Sample file CHANGELOG • 1.1: Tweaks to numbers and phrasing of rules • 1.2: Added Rifled Pistol and Rifle • 1.3: Added Bayonet and Hand Cannon, added several weapon properties. • 1.4: Added powder keg and firearms related adventuring gear. • 1.5: Added optional Gunslinger feat. Rephrased Reload !uality to make firearms more useful for "hara"ters without #$tra Atta"k feat. Tweaked numbers to make the advantage of rifled weapons "learer. FOREWORD These rules were born from the personal wish to "reate firearms for the "ampaign % am in, without upsetting the balan"e of the game. % was inspired by &atthew &er"er's rules for firearms for his e$"ellent Gunslinger "lass, but de"ided to go for less advan"ed te"hnology while still skipping over a "ouple of steps in the evolution of firearms (i.e. hand "annons, mat"hlo"k firearms), that would make little sense for a small group of "hara"ter in mostly non-warfare "ombat. The weapons listed underneath are not intended to be mass produ"ed weapons, but fine e$amples of good "raftsmanship, worthy of being used by heroes and villains instead of lines of infantry. The numbers may or may not be representative of how these weapons might work in real; the ultimate goal was to "reate a sensible framework for su"h firearms in the ruleset of D&D .th edition. %f you enjoy these rules or have some "onstru"tive "riticism, leave a "omment on the ,&G. STORY IDEAS 0o how do you integrate these weapons into the typical medieval / early renaissan"e fantasy setting without firearms2 There are a "ouple of basic plots that "ome to mind. These are just some suggestions, to get you inspired, should you not have an idea yet. 3hatever you might go with, make sure to have your players work for getting their hands on these weapons and also keep them. 4ou probably won't find these sold in some shops. The Inventor : 0omeone has to "ome up with the idea of put a hollowed out metal rod into a wooden body, load it with e$plosive powder and shoot a ball at someone or something with the resulting e$plosion. That someone "ould be a player "hara"ter of the ne"essary "uriosity and ingenuity with the right skill set (i.e. a bla"ksmith, an alchemist, a tinkerer et".) or a friendly 5PC of your "ampaign. To make it more fun, you "ould go throughSample the pro"ess of e$perimentation, finding the right "ombination fileof ingredients for the powder, ending having a lot more misfires and simple fails than would be usual. Also be "reative in what "ould be used for the powder. 0tu"k in the 6nderdark2 How about taking some Tor"hstalk spores to repla"e the sulfur2 The Dream : &any supernatural for"es are at work in the typical D&D "ampaign – deities, ghosts, demons and many many more forms of powerful, magical beings. A "hara"ter of the group or a friendly 5PC might be driven by dreams, to build that thing he or she saw. Probably to a degree of obsession if not simple insanity. %s it a boon of the gods2 A blessing in disguise2 Or a "urse, giving the "hara"ter that strange new power of te"hnology to "orrupt them with that same power and drag them down the path to evil? The Foreigners : This is a more historically inspired approa"h for how things went for lots of "ountries during various points of history. Just be"ause firearms have not yet been invented in the part of the world you are in, doesn't mean they haven't been somewhere else. %magine how bizarre, utterly alienating it must be, to see people, who look "ompletely different, speak a "ompletely different language, with foreign habits and unknown goals, demonstrating the potentials of these strange things in "ombat or just attempt to intimidate the native population into submission. FLINTLOCK FIREARMS Name Cost Damage Weight Properties Simple Ranged Weapons Dragon ;<< gp =d> pier"ing . lb. Ammunition (range =<1?<), reload ;, s"atter Blunderbuss @<< gp =d=< pier"ing =< lb. Ammunition (range =.1?<), reload ?, s"atter, two-handed Martial Ranged Weapons Pistol ;.< gp =d=; pier"ing . lb. Ammunition (range A<1;@<), reload ; Rifled Pistol ?.< gp =d=; pier"ing A lb. Ammunition (range =<<1@<<), reload ?, unreliable Carbine @<< gp ;dA pier"ing > lb. Ammunition (range =<<1@<<), reload ;, two-handed &usket .<< gp ;d> pier"ing =< lb. Ammunition (range =;.1.<<), heavy, reload ?, two-handed Rifle B.< gp ;d> pier"ing == lb. Ammunition (range ;<<1><<), heavy, reload @, two-handed, unreliable Hand "annon =;.