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 dont 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.
Weaponry
Generally the handguns that deal a single damage type are best to use. This is because if a weapon (like Silversix) does split elemental and piercing damage, it will only do 50% critical damage against enemies that are weak to elemental or piercing.
If the enemy is neutral against the other damage type, than you will get less damage total than if you had used a weapon that solely deals what the enemy has a weakness to.
If the enemy is strong against just one of the two damage types, your damage output will be crippled by a 1/2 resistance.
In the end it might be a good idea to use a weapon that does split damage if you have just one or two weapon slots for guns, but to maximize damage it is best to equip three guns, one of each specialized damage type.
Alchemers
Alchemers are a line of handgun which are altogether 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.
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 go to an undesirable place.
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
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.
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 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, and may stun the enemy. 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 will draw an enemy in towards the source so that more damage can be dealt to the targeted enemies. Although it can works quite well with gunslinger, the Volcanic Pepperbox works better with a Gunner-Bomber setup.
Be Aware
- Can ignite Oilers. This is a BAD thing. You do NOT want to be around on tier 3 when this happens.
- You cannot move or turn while firing this gun. See, that just makes igniting the oilers worse. Summary: Don't take this thing on any Vanaduke runs.
Split Damage Handguns
These guns are much less popular for dedicated gunslingers, as split damage will always deal less damage to a target than a specialized weapon. For this reason, when carrying 2-4 guns, you are almost always better off with a specialized handgun. In other words, this section is only for swordsmen and gunning n00bs.
Argent Peacemaker
This gun shoots fast bullets that deal piercing/elemental damage, and has a magazine size of six (6).
Be Aware
Sentenza
This gun shoots fast bullets that deal piercing/shadow damage, and has a magazine size of six (6).
Be Aware
Loadouts
Armor
The Undead Hunter: Deadshot
This is good for people who specialize in elemental damage and/or have a major grudge against anything that SHOULD be dead. With this set, you'll be able to make your way through a Graveyard almost completely unharmed! Unless you're a noob, that is.
Set Bonuses:
Lots of shadow defense (For taking down those zombies and fiends!)
Curse resist
Damage Bonus versus Undead: Medium (each)
Recommended UVs:
Armor:
Increased Elemental resist
Increased Piercing resist
Weapon:
Charge Time Reduction is always good
Damage Bonus vs Undead: Try to max out that undead bonus!
Damage Bonus vs Construct: Try to make ALL your elemental damage shine just a little more.
Recommended Trinkets:
Elite Quick Draw Module
Elite Trueshot Module
Penta-Heart Pendant
Radiant Crystal Pin
Royal Jelly Band
The Jack Of All Gunslingers: Justifier
This is for people who want to either excel in lockdown or do a lot of JK runs or beast levels. This is the armor of Nightmare Mane merchants, Lockdown champions, or those annoying guys that sell Sealed Swords so all the swordsmen can get DA and kill you in lockdown. AGAIN.
Set Bonuses:
Lots of Piercing defense: Good for annoying BTB spammers in lockdown (see below)
Attack Speed Increased: Medium (each)
Recommended UVs:
Armor
Increased Elemental Defense
Increased Shadow Defense
Increased Poison/Shock/Fire/Freeze resist
Weapon:
Damage Bonus vs Slimes/Beasts (These are the ones you have resistance to)
More ASI
Again, CTR is always good
Recommended Trinkets:
Elite Trueshot Module
Elite Handgun Focus Module
Radiant Crystal Pin
Dread Skelly Charm
Your Typical Badass Gunslinger: Nameless
This is the set for all you random tier 3 lovers! With this, you'll be able to do FSC in a flash! Any Gremlin or Construct levels will be a piece of cake!
Set Bonuses:
Lots of Elemental defense
Attack Speed Increased: Medium
Recommended UVs:
Increased Piercing Defense
Increased Shadow Defense
Increased Poison/Shock/Fire/Freeze resist
Weapon:
Damage Bonus vs Constructs/Gremlins
More ASI
Again, CTR is always good
Recommended Trinkets:
Elite Trueshot Module x2
Dread Skelly Charm
Royal Jelly Band
PvP
Lockdown is difficult for gunners. This is because most of the ANNOYING swordmasters carry Barbarous Thorn Blades or Final Flourishes and kill everything in sight. If you want to fight them, read on:
STRIKER
Striker is okay, but the health reduction means you tend to die very quickly. It's perfect for swords, though, so watch out for those BTB spamming Vog lovers. This would be for gunners that
A. have a lot of health
B. want to skip the fighting and just capture lots of bases.
or C. want to get a flourish and hit the annoying swordmasters (see above) with their own medicine.
If you are not one of these gunners, keep away from striker.
