D20 Firearms: the Definitive D20 Guide to Guns

D20 FIREARMS D20 FIREARMS The Definitive d20 Guide to Guns

By: Ken Hood

Additional Material: R. Hyrum Savage

Editing: R. Hyrum Savage

Layout and Design: R. Hyrum Savage

Produced By: OtherWorld Creations www.otherworlds.cx

This book requires the use of the Players Handbook, Revised, Copyright Wizards of the Coast®. Used with Permission.

All content not specifically called out as Product Identity is OPEN.

1 D20 FIREARMS (It also means that if you have a society with plentiful, cheap firearms, it probably will not be able to support an elite social class FIREARMS of warriors. Firearms equalize death-dealing potential. Jealous peasants with guns can Firearms play an integral part in any modern make mincemeat of aristocracy.) setting. Although not as deadly as in real life (modern heroes routinely run through a hail of bullets, either not getting hit or not ACCURACY being seriously injured), the rules below are a simple and effective way of introducing The bullet fired from a gun travels far faster firearms into any setting. than an arrow, sling stone, crossbow bolt, or hurled knife. In comparison to these weapons, it has less need to “lead” a target FIREARM ATTRIBUTES (i.e., aim in front of it) at long ranges. To all practical means, a bullet is invisible because Firearms have several special traits that of its speed and moves so fast as to be nigh make them different from other weapons, impossible to dodge. It is easy to aim and particularly muscle-powered weapons, like capable of precise targeting at relatively long the crossbow and sword. These traits are ranges. Wind, rain, and other environmental discussed below. effects do less to spoil its trajectory in comparison to more primitive weapons. For these reasons, this system gives CHEMICALLY PROPELLED firearms an attribute called Accuracy. A firearm’s Accuracy is a modifier to Attack rolls Unlike bows, slings, and crossbows, which when a character uses that gun. use mechanical, muscle-based force to hurl Normally, a firearm has an Accuracy a projectile, firearms rely on simple chemical modifier of +2. A weapon’s recoil and other combustion. The propellant detonates, special attributes can reduce or increase its transforming into a gaseous state. The gas base accuracy. expands, forcing the bullet down the barrel of the weapon. The bullet (and some of the gas) escapes the end of the barrel in excess of the RECOIL speed of sound, with a loud crack and flash. When a gun is fired, it is pushed backward The only practical limit to the velocity toward the shooter, and the muzzle pitches of the bullet is the rate at which gases can upward. This is called recoil or “kick.” Recoil is expand. This is quite unlike more “primitive” the gun’s reaction to its action of propelling a muscle-powered weapons that are limited by bullet. the strength and skill of the user. Regardless Generally speaking, the lighter the of who wields the firearm—from a withered firearm, the more it kicks. The more powerful crone to an Austrian bodybuilder—the bullets a round fired by a gun, the more the recoil. come out with the same force and inflict the The shorter the barrel, which causes more same damage. propellant gas to be wasted, the greater the What does this mean for a d20 game? recoil. Basically, a character does not apply his The more powerful a firearm’s recoil, Strength bonus to the damage inflicted by a the less accurate the firearm. When fired firearm. rapidly, recoil spoils the aim of the shooter, driving the barrel up and off target.

2 D20 FIREARMS In this system, a single number designates Recoil. The caliber of the round, size of the propellant, and size of the firearm Because firearms shoot small determine it. Accessories, like a muzzle brake, projectiles faster than the speed of sound, can reduce that number. they can punch through solid objects with The effects of the Recoil attribute are ease. This attribute is called Penetration. It described below. is the ability of a firearm to ignore armor. Penetration permits a weapon to ignore a RECOIL AND RAPID FIRE few points of Damage Reduction when it In this system’s simplified model of firearms, determines its damage. Firearms typically Recoil applies a negative penalty to your have Penetration from 4 to 8. attack rolls when you attempt to fire a gun rapidly. When you fire faster than single fire, RATES OF FIRE you’re going to suffer the effects of recoil. The With a modern, self-loading firearm, you can exact effects are described in each rate of fire fire several shots during the time of a single below. typical sword swing or thrust. Pumping out a veritable cloud of lead is nothing more difficult HEAVY RECOIL than rapidly pulling the weapon’s trigger. To If a weapon has Recoil of 4 or more, it simulate this in play, several new Rates of is considered to have heavy, brutal kick Fire have been created. Using a weapon with when fired and suffers a negative penalty a special Rate of Fire lets you shoot several to Accuracy. Table 1 shows the Accuracy times with a single attack action. penalties for different degrees of Recoil: These new Rates of Fire are designed with the KISS principle in mind: “Keep It Table 1: Accuracy Penalties for Recoil Simple, Stupid.” While more accurate ways Recoil Accuracy Modifier of modeling fully automatic fire exist, they 3 or less +0 require a high degree of rule complexity, 4-5 –1 bogging down the play of the game. These 6-7 –2 rules attempt to model automatic fire and still 8-9 –3 maintain the game-quickening abstraction that 10+ –4 underlies the rule system. Certainly there are more types of burst PENETRATION fire in the “real world”, but for purposes of In the 1850’s, a black-powder rifle, the Swiss this system, only three-, five-, ten-, and fifty- Federal carbine, was capable of firing a 10.5 round bursts have been created. Again, this mm ball with such force that it could “pierce keeps things simple. three one-inch thick wooden boards at a thousand paces” (quoted from The World’s STANDARD FIRE (SF) Great Rifles, by Roger Ford). Late 20th-century Standard fire allows you to attack with a cartridge firearms are capable of penetrating firearm as many times as you have attacks 24 or more layers of ballistic Kevlar, the per round. material used to make “bullet-proof” vests. It Almost every firearm permits you to is not uncommon for accidentally discharged perform standard fire. There are exceptions, firearms to punch holes through the walls though. For instance, certain machine guns of several houses in a row. Even firearms of and submachine guns let you fire bursts only. moderate caliber can punch through the metal bodies of automobiles; some are even capable of piercing the engine block.