< gp ?d> pier"ing ?< lb. Ammunition (range =.<1A<<), bra"e, massive, reload @, two-handed Martial Melee Weapons Bayonet =<< gp =d> pier"ing ; lb. Atta"hment (=dA), two-handed Item Cost Weight Item Cost Weight Ammunition Gear BallSample and powder (;<) =< gp ; lb. Powder flask file= gp = lb. 0hot and powder (;<) B gp ; lb. Holster belt =< gp = lb. Cannonball and powder (.) .< gp =< lb. Holster = gp * Powder keg . gp ? lb. Cannon belt ? gp = lb. WEAPON DESCRIPTIONS DRA !N : A dragon is a mu::le-loading pistol similar to a blunderbuss with a short, large "aliber barrel, which is flared at the mu::le. 3hen fired, it "overs the area in front of it in a shower of shot or similar proje"tiles of e!uivalent !uantity and size, but is only effe"tive in a very short range. "#$ND%RB$&& : A blunderbuss is a mu::le*loading rifle with a short, large "aliber barrel, which is flared at the mu::le. 3hen fired, it "overs the area in front of it in a shower of shot or similar proje"tiles of e!uivalent !uantity and size, but is only effe"tive in a very short range, but still further, than the dragon. PI&T!# : This firearm usually has a short barrel and "ommonly is used in "onju"tion with a melee weapon. %t may have a "urved grip or a more pistol shaped grip of modern weapons. Coaded with a solid ball of lead. RIF#%D PI&T!# : Basi"ally identical to a regular pistol, the spiraling grooves on the inside of the barrel add a stabilizing spin to the ball, allowing it to go further more a""urately. But the ball barely fits into the snug barrel, that needs to be "leaned more fre!uently. CAR"INE : A shortened version of a musket, this weapon is less heavy and bulky and ideal for use on horseba"k or by small folk. This "omes at the price of power and range. Coaded with a solid ball of lead. '$&(%T : This is a mu::le-loading long gun, with an undeniable amount of bulk, to be used in hand-to-hand "ombat if need be. Can be loaded with a solid ball of lead or shot. %f loaded with shot, it gains the s"atter property, however, sin"e there is no flare at the mu::le allowing a big spread, it is a line, not a "one of ?< feet. RIF#% : %n essen"e, this weapon is identical to a musket – the differen"e is the barrel inside. 0piraling grooves have been added to the barrel, to give the ball enough spin, so that it is stabilized and "an be fired further more a""urately. But these weapons take a lot of e$tra "are and the barrel is so tight fitting, that loading takes a longer time. )AND CANN!N : %n a world with imposingly large and powerful "reatures and stronger than life individuals, there is no reason why man "arried weapons didn't go the dire"tion of be"oming larger than life too. %ntended as a sort of anti-dragon and siege weapon, the hand "annon is a small, lightweight mu::le-loaded bron:e "annon with two handgrips and a leather belt, worn over the shoulder, to bra"e it for being fired. "A*!N%T : Putting a bladed atta"hment to the mu::le-so"ket of a two-handed firearm allows the wearer to engage in melee without having to swit"h weapons. The bayonet "an have various shapes, from a simple spike, to something similar to a knife or a short sword blade. WEAPON PROPERTIES &any weapons have spe"ial properties related to their use, as shown in the Direarms table. Ammunition : 4ou "an use a weapon that has the ammunition property to make a ranged atta"k only if you have ammunition to fire from the weapon. #a"h time you atta"k with the weapon, you e$pend one pie"e of ammunition. Drawing the ammunition from a !uiver,Sample "ase, or other "ontainer is part of the atta"k. %n "ase of Direarm file ammunition, you "annot re"over your ammo after the battle. %f you use a weapon that has the ammunition property, to make a melee atta"k, you treat the weapon as an improvised weapon (see E%mprovised 3eaponsE in the PHB). Atta+hment : 3eapons with this !uality are most useful when so"keted in to an appropriate weapon (i.e. a "arbine, musket or rifle). %f used as a weapon on it's own, it be"omes one handed and deals slashing damage of the value of the number following in parentheses. "ra+e : This weapon's mass and it's ki"kba"k are so overwhelming, that you need to take a minor a"tion to bra"e this weapon, before firing. 3hen firing, you have to pass a DC =; strength save or be kno"ked prone by the re"oil.