Gunslingers

Gunslingers: Masters of the Quick Draw

"There are two kinds of people in the Weird West: the quick and the dead."

In the boomtowns and dusty streets of the frontier, reputation is measured in fractions of a second. The difference between walking away and being carried away often comes down to who cleared leather first. These are the gunslingers—men and women who've turned violence into an art form, where speed, accuracy, and nerves of steel determine who lives to see another sunrise.

Some earn their reputation honestly, protecting the innocent from bandits and monsters alike. Others carve notches into their pistol grips for every life they've taken. But all gunslingers share one thing: they've looked death in the eye and walked away. The question isn't whether they're fast—it's whether they're fast enough.

What Makes Someone a Gunslinger?

A gunslinger isn't just someone who can shoot straight. Any fool can point a gun and pull a trigger. What separates a gunslinger from a corpse is the combination of raw speed, practiced accuracy, and the iron will to stay calm when lead starts flying.

Key characteristics of gunslingers:

• Lightning-fast reflexes (high Quickness and Deftness)
• Mastery of the quick draw—getting their iron out and firing before opponents can blink
• Deadly accuracy with shootin': pistol (and often rifles too)
• Ability to speed-load weapons in the heat of battle
• Nerves calm enough to make called shots under pressure
• Reputation that precedes them, for better or worse

Gunslingers come from all walks of life. Some are lawmen who learned to shoot to protect their towns. Others are outlaws who discovered they had a talent for violence. Still others are simply survivors who found themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time and had to learn fast or die.

Becoming a Gunslinger

Unlike blessed or hucksters, gunslingers aren't born—they're forged through practice, experience, and more than a little luck. Here's what it takes:

Essential Traits:

• Deftness 3d8+ - Hand-eye coordination for accurate shooting
• Quickness 2d10+ - Raw speed for quick draws and multiple actions
• Nimbleness 1d8+ - Agility to dodge bullets and stay mobile

Critical Aptitudes:

• Shootin': pistol 3+ - Your bread and butter
• Quick draw: pistol 2+ - The difference between first and dead
• Speed-load: pistol 2+ - Empty guns are just expensive clubs
• Dodge 2+ - Because not getting shot is better than getting shot

Useful Edges:

• Keen - Sharper senses mean you spot trouble sooner
• Nerves o' steel - Stay calm when the bullets fly
• Two-fisted - Reduces penalties for using two guns
• Two-gun kid - Further reduces penalties for dual-wielding
• Renown - Your reputation precedes you (sometimes that's good)

Starting Equipment: Most gunslingers begin with a quality pistol (usually a Colt Peacemaker), a fast-draw holster, a box of ammunition, and maybe a rifle for long-range work. The truly serious ones carry a backup gun and speed-load cylinders.

The Art of the Quick Draw

Drawing a weapon normally takes an entire action. But when someone's already pointing iron at you, you don't have that kind of time. That's where the quick draw comes in.

Basic Quick Draw

Make a quick draw roll against the appropriate TN:

Success: You draw your weapon as a simple action and can shoot on the same action.

Failure: You draw the weapon, but can't fire until your next action.

Going Bust: You drop your gun, or worse—it discharges accidentally. Time to check if you shot yourself in the foot.

Types of Draws

Fast Draw: The classic Western draw. Gun worn low on the hip in a fast-draw holster (+2 to quick draw rolls). Requires practice and a custom-fitted holster, but it's the fastest way to get your iron into action.

Cross Draw (Border Draw): Gun worn on the opposite hip, butt facing forward. Easy to draw while mounted (+0 penalty on horseback instead of the usual –1), but slightly slower overall (–1 to quick draw rolls on foot).

Twist Draw (Underhand Draw): Gun worn with butt facing forward on the same side. Fancy looking, but no real advantage. Some folks just like the style.

Pivoting Holster: The fastest option—the gun pivots up from an open-bottom holster (+3 to quick draw). The catch? Going bust means you shoot yourself. Custom-made at $20, and you'd better practice.

Advanced Gunfighting Techniques

Once you've mastered the basics, there are several advanced techniques that separate the legends from the corpses:

Fanning the Hammer

Slap the hammer of your single-action revolver repeatedly while holding the trigger down. You can fire multiple shots incredibly fast, though accuracy suffers.

