Munchkining Out: the Crossbowmancer

I wanted to have a little fun. the Crossbowmancer is not an original idea, but you would wonder why it has not been milked by WOTC. For a 7th level spell caster its not that cheesey.  I realize it makes for great "clockwork"-punk characters. here is the doc. 

Here are my homebrew rules regarding crossbows. 

• Crossbows can have strength bought up, at 7,500cp/75gp per +1 Str modifier. Crossbows deal more damage equal to  50% more modifier. A St+2, crossbow deals +3 damage.
• Characters need to make a Con check equal to DC5 + 5 per modifier greater than their strength as a full round action to cock a crossbow greater than their Strength. On a failed roll gives the option to abort or continue to the next full round. Continuing On the next full round the Xbow is cocked if the Str modifier is at most 2 greater than the wielder. When the DC is impossible to make, a character cannot be allowed to roll.
• Ex. if the character has only a +4 Modifier, but has a DC of 25, the GM does not allow the roll.
• Prods allow a user to cock the crossbow a +2 Str modifier greater than their Strength as a full round action.
• A Prod and Wynch allows a character to cock a Crossbow of Str modifier +4 greater than their strength in a minute.

Lesser Swift Reload

Transmutation [Crossbow]

Level: Bard 0, Wiz/Sor 0

Components: V, S

Casting Time: 1 swift action

Range: Touch

Effect: Crossbow Touched

Duration: Instantaneous

Saving Throw: NA

Spell Resistance: Yes

Immediately upon completion of the spell, the target crossbow touched is cocked and a bolt from the caster's possession and his choosing is placed. This is only for hand crossbows, light crossbows, repeating light crossbows, and crossbows with no strength modifier.

Swift Reload

Transmutation [Crossbow]

Level: Bard 1, Wiz/Sor 1

Components: V, S

Casting Time: 1 swift action

Range: Touch

Effect: Crossbow Touched

Duration: Instantaneous

Saving Throw: NA

Spell Resistance: Yes

Immediately upon completion of the spell, the target crossbow touched is cocked and a bolt from the caster's possession and his choosing is placed. This is only for crossbows with a strength modifier equal to half the wielder's caster level +1.

Magazine Charge

Transmutation [Crossbow]

Level: Bard 2, Wiz/Sor 2

Components: V, S

Casting Time: 1 round

Range: Touch

Effect: Crossbow Touched

Duration: 1 minute.

Saving Throw: NA

Spell Resistance: Yes

Upon completion of the spell, a target crossbow touched is imbued with a number of charges equal to the caster level that will allow the the crossbow to be cocked and loaded with the bolts in the spellcaster's possession as a free action. Cocked and a bolt from the caster's possession and his choosing is placed. This is only for hand crossbows, light crossbows, repeating light crossbows, and crossbows with a strength modifier equal to a third of the wielder's caster level +1. Applying the Extend Spell doubles the charges and duration.

Burst Shot

Transmutation[Crossbow]

Level: Bard 2, Wiz/Sor 2

Components: V, S

Casting Time: 1 swift action

Range: Touch

Effect: Crossbow with a Magazine Charge

Duration: 1 round.

Saving Throw: NA

Spell Resistance: Yes

Upon completion of the spell, a target crossbow touched which has a Magazine Charge spell. As an  attack action, you may fire a 3 bolts burst at a single opponent. These bolts use the same attack roll to determine a hit, divide the margin of success by 2 to determine how many additional bolts hit, then resolve damage normally.

If the spell caster has multiple attacks, he can make each of these a 3 bolt burst attack as long as he has enough charges.

Far Sight

Divination

Level: Bard 2, Wiz/Sor 2

Components: V, S

Casting Time: 1 round

Range: Personal

Effect: Spellcaster

Duration: 10 minutes per level.

