companion that you need, and the only that can give you the enough strength to bear anything. When you kill a creature with a melee attack with the Spread Cannon, you gain resistance against all damage types until the start of your next turn.

You may add two additional dices on your damage roll in your melee attacks with the Spread Cannon (4d4 + Strength mod., Blugdeoning)

Bombardier Specialist

A long-ranged attacker who prefers to sit back and watch his enemies bathe in a rain of steel and fire caused by his Demolitionist Cannon. As a enemy bombardier, you don't want to be at his attack's range: The last thing you'll see is explosions around you that eventually are going to land on you. The Bombardier's features provide him the tools to deal high damage to further enemies, even if they are behind a cover, while supporting his team with a few utility options.

Bombardier Proficiencies

Saving Throws: Dexterity

Skills: Choose two from Acrobatics, Deception, Insight, Perception, Stealth, Survival.

Bombardier Features

As a Bombardier you gain the following archetype features:

Bombardier Firearm: Demolitionist Cannon

At 1st level, your weapon of choice to keep your distance with your enemies and at the same time, blow his allies. But be wary: Its dangerous to shot explosive rounds at short ranges. You gain The Demolitionist Cannon (siege, two-handed, exotic, 12 lb.), gain proficiency with it and can be used in two main ways:

• Demolitionist Cannon Blast: As an action, you can blast a single enemy in 90ft. range, dealing 2d8 piercing damage. If the enemy is closer than that 20ft., you have disadvantage on attack rolls against that creature. Any creature within 5ft. from the target must roll a Dexterity saving throw (DC equal to 8 plus your Dexterity ability modifier plus your proficiency bonus). On a failed one, the target gets damage equal your proficiency bonus. On a successful one, does not receive any damage. You need to reload the Demolitionist Cannon after every blast.
• Cannon Smash: As an action, You can smash the cannon against an enemy doing an attack roll (add your Strength modifier), dealing 1d4 bludgeoning damage.

Make it Rain

Starting 1st level, whenever the you use an attack action, you can use your Demolitionist Cannon as a mortar, provided the weapon can be aimed skywards and that there is no obstruction to prevent a high-arcing shot and you didn't move during your turn. When used as a mortar the Demolitionist Cannon's range is doubled, up to 180 ft., but also the disadvantage range is doubled, up to 40ft. Attacking like this ignores any cover unless the targeted creature has protection from above.

The target creature receives a ranged weapon attack, dealing 2d8 piercing damage plus your Dexterity ability modifier.

Every creature within 10ft. from the initial target must roll a Dextery saving throw (DC equal to 8 plus your Dexterity ability modifier plus your proficiency bonus). On a failed save, you deal 2d6 piercing damage plus your Dexterity ability modifier. On a successful save, you deal no damage.

Improvised Terrain Destroyer

At 3rd level, you think about some ways to stop your enemies to come closer to you or take cover from your attacks. You gain the following ammo exploit:

• Breaching ammo: As an action, you use a modified round to shoot a breaching charge in a wall, object or floor on 40ft. from you. On the floor, it modifies a 10x10 ft. square to be difficult terrain. On a wall or object, you make an attack roll to it (Add the proficiency bonus and the dexterity ability modifier as a normal attack roll). If it hits, you deal 3d10 bludegoning damage to it.

Time to Blow

When you reach 6th level, you learn to craft some rounds that can surprise your enemies with a explosion after a short time. You gain the following ammo exploit:

• Sticky Bomb: As a action, you use a modified round to shoot a explosive up to 90 ft. that sticks to one target, exploding a few seconds later. The target must roll a Dexterity saving throw (DC equal to 8 plus your proficiency bonus plus your Dexterity ability modifier). On a failed save, the bomb explodes at the start of you next turn, dealing 3d8 blugdeoning damage on 10ft. radius of the affected target. On a successful save, the target dodges the sticky bomb.

Bombardier Firearm: Improved Demolitionist Cannon

At the start of 10th level, your mastery with the Demolitionist Cannon has brought you some rewards, upgrading it to further limits.

• Your Demolitionist Cannon attacks become magic for the purpose of overcoming damage resistances and immunities.
• Your Demolitionist Cannon Blast's damage is increased to 1 die (3d8 piercing). Additionally, the successful savings throws against the blast now grants halved damage instead of no damage.
• You may use your Make it Rain feature twice using your attack action.
• The difficult terrain created by the Breaching Ammo Exploit is increased to 15x15 ft. square and your breaching charge's damage against walls or object are increased to 4d10 blugdeoning.

