Gun Blade Artificer PrC - Please critique

[Garnet Schist]

I started out just wanting to play a character with a gunblade, thanks to one of other posts in the House Rules forums. But as I introduced the idea to my friends and GM, I got a lot of eye rolls and moans. So I knew I probably wouldn't be able to just find one.

I wanted to go with the gunblade from FF8, but I had a hard time figureing out how it'd work. So I decided to just give up on being true to the game, and just have a sword with a barrel down the middle with six or so shots in the chamber.

Then I saw the Gnome Artificer and figured I might as well make my own PrC. I tried to go with the idea of a guy who is learning how to weild his weapon, both in battle and in the forge, but i've never created a PrC before, and I need your help to beat it into shape.

Gun Blade Artificer
"Things that make you go boom..."

Gun Blades are not seen often. Mainly because it takes a special kind of crafter to try and place high explosives within a sword that didn't have anything to do with magic. Dirty looks from fellow craftsmen don't help either, but those who percest with their idea are rewarded with a weapon that helps build their battle prowess and skill in the forge.

Hit Die: d8

Requirements
To qualify to become a Gun Blade Artificer, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.
Base Attack Bonus: +5
Intelligence: 13
Alchemy: 2 ranks
Craft (blacksmithing): 5 ranks
Craft (weapon making): 5 ranks
Craft (blacksmithing): 5 ranks
Disable Device: 2 ranks
Profession (engineer): 5 ranks
Profession (blacksmith): 5 ranks
Weapon Focus: (Gun Blade)

Class Skills:
A Gun Blade Artificer's class skills are Appraise, Concentration, Craft, Disable Device, Knowledge (engineering), Listen, Profession, and Use Rope.

Skill points at each level: 4 + Int Modifier

Class Features
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A Gun Blade Artificer is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with Light and Medium Amor, but not with shields.
BAB: As Rogue
Saves: As Rogue


Level......BAB.......Fort......Reflex......Will......Special
1............+0.........+0 .........+2.........+0.........Metallurgy; Reflex
2............+1.........+0 .........+3.........+0.........Song of Steel
3............+2.........+1 .........+3.........+1.........Improved Resources
4............+3.........+1 .........+4.........+1.........Superior Weapon Focus
5............+3.........+1 .........+4.........+1......... Improved Resources
6............+4.........+2 .........+5.........+2.........Improved Resources
7............+5.........+2 .........+5.........+2.........Knowledge of the Blade
8............+6.........+2 .........+6.........+2.........Recycle
9............+6.........+3 .........+6.........+3.........Improved Knowledge of the Blade
10..........+7.........+3..........+7.........+3.........Rapid Shot


Metallurgy:
You gain an intuitive sense of metals and can find the best quality material to work with. This gives you a +4 skill check involving metal working crafts.

Reflex:
You know when you’ve created the opportune time to fire. Whenever you roll a a hit within the gun’s critical range, you automatically fire the gun. No need to roll is required, and is considered a critical hit. Using the Reflex ability does not incur an attack of opportunity.

Song of Steel:
You are able to Craft Magical Arms and Armor as if you had the appropriate feat (even if you do not fulfill the requirements). You may give the weapon an enhancement bonus equal to +1 per every three character levels. This ability may only be attributed to the creation of Gun Blades and Gun Blade ammunition.

Superior Gun Blade Weapon Focus:
You gain an additional +1 to hit with a Gun Blade.

Improved Resources - Faster Creation Time:
The total base time to craft the item is reduced by 25%. You cannot craft a greater craftsmanship item if you reduce the creation time with this ability. This ability may only be attributed to the creation of Gun Blades and Gun Blade ammunition.

Improved Resources - lower Gold Cost:
The total base cost of the item is reduced by 25%. This is calculated on the items base cost and does not affect the XP cost of the item. The XP cost is still calculated on the original base cost of the item. You cannot craft a greater craftsmanship item if you lower the creation cost with this ability. This ability may only be attributed to the creation of Gun Blades and Gun Blade ammunition.

Improved Resources - lower XP cost:
The total base XP Cost of the item is reduced by 25%. This is calculated on the items base cost and does not affect the Gold cost of the item. The Gold cost is still calculated on the original base cost of the item. You cannot craft a greater craftsmanship item if you lower the creation XP cost with this ability. This ability may only be attributed to the creation of Gun Blades and Gun Blade ammunition.

