Yet Another Module Simple Rules for Fantasy Firearms in 5e

"In the great expanses of the tun- Simple Firearms are also Simple this subclass of fighter. nels, where shadows devour and Ranged , and all Martial leave behind nothing but their vic- Firearms are also Martial Ranged 4. GREAT EQUALIZERS tims’ screams, new weapons were Weapons. The mechanics here aim to repre- forged from grim necessity. It’s hotly sent the ’s role as the great debated whether the Gnomes or the 2.RACIAL OPTIONS equalizer. Firearms are devastating Dwarves invented the first firearms, The weapons have not spread far at long ranges and don’t require but both take credit for the inven- from their underground homes. nearly as much training to use at tion. The inaccuracy of the Rock Gnomes and Mountain martial levels of proficiency. The doesn’t matter in the tunnels; no skit- Dwarves can begin with proficien- weapons here are neither mod- tering horror dares approach a line cy in Firearms; Mountain Dwarves ern nor are they renaissance of gnomes or dwarves: the cascade can trade one of their weapon or weapons, but rather firearms in a of bullets will leave pulp behind. armor proficiencies for proficiency high fantasy setting. Poorer mining clans and prospect- in one Firearm, and Rock Gnomes Firearms throughout history ing teams will sometimes even carry can trade their Tinker ability for made gruesome violence more ac- fake firearms to imitate the tactics of Simple or Martial Firearms Profi- cessible to wide varieties of people. the Firing Square in hopes that crea- ciency, and can additionally create A frail, ill person with a sword is tures who know the bite of a bullet ammunition in half the time. concerning; that same person with will simply leave them alone." a is terrifying. To better re- — Binn Faldwin, 3. CLASS OPTIONS flect this, Ranged Weapon Attacks A History of Winter's Glow Classes with proficiencies in these made with Firearms have no asso- areas also gain proficiencies with ciated Ability Score; only a charac- This simple module adds fanta- the appropriate firearms. ter’s proficiency modifier is added sy firearms to your D&D 5e cam- If a class has individual ranged to the Ranged Weapon Attack Rolls paign. It’s designed to be light on weapon proficiencies, they can (on made with Firearms. This makes mechanics (with a few crunchier creating their character) swap that Firearms an attractive option to options for those who prefer them) proficiency for a comparable Fire- Player Characters and Creatures and to make these weapons an ef- arm Proficiency. For instance, a with negative dexterity scores. fective and attractive option to use Wizard could change her Pro- within the otherwise unchanged ficiency (a Simple Ranged Weap- 5. POINT-BLANK RANGE game; guns are meant to be attrac- on) to Proficiency or Hu- It’s much more difficult to interfere tive to players, but not to overshad- man-Style Proficiency with gunfire than it is to interfere ow class abilities, spells, or even (Simple Firearms), but not to any with releasing a from a bow other ranged weapons. Martial Firearm. or sling. Additionally, since there Fighters are the notable excep- are no Ability Scores tied to Fire- 1. PROFICIENCY tion, and simply gain the profi- arms, imposing disadvantage on Firearms fall under the categories ciencies. If you’re playing with any them in close range is especially of either Simple Ranged Weapons Gunslinger Archetype modules, in- odious to the player. or Martial Ranged Weapons. All stead limit Firearm proficiencies to The point-and-click nature of YET ANOTHER FIREARMS MODULE 2

Firearms makes them easier to In fiction centered around area will recover it. (For ideas on use at very close range. Ranged gunslinging heroes, ammunition how to put time pressure on play- Weapon Attacks made with Fire- is only an issue when there is a ers, check out our Move It! Mod- arms in melee distance with a tar- plot-related need for it. This me- ule.) get are not made at disadvantage, chanic tries to emulate that feel- Resting: Taking a Long Rest unlike with other ranged weap- ing. or Short Rest after expending am- ons. Instead of players tracking indi- munition will reduce the charac- Alternate Rule: vidual bullets and , they ter’s ammunition level. The play- Wisdom Firearms have levels of ammunition. These er can roll an unmodified D20 Mechanically, giving a ton of ex- levels only decrease in specific against the DM’s unmodified tra damage to Dex players means circumstances. D20 immediately after the rest to that they’ll have the highest ar- The four levels of ammuni- not lose a level of ammunition. mor class and the most damage tion are: Plenty, Enough, Sev- The player must always be alert- output, and while that can be ap- eral, Three Left, Two Left, One ed if their level of ammunition pealing to certain types of play, Left and Empty. has changed. it’s hardly balanced. Wisdom When a player’s character has When the player has an am- isn’t tied to defenses or (often) to an ammunition level of Plenty, munition level of Several, the damage, so having it be the Abili- Enough, or Several, they can fire DM can choose to roll a D6 any ty Score tied to attacks made with as often as they want without wor- time the player expends ammu- firearms gives your campaign’s rying about running out of am- nition. On a result of 1, the play- gunfighters makes an interest- munition. In all three cases, the er’s ammunition level is reduced ing choice, and will have your ammunition level can decrease in to Three Left. min-maxers looking at Rangers, these specific circumstances: When the player has an am- Druids and Clerics in a new light. Falling in : suffer- munition level of Three Left, the As the great equalizer, fire- ing a Critical Hit that lowers the next Ranged Weapon Attack that arms are accessible to people character to zero Hit Points will uses this type of ammunition will who don’t have a lot of physical reduce the character’s ammuni- expend it, and they will then they training. While hand-eye coor- tion level. The character can re- will be at Two Left, etc, until all dination is typically assigned to cover this level of ammunition if ammunition of this type is ex- Dexterity, perception is tied to they can search the area where pended. Wisdom, so the ability to aim and they fell after the fight. Magical and Silvered ammuni- fire a Firearm accurately can be Scrambling away: failing a tion should be given out one level seen as a more deliberate and less Dexterity Saving to avoid at a time, starting with One Left. automatic action. a trap or a similar effect that re- Finding more of the same type of If the DM decides that Fire- quires quick movement to avoid ammunition will increase it by arms need an associated Ability damage will reduce the charac- one level Score, this module suggests us- ter’s ammunition level. The DM ing Wisdom. Under this ruling, can rule that the ammunition is 7. PROPERTIES I suggest ignoring the section lost or recoverable. If its recov- Rules for using weapons are mod- called “Point-Blank Range.” erable, time spent searching the ified with properties, which are area will recover it. special words affixed to a weapon 6. CINEMATIC AMMUNI- Falling: taking any falling that describe its function in the TION damage will reduce the charac- game-world. The Dangerous and The cop and her partner are ter’s ammunition level. The DM Spread properties are unique to pinned down by sheets of - can rule that the ammunition is this module. The other proper- fire. The partner throws his shot- lost or recoverable. If its recov- ties referenced in this document gun away in disgust. “I’m out,” he erable, time spent searching the are found in the Dungeons and says. The cop spins out the side Dragons Systems Reference Doc- of her . “I’ve got two left,” ument and The Player’s Hand- she says. They brace for the worst. book, but for convenience are re-