GUARDIAN
No. Just no. Absolutely not. The Guardian Shield's medium Attack Speed Reduction for guns kind of makes this a no-brainer. Still, I wanted to tell you.
This is another good one for gunners who are giving up being gunners while in Lockdown just to annoy the swordsmen with more swords. (which might be a good idea, see below)
RECON
All in all, I think this class is the best choice. It has medium ASI for guns, but don't use swords with it because it's got a bad speed reduction for those. This is good for pure gunners and gunner/bombers. Bombs have medium CTR with recon...
Use it if your sword is not your main lockdown weapon. Otherwise, stick with Striker.
Clockworks Monsters
Different guns/strategies to use with different depths.
Beasts
Wolvers: are evil. Bring Magnus(not tested), Blitz Needle, or Flourish. Swords are pretty much neccesary with beasts on tier 3, because if you shoot at them they dodge like mad. If you wish to use guns though, try to wait until they warp behind you, then when they make that weird barking noise shoot them with a round of Blitz Needle.
Chromalisks: Blitz Needle. In the face. Duh.
Constructs
Retrodes: Somehow, they manage to be more evil than Wolvers. I suggest Polaris for elemental damage and knockback. Just get them all into a closely packed mob, move to long range, and fire away! It's very nice if you're across a gap so the lasers can't hit you.
Lumbers: These guys do tons of damage if they hit you, so keep them as far away as possible. Kill them fast.
Scuttlebots: Just go around the back and kill them with Alchemers. Again, keep them far away.
Mecha Knights: Be far away. Very far away. Hide across a gap or something. Then shoot them. Under NO CIRCUMSTANCES should you let them catch up to you. If you're trapped in the middle of a mob, walk and keep tapping your shield. You'll bump everything in your path. If your shield is broken, you're done for. Try energy blasts.
Gun Puppies: If you're in a party, you should shoot it to get its attention while a swordsman goes around the back and kills it. If you're soloing, you should just shoot them until they start charging for an attack, then dodge it, then keep shooting. No shield needed here.
Fiends
Devilites: Hide. Shoot from behind some cover (undestroyed crystal blocks, maybe) with a Blitz Needle. Repeat. Kill the Yesmen and the Pit Bosses first. After that, the Overtimers should be your priority.
Greavers: The healers are ANNOYING. Just snipe them with a Magnus or something. Alternately, spray everything with a Blitz Needle regardless of whether it's a slime or whatever and just target the healer until it's dead. ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS kill the healers first. I know that seems easy but you would be surprised by how many people forget that. For normal ones that do damage, wait for them to get close and then... Blitz Needle. In the face. Instant destruction. It is, however, important NOT TO RELOAD here. If you do, you will instantly be trapped inside a mob.
Trojans: Actually kind of easy. You might need a bomb to make it easier though. At least it's not like you have to become a swordsman or something. Whatever. Just stand at a distance and wait with your Blitz Needle until it charges at you. Just before it hits you, run around to the back and hit it with the Blitz Needle. This is useful in FSC where there's a lot of trojans in an annoying mob trying to kill you. Don't waste both shots here, because then you reload and DIE.
Gremlins
Thwackers: This is easy, except on tier 3. Just shoot them with anything but Elemental damage until they die. For best results, use a Vortex and shoot them while they're trapped. On tier 3 they have a shield on their back so bait them into running towards you, then shoot them while walking backwards. If they get too close shield bump them.
Menders: Kill. Fast. At all costs the Menders must be the first to die wherever they appear. On tier 3 they enter a bubble when they hit low health, a charge shot from a Blitz Needle should kill them.
Demos: Stay far away. Shoot them from maximum range, preferably from behind while a Swordsman has their attention.
Scorchers: Same method as Thwackers, but be careful about staying far away. Dodge bullets when they appear. Do not shield, as it will only break. Shield bumping is okay.
Slimes
Jellycubes: Stay away. I recommend Polaris for knockback, but if you don't have access to it, either get it (optimal) or just retreat like mad while firing at them. Use charge attacks frequently, especially if they're AOE.
Lichens: Contrary to what the game says, let them merge, then stay away and fire from maximum range. Treat Giant Lichen Colonies like they're the Royal Jelly and keep them poisoned and/or on fire.
Polyps: Just treat them like they're normal turrets and shoot them until they die. Don't use a tank for this one, though, it's almost impossible to tell where it will shoot until it actually does.
Undead
Zombies: Polaris. Magma/Storm/Nova/Hail Driver. Problem?
Kats: Just joust with them. When they move, go to their last stopping point. Shoot when they're not moving.
Howlitzers: The only thing I need to say here is that you can shoot the head when they fire it at you. Just shoot the head with a full combo and it explodes. Otherwise, just shield it.
Other Guides:
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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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