Knowledge of the Blade:
When using a gun blade you have crafted, you may use it as if you had the Improved Critical feat. If you already have the Improved Critical feat, you add a +2 bonus to the gun blade’s threat range (this is applied after any other modifiers).

Recycle:
You can put 75% of the XP used in crafting one item into another one, rendering the first item non-magical. However, the items must be similar in nature. Gun Blade artificer’s level must be higher than the caster level of the item to use as fuel, Artificer must be able to create the original item. This ability may only be attributed to the creation of Gun Blades and Gun Blade ammunition.

Knowledge of the Gun:
Unlike keening spells, this ability increases the critical range for the gun. Increasing it’s critical range from 20 to 19-20. This works with the Reflex ability.

Rapid Shot:
When you roll a critical hit in which the gun goes off, you may choose to fire the gun twice.

 

[Ave Rage]

What are the stats for the gunblade. What happens when you crit with one?

You say that it has nothing to do with magic yet they have a feat that allows them to give a sword an enhancment bonus.

Also the recycle skill isn't much use if they can't make other magical weapons. This seems to clash with the "no magic, just bullets" theme.

Finally, since a character in this campaign can just use a revolver. Why would they not only use but focus on the gunblade to this extent. Final Fantasy is a lot more whimsical than D&D which I feel has a stronger tie with reality (yes, I know it's also fantasy and you should also never use 'real world' logic but it's a big issue.)

Gunblade, spff. Shotgun-axe. Now there's a weapon I wouldn't mind using.

 

[Ave Rage]

double post

 

[Garnet Schist]

"What are the stats for the gunblade. What happens when you crit with one?"

I'm going with a slightly altered, but still basically Bean 2.0's idea:
Gunblade Large exotic double weapon

damage 2d4/1d8
crit (19-20)x2/x3
weight 30
damage type slashing/piercing
range increment -/5
cost 2,600 gp (always materwork)
Bullets 5 gp for clips of ten (1/4 each clip)
The gun part can be fired from 5 feet away, but it was not intended for this use. Any time a user fires at a target more than 5 feet away gains a -6 to hit, even with proficiency.
Keening properties do not affect the gun part of the Gun Blade.

When you roll a natural 20 (or 19-20 when you get the ability), and have Reflex, you can opt to fire a round into the wound your sword has just created. The bullet hits automatically (essentially shooting a bullet into the hole your sword just cut) and does 1d8 x 3 damage, as well as the Sword's crit damage.
I feel the "big crit" is balance by the poor base damage of the sword itself. 2d4 on a twohanded weapon is like a scythe, except a scythe multiplies it by 4 (str included) on a crit while the sword is only x2 (and strength bonus doesn't apply to the bullet).

"You say that it has nothing to do with magic yet they have a feat that allows them to give a sword an enhancment bonus."

When I meant "non-magical", I was referring to the actual bullet/shell inside the sword. The magic craft comes later, sure. But it's still a sword filled with explosive black powder.

"Also the recycle skill isn't much use if they can't make other magical weapons. This seems to clash with the "no magic, just bullets" theme.

I didn't want the PrC to be too overpowered. So on most of the abilities, I limited it to just Gun Blades. This can be somewhat of a handy-cap, if the only Gun Blade you can recycle are the ones you make usually, but I kinda intended for that to be the situation. Also, I wanted the guy to be able to upgrade his own weapon without worrying about all the EXP loss.

Finally, since a character in this campaign can just use a revolver. Why would they not only use but focus on the gunblade to this extent. Final Fantasy is a lot more whimsical than D&D which I feel has a stronger tie with reality (yes, I know it's also fantasy and you should also never use 'real world' logic but it's a big issue.)

At this point in the setting I was envisioning this gun to be: there are guns, but they are still not very accurate. The best part about a Gun Blade, is that if you hit you enemy, you know the bullet is going to hit. I'm sure a GM could use a little bit of disbelief on the fact that everyone would probably want a Desert Eagle over their broadsword

Gunblade, spff. Shotgun-axe. Now there's a weapon I wouldn't mind using.

I think that's a PrC for another time...
That sounds like an awesome weapon.
Boom stick indeed.