Homebrew Firearms [4e]

[Tequila Sunrise]

I'm thinking of starting a plane hopping swashbuckling campaign, so of course I need firearms. So let me know what you think; I'm not a history buff so I really don't know anything about renaissance era firearms. So if you have any suggestions, fire away!

Superior Ranged Weapons

One Handed
Handgun
Proficiency +0
Damage 1d8
Range 10/20
Price 50 gp
Weight 4 lb.
Group Firearm
Properties High Crit, Load move, Puncturing, Slow Loader

Two Handed
Arquebus
Proficiency +0
Damage 1d10
Range 20/40
Price 50 gp
Weight 12 lb.
Group Firearm
Properties High Crit, Load move, Puncturing, Slow Loader

Blunderbuss
Proficiency +0
Damage 1d6
Area Close blast 3
Price 50 gp
Weight 8 lb.
Group Firearm
Properties High Crit, Load move, Puncturing, Slow Loader

Puncturing: Weapons with this keyword ignore armor. Any attacks made with such weapons are rolled against AC and Reflex. If the weapon hits either one of those defenses, it hits.
Slow Loader: Weapons with this keyword take longer to load for characters who do not have proficiency with them. Such characters load slow loader weapons by using a longer action than normal. For example if a slow loader weapon is normally loaded with a move action, a character without proficiency in that weapon loads it as a standard action instead.

TS

PS Sorry for that horrible pun!

[Spiryt]

Are they all supposed to be "renaissance like" ?

If so, I shotgun really doesn't fit here, although Blunderbuss could.

Anyway, I don't know 4ed rules, but I would proably leave them at very slow loading no matter of profinency or not. I really can't imagine realoading a arquebus in one round. Even though it's not realistic game, it should be longer.

If they had longer reload rate, they could do more damage, and that would seem more accurate.

Arquebus certainly should weight more, not sure how much more, but at least 10 pounds.

Those are my suggestions.

[Tequila Sunrise]

Are they all supposed to be "renaissance like" ?

Roughly, yes. Thanks for the tips!

Anyway, I don't know 4ed rules, but I would proably leave them at very slow loading no matter of profinency or not. I really can't imagine realoading a arquebus in one round. Even though it's not realistic game, it should be longer.

4e is pretty unrealistic that way. For example, drinking a potion is a minor action with no action needed to retrieve it. Loading any kind of crossbow is a minor action, so I think my firearms are realistic enough within the context of 4e.

[KKL]

If you don't mind me saying, these are all well...terribad.

The lack of a proficiency bonus means you will miss more frequently, and I don't know what to feel about the Puncturing property and the move action required to load, personally a minor action is enough. The damage is...bad, a longbow outstrips all these weapons something fierce, and it's a martial weapon; easily accessible to the classes that use one of these in the first place, whereas if they decided to pick up a superior weapon, it'd be because it would be worth the feat investment, ie a bigger die size and a higher prof bonus.

My suggestion would be to have puncturing target both AC AND Reflex, whichever would be most advantageous in the current situation, a load time of minor, a prof bonus of 2, and much larger die sizes all around. Which is what I can come up with off the top of my head.

[Tequila Sunrise]

If you don't mind me saying, these are all well...terribad.

I don't mind at all; I did ask for opinions.

The lack of a proficiency bonus means you will miss more frequently, and I don't know what to feel about the Puncturing property and the move action required to load, personally a minor action is enough. The damage is...bad, a longbow outstrips all these weapons something fierce, and it's a martial weapon; easily accessible to the classes that use one of these in the first place, whereas if they decided to pick up a superior weapon, it'd be because it would be worth the feat investment, ie a bigger die size and a higher prof bonus.

It's funny, because several posters on other boards have expressed horror at the over-poweredness of my firearms and their puncturing property. The lack of proficiency bonus evens out with the puncturing property; Reflex is almost universally two or three points lower than AC. PS: Now my firearms are superior weapons with the high crit property, does that change your opinion any?

My suggestion would be to have puncturing target both AC AND Reflex, whichever would be most advantageous in the current situation, a load time of minor, a prof bonus of 2, and much larger die sizes all around. Which is what I can come up with off the top of my head.

I definitely will change Puncturing to read 'this weapon hits AC or Reflex, whichever is lower' and I'll think about upping the damage. But I don't want firearms in my game to become the obvious choice over bows and xbows...so I'm undecided on that point.

TS

[KKL]

Hm, if you don't want to go that route, a prof bonus of 1 then? As is, they seem a tad underpowered, but still plenty playable.

[Asbestos]

Not sure about the 'Puncturing' ability, not so overpowered at the lower levels, but definitely overpowered I think once magic armor comes into play. Most certainly it makes guns a defender's worst enemy, actually it makes pretty much everyone hate it since generally characters have high AC or high Reflex but rarely both, charismatic rogues are the only exception I can think of off the top of my head. Just something to consider.

Going do some shamless promoting and point out the less 'realistic' guns from my 4e Gunmage thread. Maybe think of adding the 'Brutal' property (taken from 'Adventurer's Vault') rather than the puncturing property. Keeps them as more damaging, but gets rid of the complications that puncturing may present.

[Thane of Fife]

I can't comment on accuracy, but the wikipedia page for Early Gun Warfare is interesting, and depending on your actual time frame, you could be looking at wheellocks or flintlocks.

Maybe that will help.

[Asbestos]

That's like saying that accurate cars may be Model Ts or Lamborghini Diablos, depending on the time frame.
More likely be looking at Matchlocks or Flintlocks. The wheellock, while more effective, was far more complex and expensive than the matchlock and thus, far less widespread.

[Tequila Sunrise]

Thanks for the suggestions all; after three or four edits I think I'm happy with my guns.

TS