D&D 5E: Advanced Firearms

Advanced Firearms

Eventually the musket is overtaken by technology and cylinder feeds with cartridge ammunition become commonplace. If you have a region of your setting where this might have happened (in the Realms of Chirak the kingdom of Abraheil has reached this point) then the following rules will let you add more advanced firearms.

Advanced Firearm Properties:

Reload

Cartridge/cylinder-load firearms are much quicker to load and rifling is now the default process when constructing these weapons. Gatling guns become possible, wheel-mounted monstrosities which crank out a hail of bullets. Advanced firearms can fire a number of shots before reloading. Once the number of loaded rounds has been expended then the weapon must be reloaded. The number of actions it takes to reload is the number following “reload.” Most are Reload 1 or 2.

Advanced Misfire

Cartridge/cylinder-load firearms can misfire, and the same rules apply. However wet cartriges are uncommon unless the weapon has been immersed in water and there’s considerably more reliability over flintlock weapons. When rolling a 1 on an attack make a DC 10 saving throw for the weapon. If you fail then the weapon is jammed and required 1D3 actions to unjam. If you roll another 1 the weapon’s misfired and if the shooter fails a DC 12 Dexterity check he will take 1D8 damage from the round going off in the chamber. The weapon is then useless until repaired.

Rounds

The cylinder loaded weapons have a number of shots that can be fired before reloading, typically 6 or 8. You can purchase a contraption for quick loading of a cylinder loader for 10 gp which reduces the weapon’s reload rate by 1.

Iron Sights

Advanced firearms with iron sights can grant a significant advantage if you take a moment to aim. With this property, a shooter can spend a move or regular action to aim down the iron sights to gain advantage on the target.

Advanced Firearm Stats:

Revolver (250 GP)

Damage: 1D8

Properties: Ammunition, 6 rounds, Advanced Misfire, Reload 2, Armor Piercing, deadly crit, Iron Sights, Range (50/100), light one-handed

Revolvers are reliable weapons, with a spin cylinder which loads the brass cartridge rounds. You can purchase a revolver with an 8 round cylinder for 500 GP. Weight 6 lbs.

Breach-Loading Rifle (800 GP)

Damage: 1D12

Properties: Ammunition, Misfire, Reload 1, Armor Piercing, deadly crit, Iron Sights, Range (200/400), two-handed

Breach-loading rifles require that the shooter insert a new bullet after the old cartridge is released. It requires a load action between shots, but a professional with the firearms style can load a shot as part of a move action. Weight 10 lbs

Revolving Rifle (1,200 GP)

Damage: 1D12

Properties: 8 rounds, Ammunition, Misfire, Reload 2, Armor Piercing, deadly crit, Iron Sights, Range (200/400), two-handed

Revolving rifles use the cylinder loader to hold a number of rounds for continuous fire. Add 80 GP to the cost for each additional round it can hold up to 15. Weight 10 lbs

Shotgun (500 GP)

Damage: 2D8 short range, 2D4 long range

Properties: ammunition, 2 rounds, Misfire, Reload 1, deadly crit, Range (30/60), two handed

The shotgun evolved from the blunderbuss. This weapon fires lead shot for great effectiveness at close range, with damage dropping at greater range. Most shotguns have 2 barrels, but you can get a single barrel version for 250 GP, or a four-barrel version for 1,000 GP. Weight 5 lbs

Gatling Gun (25,000 GP)

Damage: 1D8 per bullet

Properties: ammunition, 100 rounds, Misfire, Reload 4, Armor Piercing, deadly crit, Range (100/200), heavy, two-handed (mounted only)

The first Gatling guns were positioned on tripods or wheels with a frame, and aimed in the general direction of the enemy, with a crank to funnel bullets into the weapon while turning the cylinder that both loads and fires through the active barrel.

