Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Daybreaker Jan 08, 2009 3:45:55	Does anyone know where I could find some good examples of advanced weaponry (I'm thinking Star Wars sort of stuff here) balanced for 4e? Any sort of high-tech stuff is good. I'm looking for balance, mostly.
#2 yellowdingo Jan 08, 2009 5:26:58	Hard call...d20 Insider had something on weapons and powersuits. D&D BLACKLORE: Magic of such complexity to be equivalent to Advanced technology Flying/Space Craft: If you want a flying Saucer it is designed according to frames made from Ironform spells at 20th level. Each use of that spell gets its own fly spell and create air spell so as to enchant each frame segment. Rayguns: A Ray Gun is a Misc Magic item (under the necklace of fireballs rule) where each shard of the powercrystal is individually charged with a Lightning bolt spell of 6d6 damage) Bots: Small Iron Golems
#3 fragsie Jan 08, 2009 7:29:13	Myself and The Fae have been discussing creating what you're after; scifi weaponry, with a gadget system (based slightly on d20 modern: future) for our own scifi settings, though not much (in fact hardly anything) has been posted about it yet, we're still in the brainstorming period. but you should prob keep an eye on the threads in my sig. The Fae has told me of an old thread that deals with the subject as well, but as yet he hasn't found a link for it.
#4 the_fae Jan 11, 2009 0:24:01	The other link actually deals a lot with societies and various scifi "issues" to deal with such as racism and religious hatred. Depending on where Araes finished off I am not sure that much in the way of actual stats were posted up there for anything and its all in 3e anyways. Either way I am working on the gadget system; it is second on the list though as I want to get through the classes which are taking me longer to convert flavour wise than I thought. Although I do agree with Yellowdingo; "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." Arthur C. Clarke So star wars type of thing? Lasers and lightsabers. As long as the entire setting is high tech there is no reason why you can't convert the normal fantasy weapons into tech weapons. Vibro-blade weapons like in KOTOR can replace a lot of melee weapons. Bows turn into projectile based guns. Crossbows into laser. If you need something else let me know, I will be happy to help since it could potentially help me and Fragsie out as well.
#5 Daybreaker Jan 11, 2009 22:08:08	Is it wise to just cross out "crossbow" on the equipment list and replace it with "blaster?" The reason I'm worried is that a blaster doesn't have to be loaded as often, so it's a better weapon, right? Okay, maybe not ... I'm looking at "repeating crossbow" in Adventurer's Vault and it's still a simple weapon. What about automatic weapons? Treat it as an area effect?
#6 lumovanis Jan 12, 2009 2:23:42	These are questions I was faced with when starting my stacraft 4e conversion (I have a 3.5e module). 3rd ed was a much better fit for modern settings, but so far I have come up with some weapon concepts (note I have taken these from my starcraft setting, so pardon the names and such). C-14 Impaler Rifle Weapon Class: Assault Rifle, Light Machine Gun Ammunition: 8mm Ammunition Capacity: 500 round Magazine Reload Time: Standard Action Proficiency Bonus: +2 Recoil: -2 Weapon Settings: Burst, Auto Range: 25/50 Damage: * Properties: Armor Piercing 1 Upgrade Slots: Barrel ------------------------------------------------ Those familiar to starcraft will know this weapon as a guass rifle, an assault rifle/LMG hybrid designed to be used by power armor, but can be wielded by unarmored soldiers, though quite bulky for the task. The first thing you will notice is the weapon class, acting much like a weapon category for proficiencies and bonuses (D&D example: military melee). The ammunition type displays the type of ammunition that can be loaded into the weapon. Ammunition capacity is obviously the amount of ammo the weapon has (which is drained at a variable rate by the auto and burst settings). Range remains unchanged from standard D&D's. Recoil is the force of the weapon's kickback. Each time you fire this weapon (after the first shot), your attacks with the weapon suffer the recoil penalty. The penalty is non cumulative with itself, but does stack with other penalties. Recoil penalties end when the user spends a move action to steady the weapon (or if the user doesn't fire the weapon for a round). Recoil is also affected by a character's strength. A weapon's recoil penalty is reduced by an amount equal to a character's strength modifier. There are also weapon mods and attachments, etc, that can reduce recoil. The armor piercing weapon ability represents this weapon's ability to ignore armor. It does this in two ways; the weapon ignores 1 AC and also ignores 1 point of typeless damage reduction for each '1' Armor piercing. Damage is adjusted by the type of ammunition loaded. Ammo can add a variety of properties to a weapon, and characters may carry different types of ammunition for different situations. Here's a couple sample ammunition types for the c-14 listed above; 8mm ammo examples -8mm Standard Rounds: Damage: 1d6 -8mm Armor-Piercing Spike rounds: Damage: 1d6, Armor Piercing +1 -8mm Neo Steel rounds: Damage: 1d8, Armor Piercing +2 -8mm U-238 rounds: Damage: 1d6, Range increased by 5/10 -8mm Hallow-point rounds: Damage: 1d8, -1 Armor Piercing, Extra Critical (1d10) Obviously ammo will be limited based on availability and cost (neo steel here being something to be used likely by late paragon characters).