Lights Out

At 10th level, you gain the following shell exploit:

• Flash ammo: As a bonus action, you can use a modified round to shot at the air a shell that explodes in a few seconds. Every target at 50ft. radius from the exploded shell must roll a Constitution saving throw (DC equal to 8 plus your proficiency bonus plus your Dexterity ability modifier). On a failed save, the targets are blinded until the end of their next turn.

Time to Blow (II)

Starting 14th level, as a action, you can use two modified rounds to shoot two sticky bombs at the same or different targets. The explosion radius is increased to 15ft. You may add your Dexterity ability modifier in your damage rolls.

Bombardier Expert

Beginning 18th level, your Demolitionist Cannon is a invaluable weapon on your side, not being able to be replaced by anything else.

• Your Demolitionist Cannon Blast's damage is increased to 1 additional die (4d8 piercing).
• Your Sticky Bomb and Breaching Ammo exploits are not longer needed an action to use. You may use your bonus action instead.
• You may use your Make It Rain feature three times using your attack action.

Inventor Specialist

An unpredictable user of the Experimental Handcannon who is capable of enhancing his weapon and ammo in unexpected ways to unleash chaos in the battle. However, his insane inventions added to a handcannon can backfire, due to its experimental nature. Useful in any kind of situation, an inventor can be a valuable asset when the team need some person handling the role of "Jack of All Trades".

Inventor Proficiencies

Saving Throws: Intelligence

Skills: Choose two from Arcana, History, Insight, Investigation, Medicine, Perception.

Inventor Features

As an inventor you gain the following archetype features:

Inventor Firearm: Experimental Handcannon

At 1st level, a huge handgun-like cannon is the fruits of your research, a weapon that can be customized in many ways to adapt your combat style. You gain The Experimental Handcannon (two-handed, exotic) and gain proficiency with it. You can use your attack action to do a ranged attack roll adding your Intelligence ability modifier to a enemy within 40/80ft, dealing 2d6 piercing damage. You need to reload your Experimental Cannon after 3 shots using an action. Whenever your attack roll's results is 1, you may roll a 1d10 dice and check the results in the Backfire Table below:

1d10	Backfire Outcome
1-2	Your Experimental Handcannon is jammed, unable to shoot. As an action, you can unjam it. This action provokes opportunity attacks.
3-4	Seems that the barrel needs some maintenance. You shot a random enemy that within 10ft (At DM's discretion) from the initial target. If there is not another enemy creature to target, the attack fails.
5-6	Defective ammo. You need to reload the Experimental Handcannon to shot again.
7-8	Wrong ammo inserted. You use a random Ammo Exploit after rolling a 1dX, which X is the total ammo exploits that you know (the sorting used to number your Ammo Exploits for this roll is at your discretion)
9	Friendly Fire Ricochet. Seems like your Experimental Handcannon is not in a good state to be used in battle. You use your attack action aiming one of your allies (use a dice to choose who is the target of your attack). This backfire is applied when you apply your damage to your initial target.
10	Excessive fire powder in ammo. Your Experimental Handcannon is throwed 10ft. from you because of the excessive recoil. Roll a 1d8 to see which direction is thrown. 1: north-west; 2: north; 3:north-east; 4:west; 5:east; 6:south-west; 7:south; 8: south-east

Quick Thinking

Beginning 1st level, your brain can process what's happening in the heat of the battle before anyone else. As a reaction, you may roll an Inteligence saving throw instead of a Wisdom or Charisma saving throw. You can use this feature equal your proficiency bonus. You regain this feature after a long rest.

Improvised Mixed Ammo

Starting 3rd level, you try to fit different ammo in the next shots, knowing that is risky to do if you are not careful. You can use 2 modified rounds to do two ammo exploits that has the "bonus action" use in the same turn. However, you roll 2d20 before you use them. If any of the results is 1, you may roll the Backfire Outcome table.

Experimental Ammo

At 3rd level, your creative mind has thought about some ways that your Experimental Cannon can shine in the battle. You gain the following Ammo Exploits:

• Elemental Ammo: As a bonus action, you use a modified round to enhance the next 3 shots with special chemicals that react different when they hit they target. You can choose the damage type between acid, fire and poison.

