Cannoneer

The archetypal Cannoneer is a fighter who specializes in using gunpowder to devastate enemies, mixing brawn with technical know-how. Cannoneers master the aiming, reloading, and firing of cannons from the decks of ships, on battlefields, or in their workshop.

This specialization allows Cannoneers to blast cannonballs and other projectiles at their enemies using small cannons called culverins. A Cannoneer’s resourcefulness and expertise with gunpowder goes beyond the battlefield: anywhere from the deck of a ship to the depths of a dungeon.

Features
Fighter Level Feature
3rd Bonus Proficiencies, Culverin, Munitions Maker
7th Heavy Modification (2 options)
10th Pyrotechnics, Heavy Modification (3 options)
15th Advanced Ammunition, Heavy Modification (4 options)
18th Powder Blast, Heavy Modification (5 options)

Bonus Proficiencies

Starting at 3rd level when you choose this archetype, you gain proficiency with hand cannons. In addition, you gain proficiency with smith’s tools, or another artisan tool of your choice if you are already proficient with smith’s tools.

Culverin

When you choose this archetype, you have learned to craft a hand cannon called a culverin. You are assumed to have been collecting materials and working on your culverin for quite some time, finishing it during a short or long rest after you reach 3rd level. When you create your culverin, you start with a supply of 10 small cannonballs.

The statistics for your culverin are found in the Cannoneer Weapons table. In addition, the following special weapon properties and rules apply to you and your hand cannon:

  • This weapon uses your Strength modifier for ranged attack and ranged damage rolls.
  • This weapon fires small cannonballs (or other ammunition which will change the damage properties). To fire this weapon requires ¼ pound of gunpowder.
  • You can use any hand cannon as a two-handed melee weapon with which you are proficient, which does 1d10 bludgeoning damage.
  • Your experience and training has made you strong, steady, and quick with your culverin. You can ignore the heavy and loading property of your culverin. In addition, being within 5 feet of a hostile creature doesn’t impose disadvantage on ranged attack rolls with your culverin.
  • You can create a culverin over the course of two days of work (eight hours each day) by expending 100 gp worth of metal and other raw materials. You can maintain up to two working hand cannons at a time.
  • Starting at 10th level, you can create a great culverin over the course of three days of work (eight hours each day) by expending 200 gp worth of metal and other raw materials.

Saving Throws. If an attack made with a culverin requires your target to make a saving throw, the DC is calculated as follows:

Culverin save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier

Munitions Maker

Starting at 3rd level, with access to your smith’s tools and an open flame (or another equal source of heat), you can create the following weapons and ammunition over the course of a workday (eight hours).

You are an expert at finding scrap and recycling materials, and require only half the cost of materials to craft the following munitions. See Chapter V for weapons and ammunition details.

  • Cannonball. When you expend 25 sp worth of metal (such as iron), you can create 20 small cannonballs.
  • Grenado. When you expend 25 sp worth of metal (such as iron), you can create 5 grenados.
  • Stinkpot. When you expend 25 sp worth of clay, you can create 10 stinkpots.

Heavy Modification. Upon reaching 7th level, you know every nook and cranny of your culverin and have made some modifications. When you gain this feature, you learn two Heavy Modification options of your choice. You gain an additional Heavy Modification option of your choice when you reach certain levels in this class: 10th, 15th, and 18th level. The options are presented here in alphabetical order.

  • Breaker. When making ranged attacks with your culverin using any ammunition, you ignore damage thresholds up to 15 hp.
  • Critical. When making ranged attacks with your culverin using cannonballs, you score a critical hit on a roll of 19-20.
  • Destructive. When making ranged attacks with your culverin using cannonballs, roll the damage dice for this weapon twice, using the higher result.
  • Far. When making ranged attacks with your culverin using cannonballs, you double both the normal and long range of your weapon.
  • Heavy-Duty. When making melee attacks with your culverin, you increase the damage dice to 2d6 bludgeoning.
  • Knockback. When you make a ranged attack with your culverin using cannonballs that hits, your target is pushed back 10 feet.
  • Reliable. When making a ranged attack roll with your culverin and you roll a natural 1, you can ignore the misfire property.
  • Spinning. When making ranged attacks with your culverin using cannonballs, add +2 to your attack roll.
  • True. When making ranged attacks with your culverin using any ammunition, you can ignore half cover, and treat three-quarter cover as half cover.