To fire a Gatling gun, roll a single attack against all targets in the effective range (choose to fire in a 10/10 cylinder or 5X20 cone) and each target that you hit takes 1 bullet for every 3 points rolled over their effective armor class. You roll an additional die for disadvantage against any targets at long range.

Note that this is a heavy weapon and not easily maneuvered; features like the sharpshooter feat do not apply to this weapon. Weight 200 lbs. (proficiency in land vehicles will allow one to maneuver the gun as a wagon with a horse or other beast of burden.)

Cartridge Bullets (50 GP)

100 brass cartridge rounds which will work with both pistols and rifles. Weight 5 lbs.

Gatling Rounds (100 GP)

100 heavy rounds linked and loaded into a feeder box. Weight 25 lbs.

Shotgun Rounds (25 GP)

A box of 50 lead-shot loaded paper cartridges for shotguns. Weight 5lbs.

D&D 5E: Archaic Firearms Rules

Archaic Firearms Rules for D&D 5E

Today we take a brief break from characters in D&D and offer some new rules. If you'd like to run a steam punk or renaissance campaign setting you're going to need some firearm rules. My guess is that if we see firearms rules in 5^th edition anytime soon it will be in the forthcoming Dungeon Master’s Guide. Until then I worked up some basic firearms mechanics to utilize in my Realms of Chirak setting which has regions of the world undergoing a renaissance of scientific development and discovery, and that includes firearms.

Basic firearms rules are pretty easy and work within the context of the existing weapon rules. Here’s some basic details:

Flintlock Weapons: the common weapon by the 17^th century, it replaced the wheellock, matchlock and doglock versions of the same. Substitute one of these other titles to reflect an earlier phase in gunpowder development if you like.

Dex Bonus to Damage and Attack: I’m allowing it, on the grounds that precision aiming means a better well-placed shot, just like with bows and crossbows.

New Martial Style: Firearms

In worlds where firearms are available the martial style “Firearms” should be allowed. This feat grants two features: the warrior gains a +2 to attack (like Archery) and the warrior also may roll for advantage on a misfire save (see below). At the DM’s option the firearms style may gain benefits in the same conditions/circumstances where having archery would.

Firearm Weapon Properties

Firearms have four new traits: slow load, misfire, Deadly Crit and armor piercing as follows:

Slow Load

Reloading Times: Flintlock muskets take three actions to reload if the individual is not trained in their use. An individual who has the Sharpshooter feat gains one extra perk, with firearms, and may reduce the loading time to 2 actions.

Flintlock pistols take 2 actions to reload, and 1 action with the Sharpshooter feat.

Misfire

Anytime a musket or pistol rolls a 1 the shooter must roll for a save against the misfire: roll 1D20 against DC 10 (roll with advantage if possessing the martial style Firearms). If you fail the save roll on the firearm misfire table (D20):

1-10 weapon has misfired; takes 1D4 actions to clear

11-15 weapon’s flint has gone dull; may attempt to fire again but future misfire chances are 1-5 on attack roll.

16-19 powder residue has ignited; Roll 1D20: 10+ weapon is too damaged to use. Make a DC 10 Dex save; on a failure take 1D4 fire damage.

20 weapon has blown up. Make a DC 12 Dex save or take 1D8 damage.

Optional Misfire Modifiers: If you are fighting with a flintlock in damp weather the misfire chance is 1-5 on an attack roll; however in damp weather it is much likelier that the weapon misfired due to damp weather. When rolling a save on the chance of misfire, on a failure the weapon is simply damp and can’t be fired again until cleared. If you roll a 1 on the save then roll on the misfire table as normal.

Musketeers can get a leather cover to help protect a musket’s powder charge in damp weather. This leather cover costs 5 GP and allows the musketeer to roll with advantage on misfires while in damp weather.

Armor Piercing

Firearms made metal armor obsolete. A campaign with heavy use of firearms sees a decrease in the use of plate armor. When firing against an opponent with medium or heavy armor the attacker gains advantage.

