So, I've been heavily debating Machinist once it comes out (for main DPS role on Hyp but also an IC skill with Sounsyy) because Sounsyy was a Knight of the Barracuda and all 'Cuda are trained to use firearms.
That said... I don't think I'd ever use a gun in combat RP against another player. Mainly because I recognize that it'll force one of two things: 1) That Sounsyy will have the absolute shittiest accuracy to avoid killing another player. 2) My opponent may feel forced to do absolutely incredibly over powered things in order to avoid said bullet or dying if they do get shot. Besides, with very few exceptions, most combat RP is friendly dueling. Do you really bring a gun to a friendly duel like the Grindstone? You shoot somebody... you have the intention of killing them.
As to how powerful they are... I have to agree with everyone elses' sentiments. They are as powerful as they need to be for the story. Garlean bullets one shot nameless NPCs in 1.0 MSQ and the End of an Era trailer. But against important characters (much like the movies) bullets never seem to slow them down.
For instance, in 2.0 Garuda fight, Gaius van Baelsar guns down a whole flock of Ixal with his wrist cannon. But in 1.0 during the "Living on a Prayer" quest, Gaius shoots you in the back with that same wrist cannon, and you are more-or-less unharmed. Similarly, in the 2.0 armorer quest Merlwyb's bullets are blocked by some expertly bought-off-the-marketboard chain-mail. But in 1.0, Merlwyb single-handedly guns down loads of people in the quests "Deus Ex Machina" and "Shot Through the Heart."
Sooooo much like any video game, movie, or whatever - in the FFXIV universe guns only kill people when the story needs them to kill people.
That said... I don't think I'd ever use a gun in combat RP against another player. Mainly because I recognize that it'll force one of two things: 1) That Sounsyy will have the absolute shittiest accuracy to avoid killing another player. 2) My opponent may feel forced to do absolutely incredibly over powered things in order to avoid said bullet or dying if they do get shot. Besides, with very few exceptions, most combat RP is friendly dueling. Do you really bring a gun to a friendly duel like the Grindstone? You shoot somebody... you have the intention of killing them.
As to how powerful they are... I have to agree with everyone elses' sentiments. They are as powerful as they need to be for the story. Garlean bullets one shot nameless NPCs in 1.0 MSQ and the End of an Era trailer. But against important characters (much like the movies) bullets never seem to slow them down.
For instance, in 2.0 Garuda fight, Gaius van Baelsar guns down a whole flock of Ixal with his wrist cannon. But in 1.0 during the "Living on a Prayer" quest, Gaius shoots you in the back with that same wrist cannon, and you are more-or-less unharmed. Similarly, in the 2.0 armorer quest Merlwyb's bullets are blocked by some expertly bought-off-the-marketboard chain-mail. But in 1.0, Merlwyb single-handedly guns down loads of people in the quests "Deus Ex Machina" and "Shot Through the Heart."
Sooooo much like any video game, movie, or whatever - in the FFXIV universe guns only kill people when the story needs them to kill people.