3 D20 FIREARMS Recoil 3 imposes a –3 penalty to Jack’s attack rolls in triple fire mode. DOUBLE FIRE (DF) The first attack would normally be Double fire lets you fire two shots with each +8. With triple fire, it is three shots at attack. Each shot suffers a penalty to hit +5/+5/+5. equal to half the weapon’s recoil (round up, The second attack would normally be –1 minimum). a single shot at +3, but with triple fire it is Double fire may be directed at two three shots at +0/+0/+0. separate targets. This imposes a –4 penalty Jack gets six attacks: to hit both targets. +5/+5/+5/+0/+0/+0. Damage bonuses for specialization and the like apply to each shot you perform with 3-ROUND BURST (B3) double fire. A burst occurs when several bullets are rapidly and automatically fired with a single pull of a Double Fire Example firearm’s trigger. The advantages of a burst Jack has an Attack bonus of +8/+3. He are that it is easier to hit your target, and it is wields a double-action revolver with Recoil of possible that you might hit your target with 3. Jack decides to double fire on both of his more than one bullet, inflicting more damage. attacks. A 3-round burst counts as one attack; One-half the recoil of his revolver is three bullets are fired with a single pull of 1.5. This is rounded up to 2, so Jack suffers the trigger. If you perform a standard attack a –2 penalty on his attacks. action, you can do one burst. If you perform a The first attack would normally be +8. full attack action, you can perform one burst With double fire, it is two shots at +6/+6. for each attack. The second attack would normally be A 3-round burst provides a +3 Attack a single shot at +3, but with double fire, it is bonus. two shots at +1/+1. For every (2 + Recoil) points you roll Jack gets four attacks: over the number needed to hit your target, +6/+6/+1/+1. an additional bullet hits and inflicts normal damage, up to the total number of bullets TRIPLE FIRE (TF) fired at your target. Resolve the damage of Triple fire lets you shoot three times with each bullet separately. (For example, if you each attack. Each shot suffers a penalty to hit use a Recoil 3 weapon, for every 5 points you equal to the weapon’s recoil (–2 minimum). roll higher than the amount needed to hit your As with double fire, triple-fire shots target, another bullet hits and inflicts damage.) may be directed at separate targets, but with You cannot hit an opponent more times a –4 Attack penalty against each target. than the shots in your burst. For instance, if Damage bonuses for specialization and the you fire a three-round burst,, no more than like apply to each shot. three shots can hit your target. Double-action weapons and auto- You cannot direct a three-round burst at loaders are capable of triple fire. multiple targets. Damage bonuses for specialization and Triple Fire Example similar abilities apply to the first bullet in a Jack has an Attack bonus of +8/+3. He burst, but not any others. wields a double-action revolver with Recoil of 3. Jack decides to triple fire on both of his Point Blank Burst: If you fire a burst at a attacks. target within 5’ and hit, all bullets in the burst automatically hit the target.

