Gunslinger Guide
From SpiralKnights
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Introduction
Specializing as a gunslinger is very useful. As a gunslinger you are able to keep your enemy at range while still dealing damage to them.
Since you are at a distance, you don't take as much damage as up close combat like swordfighting, which means you do not die most of the time. A gunslinger also has the advantage that many guns deal full specialized damage, which means more critical damage dealt from a gun.
Some of this material will be applicable to anyone who uses a gun, but the page as a whole is written for players who use mostly guns or only guns.
The Basics
Guns generally do less damage than swords, but make up for it in range. This immediately means two things:
- Having specialized damage weapons is more important for gunslingers.
- Gunslingers have the potential to take very little damage, being able to easily stay at range from enemies.
Starting out, you might as well skip normal damage guns and go straight into specialized damage. This is because once you have two specialized damage types, you are guaranteed to be able to deal at least neutral damage to all six monster types and critical damage against four types. If you were to make a normal damage gun and one specialized damage gun, you would be able to do normal damage against all six types, but critical damage against only two types.
Guns have a magazine size, after which you must stop and reload before firing again. During this time you also can not shield and move at 55% speed. What this means is that reloading is the most vulnerable time for a gunslinger. Also note that one line of guns which have larger magazines are autofire, and require you to stand still and shoot the entire magazine which also leaves you vulnerable.
As a gunslinger you can also take shots at enemies that might otherwise not be as exposed. For example, if a silkwing were healing a lumber, and several other enemies blocked it on either side, you could pull out your Magnus and snipe a few shots at it.
Controls
Controls are important because unlike a swordsman, a gunslinger will more often move and attack in different directions. And unlike a bomber, our attacks have direction. With that in mind here is an example of how you could set up your controls to help you be an effective gunslinger:
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Techniques
There are situations when you just can't afford to take damage. At times like that, it is important for a gunslinger to avoid reloading so they stay out of danger, still able to move at normal speed and shield. In this case, it is best to follow a shot pattern as follows to avoid reloading:
- shoot all but one bullet->pause->shoot all but one bullet->pause
You can avoid having to shoot before charging your weapon by using this pattern:
- shield->hold attack key->release shield
Quick weapon switching can be accomplished by using this trick to cancel the switching animations:
- switch->shield
If your shot hits between two monsters who are directly next to each other, you can do damage to both. To do this it helps to turn off your autotarget, which by default you can do by pressing and holding your left shift button.
Alchemers
Alchemers are a line of handgun which can be very useful. There are five alchemers, four of which deal elemental damage and one which deals shadow damage. All of these have a 2-shot magazine. As you upgrade your alchemer to higher star levels, the bullets begin to break and ricochet around upon impact or reaching maximum range. The ricochets of an alchemer have a chance to cause a status effect just like the first shot. Unfortunately, due to the nature of the ricochet, it is possible to set off explosive blocks or trip switches by accident.
It is important to note that the mark II alchemers will always ricochet to the left of the direction your character is facing.
Alchemer Tips & Tricks
Alchemers can deal extreme amounts of damage, especially with their higher upgrades - this is because of their splitting shots (ricochets), which are what make it so special.
All shots from Alchemer rank 3 or above will ricochet to the left of the direction your character is facing, 45 degrees back towards you, This can be used to your advantage by always shooting slightly to the right of your enemies (it helps to turn auto-aim off), as this can enable you to deal double damage.
The Alchemer's charge can be priceless, when used properly. Whenever using its charge attack versus a large mob, try to aim towards the back of the group (or the center), not the front - this will allow the bullets to ricochet and hit the mobs with all the shots (5 rank Alchemers can split into up to 13 bullets, and hit enemies with every one of them, if those poor mobs are in ideal positions).
Elemental Damage Handguns
Elemental damage is good against constructs and undead. Gremlins and beasts are strong against elemental.
Cryotech Alchemer
Cryotech Alchemers deal elemental damage and also have a chance to freeze its targets. Ricochets however may break the freeze.
Be Aware
Firotech Alchemer
Firotech Alchemers deal elemental damage and also have a chance to light its targets on fire.
Be Aware
Polaris
The Polaris has a three shot magazine, and can shock its targets. It shoots bullets that expand and deal significant AoE damage, knocking back enemies.
Be Aware
- This gun has slow bullets and can supercharge Quicksilvers.
- May blind party members causing them to take damage.
- Significant knock back may cause enemies to be knocked around unpredictably - sometimes into other players.
Prismatech Alchemer
Prismatech Alchemers deal elemental damage, but have no status effect. In exchange they deal slightly greater damage.
Voltech Alchemer
Voltech Alchemers deal elemental damage and also have a chance to inflict shock on its targets.
Be Aware
- Can supercharge Quicksilvers
Argent Peacemaker
This gun shoots fast bullets that deal elemental damage and have a bonus versus undead, and has a magazine size of six (6).
Shadow Damage Handguns
Shadow Damage is good against slimes and gremlins. Undead and Fiends are strong against shadow.
Biohazard
This gun can poison your enemies. It has a three shot magazine. Its charge attack fires a bullet that 'sticks' to and orbits an enemy, which can be detonated by its normal attack, causing a sizeable explosion for each orbiting charge.
Be Aware
- This gun has very slow bullets.
Shadowtech Alchemer
Shadowtech Alchemers deal shadow damage, and have no status effect. They deal damage comparable to the Prismatech Alchemers.
Sentenza
This gun shoots fast bullets that deal shadow damage and have a bonus versus gremlins, and has a magazine size of six (6).