How it works:

• Declare how many shots you're fanning (1-6 typically)
• Make a single shootin' roll
• Subtract –2 from your total for the fanning penalty
• Every success and raise hits a target (you choose which targets)
• Can't draw a bead, but can make a called shot on the first bullet only

When to use it: Close quarters, multiple targets, desperate situations. Fanning is for spray-and-pray, not precision work.

Two-Gun Fighting

Some gunslingers favor the intimidation factor of two pistols blazing. It looks impressive, but it's harder than it appears.

Penalties:

• –2 to each hand (base penalty for using two weapons)
• Additional –4 to off-hand (total –6 for off-hand shots)
• Each shot is a separate attack roll

The Two-Fisted Edge (3 points): Reduces penalties by 2 for your primary hand.

The Two-Gun Kid Edge (varies): Further reduces penalties based on points spent:

• 1 point: –1 penalty to draw two guns simultaneously
• 2 points: No penalty to draw two guns
• 3 points: No penalty to draw two guns, and you can use the Gunplay Aptitude

Speed Loading

Reloading normally takes one action per bullet. With speed-load training, you can slam multiple rounds in during a single action.

Speed-Load Cylinders: Pre-loaded spare cylinders for your revolver. A Fair (5) speed-load roll slaps the whole thing in place during a single action. Failure means you wasted the action. Smart gunslingers carry at least two spare cylinders.

The Border Shift

When your primary gun runs dry, shift it to your off-hand while simultaneously drawing a fresh pistol with your primary hand. Flashy and effective—if you can pull it off.

Requirements: Must have two guns, one in each hand. Empty gun in primary hand, loaded gun in off-hand.

Roll: Fair (5) Deftness check. Success means you've swapped guns smoothly and can continue firing. Failure means you drop one or both guns.

Gunplay: The Mysterious Edge

Some gunslingers possess an almost supernatural affinity with firearms. This is represented by the Gunplay Aptitude—a rare skill that only the truly gifted possess.

What Gunplay Does:

• Allows you to perform trick shots and fancy gun-handling that shouldn't be possible
• Grants bonuses to certain complex maneuvers
• Enables you to "feel" when your weapons are in danger or being tampered with
• Some say gunplay users have made deals with manitous, but they're just jealous

Acquiring Gunplay: You can't just practice your way to gunplay. It requires the Marshal's permission and is typically gained through significant story events or supernatural encounters. Not every gunslinger has it, but those who do are legendary.

Called Shots and Trick Shooting

Sometimes you don't just want to hit your target—you want to hit a specific part of your target. That's where called shots come in.

Common Called Shot Modifiers:

Drawing a Bead: Spend an action aiming carefully at your target. Each action spent drawing a bead grants +2 to your shootin' roll (maximum +6). This is the key to making difficult shots—slow down, breathe, and squeeze the trigger.

Trick Shots: Shooting a gun out of someone's hand, knocking a hat off without hitting the person, ricocheting a bullet off multiple surfaces—these are the stuff of legend. They require both called shots and often multiple raises on your shootin' roll. Your Marshal determines the exact difficulty.

Weapons of Choice

Every gunslinger has their preferences, but some weapons are more popular than others:

Colt Peacemaker

Caliber: .45 | Shots: 6 | Damage: 3d6 | Cost: $15

The most iconic pistol in the West. Also known as the Single-Action Army or "the Six-Shooter." Reliable, powerful, and available everywhere. Most gunslingers carry at least one.

Colt Buntline Special

Caliber: .45 | Shots: 6 | Damage: 3d6 | Cost: $500 (special order)

A Peacemaker with a 16-inch barrel and detachable shoulder stock. Drawing a bead grants +3 per action instead of +2 (maximum still +6). Range increases to 15 with the stock attached. Requires a custom holster and the quick draw: Buntline Aptitude to avoid penalties. Ned Buntline gives these as gifts to famous Western figures—if you have one, you're somebody.

LeMat Grapeshot Pistol

Caliber: .40 (9 shots) + 16-gauge shotgun (1 shot) | Damage: 2d6 / Special | Cost: $25

A revolver with a shotgun barrel mounted underneath. Switch between modes by flicking the hammer selector. Can't fire both in the same action, but having a scattergun as backup has saved more than one gunslinger's life.