4 D20 FIREARMS 3-round Burst Example Jack has an Attack bonus of +8/+3. He wields an assault rifle with Recoil of 3. Jack is 10-round Burst Example going to perform a 3-round burst. Jack has an Attack bonus of +8/+3. He The burst gives Jack a +3 bonus to is firing a submachine gun (Recoil 5) in 10- hit. For every 5 (2 + 3 Recoil) points he rolls round burst mode. The submachine gun higher than the target’s Defense, he will hit normally inflicts 1d10+1 damage with a 50’ the target one additional time. range increment. Jack attacks and rolls a 23. His target Since Jack has two attacks per round, has an AC of 15. Jack hits. he is going to fire two bursts. The first burst Because Jack rolled 8 points higher than uses his +8 attack bonus to determine the his target’s Defense, one additional bullet hits. Reflex save DC. The result is DC 13 (10 + Jack resolves the damage for two 8 attack – 5 recoil). The second burst uses bullets striking the target. his +3 attack bonus for a DC of 8 (10 + 3 attack – 5 recoil). 5-ROUND BURST (B5) At one range increment, the burst In a 5-round burst, five bullets are inflicts 2d10+2 damage, at two or more automatically and rapidly fired with a single range increments, 1d10+1. pull of the trigger. A 5-round burst works like a 3-round burst, except it provides a +5 50-ROUND BURST (B50) Attack bonus. Some self-loading fully automatic weapons, like modern Gatling guns, are capable of 50- 10-ROUND BURST (B10) round bursts. A 10-round burst is an extended burst A 50-round burst is similar to a 10- intended to spray an area with a hail of round burst in mechanics, except it affects a bullets. With a single pull of the trigger (one 10’ wide path, the DC for the saving throw attack), 10 rounds are automatically fired from is 15 + the Attack bonus – the weapon’s the weapon. For all practical purposes, a 10- recoil – any penalties for range, and damage round burst is rock-n-roll, fully automatic fire. is greater. A 10-round burst is treated like an area- At one range increment, the weapon effect attack. It affects a 5’ wide path in a inflicts triple normal damage; roll three straight line at the weapon’s maximum range. times the normal dice and triple all damage Everything within that path suffers damage modifiers. At two range increments, it inflicts from the burst. A Reflex saving throw halves double normal damage. At three range the damage. The DC of the saving throw increments, damage is normal. At four or equals 10 + the shooter’s Attack bonus – the more range increments, a successful Reflex weapons’ recoil – any penalties for range. saving throw means the target suffers no At one range increment, the weapon damage at all. inflicts double normal damage; roll two times the normal dice and double all damage modifiers. At two range increments, it inflicts normal damage. At three or more range increments, a successful Reflex saving throw means the target suffers no damage at all. Targets of a burst may apply Deflection bonuses to their Reflex save.

5 D20 FIREARMS

CUSTOMIZATION Few weapons lend themselves to REPORT AND MUZZLE FLASH customization as readily as firearms. A scope Firearms are more conspicuous than muscle- or optical sight can increase the accuracy of powered, primitive weapons. Where a a gun at long ranges. A stock could be added crossbow makes no more than a “twang” to a pistol to make it more stable. Armor- when fired, a gun makes a loud, resounding piercing ammunition increases penetration, “crack” and spits a ball of fire. while hollow-point rounds increase damage. Two things cause the loud crack when Larger magazines let a weapon carry more a gun is shot. One is the chemical combustion ammunition. A muzzle brake reduces recoil. that propels the round—the expanding gases The accessory choices are almost without make a loud pop. The other is the bullet limit. breaking the speed of sound and causing a small sonic boom. The loud noise of a gun firing is its report. MODELING A FIREARM The ball of fire spit from the muzzle This section contains the nuts-n-bolts for of a gun when it fires is called muzzle modeling a real-world firearm in the d20 flash. Muzzle flash is the burning of wasted system. propellant. In some guns, it is so bright that it can be seen in broad daylight. Usually, There are six steps to building firearms using the shorter the barrel of the weapon, the this system: less effectively propellant is burned and the greater the muzzle flash. 1. Choose Propellant Size Report and muzzle flash make it easy 2. Choose Bullet Caliber to detect a firearm when it is shot. 3. Choose Barrel Length The sound of a firearm shooting can be 4. Choose Receiver heard about half a mile away in open country 5. Choose Feed and about two hundred yards away in urban 6. Model Special Attributes areas. You do not need to make Listen checks to hear it. However, if you wish to pinpoint Following these steps, you should be able to the direction from which the sound came, model almost any cartridge-based firearm. you must make a Listen check against DC 0 (modified normally for distance). A Spot check against DC 0 detects 1. CHOOSE PROPELLANT SIZE muzzle flash at night, DC 10 during the day. In order to simplify things and make these Sound suppressors and subsonic rules playable, a round (one unit of ammunition ammunition can reduce or eliminate a for a firearm) consists of two parts: propellant firearm’s report. A flash suppressor makes and bullet. Propellant is the “go-juice” of a the muzzle flash more difficult to detect. firearm’s ammunition, a general measurement of the amount of powder the cartridge contains. The more propellant there is in the cartridge, the more velocity imparted to the bullet and the harder the bullet hits.

