By Max "Misanthrope" Ximenez

Martial Archetype: Musketeer

Musketeers are elite combatants trained to make the best use of both new, devastating munitions and familiar, elegant arms to dominate the battlefield at all ranges.

Steel and Smoke

Starting at 3rd level, you ignore the loading property of any weapon with which you are proficient.

Additionally, when you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack on your turn, you may make a ranged weapon attack with any weapon that lacks the two-handed property as a bonus action. When you hit a creature with a ranged weapon attack on your turn, you may make a melee weapon attack with any weapon that lacks the two-handed property as a bonus action. You may draw, attack with and sheath a weapon as part of the bonus action.

Bayonet Mount

Your familiarity with the maintenance and usage of ranged weapons has given you insight on how to modify them without sacrificing functionality. You gain proficiency in tinker's tools at 7th level.

Additionally, during a long or short rest, you may use your tools to affix a light melee weapon to a ranged weapon with the two-handed property. A weapon attached in such a manner loses the thrown property, if it possessed it. A melee weapon attack with an affixed melee weapon can be used for the bonus attack granted by the Steel and Smoke feature. Removing an affixed weapon from a ranged weapon requires the use of and proficiency in tinker's tools and a short or long rest.

Affixed weapons As implied by the feature's name, the classic image evoked by the Bayonet Mount feature is a blade or spike mounted at the end of a long firearm's barrel, which can be represented by the addition of a dagger or shortsword. Such an addition could easily also be applied to light or heavy crossbows, should firearms not exist in your campaign setting. Attaching a light hammer or club to a firearm or crossbow could be represented as a reinforced stock, useful for bludgeoning an enemy, and the Japanese "yumi-yari" was a spear-head designed to be mounted atop a bow. More fantastical suggestions include the addition of a scimitar or handaxe to a longbow to create a bladed bow, possibly of elven make, or a whip to a bow to allow you to attack with the bowstring.

All for One

Starting at 10th level, hitting a creature with a melee weapon attack gives you advantage on ranged weapon attacks against the same creature until the start of your next turn. Hitting a creature with a ranged weapon attack gives you advantage on all melee weapon attacks against the same creature until the start of your next turn. You may only gain advantage on either melee or ranged weapon attacks, once per round, from this feature.

One for All

Starting at 15th level, when a creature you can see attacks you or a friendly creature within five feet of you and misses, you can attack it as a reaction. You may draw, attack with and sheath a weapon which lacks the two-handed property as part of this reaction.

Returning Fire

Starting at 18th level, when you take the dodge action, you can make one weapon attack as a bonus action.

Additionally, after dodging and until the start of your next turn, the radius of your One for All feature is doubled to 10 feet, you no longer require a reaction to attack and effects that cause dexterity saving throws also grant you an attack.

Musketeers in other eras The musketeer martial archetype was designed with a setting analogous to early-modern Europe in mind, where single-shot black-powder firearms like the eponymous musket dominated the battlefield. However, for settings in which muskets may be anachronistic, multiple combinations of ranged and melee weapons can easily fit the archetype; in addition to merely replacing the firearm with a crossbow for more traditional medieval fantasy settings, consider replicating an ancient Roman legionary with their dual-focus on javelins and swords, or a modern police officer who is trained in the use of a handgun and club.

Image Credit: Paizo Publishing