Piercing Damage Handguns
Piercing damage is good against fiends and beasts. Slimes and constructs are strong against piercing.
Blitz Needle
The Blitz Needle is one of three five star versions of the Autogun. Blitz Needle shoots in rapid bursts, and can fire two bursts before reloading. The bursts are a tight random spread of 6 fast piercing bullets. The charge attack fires 15 shots in a sweeping pattern and is followed by a reload animation. The Blitz Needle is also the best DPS gun for Lord Vanaduke. With two Elite Trueshot Modules equipped, it will take only 6 charge attacks to defeat a body phase while solo, resulting in extremely fast victories.
Be Aware
- You cannot move or turn while firing this gun.
Callahan
The Magnus line shoots two very fast bullets that have a chance to cause stun. It can interrupt attacks by knocking down enemies. However, the shooting animation leaves you standing still for a fraction of a second. At the five star level there are two guns that come from the Magnus line. One is Callahan, which deals piercing damage and has a chance to stun. Its charge attack launches the user backwards and is followed by a reload animation.
Be Aware
- You cannot move while firing this gun.
Plague Needle
The Plague Needle is one of three five star versions of the Autogun. Like the Blitz needle, it deals piercing damage and fires rapid bursts, but it deals slightly less damage and has a chance of inflicting Poison.
Be Aware
- You cannot move or turn while firing this gun.
- This item is obtained as a PvP reward.
Normal Damage Handguns
These weapons are less popular for dedicated gunslingers, but work well as a fourth weapon for gunslingers or as a sidearm for swordsmen or bombers.
Iron Slug
Iron Slug has a two shot magazine and requires you to stand still a moment to shoot. It has some splash damage when bullets impact an enemy or reach maximum range. Its charge attack launches the user back, but unlike the Callahan it will not stun. This gun is also from the Magnus line.
Be Aware
- You cannot move while firing this gun.
Neutralizer
Neutralizer fires bullets with a magazine size of 3. Its charge attack fires a bullet that 'sticks' to and orbits an enemy, which can be detonated by its normal attack, causing a sizeable explosion for each orbiting charge.
Be Aware
- This gun fires very slow bullets.
Supernova
Supernova has a three shot magazine. It fires bullets that expand and deal significant AoE damage to all nearby monsters, as well as knocking them away from the center of the explosion.
Be Aware
- This gun fires slow bullets.
Valiance
Valiance shoots fast bullets (not as fast as any antigua or autogun) in the form of small, bright blue energy orbs. Each shot will knock back enemies and if well aimed can hit multiple enemies. The charge attack releases a very large orb of energy that can hit multiple enemies and knock them back a significant distance. It has a magazine size of three.
Volcanic Pepperbox
The Volcanic Pepperbox operates like the Blitz Needle, but its attacks deal normal damage and have a chance of inflicting fire. Its charge attack (and charge attacks of predecessors) will push an enemy backwards. Although it can work quite well with gunslingers, the Volcanic Pepperbox works better with a Gunner-Bomber setup.
Be Aware
- Can ignite Oilers.
- You cannot move or turn while firing this gun.
Armor
Gunslinger
Gunslinger protects against normal and piercing damage. It has a low handgun attack speed bonus per piece.
Sunset
Sunset protects against normal and piercing damage, and offers a low handgun attack speed bonus per piece.
Deadshot
Deadshot protects against normal and shadow damage. Each piece offers a medium damage vs undead bonus as well as a maximum resistance to curse. Each piece also offers a low handgun attack speed increase.
Justifier
Justifier protects against normal damage and piercing. It has a medium handgun attack speed bonus per piece and provides stun protection.
Nameless
Nameless protects against normal damage and elemental. It has a medium handgun attack speed bonus per piece and provides freeze protection.
Shadowsun
Shadowsun protects against normal and shadow damage. It has a medium handgun damage bonus per piece, and a maximum resistance to poison.
The Perfect Mask of Seerus also works as a gunner's helm.
Special Stats
Handgun Attack Speed
Handgun attack speed affects your handguns' maximum rate of fire. It slightly affects the speed at which you reload your weapons.
PvP
-The Polaris is a very popular gun for PvP, as it causes knockback and the truly annoying Shock status. Strikers and even Guardians can carry it as a sidearm.
-For a dedicated gunslinger, an Antigua in tier 2, or one of its higher forms in tier 3, can cause decent damage. It also interrupts charges, efficiently rendering bombers defenseless.
-Firotech, Cryotech, and Voltech Alchemers are sometimes used for their status effect, and at higher levels, their ricochet can be a menace to groups of enemies. One trick as a Recon is to sneak in, uncloak, fire one shot, recloak, move, repeat. This keeps gunners from having to reload. A similar strategy can be employed with the Magnus (or Callahan); however, keep in mind that Stun doesn't last as long as Shock, Fire, or Freeze.
-The Recon Cloak gives a Handgun Attack Speed: Medium and a universal Charge Time Reduction: Medium, so it's a popular choice for a gunslinger. However, gunners may opt for the Striker Dash instead. The Guardian Shield is not recommended for a pure gunner.
-A tip for recon is to move in one direction, cloak, and head in the other direction. About 90% of the time, an enemy will aim in the direction you were heading last. While they are trying to uncloak you, just come in behind and strike.
-Voltech and Cryotech Alchemers can shock or freeze enemies, so it would be useful to have a heavy sword as a sidearm.
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| Starting Out | New Player Briefing | User interface | Useful Links |
 Bombing Guide |  Gunslinger Guide |  Swordmaster Guide
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 Shieldbearer Guide
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 Hybrid Guide
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