Double-Action Revolvers

Pistols like the Colt Lightning or Thunderer can be fired twice per action (Rate of Fire 2) without cocking. The trade-off is slightly less stopping power. Popular with gamblers and town marshals who need to control a crowd fast.

Playing a Gunslinger Character

Here's advice for bringing a gunslinger to life:

Know Your Limits: You're fast and deadly, but you're still human. Bullets kill you just as dead as anyone else. Don't let your reputation make you reckless. The quick might beat the dead, but the smart beat everyone.

Maintain Your Equipment: Your guns are your livelihood. Clean them daily, check your ammunition, and keep your holster in good repair. A gun that jams at the wrong moment means you don't get another moment.

Reputation Matters: Your actions shape how people see you. Shoot an unarmed man, and you're a murderer. Face down a monster to protect a town, and you're a hero. Every fight either builds or destroys your reputation.

Practice Makes Perfect: Gunslingers didn't get fast by accident. Your character should spend downtime practicing draws, working on accuracy, and maintaining their edge. Rust on your skills means death in the street.

Choose Your Fights: Not every insult requires a bullet. Walking away from a drunk cowboy isn't cowardice—it's survival. Save your iron for threats that matter. Every time you draw, someone might die—make sure it's worth it.

Work With Your Posse: You're the close-quarters specialist, but you're not invincible. Let the sharpshooter handle long-range threats. Let the blessed handle supernatural horrors. Play to your strengths and support your team.

Gunslinger Archetypes

The Lawman: A town marshal or deputy who keeps the peace with a steady hand and faster draw. They believe in law and order—even if they have to enforce it one bullet at a time. Usually has the Law Man Edge and obligation to protect their jurisdiction.

The Bounty Hunter: Tracks outlaws for the reward money. Cold, professional, and ruthlessly efficient. They don't care about justice—they care about payday. Often has high tracking and survival skills alongside their shootin'.

The Outlaw: On the wrong side of the law, whether by choice or circumstance. Maybe they were framed, or maybe they just like taking what they want. Fast enough to outshoot lawmen and smart enough to stay ahead of the noose. Usually has the Outlaw Hindrance.

The Gunfighter: A professional duelist who travels from town to town, taking challenges and building their reputation. They live by the gun and will probably die by it. Has high renown (or wants to earn it) and treats gunfighting like a career.

The Reluctant Killer: Didn't want to be a gunslinger, but circumstances forced them to get good with a gun fast. Now they're stuck with skills they'd rather not use and a reputation they never wanted. Often has the Heroic Hindrance and prefers to avoid violence when possible.

The Trick Shot Artist: More entertainer than killer, they make impossible shots look easy. They've performed in traveling shows and impressed crowds from Boston to San Francisco. When trouble comes calling, though, those trick shots become deadly serious. High Deftness and often has the gift of gab.

Gunslingers and the Troubleshooters

Colonel Brennan hires gunslingers for what they do best: solving problems that require a fast gun and steady nerves. When negotiations fail, when monsters need stopping, or when outlaws need ventilating, a gunslinger gets the job done.

The Colonel appreciates gunslingers who can think as well as shoot. "Any fool can spray bullets," he says. "I need people who know when to draw and when to holster." He pays well for results, but he doesn't tolerate reckless violence that brings unwanted attention.

Gunslinger Troubleshooters often find themselves working alongside more supernatural specialists—blessed who pray over corpses, hucksters who hex their enemies, mad scientists who invent impossible weapons. The gunslinger's role? Keep everyone alive long enough to use their talents. Sometimes that means outgunning bandits. Sometimes it means putting silver bullets into supernatural horrors. Either way, speed and accuracy get the job done.

In Dodge City, a gunslinger's reputation matters. The local law keeps a sharp eye on known shootists, and causing trouble in town can land you in front of Judge Hanley faster than you can clear leather. The Colonel expects his Troubleshooters to conduct themselves professionally—handle problems quickly, cleanly, and quietly when possible. Save the dramatic showdowns for the outlaws.

Next: Law Dogs – The badge-wearing lawmen who walk the thin line between civilization and chaos...