6 D20 FIREARMS There are two size categories of propellant: light and heavy. Pistols generally use light propellant rounds. Rifle REALITY CHECK usually use heavy. Here is a list of “real world” ammunition and The generic term “propellant” is used in its propellant size and bullet caliber in this these rules, instead of powder or gunpowder. system: This is because advanced propellant types, like electrothermochemical (ETC) and magnetic .22 Long – light propellant, small caliber. acceleration, do not use gunpowder. .22 Short – light propellant, small caliber. Propellant size combined with bullet .357 Magnum – light propellant, large caliber determines the base damage inflicted caliber by your firearm. .44 Magnum – light propellant, large caliber. 10mm Pistol – light propellant, medium LIGHT caliber. Light propellant ammunition corresponds 5.56mm NATO – heavy propellant, small to straight-necked cartridges, like those caliber. found in pistol rounds. This is a smaller, less 7.62mm Warsaw Pact – heavy propellant, powerful type of ammunition. medium caliber. A light propellant round inflicts one die 9mm Parabellum – light propellant, medium of damage. caliber. Browning .50 – heavy propellant, large HEAVY caliber. Heavy propellant ammunition is the Colt .45 ACP – light propellant, large larger, necked cartridge found in rifles. These caliber. have a large amount of propellant, providing a lot of punch to the bullet. The extra propellant There are three general calibers (sizes) of allows them to take better advantage of barrel bullets in this system: Small, Medium, and length to increase the round’s damage. Large. Small caliber bullets are around 5mm or In this system, heavy propellant rounds .22 to .25 inches in diameter. Medium caliber inflict two dice of damage. This increases their bullets are about 9mm to 10mm or .30 to average damage, representing their greater .40 inches in diameter. Large caliber bullets stopping power and muzzle energy. are generally over 10mm or .45 inches in diameter. 2. CHOOSE BULLET CALIBER The bullets in light propellant rounds Force equals mass times acceleration. For the tend to be short and stubby, usually round at purposes of these rules, the propellant in a the tip. The bullets in heavy propellant rounds cartridge provides the acceleration part of this are longer and often pointed. equation, while the caliber (size) of the bullet The caliber-based statistics for light provides the mass part. The bigger the bullet propellant rounds are listed in Table 2. Heavy and the more propellant, the more force with propellant rounds use Table 3. which the bullet will strike its target and the Regardless of ammunition size, more damage it inflicts. all firearms have a Critical of 18-20, x2. Having decided the propellant size of Damage type is piercing. your round, you now figure the size of the Handling ammunition with these bullet. These two attributes determine the general categories tends to downplay the damage inflicted by the round, as well as performance differences between relatively Penetration and Recoil. similar rounds, like 9mm Parabellum and 10mm or .357 Magnum and .44 Magnum. However, accounting for damages

7 D20 FIREARMS propellant charge, and they are usually designed for longer weapons. AMMUNITION IS NOT In this system, there are six general INTERCHANGEABLE! categories of barrel length: Short Pistol, Pistol, In this system, 9mm and 10mm pistol Long Pistol, Short Rifle, Rifle, and Long Rifle. ammunition are both light propellant, medium Barrel Length determines the range caliber rounds. Even so, you cannot use 9mm increment of a firearm. It also alters the damage of ammunition in a 10mm pistol and vice versa. the weapon, as well as its Penetration and Recoil. When you determine the ammunition for Table 4 provides the statistics for barrel your firearm, make sure you record its actual, length with light propellant ammunition. Table 5 “real world” size. Suspension of disbelief provides information for heavy propellant. is disrupted when a player can take a .375 magnum bullet and fire it with equal ease Short Pistol from his .50 caliber pistol. This category is for pistols with shorter-than- of each specific caliber of ammunition can normal barrels, usually under 4”in length. make for an unwieldy system that requires Derringers fit in this group, as do snub-nosed a great deal of technical knowledge to use pistols like the “Saturday Night Special.” It is not properly. possible to build a short pistol that accepts heavy propellant ammunition. Table 2: Caliber Effects for Light Propellant Short pistols can be used with one hand. Rounds They are tiny sized weapons.

Caliber Base Damage Penetration Recoil Pistol Small 1d8 4 2 This is a normal length pistol. Some of the smallest Medium 1d10 4 3 submachine guns fit into this category. Large 1d12 4 4 Pistols can be wielded in one hand. They are small weapons. Table 3: Caliber Effects for Heavy Propellant Rounds Long Pistol Pistols with extremely long barrels (usually over 8”) Caliber Base Damage Penetration Recoil belong to this category. Most submachine guns are Small 2d6 6 3 treated as long pistols in regards to barrel length. Medium 2d8 6 4 A long pistol can be used with one hand. Large 2d10 6 5 They are small sized weapons.

3. CHOOSE BARREL LENGTH Short Rifle Barrel length affects several characteristics Short rifles have barrels of 18”length or less. in a firearm. The longer the barrel, the more Carbines and the larger submachine guns fit into propellant burns completely and cleanly, this category. adding more force to the round. Also, the A Short Rifle is a medium-sized weapon. It longer the barrel, the more accurate the must be wielded with two hands. weapon is at longer ranges. Finally, the longer the barrel, the heavier the firearm; the heavier Rifle the firearm, the lower the recoil. This is a normal-sized rifle. Assault rifles belong to Heavy propellant rounds make this category. the best use of barrel length to improve Rifles are medium-sized weapons. Two their performance. This is because heavy hands must be used to handle the weapon propellant rounds have a larger properly.

