spineyrequiem
2014-04-06, 04:55 PM
So this is for a campaign I'm planning to run at some point in the future. The tech level is generally around Renaissance level, on the principle that they have both the prettiest armour and access to early firearms, primarily matchlocks but with some wheel-locks for those who can afford them. However, since they've also got access to magic and enchanting is relatively easy (not enough to equip every soldier with a magic weapon, but certainly enough that officers and elite troops could have something, along with suitably insane rich people) I want to get together some out-of-the-box ideas for enchanted guns which my players could buy/be fired at by, as well as general integration of magic and guns
So far I've got
Magic-lock muskets: Essentially an ultra-minimised, fire-spell loaded magic wand leading directly into the main charge, eliminating the need for an external priming-pan. This'd obviously be rather expensive, but it'd probably be much more reliable than other methods, particularly when it rained. Until it ran out of charge, of course.
Stealth guns: Since I'm fairly certain that black powder usually fires at subsonic speeds, a simple silencing spell to eliminate the crack of the powder should be enough to render it inaudible. As well as this, the weapon would need something to suck up the smoke, which I imagine would lead to some interesting-looking muzzles.
Portal guns: Not quite how you think. Essentially, a short pistol with a teleportation spell at the muzzle, activated when it touches something above a certain speed, causing it to teleport further back along the barrel. The upshot of this would be that the ball would travel through the barrel several times, effectively increasing its length and thus the maximum muzzle velocity and accuracy. This would then mean that an assassin could effectively smuggle a full-size rifle in a coat pocket, if he was willing to fork out enough cash.
Self-cleaning barrels: Speaks for itself. Would make keeping up consistent fire with a muzzle-loader much easier.
Magically-sealing breech loader: I'm fairly certain that the thing which stopped breech loaders from being popular until relatively recently was the difficulty of sealing the breech against escaping gases. Obviously, magic could eliminate this problem, vastly speeding up reloading. This could then in turn be used to make revolvers and such long before they were meant to exist.
Expanding rounds: An undersized musket ball which would then expand to properly fit the barrel after it'd been loaded. This would allow rifles to load much faster.
Generally enchanted rounds: Obviously the sorts of spells which can be put on arrows could also go on bullets. I particularly like the idea of healing spells on them, if only for the hilarious image of a double line of musketeers marching into a medical tent and firing a series of volleys to cure their injured.
Magical propellant: Probably more the domain of alchemy, but I'm sure there would be something better than gunpowder which could be made.
Magical rifling: Rifling is difficult, especially without access to decent, powered tools. Magic could probably produce it significantly cheaper, which could in turn lead to machine rifling never being invented.
Self-loading musket: Some form of spell causes powder and ball to appear within the breech. This would, of course, be terrifyingly expensive and likely ridiculously powerful. But fun.
What are your thoughts? In particular, what are your ideas for things the dodgy salesmen could attempt to sell them as extras?
So far I've got
Magic-lock muskets: Essentially an ultra-minimised, fire-spell loaded magic wand leading directly into the main charge, eliminating the need for an external priming-pan. This'd obviously be rather expensive, but it'd probably be much more reliable than other methods, particularly when it rained. Until it ran out of charge, of course.
Stealth guns: Since I'm fairly certain that black powder usually fires at subsonic speeds, a simple silencing spell to eliminate the crack of the powder should be enough to render it inaudible. As well as this, the weapon would need something to suck up the smoke, which I imagine would lead to some interesting-looking muzzles.
Portal guns: Not quite how you think. Essentially, a short pistol with a teleportation spell at the muzzle, activated when it touches something above a certain speed, causing it to teleport further back along the barrel. The upshot of this would be that the ball would travel through the barrel several times, effectively increasing its length and thus the maximum muzzle velocity and accuracy. This would then mean that an assassin could effectively smuggle a full-size rifle in a coat pocket, if he was willing to fork out enough cash.
Self-cleaning barrels: Speaks for itself. Would make keeping up consistent fire with a muzzle-loader much easier.
Magically-sealing breech loader: I'm fairly certain that the thing which stopped breech loaders from being popular until relatively recently was the difficulty of sealing the breech against escaping gases. Obviously, magic could eliminate this problem, vastly speeding up reloading. This could then in turn be used to make revolvers and such long before they were meant to exist.
Expanding rounds: An undersized musket ball which would then expand to properly fit the barrel after it'd been loaded. This would allow rifles to load much faster.
Generally enchanted rounds: Obviously the sorts of spells which can be put on arrows could also go on bullets. I particularly like the idea of healing spells on them, if only for the hilarious image of a double line of musketeers marching into a medical tent and firing a series of volleys to cure their injured.
Magical propellant: Probably more the domain of alchemy, but I'm sure there would be something better than gunpowder which could be made.
Magical rifling: Rifling is difficult, especially without access to decent, powered tools. Magic could probably produce it significantly cheaper, which could in turn lead to machine rifling never being invented.
Self-loading musket: Some form of spell causes powder and ball to appear within the breech. This would, of course, be terrifyingly expensive and likely ridiculously powerful. But fun.
What are your thoughts? In particular, what are your ideas for things the dodgy salesmen could attempt to sell them as extras?