Saving Throw: NA

Spell Resistance: Yes

Upon completion of the spell, the caster gains the ability to extend his vision allowing to see x2 farther, and double every three levels after 3rd (x4 on 6th, x8 on 9th). This also grants a +5 enhancement bonus to vision based perception rolls, every time vision is multiplied (x2 has +5, x4 has +10, and x8 has +15).

Ballista

Transmutation [Crossbow]

Level: Bard 2, Wiz/Sor 2

Components: V, S

Casting Time: 1 round

Range: Touch

Effect: Crossbow Touched

Duration: 1 round/ level.

Saving Throw: NA

Spell Resistance: Yes

Upon completion of the spell, a target crossbow touched transformed and enlarged into a crossbow one size bigger for every 3 caster levels. The crossbow has its Str modifier increased by +1 for every 3 caster levels. The caster has no penalties using this magically enhanced crossbow. Swift Reload still affects this crossbow in this new form, as long as it could have in its previous form.

CROSSBOWMANCER

Hit Die: d8.

Requirements

To qualify to become an crossbowmancer, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.

Base Attack Bonus: +1.

Skills: Stealth 2 ranks, Perception 2 ranks

Feats: Proficiency in Crossbows, Exotic Weapon: Repeating Crossbows.

Spells: Ability to cast 1st-level arcane spells and crossbow spells.

Class Skills

The Crossbowmancer’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Craft (Int), Stealth (Dex), Ride (Dex), Profession (Wis), Perception (Wis), Survival (Wis), and Use Rope (Dex).

Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier.

Table: The Crossbowmancer

Lvl	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special	Caster Level
1st	+0	+0	+2	+2	Smart/Panache Aim
2nd	+1	+0	+3	+3	Spontaneous Rearm	+1 caster level
3rd	+2	+1	+3	+3	Imbue bolt with ranged touch spell	+2 caster level
4th	+3	+1	+4	+4	Imbue bolt with touch spell	+3 caster level
5th	+3	+1	+4	+4	Imbue bolt with area effect spell

Class Features

All of the following are Class Features of the crossbowmancer prestige class.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: An crossbowmancer is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, light armor, medium armor, and shields.

Smart Aim (Ex): A Crossbowmancer may add his Intelligence Modifier to all ranged attacks using crossbows wielded two handed. Wielding a crossbow one-handed, the crossbowmancer gains only half the bonus to ranged attacks. Alternative for Charisma-based spell casters: Panache Aim (Ex): A Crossbowmancer may add his Intelligence Modifier to all ranged attacks using crossbows wielded two handed.

Spontaneous Rearm (Sp): A Crossbowmancer may exchange a spell prepared with crossbow spell as a free action.

Imbue ranged touch spell (Sp): At 3rd level, a crossbowmancer gains the ability to place an ranged touch spell upon an bolt. When the bolt hits a target, it is as though the ranged touch spell hits this target. This ability allows the spellcaster to use the crossbow’s range rather than the spell’s range. It takes a standard action to cast the spell and fire the bolt. The bolt must be fired by the next round after the spell is cast, or the spell is wasted. This can only be done used an magical crossbow, that can impart a magical enhancement on the bolt.

Imbue touch spell (Sp): At 4th level, a crossbowmancer gains the ability to place an area or touch spell upon an bolt. When the bolt hits a target, it is as though a touch spell hits this target. This ability allows the spellcaster to use the crossbow’s range rather than the spell’s range. It takes a standard action to cast the spell and fire the bolt. The bolt must be fired by the next round after the spell is cast, or the spell is wasted. This can only be done used an magical crossbow, that can impart a magical enhancement on the bolt.

Imbue Area effect spell (Sp): At 5th level, a crossbowmancer gains the ability to place an area spell or burst spell upon an bolt. When the bolt is fired, the spell’s area is centered on where the bolt lands, even if the spell could normally be centered only on the caster. This ability allows the spellcaster to use the crossbow’s range rather than the spell’s range. It takes a standard action to cast the spell and fire the bolt. The bolt must be fired in the round the spell is cast, or the spell is wasted.