#7 oatsmalone Jan 12, 2009 14:47:26	I'm working on making a space-based version of 4th Edition using the Mass Effect universe (with some modifications to allow for melee-based classes, but most of them are cosmetic). One of the biggest things that I've faced in trying to introduce guns is that, well, they're very powerful and cool weapons, and in introducing them, I'm expecting the game to shift in a ranged direction. That obviously changes how defenders operate. If guns are going to be a big thing, you may want to consider ensuring that defenders can mark at a distance and have the means to fulfill their role in a fire-fight situation.
#8 lumovanis Jan 13, 2009 1:57:23	Yea the ranged protector has created some interesting mechanic issues as well. Even melee protectors need some adjustments in a range-heavy setting. My solution so far using an example protector from each species from my setting; Marine (Terran) : Ranged protector, with a few leader qualities. Has a mark power similar to the fighter's. It triggers when the enemy makes an attack against an ally of yours within 5 squares that doesn't include you, or when the target would shift away from you while adjacent. Zealot (Protoss) : Melee protector. Mark used as a minor action like the paladin's. Triggers when the marked foe makes an attack that doesn't include you as a target and when the foe would shift away from you while adjacent. Causes you to shift then make a basic melee attack against the target as a reaction (not interrupt). Hydralisk (Zerg) : Ranged/Melee hybrid protector. Mark used as a minor action similar to the paladin's. Triggers when the enemy moves or shifts away from you (not just being adjacent). You make a ranged basic attack or shift once and make a melee basic attack against the target. Drawback of this one is that it doesn't trigger on attacks against allies, simply punishes foes running away from the hydralisk. Just some thoughts on tanking in a futuristic environment.
#9 oatsmalone Jan 13, 2009 8:59:17	The way I've worked it out for my soldier class is by offering a ranged and melee style instead of specific weapon styles. Choosing a style grants a +1 to either ranged or melee attacks; moreover, both types of fighters automatically have the ability to mark their opponents and make opportunity attacks against marked opponents if they attack someone else within their range. The melee soldier gains stickiness, with the normal 4th Ed fighter ability to opportunity attack when an adjacent enemy shifts. The ranged soldier gains flexibility, specifically in the form of a basic melee attack performed with the butt of their gun with which they can make attacks of opportunity, dealing 1d6 + Strength modifier damage. I haven't yet worked on my other defender class (enforcer), and I don't know how I'm going to address the ranged problem with it.
#10 AnimeSniper Jan 16, 2009 22:25:40	I've been working on a campaign where humans have advanced their Science/Technology to PL6 Fusion and several of the D&D races have left to colonize other worlds leaving earth to humans... some space ships will be involved and the planes still exist thou mostly its a 'you don't call us and all will be fine' type feel with the entential aberration crossing over to cause havoc I will be using the Weapon Locker, Future, and a few other to run this for the modern weaponry that man creates... I even have a bugbear with a Minigun as an encounter...:D
#11 Daybreaker Jan 17, 2009 5:33:09	Thank you guys for the excellent ideas. I like the idea that handguns don't provoke opportunity attacks just for being ranged. That makes total sense. Autofire, and multiple shots in general, I think I'll keep simple, and crib somewhat from Shadowrun. Ballistics weapons (ones that use bullets and potentially suffer from recoil) get a -1 to the attack roll for every extra bullet they fire, and a +2 to damage for every bullet fired at a particular target. Energy weapons will get the bonus to damage but not the negative to attack rolls (no recoil). Recoil compensation will be available (and standard in some weapons), but I think I'll limit it to 2 points of compensation, meaning that a tricked-out gun could fire a three-shot burst with no penalty to the attack roll and a +6 to damage, which feels ... acceptable? Defenders at range should, indeed, make things interesting. But, looking at the mechanics for the three classes (fighter, paladin, swordmage), I'm thinking that just no tweaks will be necessary, as long as I include some cool melee weapons for them to use. Fighters should be the least affected, as their marking power works at range (and should actually work great with multi-shot weapons, right?). Paladins and swordmagi rely more on melee, but that just makes them the Jedi of the setting, which is what I want them to be. What kind of feat should you have to burn, if any, to use ballistics and energy weapons? Maybe I can just try to make the weapons available at about the level when magic weapons of similar power would also be available ... hmmm ... that makes me wonder if it's possible to engineer one of Lumovani's C-14 Impaler Rifles from a crossbow with the right "magical" upgrades ... worth looking into ... Sorry I'm not quick (or thorough) with responses. I've read all the posts thus far and found useful things everywhere. Keep posting!
#12 AnimeSniper Jan 17, 2009 16:22:54	A Houserule for AoO that I think I will use will only apply to those using Longarms i.e. Sniper rifles when they are discovered by enemies within Melee range or other snipers and haven't noticed while attacking someone else...
#13 yellowdingo Jan 19, 2009 18:27:51	One of the biggest things that I've faced in trying to introduce guns is that, well, they're very powerful and cool weapons, and in introducing them, I'm expecting the game to shift in a ranged direction. You mean like this?: He heard the distant thunder first. Farmo Jarno looked up at the Freighter that was descending through the clouds overhead and in a single motion lifted the Laser Rifle from his shoulder. What was it six miles out? The Rifle surged and the beam struck the USS George Bush along its starboard fuel cells causing them to burst in a hydrogen shockwave that threw Jarno to the ground. "Yee ha! Die you Bastard." Jarno struggled to his feet. Above him the fragments of the Freighter rained down across the surface of the small moon.