Deadly Crit

Firearms are deadly, and their risk of misfire and slower loading times mean they come into play a little less often. When a firearm rolls a critical hit, it triples its damage dice instead of doubling. This reflect the potential for much greater harm the weapons can do.

Firearm Stats:

Flintlock Pistol (200 GP)

Damage: 1D8

Properties: Ammunition, Misfire, Slow Load, Armor Piercing, deadly crit, Range (40/80), light one-handed

The standard flintlock pistol is a single-barreled one-handed weapon with a flintlock to ignite the powder. It was best at short range. Specialists were called pistoleers. Since reload times were often impractical in battle it was common to wear a brace of pistols, sometimes with two, four or even six or more loaded pistols on a warrior to keep firing without stopping to reload. A variation of powder monkey (a term for younger boys on a ship assigned to ferry powder and shot to cannons) could exist for a pistoleer; the powder monkey would follow the pistoleer around reloading his weapons. Weight 5 lbs

Flintlock Musket (800 GP)

Damage: 1D10

Properties: Ammunition, Misfire, Slow Load, Armor Piercing, deadly crit, Range (60/120), two-handed

The flintlock musket was the longer-ranged counterpart to the pistol. It required a powder horn and a rod to drive the powder and ball into the barrel. Specialists were called musketeers. The arquebus as a name was sometimes applied to flintlock muskets. Weight 10 lbs

Flintlock Rifle (1,200 GP)

Damage: 1D12

Properties: Ammunition, Misfire, Slow Load, Armor Piercing, deadly crit, Range (90/180), two-handed

The flintlock rifle was an emergent evolution of the musket, allowing for grooving in the barrel which aided in distance and accuracy. Eventually rifling became commonplace. Specialists were riflemen. Weight 10 lbs

Blunderbuss (400 GP)

Damage: 2D6 short range, 1D6 long range

Properties: ammunition, Misfire, Slow Load, deadly crit, Range (20/40), light one-handed

The blunderbuss was a short range one-handed proto-shotgun that was very effective at close quarters and effective onboard ships.  Dragoon infantry are believed to have derived their name from the term “dragon” used to describe the type of blunderbuss they carried into battle. It is possible to get a version with two barrels (or more), just double the cost and weight of each extra barrel. When you have multiple loaded barrels you can fire them off like normal attacks before having to reload, but the reload time is per barrel. Weight 5 lbs

Pistol Shot and Powder (40 GP)

100 balls and enough powder to fire them all. Weight 3 lbs.

Musket/Rifle Shot and powder (40 gp)

100 balls and enough powder to fire them. Musket and rifle balls are larger and can’t work in pistols. Weight 7 lbs.

Blunderbuss Shot and Powder (25 GP)

The blunderbuss’s shot consists of tiny lead balls. There enough in one package for 100 shots plus powder. Weight 4lbs.

Other Notes of Interest:

Firearm Repair: Firearms can be costly and difficult to repair due to the tooled nature of the parts. A damaged firearm (such as from a misfire) will cost 20% of its base cost to secure necessary parts for the repair, or 40% of base cost to hire a specialist to do the work as well.

A character can attempt to make his or her own repairs with a Dex check, DC 12 for minor damage or DC 15 for major damage. If the character has firearms as their martial specialty they may take advantage on a repair roll. Assume repairs take 1D8 hours, half that if the Dex check is a critical success.

Bayonets: Any rifle or musket may be turned into a polearm effectively by attaching a specialized dagger to the end of the barrel. This allows the weapon to be used in melee; bayonets do 1D6 damage and are light weapons, considered two-handed when attached to the end of the musket.

Next: Advanced Firearms!

13 Days of 13th Age XII: Guns in 13th Age

13th Age doesn't offer up any rules on firearms in its core books, and those might not even be welcome....but some fantasy settings have firearms, or assume a more renaissance level of technology in their fantasy not-Europes and not-East Asias.