Ambercrash Pryoblaster

Transmuter (barred ench and necr) 2/ Crossbowmancer 5, Dwarf, female, Age: 100 (Late 20s)

Med Humanoid (Dwarf); 2d6+6 plus 5d8+15 (50 hp); Con: 16; Init:+1; Spd: 20 ft. (4); AC: 15 (+5 BAB; +1 Dex, +2 shield), ff-15; DR: 3/- (Studded Leather) ; BAB/Gr:+5/+10;

Attack:

Mighty Str+4 Heavy Crossbow +6 ranged (1d10+6/19-20) (w/ prod and wynch)

Mighty Str+3 Light Crossbow +6 ranged (1d8+4/19-20) (w/ prod)

Full Attack:

Mighty Str+4 Heavy Crossbow +6 ranged (1d10+6/19-20) (Trus Strike, Swift Reload)

Mighty Str+3 Light Crossbow +4/+4 ranged (1d8+4/19-20) (Magazine Charge, 7 shots)

Mighty Str+3 Light Crossbow +4/+4 ranged (1d8+4/19-20) (Magazine Charge, Burst Shot, 7 shots)

Balista

Mighty Str+6 Heavy Crossbow +4/+4 ranged (3d6+9/19-20) (Trus Strike, Swift Reload)

S/R: 5 ft./5 ft; SA: ; SQ: Darkvision 60 ft., +2 saves vs Spells, +2 saves vs poisons, stonecunning, +4 dodge vs Giants, +1 attack vs Orcs, +2 racial bonus to appraise and craft, Dwarven Weapons familiarity, Stability, Slow; Saves: F17, R12, W10; Abilities: Str12, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 16, Wis 8, Cha 8; Skills: Concentration+13, Spellcraft+13, Stealth+7, Perception+7, ; Ride+1; Feats: Point Blank Shot, Rapid Shot, Practised Spellcaster, Far Shot, Scribe Scroll, Precise Shot.

Familiar: Owl

Spellcaster Level 7 (15/25 spell points)

level 1 – *Magic Weapon*, True Strike x2, Still Image x2

level 2 – *Alterself*, Far sight (3pts), True strike (3pts),

level 3 – *Haste*, Major Image (5pts)

Medium Animal (Mountain War Pony); 2d8+4 (18 hp); Con: 14; Init:+1; Spd: 40 ft. (8); AC: 12 (+2 BAB; +1 Dex, -1 Size), ff-11; DR: 2/- ; BAB/Gr:+1/+7; Attack: Hoof +3 melee (1d4+2); Full Attack: 2 Hooves +3 melee (1d4+2); S/R: 10 ft./5 ft; SA: -- ; SQ: Low Light Vision, Scent, Powerful Build; Saves: F16, R15, W11; Abilities: Str 15, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 4; Skills: Per +5, Athletics +5; Feats: Endurance; Alignment: None;

Carrying Capacity

A light load for a mountain warpony is up to 198 pounds; a medium load, 201-399 pounds; and a heavy load, 402-600 pounds. A mountain warpony can drag 3,000 pounds.

Common tactics:

1- keep hidden and magazine charge,

2- true strike

3- swift Burst Shot, Rapid Shot to attack twice at -2. 

From a distance

1 Far Sight, then pick off opponents at extreme range and a powerful crossbow. 

• Make a Dragoon: taking mounted combat, mounted archery instead of precise and far shot. 
• Wands and Magazine Charge make a great combo, by allowing the Crossbowmancer to house the wand in the crossbow. This allows to crossbowmancer to have a lot of charges. perfect for an assault specialist. 
• A Crossbowmancer who can craft wand can make a 5 charge wand in a day at Caster Level 6 (good for 6 charges per activation) and 36xp and 900gp of materials. 
• The Rogue can be a good user of crossbowmancer's tools because of sneak attack and the ability to activate a wand with such charges.
• You can make a party of crossbowmancers specializing in various ranged combat roles, similar to modern day: marksman, gunner, assault, and crafter.