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Long Rifle These are rifles with extremely long barrels, like many sniper rifles. Individually Loading A Long Rifle is a large weapon. It requires This type of receiver holds only one round the use of two hands. of ammunition. Each time you wish to fire, you must manually load a new round into the Table 4: Barrel Length Effects for Light firearm. Propellant Rounds Individually Loading receivers are Barrel Range capable of Single Fire. Length Increment Dmg Pen Rcl Individually Loading receivers may only Short have a Breech-Loaded Feed System. 10’ +0 -2 +1 Pistol The “Sharps’ Old Reliable” is an Pistol 30’ +0 +0 +0 individually loading rifle, while the Uberti Long 50’ +1 +1 +0 Rolling Block is an individually loading pistol. Pistol Short 100’ +2 +1 -1 Single-action Revolver Rifle A Single-action Revolver uses a manually Rifle 200’ +3 +2 -1 operated receiver and cylindrical ammunition Long Rifle 300’ +4 +2 -2 feed. You must manually cock the hammer of the weapon. This causes the ammunition Table 5: Barrel Length Effects for Heavy cylinder to turn, placing a round in firing Propellant Rounds position, and it puts the trigger into a “ready Barrel Range to fire” position. When you pull the trigger, Length Increment Dmg Pen Rcl the hammer crashes down, driving the firing Short NA NA NA NA pin into the cartridge and exploding the Pistol round’s propellant. Pistol 30’ +0 -2 +2 Long Single-action Revolver are capable of 50’ +0 +0 +1 Pistol Single Fire and Double Fire. They may only Short have a Cylindrical Feed System. 100’ +2 +1 +0 Rifle The Colt .45 Peacemaker is a single- Rifle 200’ +4 +2 -1 action revolver. Long Rifle 300’ +6 +3 -2 Double-action Revolver A technological improvement over the Single- 4. CHOOSE RECEIVER action Revolver, the Double-action revolver The receiver is the part of the firearm that automatically cocks the firing hammer and “receives” a cartridge from the weapon’s rotates the ammunition cylinder whenever ammunition magazine, places it in the firing you pull the trigger. chamber, holds it in place, and ignites the Double-action Revolvers may only have propellant, firing the round. Some receivers are a Cylindrical Feed System. They are capable operated manually; the operator pulls a lever, of Single Fire, Double Fire, and Triple Fire. pumps a slider, or opens and closes a bolt. Other The Colt “Peacemaker” is a double-action receivers automatically load ammunition into the revolver. weapon, such as those on a submachine gun or assault rifle. Receivers determine your firearm’s rate of fire.

9 D20 FIREARMS Self-loading: Fully automatic A Fully Automatic weapon fires continuously Bolt-action as long as the trigger is depressed and With this type of receiver, you manually ammunition is available. operate a lever to open and close the “bolt” Fully Automatic weapons may only of the weapon (the part that holds the firing perform 10-round Bursts. Increase Recoil by +1. pin and chambers and extracts cartridges). Machineguns, like the M60 and Browning Bolt-action weapons are capable of .50, are fully automatic weapons. The Mac Single Fire. Ingram M10 and IMI Uzi are fully automatic Bolt-action reduces a weapon’s Recoil submachine guns. by –1. The Wichita Classic Silhouette is a Self-loading: Selective Fire Bolt-action pistol. The M/89 Belgian Mauser, Selective Fire weapons allow the user to choose M1903 Springfield, and Lee-Enfield Mark III between semi-automatic or fully automatic fire. are bolt-action rifles. In some cases, the weapon will also have three or five round burst as a choice. In other cases, Lever-action Selective Fire weapons may only have semi- You manually operate a lever on the handle automatic and three or five round bursts as an of the weapon to load a round and cock the option. firing pin. Selective Fire weapons can perform Single, Lever-action weapons are capable of Double, or Triple Fire if set to semi-automatic. Single and Double Fire. They can fire 10-round bursts on fully automatic. The 1873 Winchester Carbine and If they have short burst options, they may also 1860 Henry Rifle are both Lever-action perform three or five round bursts. Increase weapons. Recoil by +1. The M16A2 is a selective fire assault Pump-action rifle with semi-automatic and three-round burst You manually pump the fore-end of the options. The AK47 is a selective fire assault weapon to load and cock it. rifle with semi-automatic and fully automatic Pump-action firearms are capable of (10-round burst) options. The Heckler and Single and Double Fire. Koch MP5A5 is a selective fire submachine gun Many shotguns, like the Remington with semi-automatic, 3-round burst, and fully Model 17, use a pump-action receiver. automatic fire options.

Self-loading: Semi-automatic REALITY CHECK Also known as “autoloaders”, self-loading In the “real world,” self-loading weapons weapons automatically fire and load a use a variety of mechanisms to load and fire cartridge whenever you pull the trigger. A cartridges: blowback operation, gas operation, Semi-automatic Self-loader fires one shot recoil operation, and the like. Each of these for every pull of the trigger, automatically impacts the performance of the weapon, its cocking and loading itself each time. accuracy, recoil, and other attributes. For the Semi-automatic weapons can perform purposes of these rules, these highly technical Single, Double, and Triple Fire. Increase the firearm components will be ignored. This is to weapon’s Recoil by +1. make these rules relatively easy to use. The Colt .45 1911 is a semi- If you feel the mechanism of a weapon automatic Pistol. Federov Avtomat 1916 is warrants lower recoil, then by all means lower a semi-automatic “assault rifle” that uses the weapon’s Recoil statistic by one point. 6.5x50mm ammunition.