Since 13th Age tends to make a bigger deal out of what the character is doing with the weapon as a class than what the weapon itself actually does, firearms are actually kind of simple. The rule rule of thumb for base damage is like this:

Classes and Firearms: Barbarians, Rogues, Rangers, Paladins and Fighters suffer no penalties to using firearms. Sorcerers, Clerics, and Wizards suffer a -4 penalty to attacks, and Bards suffer a -2 penalty to attacks.

Small Holdout Pistols, Derringers: 1D6 base damage.

Flintlock Pistols, Six-Shooters, Blunderbusses: 1D8 base damage.

Rifles, Muskets, Shotguns, Arquebus: 1D10 base damage.

Special Qualities of Firearms: Since firearms are a bit more revolutionary than the rest of your average medieval warrior's armaments, it's only fair to provide some additional special rules. Think of them as being a bit like magic items, but without the persnality quirks or chakra/attunement issues.

Loading Times: GMs will need to establish whether they are allowing old tapped-gunpowder-and-ball style musketry, breech loaded weapons or faster advanced weaponry such as six-shooters and chambered/clipped rounds. It's fantasy so nothing says firearm technology has to progress at the same rate as the real world. That said, loading a ball and powder for five to ten rounds can make firearms very undesirable to those who haven't considered the purpose of a brace or bandolier full of pistols, and a powder monkey to follow them around with the onerous task of reloading the weapons. My suggestion is that after each round a flintlock, wheellock or other ball-and-powder weapon is fired it will take a minimum of one standard action to reload, and that reload takes a save with a modifier equal to the character's level (base 11+ to succeed). So a level 7 pistoleer warrior can roll 1D20+7 on his standard action to reload the musket, which happens on an 11 or better. This simulates that loading weapons is not quick, while also making them potentially take more than one round to ready.

If you opt for more advanced firearms, assume they take one standard action to load after firing. Assume that most such advanced firearms can hold six to eight rounds in the cylinder, or two rounds in each barrell (such as for breech-loaded shotguns).

Misfire/Jam: Any time a firearm is used in an attack, a roll of 1 means the gun misfired or jammed. When this happens, make a save (11+) for the weapon. On a successful save the gun is merely jammed and each round the character can use a standard action to try and unjam it (success on a save if 11+, but let backgrounds of appropriate nature apply to the roll). If this save fails the gun remains jammed for that round. If on the save you rolled another natural 1 then the gun misfires, and the user rolls an attack from the weapon against himself. One final save is made to see if the gun is still in working condition after it blows up in the PC's face or not...failure means its been junked.

Critical Hits: Firearms do a lot of damage potentially. All firearms have a crit range of 18-20, and deal double the total damage dice rolled (i.e. a level 5 ranger with a musket dealing base 1D10 normally rolls 4D10+Dex mod in damage on a basic attack, so now he rolls 8D10+double dex mod). However, if a firearm rolls a natural 20 on the attack it triples the damage instead. What offsets this? The fact that in most games your characters are using one-shot flintlocks or wheellocks, which means a ranger can't dual-shot with a musket.

Pistols: Pistols are best at short range, so they suffer double the usual penalties for firing far away; they suffer no penalty for nearby or engaged targets. Anyone trying to reload while engaged is open to an opportunity attack.

For powers such as the ranger has where you can get off two ranged attacks, carrying a brace of pistols is a must!

Muskets/Rifles and Bayonets: These weapons are good at both nearby and far away although muskets suffer an additional -2 to hit targets at far away range, but rifles (with their fancy rifling) suffer no such additional penalties. These weapons also suffer a -2 penalty to shoot someone who is engaged with you, and if you try reloading them while engaged your opponents get an opportunity attack. It is popular to stick a bayonet on the end of muskets and rifles to turn them into melee weapons (1D6 base damage in melee). Using a bayonet is no penalty for fighters, rogues, rangers, paladins, bards and barbarians but incurs a -4 attack penalty to clerics, wizards and sorcerers.