The gunbassist mixes it up with melee attacks and bard songs, often at the same time. While more fragile than the standard gunbreaker, these performers play a more supportive role on the battlefield while still pumping out the hits – on the charts and in faces.
The gunbassist is an archetype of the gunbreaker class.
Archetype Main Ability Scores
The gunbassist mainly focuses on STR for martial combat and CHA for their class features.
Archetype Feature Replacements
1st – Armor Proficiencies, BAB, Class Skills, Hit Dice, Gunsmith. 2nd – Keen Edge. 4th – Armor Training. 5th – Gun Arm Mastery. 7th – Gunbreaker’s Resolve. 13th – Bullet Deflection. 17th – Perfect Aurora. 20th – Lion Heart.
Class Skills
A gunbassist adds Perform (gunaxe) to his list of class skills. This replaces Heal as a class skill.
Limited Prowess
A gunbassist’s base attack bonus decreases by one step (from FULL BAB to 3/4 BAB). Also decreases gunbassist’s hit dice from d10 to d8.
Axe Me No Questions
Starting at 1st level, all gunbreaker abilities that key off of Wisdom now key off of Charisma instead.
Gunstrument
A gunbassist performs songs from his songbook, which are drawn from the bard song list. Unlike mages, the gunbassist keeps a written account of his songs in his songbook. A gunbassist begins play with 3 1st level bard songs of his choice. The gunbassist also selects a number of additional 1st-level songs equal to his Charisma modifier to add to his songbook. Each time a character attains a new gunbreaker level, he gains two songs of his choice to add to his songbook. The two free songs must be of song levels he can perform. But like mages, the gunbassist can also purchase songs for his songbook.
To learn or perform a song, a gunbassist must have a Charisma score equal to at least 10 + the song level (Cha 11 for 1st-level songs, Cha 12 for 2nd-level songs, and so forth). The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a gunbassist’s song is 10 + the song’s level + the gunbassist’s Charisma modifier. In addition, a gunbassist gains additional MP for having a high attribute (Charisma—see Table: Bonus MP per Day (by Spell Level) on the MP System page).
Songs are functionally categorized into two types: normal songs and maintained songs. Normal songs largely behave the same as spells, whilst maintained songs require the gunbassist to actively maintain them (a free action) every round to keep their effects. Maintained songs effects end immediately if the gunbassist is rendered helpless (ie: knocked unconscious or paralyzed), or otherwise prevented from taking a free action to maintain it each round. A gunbassist may only have one maintained song active at a time, with maintained songs possessing vastly different traits than that of normal songs. They are as follows:
- The gunbassist may perform normal songs while maintained songs are active. Any normal song that requires concentration to maintain still allows the gunbassist to continue his maintained songs, but does not allow the gunbassist to start a new song until he ends that song.
- Creatures must be within the song’s range for the gunbassist to maintain its effects. If a creature affected by a song leaves its range, the effect persists until the start of their next turn.
- If a maintained song only targets a certain number of creatures, the gunbassist may switch the target(s) of his maintained song once at the beginning his turn (provided that they are within the song’s range), immediately ending the song’s effects on the previous target(s).
- Any song that is maintained in which forces a saving throw on a creature does so every round (while within range) until the creature fails their saving throw that applies that song’s effect; all subsequent rounds then maintain that effect on the creature for the song’s duration or until dismissed.
- If a creature is targeted by a maintained song and possesses spell resistance, a caster level check is imposed on the gunbassist for every round until the gunbassist passes, at which point all subsequent rounds do not require a caster level check for that song.
Starting a new song provokes an attack of opportunity and requires concentration checks as if they were spells.
Table: 3/4th MP Progression
| Level | Base MP | Spell Level |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | 2 | 1st |
| 2nd | 3 | 1st |
| 3rd | 4 | 1st |
| 4th | 5 | 2nd |
| 5th | 6 | 2nd |
| 6th | 8 | 2nd |
| 7th | 10 | 3rd |
| 8th | 13 | 3rd |
| 9th | 16 | 3rd |
| 10th | 20 | 4th |
| 11th | 24 | 4th |
| 12th | 29 | 4th |
| 13th | 34 | 5th |
| 14th | 39 | 5th |
| 15th | 45 | 5th |
| 16th | 51 | 6th |
| 17th | 57 | 6th |
| 18th | 64 | 6th |
| 19th | 71 | 6th |
| 20th | 79 | 6th |
In addition, a gunbassist learns a number of jingles, or 0-level bard songs. These songs are performed like any other song, but they do not consume MP and may be used again. The gunbassist begins with 2 0-level songs and gain an additional 0-level song every three levels after 1st level.
This ability replaces the gunbreaker’s proficiency with shields, as well as medium and heavy armor, gunbreaker’s resolve, and bullet deflection.
Gunsmith
The gunbassist must choose a gunaxe for his starting gun arm. In addition, he treats gunaxes as performance weapons.
In addition, he adds the following modification to his list:
- Axel Slugger: A gunaxe with this modification changes its firearm damage from 1d8 to 1d6, has 6 internal ammo capacity instead of 2, and changes from scatter to trigger attack. Cost: 2,500 gil.
This ability modifies gunsmith.
Kabong (Su)
At 2nd level, the gunbassist’s melee attacks are truly resounding. By spending an additional infused bullet, the gunbassist can make a melee attack as though it were a trigger attack with the usual -2 penalty on the attack roll, which stacks with the penalty for using an actual trigger attack. If his attack hits, the gunbassist can immediately perform a song as a free action. He can activate this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + his Charisma modifier.
This ability replaces keen edge.
You Have My Axe (Ex)
At 4th level, the gunbassist raises spirits through a rousing song. This inspiration affects all allies within a 30-foot radius centered on the gunbassist, and bestows 1d6 temporary hit points, plus 1d6 additional points for every two gunbreaker levels beyond 4th (2d6 at 6th, 3d6 at 8th, and so on). These temporary hit points last until the battle ends, or until they are removed through damage. A gunbassist may inspire a number of times per day equal to 3 + his Charisma modifier. This is a move action and does not provoke an attack of opportunity. A gunbassist may choose to include himself in this effect. This is a language-dependent ability.
This ability replaces armor training.
Gun Arm Mastery (Ex)
The following replaces the gun arm mastery choice for Parry Mastery.
- Ammo Mastery: When reloading a gunaxe, the gunbassist can spend an amount of MP up to his highest spell level. If he does, his first infused bullet deals an additional 1d6 non-elemental damage per MP spent.
This ability modifies gun arm mastery.
Bass Dropper (Su)
At 20th level, the gunbassist becomes a master of both his axe and his performances. The DC of his gun arm techniques and bard songs increase by 1, and whenever he confirms a critical hit, he regains a use of either a single gun arm technique or kabong. In addition, he gains a bonus to confirm critical hits with his gun arm equal to his Charisma modifier.
This ability replaces lion heart.