10 D20 FIREARMS Self-loading: Multi-barreled Autocannon This type of firearm is an electrically feed, rotating Gatling gun capable of spewing out Tubular Magazine hundreds of rounds in a matter of seconds. A tubular magazine is long, hollow tube, Multi-barreled autocannons can perform mounted parallel to the barrel of a firearm. 50-round Bursts. Increase Recoil by +2. Individual rounds are loaded into the hollow Multi-barreled autocannons may only tube. A spring in the tube pushes the rounds have Rifle or Long Rifle barrels. into the receiver. Tubular magazines are normally used 5. CHOOSE FEED for rifles. From 10 to 13 light propellant or up A firearm’s Feed is the mechanism by which to 7 heavy propellant rounds may be held in a ammunition is stored in the weapon and tubular magazine. provided for the receiver. There are several With a move equivalent action, you can different types of Feed. They have no impact load two rounds of ammunition into the tube. on the firearm’s performance, other than Both the Henry and Winchester lever determining the amount ammunition available action rifles use tubular magazines. for the weapon and how quickly it can be reloaded. Clip Ammunition feeds are not A clip is a thin piece of metal that holds interchangeable. For example, you cannot several (usually 8 to 10) rounds together. The stick the box magazine of a rifle into the grip clip is pushed into the receiver of the firearm magazine of a pistol. and stored in an internal magazine space. When the clip is emptied, it is automatically Breech-loaded ejected from the weapon and discarded. A breech-loaded weapon holds but one With a move equivalent action, you can round of ammunition, and the ammunition is load a clip into a weapon. manually loaded into and extracted from an The M1 Garand uses an 8-round clip. opening in the rear end of the weapon’s barrel. Loading a breech-loaded weapon is no Box Magazine more difficult that loading and drawing a bow, This is a spring-loaded metallic or plastic box so a character can automatically reload with attached to the receiver of the weapon, like each attack. the banana-magazine of an AK47 or H&K The “Sharp’s Old Reliable” is a breech- MP5A5. Box magazines can hold a large loaded rifle. amount of ammunition. (For example, some “snail drum” magazines hold up to 200 Cylindrical rounds.) Typically, they hold between 30 to The magazine of a revolver is a cylindrical 50 rounds. feed system. Normally, these are only made With a move equivalent action, you for light-propellant ammunition. Up to twelve can load a box magazine. rounds of small caliber ammo and up to six rounds of medium or large caliber ammo can Grip Magazine fit in the cylinder. A grip magazine is a small, spring-loaded box With a move equivalent action, you that is inserted into the hollow grip of a self- can load two rounds of ammunition into the loading pistol. Grip magazines usually hold cylinder. between 7 to 15 rounds. They may not be The Colt .45 Peacemaker is a single- used for heavy propellant ammunition. action revolver

11 D20 FIREARMS Finishing Touches Once you’ve followed all of these steps, With a move equivalent action, you can you wrap them up into a weapon’s statistic load a grip magazine into a pistol. block for your firearm, like the one below. The 1911A1 Colt .45 ACP uses a grip magazine. Weapon Type: Firearm – [size] Cost: [invented by you or a “real world” figure] Belt Accuracy: [+2, less any modifiers for recoil] Belts are long “belts” of ammunition linked by Damage: [dice of damage, plus any modifiers; metal or plastic connectors and fed into self- always piercing] loading firearms, usually machineguns. Belts Critical: 18-20, x2 often hold 100 or more rounds. Range Increment: [based on barrel length] With a move equivalent action, a belt Penetration: [derived from several factors] can be loaded into a weapon. Recoil: [derived from several factors] The M60 machinegun uses belt feed. Rate of Fire: [determined by the receiver and feed] Ammunition: [number of rounds, type Cassette of feed, “real world” caliber (to prevent Big and heavy, this type of ammunition feed interchangeable ammunition)] is normally reserved for modern-day Gatling Weight: [a “real world” figure—pistols usually guns and autocannons. It uses pre-packaged weigh a couple of pounds, while rifles weigh ammunition attached to an electrically six to ten pounds] powered link feed system. Cassettes hold thousands of rounds. At the end of this document, there Replacing a cassette is a complex task are several examples of how firearms were and takes a few minutes. modeled with this system.

6. MODEL SPECIAL ATTRIBUTES Sometimes, a firearm is chunky and hard to ALTERNATE TECHNOLOGIES hold, like the Desert Eagle. Some firearms The rules presented in “Modeling a Firearm” are designed for superior three-round bursts, (above) assume that you want to create a like the H&K G11. Other firearms have modern-day firearm that uses cartridge-based, exceptional recoil reducing mechanisms. gunpowder ammunition. This section deals These are attributes that must be with how you should modify the modeling modeled on a firearm-by-firearm basis. rules for alternative firearm technologies, such Because each of these is unique, they require as shotguns, and muzzle-loaders. a judgment call on your part as to how they will affect the weapon’s d20 statistics. SHOTGUNS For example, the Desert Eagle’s Shotguns normally fire a cluster of small large grip and bulk imposes a –1 penalty pellets, instead of a single bullet. The cluster to its accuracy. When the G11 is fired on spreads as it exits the barrel of the gun, 3-round Burst, all of the bullets automatically making it easy to hit targets. strike the target on a successful Attack The pellets fired from a shotgun have a roll. Firearms with excellent recoil reducing much lower velocity than bullets fired from a mechanisms can lower their Recoil score by normal cartridge weapon, so they have poor one or two points. penetration. However, the sheer multitude of pellets striking a target can inflict a great deal of damage, especially to unarmored targets.

