Black Powder Magus

There are those who blend the alchemical explosiveness of gunfire with the intricacies of the arcane to create their own devastating style of combat.

Class Skills

A black powder magus gains Knowledge (engineering) as a class skill, but does not gain Swim as a class skill.

This ability modifies the magus’ class skills.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency

Black powder magi are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, one-handed firearms, and light armor. This modifies the standard magus weapon proficiencies.

Diminished Spellcasting

A black powder magus has one fewer spell slot of each level than a regular magus. If this reduces his number of spell slots of a particular level to zero, he can cast spells of that level only if his Intelligence allows bonus spells of that level.

This ability alters the magus’s spellcasting.

Arcane Grit (Su)

A black powder magus is a rare breed, carving a path through history with a mystical blend of arcane knowledge and reckless daring. These rare individuals possess a unique talent for pulling off exceptional deeds of both a mystical and dynamic nature by drawing upon a pool of arcane grit. In game terms, arcane grit acts as both grit and the magus’ arcane pool, for the purpose of interacting with magus arcana, weapon enhancement, and selecting gunslinger deeds. This ability automatically fulfills the prerequisite for any ability requiring an arcane pool or the grit class feature.

A black powder magus’ choices of weapon special abilities to apply with arcane grit at 5th level include distance, nimble shot, and seeking but not dancing, keen, or vorpal.

This ability modifies the magus’s arcane pool.

Arcane Gun (Ex)

At 1st level, a black powder magus gains a unique, magically bonded pistol as per the wizard’s arcane bonded object. Unlike a standard bonded item, the arcane pistol can’t be used to cast a spell once per day. Wielding or holding her arcane pistol does not prevent the black powder magus from providing somatic components for her spells.

Initially, this arcane pistol is a battered weapon, albeit inscribed with arcane runes, that only she knows how to use properly. All other creatures treat her weapon as having the broken condition. Should it already have the broken condition, the weapon will not fire for anyone other than the black powder magus.

Additionally, the black powder magus gains Gunsmithing as a bonus feat.

Ranged Spell Combat (Ex)

Instead of a light or one-handed melee weapon, a black powder magus must use a firearm for spell combat. She doesn’t need a free hand for ranged spell combat. The black powder magus cannot accept an attack penalty to gain a bonus on concentration checks to cast a spell defensively.

This ability modifies spell combat.

Spellshot (Su)

At 2nd level, whenever a black powder magus casts a spell that calls for a touch attack, she can channel the spell through her arcane gun into a bullet as part of a ranged attack. Instead of the free touch attack normally allowed to deliver the spell, the black powder magus can make one free ranged attack with her bonded weapon (at her highest base attack bonus) as part of casting this spell. The touch spell is delivered by the bullet upon a successful hit, dealing normal firearm damage as well as the effect of the spell. A missed shot results in the loss of the spell or specific ranged touch attack if more than one attack is allowed.

If the touch spell can normally affect multiple targets, only the target struck by the black powder magus’ spellshot is affected. This attack uses the pistol’s critical range and multiplier (20/ x4), but the spell effect only deals ×2 damage on a successful critical hit, while the weapon damage uses its own critical modifier.

This ability alters spellstrike.

Arcane Deed (Su)

At 3rd level the black powder magus gains the following sure shot deed. This deed works and interacts with grit the same way as gunslinger deeds, but is only available to the black powder magus. If the black powder magus also has levels in gunslinger, she can spend grit points from that class on sure shot.

Sure shot (Su)

A black powder magus can spend an arcane grit point to gain a glimpse into the future, momentarily gaining insight into her target’s movements. When this deed is enabled, she gains a +1 insight bonus per every three caster levels, to her next ranged attack roll.

This ability alters the magus arcana class feature and replaces the magus arcana gained at 3rd level. Every three levels, the black powder magus may select either a magus arcana or a gunslinger deed in its place.

Slinger’s Abundance (Ex)

At 4th level, the black powder magus gains the Extra Arcane Pool feat as a bonus feat.

This ability replaces spell recall.

Nimble (Ex)

Starting at 7th level, a black powder magus gains a +1 dodge bonus to Armor Class while wearing light or no armor. Anything that causes the black powder magus to lose her Dexterity bonus to Armor Class also causes her to lose this dodge bonus. This bonus increases by +1 for every four levels beyond 7th level (to a maximum of +4 at 19th level).

This ability replaces medium armor proficiency and heavy armor proficiency gained at 7th and 13th level.

Spell Combat Agility (Ex)

At 8th level, the black powder magus’s ability to defend herself while casting spells and making ranged attacks improves. When using the spell combat ability, the black powder magus gains a +4 dodge bonus to Armor Class against attacks of opportunity provoked while making ranged attacks.

This ability modifies improved spell combat.

Pistol Training (Ex)

At 10th level, the black powder magus becomes a true specialist with her chosen weapon. She gains a bonus equal to her Dexterity modifier on damage rolls when firing her arcane gun. Furthermore, when she misfires with her arcane gun, the misfire value increases by 2 instead of 4.

This ability replaces fighter training.