Zejety
2014-01-28, 02:53 PM
Disclaimer: My players, stay out! Yes, you, the BB crowd! Especially that guy!
Some basic information: I have recently started DMing my first PF (and D20 in general) campaign for some co-workers. They started at 1st level and are about to level up for the first time.
One player is a Dwarf Gunslinger(Musketeer). His backstory involves him developing a more powerful black powder following a formula that he was taught by an earth elemental. He was banished when a big stash of the stuff blew up a major part of his home town (due to sabotage) yada yada yada.
Skip to today: To get some ideas about how to prepare for next session I asked my players if they already had some plans. The Dwarf player asked if it would be possible to craft some of this high-potency stuff.
Now, I am unsure of how to go about his request. I really like that he wants to incorporate his background into play and doing it early gives an opportunity to share his background info with the other players. But I feel like it is important to set sensitive restrictions in place lest this will become a permanent mechanical advantage and go-to solution for the party.
The obvious choice would be to make production expensive or rely on rare materials. However, expensiveness does not really help me as I would like to allow him to use this option at this point in the campaign (and disposable income is more likely to increase than decrease ;-) ) and I fear that the latter will end up being arbitrary and based on DM fiat in most situations.
Whatever the solution, I am also wondering about the costs for this. The easiest solution is probably to make it X times as affective as the same doze of black powder and also increase the cost by X. That still grants the stuff the advantage of taking less space than normal black powder...
Keep in mind that Gunsmiths can craft black poweder for 10% of the market price.
By the way: The player has already agreed (on his own initiative) that the special poweder is incompatible with guns.
I am not exactly sure what kind of reply I am looking for to be honest. Any input on the subject is welcome.
PS: Unrelated question that possibly doesn't warrant its own thread: What stops a gunsmith from crafting and selling ammunition at a 500% profit?
Some basic information: I have recently started DMing my first PF (and D20 in general) campaign for some co-workers. They started at 1st level and are about to level up for the first time.
One player is a Dwarf Gunslinger(Musketeer). His backstory involves him developing a more powerful black powder following a formula that he was taught by an earth elemental. He was banished when a big stash of the stuff blew up a major part of his home town (due to sabotage) yada yada yada.
Skip to today: To get some ideas about how to prepare for next session I asked my players if they already had some plans. The Dwarf player asked if it would be possible to craft some of this high-potency stuff.
Now, I am unsure of how to go about his request. I really like that he wants to incorporate his background into play and doing it early gives an opportunity to share his background info with the other players. But I feel like it is important to set sensitive restrictions in place lest this will become a permanent mechanical advantage and go-to solution for the party.
The obvious choice would be to make production expensive or rely on rare materials. However, expensiveness does not really help me as I would like to allow him to use this option at this point in the campaign (and disposable income is more likely to increase than decrease ;-) ) and I fear that the latter will end up being arbitrary and based on DM fiat in most situations.
Whatever the solution, I am also wondering about the costs for this. The easiest solution is probably to make it X times as affective as the same doze of black powder and also increase the cost by X. That still grants the stuff the advantage of taking less space than normal black powder...
Keep in mind that Gunsmiths can craft black poweder for 10% of the market price.
By the way: The player has already agreed (on his own initiative) that the special poweder is incompatible with guns.
I am not exactly sure what kind of reply I am looking for to be honest. Any input on the subject is welcome.
PS: Unrelated question that possibly doesn't warrant its own thread: What stops a gunsmith from crafting and selling ammunition at a 500% profit?