12 D20 FIREARMS Modeling a Shotgun Ammunition: Shotguns use shells made of paper or plastic packed with metal balls increments, a successful save means no and a load of propellant. Instead of choosing damage is inflicted.) The DC of the saving propellant sizes and caliber, you just choose throw equals 10 + the shooter’s current between small gauge (20-gauge or less) or Attack bonus – the shotgun’s recoil. large gauge (12-gauge or more) ammunition. Table 6 shows the base damage values for Shotgun Example… shotgun ammunition. A large gauge shotgun with a rifle length barrel inflicts 3d6 damage up to 30’ Table 6: Base Characteristics of Shotgun Shells distant, 2d6 from 31’ to 60’, and 1d6 from 61’ to 150’. Beyond 91’ feet, a successful Gauge Base Damage Penetration Recoil Reflex save indicates no damage. Small d4 0 4 If the person shooting the shotgun had Large d6 0 5 an Attack bonus of +6 and the shotgun had Recoil 4, the DC of the Reflex save would be Barrel Length: Unlike other weapons, barrel 12. (10 (base) + 6 (Attack) – 4 (Recoil) = 12) length does not increase the damage inflicted by a shotgun. The length of the barrel Shotguns and Burst Fire determines the range increment of the weapon A shotgun fired in fully automatic mode and affects it Recoil. See Table 7. becomes a truly fearsome weapon, able to clean an entire room of enemies in a single Table 7: Barrel Length Effects for Shotguns sweep. Barrel Range Length Increment Dmg Pen Rcl 3-round Burst: A shotgun fired in 3-round burst Short Pistol NA NA NA NA mode affects a 5’ wide path in a straight line Pistol NA NA NA NA out to five range increments. At one range Long Pistol 10’ +0 +0 +1 increment, it inflicts 4d damage. At two range Short Rifle 20’ +0 +0 +0 increments, 3d; at three, 2d; and four and Rifle 30’ +0 +0 -1 beyond, 1d. The DC of the Reflex saving throw Long Rifle 40’ +0 +0 -2 is 15 + the shooter’s current attack bonus – the shotgun’s recoil. At five range increments, Receiver and Feed: Shotguns can use any of a successful save means no damage. the standard receivers and feed systems. 5-round Burst: This mode is similar to a Resolving a Shotgun Attack 3-round burst, but it affects a 10’ wide path, Shotguns are handled as area-effect weapons. and a successful Reflex save indicates half They affect a 5’ wide path in a straight line damage regardless of range. out to five range increments. Anything in that path is hit by the shotgun blast and suffers 10-round Burst: In 10-round burst mode, a damage depending on how close they are shotgun affects a cone five range increments to the shooter. At one range increment, the in length. At one range increment, it inflicts 5d damage is 3d. At two range increments, a damage; at two, 4d; at three, 3d; at four, 2d; shotgun inflicts 2d. At three or more range and 1d at five range increments. The DC of increments, 1d. the Reflex saving throw is 15 + the shooter’s Anyone within the path of a shotgun current attack bonus – the shotgun’s recoil. blast gets a Reflex saving throw for half A successful save indicates half damage damage. (At four or more range regardless of range.

13 D20 FIREARMS With a feat (Fast Muzzle-loader, Prerequisites: Dexterity 13+, Firearm Not a Precision Weapon Proficiency, and Base Attack Bonus 4+), Shotguns are not precision weapons. you can reload a muzzle-loader in a standard You may not apply damage modifiers for action. specialization, sneak attacks, and similar skill- related bonuses. Muskets Muskets are muzzle-loading firearms that have no rifling in the barrel. This makes them less MUZZLE-LOADERS accurate than rifles. When creating a musket, Early, black powder, muzzle-loading halve all range increments and reduce base firearms—generally speaking—lack the same Accuracy to +0. punch as modern, cartridge firearms. The powder tends to burn inefficiently, with a great deal of lost gas pressure. Also, muzzle- FIREARM-RELATED loaders have a much slower rate of fire than cartridge arms. COMBAT RULES Modeling a Muzzle-loader SHOWDOWN Ammunition: The black powder for a In a setting that uses firearms, it is almost muzzle-loader is hand measured and roughly inevitable that players will want to take part in equivalent to light propellant, though less a one-on-one quick draw gun duel—just like in “hot.” Muzzle-loaders normally have very the cowboy movies. The rules for this are as large ball ammunition. Most of their rounds follows. are over .40 inches in diameter and should be large caliber. Participants Table 8 determines the muzzle-loader’s Two or more characters can engage in a base statistics. Showdown. All participants must be wielding a Table 8: Base Muzzle-loader Statistics medium-sized firearm. The firearm must be Caliber Base Damage Penetration Recoil holstered or in a not ready position. Small 1d8 2 3 All participants must be aware of one Medium 1d10 2 4 another. Large 1d12 2 5 All participants must agree—at least tacitly—to take part in the duel and not draw Barrel Length: Muzzle-loaders use the same prematurely. table for the effects of barrel length as Light Propellant rounds (Table 2). No Short Pistol Resolution barrel length is available. At a predetermined moment, such as when a clock chimes, a ten count ends, or one Receiver: Muzzle-loaders may only have participant twitches, every character involved Individually Loading receivers. in the Showdown makes an opposed Dexterity check. The winner (and only the winner) can Feed: Muzzle-loaders have a special feed perform a partial action, and the loser(s) are type, aptly named Muzzle-loaded. The flat-footed. After this, initiative is rolled and weapon holds only one round of ammunition. combat resolved normally. A full round action is necessary to reload the weapon after it has been fired.

