So I’m trying to figure out how to play this subclass and I’m wondering if maybe some of it’s features aren’t written correctly?
At level 1 you have a choice between two fighting styles: Gunfighter (no disadvantage on ranged attack rolls against targets within 5ft) and Two-Weapon Fighting. But the subclass’s 6th level feature is really only useful if you choose Gunfighter. Even the small text box at the top of the page detailing the features the subclass gets at each level reads “Gunfighter” instead of “Additional Fighting Style”.
Was this intentional? It seems to me the class is supposed to get the Gunfighter feature at level 1 no matter what and then have the option to choose Two-Weapon Fighting as a fighting style at level 2 when the base Gun Mage class actually gets fighting styles?
The art, description, and “Witchlock Weapons” text box also make it unclear if witchlock rifles are an option. The 6th level feature is called “Pistol Stab” and the last sentence of the aforementioned textbox reads “A witchlock pistol’s bayonet has the finesse and sacral properties”. Does this mean a witchlock rifle’s bayonet does not have those properties, or am I meant to infer that witchlock rifles do not exist?
Well, you can still shoot, you’re just at disadvantage for the shot during pistol stab. If you take dual wielding, then you can stab-shoot-stab with your modifier on the off-hand. If you take gunfighter, it’s stab-shoot-stab, but not at disadvantage for the shot and but with no modifier on the off-hand.
There is a piece of errata that didn’t make it into the final version which will help this make sense: the witchlock bayonet when used in melee is a light weapon when attacking, so you can dual-wield those.
Witchlock rifles I guess are possible. There’s nothing that says they can’t, although there are a few things that specifically mention pistols like the special properties they gain if attached to specifically a witchlock pistol. I don’t really see a problem with having witchlock rifles aside from it may be a little off theme.
Ahhhh, appreciate the clarification on all fronts, thank you thank you.
But yeah, also saw your post regarding errata for what’s been released so far, and can say I’d really like to see that compiled and released somewhere too. I think that’d help resolve a lot of the questions I have on Nightmare Empire content specifically.
Supported all three Requiem kickstarters so far, but currently waffling on Into the Deep Wild because I’ve been wondering if it wouldn’t be better to wait for reprints (if errata docs arent in the works).
Coming back to this because I made another discovery that prevents this subclass from working as intended. The Two-Weapon Fighting style specifies “light weapons”. The Witchlock Weapons blurb states that the witchlock pistol has the same qualities as the magelock pistol, which does not not have the “light” property (unless this was also amended in the Requiem reprint). So, as written, I can’t even dual-wield witchlocks from the outset, I’d have to pick up the Dual Wielder feat at level 4 
The author of the subclass noted on the unofficial IKR Discord that Witchlocks lacking light was an intentional choice. He did note that it should be errata’d to specify that when attacking with Witchlock bayonets in melee they should be considered light.