• High-frequency Ammo: As a action, you use a modified round to shot a harmless round that causes a high pitched sound when it lands in its target, affecting anyone nearby. You roll an Experimental Handcannon attack roll to one target. If it hits, anyone within 20ft. radius must roll a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the targets are deafened until the end of their next turn.

Magical Adjustments

At 6th level, your Experimental Handcannon is ready to contain modified-magic rounds. Attacks with your Experimental Handcannon become magic for the purpose of overcoming damage resistances and immunities.

Additionally, You gain the following ammo exploit:

• Healing ammo: As a action, you can use a modified round to fire a harmless healing round in a willing creature, healing 2d4 plus your Inteligence ability modifier.

Inventor Firearm: Improved Experimental Handcannon

Beginning 10th level, your wit has led you to upgrade your Experimental Handcannon, being more resilient to contain more dangerous rounds. You may be able to shot 6 times before reloading.

Additionally, you can use three modified rounds to use three ammo exploits in the same turn, provided that they have the "bonus action" use. However, you must roll 3d20 before using them. If any of the results is 1, you may roll the Backfire Outcome Table.

Hardened Ammo Cases

At 10th level, your crafting skills let you to mix modified rounds and live rounds. Whenever you use a modified round as a result of doing a ammo exploit, you may add 1d6 piercing damage roll to it. If an ammo exploits have already an attack roll, it does not get this benefit.

You also gain some improvements in two of your Ammo Exploits:

• Improved Elemental Ammo: You can change your damage type to lighting and cold, in addition to the other types that you have available from Elemental Ammo.
• Improved High-frequency Ammo: The Experimental Handcannon damage roll to its attack roll is changed to thunder damage (2d6 thunder).

Additionally, you gain the following ammo exploit:

• Ricochet ammo: As an action, you can use up to 2 modified rounds to enhance up to your next 2 attacks. Provided that the enemy has total cover, three-quarter or half cover, and you are able to draw an imaginary line that bounces between walls (maximum bounces equal your proficiency bonus), you may ignore the enemy cover and make a Experimental Handcannon attack and damage rolls.

Shoddy Fix

When you reach 14th level, you can quickly fix any complications that you have when trying to fire your Experimental Handcannon. As a reaction, you avoid the backfire outcome in your attack roll if the result was 1. You can use this feature 3 times. You regain all expended uses after a long rest.

Lastly, you gain 2 additional ammo exploits from the Ammo Exploits feature.

Master of Inventions

Starting 18th level, you are a eminence about how crafting different types or ammunition, having the purest and most efficient ammo at your dispose. Your following ammo exploits has been mastered:

• Mastered Elemental Ammo: Whenever you use this ammo exploit, you may choose the elemental damage for each of your next 6 shots.

• Mastered High-Frequency Ammo: The duration has increased. At the end of the deafened creatures' turn, they must roll a DC 18 Constitution saving thrown. On a failed save, the deafened condition carries on to their next turn. On a successful one, the targets are not longer deafened. They can roll again the saving throw at the end of their next turn.

• Mastered Healing Ammo: You may add 2 additional dices to the healing roll (4d4 healing plus your Intelligence ability modifier).

• Mastered Ricochet: With each bounce, the damage bonus is increased to 3 (up to 15 piercing damage).

Additionally, whenever you use 3 modified rounds to do 3 ammo exploits, you only need to roll 1d20 to check if there is a backfire outcome instead of 3d20.

Lastly, the damage when you use an ammo exploit that does not include an attack roll is increased to 1 additional dice (2d6 piercing)

Multiclassing

Ability Score Minimum: Constitution 13

When you gain a level in a class other than your first, you gain only some of that class's starting proficiencies.

• Armor: Light armor, Medium armor.
• Weapon: Handcannon.
• Skills: Choose one from the archetype you take.

FAQ

About Heavy Firearms Forging Feature, do you need to spend 5 sp whenever you craft the regular rounds or it is per round crafted?

You need to spend that 5 sp whenever you use a short or long rest to craft them. This is justified because you need some materials to create this rare ammo, even if you don't craft all the expended rounds. Keep in mind that every archetype creates as ammo shells, cannonballs and experimental rounds, which not everyone can craft them. Same goes for firearms forging: there are some complex mechanisms that few people can craft it to have a fully operational firearm. That's why this feature requires you to spend money.

What does it mean the 'exotic' tag in handcannons?

It means that you cannot use any features that can be applied to any weapons.

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