14 D20 FIREARMS Special The Quick Draw feat is important to a character that routinely engages in duels of Step 3: Choose Barrel Length this sort. It permits you to draw your firearm as The Colt M1911 .45 is a pistol. a free action, rather than having to waste your This gives us the following statistics: partial action to ready the weapon. Damage 1d10, Range Increment 30’, Penetration 4, Recoil 3. Showdown Example… Jack (Dexterity modifier +3), Jeb (+2), and Sue Step 4: Choose Receiver (+4) face off for a three-way Showdown. At the The Colt M1911 .45 is a semi-automatic, chime of the town clock, they will draw and fire. self-loading pistol. The clock chimes. A semi-automatic receiver increases The three perform an opposed Dexterity Recoil by +1. check. Jack rolls 16. Jeb rolls 9. Sue rolls 23. The statistics of the weapon are Sue wins. now: Damage 1d10; Range Increment 30’; Since Sue has the Quick Draw feat, she Penetration 4; Recoil 4; Rate of Fire: SF, DF, draws her pistol as a free action. For her partial TF. action, she fires at Jack. Jack, because he lost the roll, is flat- Step 5: Choose Feed footed and hopes for the best… The Colt M1911 .45 uses an 7 round grip magazine.

SAMPLE FIREARMS Step 6: Model Special Attributes None COLT M1911 .45 The 1911 .45 ACP pistol has a mystique Final Statistics that is unmatched by any other pistol. It was These are the d20 statistics for the Colt designed for the Army in an era when the M1911 .45. cavalry rode into battle on horses. Created by Weapon Name: Colt M1911 .45 John M. Browning at the turn of the Twentieth Weapon Type: Firearm – Small Century, the 1911 was the climax of a series Cost: $40 of autoloader designs that culminated in the Accuracy: +2 adoption by the Army of the M1911 in the year Damage: d10 (piercing) from which it took its name. It is perhaps the Critical: 18-20 most loved, studied, and enduring pistol design Range Increment: 30’ of all time. Penetration: 4 Recoil: 3 Step 1: Choose Propellant Size Rate of Fire: SF, DF, TF The Colt M1911 .45 uses short, straight Ammunition: 7 (grip, .45) cartridges. This means it has light propellant. Weight: 2 lb.

Step 2: Choose Bullet Caliber .45 caliber ammunition is considered medium caliber in this system. Medium caliber, light propellant gives the following base characteristics for the weapon: Damage 1d10, Penetration 4, Recoil 3.

15 D20 FIREARMS Final Statistics These are the d20 statistics for the Winchester 1873. WINCHESTER 1873 Weapon Name: Winchester 1873 Manufactured from 1873 to 1919, the Weapon Type: Firearm – Medium Winchester 1873 was offered in .32, .38, and Cost: $19 .44 calibers. Soon after the introduction of the Accuracy: +2 Winchester 1873, Colt began producing the Damage: 2d8 +4 (piercing) Single Action Army in these calibers. Carrying a Critical: 18-20 rifle and revolver that could fire interchangeable Range Increment: 200’ cartridges became popular in the American Penetration: 8 West, where ammunition re-supplies might be Recoil: 3 somewhat problematic. Here is how we would Rate of Fire: SF, DF model it with this system . . . Ammunition: 7 (tubular, .38) Weight: 8 lbs. Step 1: Choose Propellant Size The Winchester 1873 uses long, necked cartridges. This means it has heavy propellant.

Step 2: Choose Bullet Caliber .38 caliber ammunition is considered medium caliber in this system. Medium caliber, heavy propellant gives us the following base characteristics for the weapon: Damage 2d8, Penetration 6, Recoil 4.

Step 3: Choose Barrel Length The Winchester 1873 is a rifle. It fits in the Rifle category. Now, we derive the following statistics: Damage 2d8+4, Range Increment 200’, Penetration 8, Recoil 3.

Step 4: Choose Receiver The Winchester 1873 is a lever-action rifle. Lever-action weapons are capable of Single and Double Fire. The statistics of the weapon are now: Damage 2d8+4; Range Increment 200’; Penetration 8; Recoil 3; Rate of Fire: SF, DF.

Step 5: Choose Feed The Winchester 1873 uses a 7 round tubular magazine.

Step 6: Model Special Attributes The Winchester 1873 has no special attributes.

16 D20 FIREARMS Permission to copy, modify and distribute the files collectively known as the System Reference Document (“SRD”) is granted solely through the use of the Open Gaming License, Version 1.0a.

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