Powder firearms (based off DM guide) (3.5e Equipment)

This content deviates from 3.5e standards. Its use could dramatically alter campaigns, take extreme care.

Caution - Here there be monsters! This content intends to provide a different experience, or goes beyond the scope of the anticipated subjects and situations, than the 3.5e rules were intended to handle. Some portions of the content below may not be what you expect from traditional game content. When implementing this content, DMs and Players should read over all the information carefully, and consider the following specific notes of interest:

Powder firearms have been used in our history since its invention by a Chinese alchemist in the 11the century for both entertainment and in war. I am writing the page as I feel other pages on here glorify and simple ignore the downside to the fire arms(terrible spread unpredictable nature) and how they changed medieval/renaissance conflicts. Understand that when I see these items I see them at glass hammer weapons that putt out massive damage (if used correctly) but take a long time to reload and have greater risks involved than crossbows or bows (or spells) please if edditing add on extra but do not remove and if you dont like a rule ignore it I base most of this off of DMG 3.5 I have however modified the critical to a 19/20 X3 to emphasise the power of such a weapon in comparison to the bow and cross bow it historicaly replaced. Enjoy (p145 DMG 3.5 original)

wheel lock matchlock or flintlock rifle

Ammunition Critical: 19/20 X3 Range Increment: 60ft Type: piercing Hardness: 5
Size	Cost1	Damage	Weight1	hp
Fine	*		*	1
Diminutive	*		*	1
Tiny	150gp	1d8	1lb	2
Small	500gp	1d10	3lb	5
Medium	500gp	1d12	10lb	10
Large	750gp	2d10	50lb	20
Huge	1000gp	2d12	*	40
Gargantuan	*		*	80
Colossal	*		*	160
The SRD only gives a means to determine costs and weights of weapons for Large and Small versions based on the Medium weapons. Any other supplied values are the author's best determination.

powder firearms take a full round action (leaving 5ft worth of motion) per a barrel loaded that allows for an attack of opportunity. They are all exotic weapons and if untrained require a DC5 skill check(use balckpowder or explosive etc) to reload and to fire if failed the gun does not function and must be reloaded to fire again as well as dealing half the damage of the shot to the user (taking a further round) rapid reload feat allows two barrels to be reloaded as a full round action or 1 barrel as a standard action (cannot fire in the same round) when firing (with training) a critical failure (nat 1) results in 1d12 damage to the user (and if DM is cruel the firing mechanism or the barrel is damaged) you could use a the skill to negate all or some damage, At DM consent. To a medium creature a small gun is a pistol (and so one handed) and a large is a very light cannon not suitable for use. The same is said for large or small creature one weapon size smaller is a pistol. Huge guns are equivalent to a small cannon found on a ship during the renaissance but may be carried by giants who have decided they like them and have picked them up. Any feats taken for bows or crossbows may be taken for rifles as well as enchantments may be placed on the guns. as this is a fantasy world and you can put things of alchemical nature in the powder or fire things other than lead balls hear are some other versions of ammunition I have thought up and costs ( all above are standard ammunition (you may wish to increase cost for large/huge firearm)

all for medium weapon type damage Cost (per 1 shot) special

standard 1d12 piercing 3sp

flechete 1d6 piercing (cone20ft) 5sp DC 15 ref half

Grappling hook 1d4 bludgeoning 2gp Fires at half range increament

silvered NA +1gp per shot

incindiary 1d12+2d6fire 15gp

Dragon breath 6D10 effect DC 19 ref for half damage 200gp

sparks 1d4 peircing + 1d4 electric + (2d6 non fatal damage) 20gp

Powder only non 8sp ( from 20lb (320 ounce) Does not work under water

Gunpowder: while gunpowder burns (1 ounce consumes itself in 1 round and iluminates like a sunrod) or even explodes inn the right conditions. It is chefly used to propel a bullet out of a pistol or rifle or used to make bombs. An ounce of gunpowder is needed to propel a bullet. Gunpowder is sold in kegs of 20 pounds (250gp) or in a horn (2 pounds for 35 gold). If gunpowder gets wet it must be allowed to dry to be used to fire a bullet. Bullets are large round lead balls that are sold in bags of 10 for 3gp

dragon breath rounds are designed from a young red dragons breath weapon and includes the cost of powder. Each shot can have the effect of other dragons breath weapons and to craft required the draconis fundamentum of said type of dragon. (Dm decides craft DC im to lazy to make this number up) “No matter what form its breath weapon takes, a dragon generates it from deep inside its lungs, using energy generated from an organ near its heart called the draconis fundamentum” Dragonomicon P21

Sugstions for DMs:

I suggest introducing the weapon with just 1 or two individuals alone fiering at the party so that they can see the effect of the gun and not be outnumbered as the reload is so long they are likely to get one shot off each befoe being engaged in melee and dying. After this use them as backup to larger forces or in ranked fire (as in historic war) or from hard to reach snipers nests I also suggest allowing scopes to be available to buy or craft such as given in the arms and equipment guide. These weapons could be combined with others (dwarven axe rifle anyone) understanding the increased cost in making more durable mechanisms involved ( riffle cost + 3x weapon cost) adding bayonets should only be as expensive as attaching a standard dagger making a short spear in effect (encourage throwing your 502gp spear) also I tend to use double barrel or pepper box designes so that multiple shots can be taken before character is defenceless or to give characters multiple pistols (AC black flag style) that get reloaded after an encounter.

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