Gunslinger FAQ
What is a Gunslinger in D&D?
The Gunslinger is a 20-level third-party firearm class from Mage Hand Press's *Valda's Spire of Secrets*. It uses a d8 Hit Die, Dexterity as its primary ability, Dexterity and Charisma saving throws, an expanded firearm system, powerful critical hits, and Risk Dice that power special maneuvers. It has six published subclasses: Deadeye, High Roller, Secret Agent, Spellslinger, Trick Shot, and White Hat.
The Gunslinger is a dedicated firearm class from Mage Hand Press. It is designed around speed, precision, critical hits, risk, and a large arsenal of guns. The class is not a Fighter subclass. It has its own 20-level progression, resource system, six subclasses, firearm options, and Risk Dice maneuvers.
Core class profile
The Gunslinger uses a d8 Hit Die.
Dexterity is the primary ability.
Saving throw proficiencies are Dexterity and Charisma.
The class is built around firearms and a mobile ranged martial identity rather than heavy armor.
Firearm identity
The class release includes an arsenal of new firearms and firearm-specific rules.
Those weapon properties matter to the class.
Firearm ranges, reload behavior, mastery properties, and damage come from the Gunslinger's own firearm rules and weapon entries rather than from ordinary bow or crossbow assumptions.
The firearm rules in this class are their own rules package; Dungeon Master's Guide firearms or another third-party firearm system are not interchangeable by default.
Quick-draw identity
The Gunslinger is built to act quickly and handle weapons efficiently.
Its class features support drawing, changing, and using firearms with a speed that matches the class fantasy.
Quick-draw and firearm-handling features reinforce the class's emphasis on acting early and managing ranged weapons efficiently.
Critical-hit focus
The class explicitly rewards powerful critical hits.
The current D&D Beyond product description identifies critical hits as one of the main reasons to play the class.
This means accuracy, advantage, and features that expand or exploit critical-hit opportunities can matter more to the Gunslinger than to many ordinary ranged characters.
Risk Dice
Risk Dice are the central class resource.
They power a set of maneuvers that allow the Gunslinger to take calculated risks or create tactical effects.
The class gains more capability from Risk Dice as levels rise.
Risk Dice follow the Gunslinger's own progression and recovery rules, and each maneuver uses the wording of that class feature.
Gunslinger subclasses
The six published subclasses are:
- Deadeye;
- High Roller;
- Secret Agent;
- Spellslinger;
- Trick Shot;
- White Hat.
They specialise the class in precision, luck, covert work, magic, technical shooting, or heroic lawkeeper-style gunplay.
Party role
The Gunslinger is primarily:
- ranged martial damage;
- firearm specialist;
- critical-hit specialist;
- tactical Risk Dice user;
- subclass-specific face, caster, trick shooter, or lawkeeper.
It works best when the campaign actually uses the firearm system associated with the class.
In short
The Gunslinger is a Dexterity-based ranged martial class with its own firearm ecosystem.
Its identity comes from speed, critical hits, firearms, Risk Dice, and one of six subclasses.