Friends,

I am preparing for my first playthrough ever and I would like to have a firearms + technology character type. I have read that it is not good for a first time player as this combination can be hard. I do not mind a challenge and if worst comes to worst I will just restart with a different build.

What I would like to know is which stats and skills are really important in my case and which are not needed.
It seems to me that PERCEPTON, INTELIGENCE and DEXTERITY are the most important for a firearms character but I am confused about STRENGTH.
Does STRENGTH add damage also to guns or is it just for melee?

I am thinking about spending my first 5 points as follows:
1 FIREARMS
2 DEXTERITY
2 PERCEPTION
What would you recommend me to spend those first points on?

I like to experiment on my own and learn from my mistakes but if someone could enlighten me as to what are the basic steps for a firearms + technology character.

Thank you.

Strength only affects damage with melee weapons, but it also increases your carrying capacity.

You might consider putting a single point into melee at the start actually for when you run out of bullets. Early on, the guns aren't very strong and when you run out of bullets you'll need some way to whack things. If you don't have any points in melee you're more likely to hurt yourself than the enemies when you try to hit them.

Finally, tech characters probably want to learn some tech disciplines. Putting points into these will increase their tech aptitude, which will make them more effective with firearms. Some discplines you might consider: Gunsmithing lets you make new guns. This can be fun but you can also buy / find a lot of these, so only take it if it appeals to you. Smithing lets you make melee weapons and armor, which is quite nice and lets you outfit both yourself and your allies. Mechanical lets you make traps and robots to fight alongside you. Herbology lets you make tech healing items (magical healing potions won't work well on a tech character, so you need to make healing salves). But you can also buy healing items or get allies who can make them, so it's not a necessity.

You don't necessarily need any points in a tech discipline to start out, though. But I would probably take a point off perception and put it into melee instead. After that, you can leave melee alone, but that one point will help in the early game.

I created a firearms character myself, though I'm less guns and tech and more guns and charm.

Anyway, I definitely second the point about Melee. Put something in there. You'll have a tough time surviving, otherwise. Having a sword you can fall back on if you run out of ammo can be incredibly important.

I might also recommend putting a point or two in Explosives - I can't remember if you need one or two, but it'll let you build your own bullets. Helpful in a jam. But that's for later on, when you can afford it.

Like Waltorious said, take a point out of PER and put it into Melee. It'll help you out a lot in the beginning (especially since Virgil, though I love him, isn't much of a fighter).

You only need one point in explosives to make bullets. It's probably worth it, although I think you can make them using a tech manual instead if you prefer to keep the character point... that will just cost money instead, plus the manual is heavy so you'll want somewhere to store it when you're not crafting bullets.

In my opinion, you'll be able to largely ignore the fact that it will cost you money. The fact that it will be heavier than your character is himself is exceedingly relevant, and means he'll be returning again and again to a particular base of operations to access it. This is the greater factor: hassle. So much hassle.
Worth it for some things, and if you really must keep the character point then the money at least is worth it, since there is no way to buy them later.

Edit: I've actually done this, now that I think about it. My character did not excel in crafting firearms, but had a variety of tech manuals for all manner of purposes and was very skilled in using guns, if not in building them. She had a couple of nice rifles which used bullets, and one very odd gun which, while less powerful, used fuel instead.
Both are schematics, as I recall, and she had no skill in explosive to craft either.
Really, it went okay. She seldom bought bullets, and frequently returned to her home base in Shrouded Hills, but between the two guns and two ammo types she was seldom really out of ammo. She also was charming enough to have a large number of companions, which really took a load off.
Especially considering her amazingly low strength and physical stats in general.
It can be done. It can be worth it. Your mileage may vary.

Thank you all for your input!

I went with putting a few points in MELEE for the first couple of levels like you suggested.
I will try to create a firearms character with a bit of melee expertise to be safe in tough situations and when pockets are empty of bullets.

With a jacket, pistol and rapier my character looks like a real pirate :)

Awesome.
Actually, I can really see the utility of this. Whereas my character with two kinds of ammo for two kinds of guns occasionally ran dry, yours can fall back on melee.
I'll have to try that some time.
Of course, her Dexterity was rubbish unless she dosed up considerably on her area of expertise, various vitamins and vital essences to make her and her allies more badass. Not that she didn't end up with firearms mastery eventually.

OH! Don't forget to get at least nominal training in melee. Handy stuff!

Notice that many guns have a high minimum strength too. If you don't have any points there, you won't be able to wield bigger guns properly. Rifles have a MSR 8 iirc, and I bet the automatic weapons and cannon-like guns have an even higher MSR.

I think the elephant gun (which has the highest strength requirement, I believe) has a requirement of 11.

But pistols are perfectly acceptable, and the best pistol is (in my opinion) better than any of the rifles you can get.

Biggest tip i could give is to use your first several levels to up stats and Combat Skills.
Don't even look at any crafting skills(aside from 1 into Herbology for healing items) until you are atleast 3 ranks into firearms.