Pyrotechnics

Beginning at 10th level, your knowledge of gunpowder allows you to employ this destructive black powder for more utilitarian uses. When you use 1/16th of a pound of gunpowder and a makeshift fuse, you can attempt one of the following. Once you use this feature, you can’t do so again until you finish a short or long rest.

  • Destroy Lock. You can use gunpowder and your smith’s tools to destroy a lock. You use your smith’s tools proficiency to pick a lock, making the roll with advantage and causing a thunderous boom audible out to 100 feet. On a success, the lock is destroyed.
  • Destroy Trap. If a mechanism for a trap is detected, you can use your smith’s tools to destroy a trap. You use your proficiency in smith’s tools to disarm a trap, making the roll with advantage and causing a thunderous boom audible out to 100 feet. On a success, the trap is destroyed.
  • Fireworks. As an action, you create a firework. At the start of your next turn, a dazzling display of light, color, and sound is generated. Each creature within 5 feet of the fireworks must succeed on a Constitution saving throw (equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus) or become blinded until the end of your next turn. In addition, the fireworks persist for 1 minute, are audible out to 150 feet, and can be seen from 300 feet.
  • Smoke. As an action, you create a device that gives off smoke. At the start of your next turn, thick black smoke spreads out from you in a 20-foot radius, moving around corners. The area of the smoke is heavily obscured. The smoke persists for 1 minute or until a strong wind disperses it.
  • Timed Distraction. As an action, you create a noise maker that begins making noise after 1 minute. Small explosions create noise audible from 300 feet away, which lasts for 30 seconds.

Advanced Ammunition

Starting at 15th level, with access to your smith’s tools, you can create the following ammunition over the course of a day of work (eight hours). See Chapter V for ammunition details.

  • Explosive Canister. When you expend 10 gp worth of metal and gunpowder, you can create 2 canisters filled with gunpowder.
  • Flashbang Canister. When you expend 10 gp worth of metal and other materials, you can create 2 flashbang canisters.
  • Scattershot Canister. When you expend 5 gp worth of metal and other materials, you can create 2 canisters filled with musket balls.
  • Silvered Shot. When you expend 5 gp worth of silver metal or silver coins, you can create 2 silvered cannonballs.

Powder Blast

Beginning at 18th level, you can use your culverin to fire a devastating blast. As an action, you load your culverin with 2 pounds of gunpowder and fire a 30-foot-cone blast. Each creature in that area makes a Dexterity saving throw, taking full damage on a failed saving throw, or half as much damage on a success.

To determine damage, roll 6d6 fire damage, then keep rolling an additional 1d6 fire damage until you roll a 1 on a die. These additional damage dice can’t be re-rolled under any condition. If your final dice total is greater than 40 fire damage, your culverin also backfires and you must make a Dexterity saving throw or take 3d6 fire damage.

  • Loud. Hand cannons are loud. An attack with a hand cannon produces a loud boom that travels out from your position. If a creature is within 300 feet of you when you make the attack, that creature has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks against you, and you have disadvantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks until the start of your next turn.
  • Misfire. When you roll a natural 1 on an attack roll with a hand cannon, it becomes fouled. A fouled hand cannon can’t be used to attack again until you use your action to clean the weapon.

Name Cost Damage Weight Properties Hand Cannons Culverin Crafted 2d6 bludgeoning 50 lb. Ammunition (range 150/300), heavy, loading, loud, misfire, two-handed Great culverin Crafted 2d8 bludgeoning 60 lb. Ammunition (range 250/750), heavy, loading, loud, misfire, two-handed Cannoneer Weapons Hand Cannon Weapon Properties

While hand cannons can cause more damage than other ranged weapons, they do have some unique properties and potential drawbacks that can act as a counterbalance. The following are properties that apply to all culverins.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

The Seas of Vodari Copyright 2020, Tribality (Innovaworks Inc.) and Shawn Ellsworth.