Gun Rules (Campaign Specific) - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Gun Rules (Campaign Specific)

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
urpriest
May 08, 2010 11:13:56 I've been putting together some gun rules for an ancient Egypt style setting. Gnomes in the setting are time-traveling steampunk archaeologists, and as such have guns. Here are the rules I'm thinking of:

Gun proficiency is available to gnomes only.
Gun proficiency takes a multiclass feat: Guns are intended to be powerful, hopefully on a similar power level to the other weapon multiclass feats. The feat may require Dex 13.
Gun damage, proficiency, and range is as a superior crossbow.
Guns are intended to be magically powered revolvers, and as such have reload free, require no ammunition, and have the off-hand property.
Guns are always magic weapons. You cannot get a nonmagical gun. This also stops me from needing to make a price for a mundane gun.
Guns count as hand crossbows for all feats, powers, and class features.

While these rules are powerful, I'm hoping that they aren't broken, and the restrictions of gnome only and a multiclass feat should keep their cost appropriate. This is partially intended to make gnome rangers and ranged rogues interesting despite the lack of a dexterity bonus, as I see both classes as being good material for adventurer-archaeologists. I'm aware that this also makes gnome artificers and ranged bards more powerful, but I don't think it makes them brokenly so. I also considered giving the guns sling properties as well, but I think I want to save those to make blowguns more interesting for certain other races in the setting.
#2
mplindustries
May 08, 2010 16:52:43 When I ran a wild-westernized D&D game, I just turned all the crossbows into guns. Revolvers were Millitary Ranged weapons and had the stats of either the Hand Crossbow or the regular Crossbow depending on size and preference. Superior Crossbows became Rifles and still required Superior proficiency.

I think I may have made all guns High Crit as well, because I upgraded the smaller crossbows to millitary, and I wanted the Rifle to be actually superior to the Greatbow.

I even created a couple of bayonet feats, so the Rifle could be used as a Greatsword in melee, and a double weapon version in which it counted as a longsword and an off-handed club.

Actually, I also made some changes to the Paladin and Fighter at-wills/punishment features, and created a feat for the Divine classes that gave them proficiency in Revolvers and allowed guns to be used as Holy Symbols, because I liked the idea of Divine Justice being meted out by guns.

Anyway, long story short, it worked fine, and I don't think what you're doing would cause any mechanical problems.

My only objection is that I don't like gnomes.
#3
Bandikoot
May 08, 2010 18:16:12 As long as you are basing gun stats off of the existing rules for ranged weapons, then you should not run into any major balance issues. The only thing that would annoy me as a player would be how they are restricted to one race.
#4
urpriest
May 08, 2010 23:13:34 In a general campaign I could see gnome only as being overly restrictive, but in this case the setting can't work any other way. The gnomes refuse to show non-gnomes how to use guns because they (rightly) fear that it could rewrite history.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 urpriest May 08, 2010 11:13:56	I've been putting together some gun rules for an ancient Egypt style setting. Gnomes in the setting are time-traveling steampunk archaeologists, and as such have guns. Here are the rules I'm thinking of: Gun proficiency is available to gnomes only. Gun proficiency takes a multiclass feat: Guns are intended to be powerful, hopefully on a similar power level to the other weapon multiclass feats. The feat may require Dex 13. Gun damage, proficiency, and range is as a superior crossbow. Guns are intended to be magically powered revolvers, and as such have reload free, require no ammunition, and have the off-hand property. Guns are always magic weapons. You cannot get a nonmagical gun. This also stops me from needing to make a price for a mundane gun. Guns count as hand crossbows for all feats, powers, and class features. While these rules are powerful, I'm hoping that they aren't broken, and the restrictions of gnome only and a multiclass feat should keep their cost appropriate. This is partially intended to make gnome rangers and ranged rogues interesting despite the lack of a dexterity bonus, as I see both classes as being good material for adventurer-archaeologists. I'm aware that this also makes gnome artificers and ranged bards more powerful, but I don't think it makes them brokenly so. I also considered giving the guns sling properties as well, but I think I want to save those to make blowguns more interesting for certain other races in the setting.
#2 mplindustries May 08, 2010 16:52:43	When I ran a wild-westernized D&D game, I just turned all the crossbows into guns. Revolvers were Millitary Ranged weapons and had the stats of either the Hand Crossbow or the regular Crossbow depending on size and preference. Superior Crossbows became Rifles and still required Superior proficiency. I think I may have made all guns High Crit as well, because I upgraded the smaller crossbows to millitary, and I wanted the Rifle to be actually superior to the Greatbow. I even created a couple of bayonet feats, so the Rifle could be used as a Greatsword in melee, and a double weapon version in which it counted as a longsword and an off-handed club. Actually, I also made some changes to the Paladin and Fighter at-wills/punishment features, and created a feat for the Divine classes that gave them proficiency in Revolvers and allowed guns to be used as Holy Symbols, because I liked the idea of Divine Justice being meted out by guns. Anyway, long story short, it worked fine, and I don't think what you're doing would cause any mechanical problems. My only objection is that I don't like gnomes.
#3 Bandikoot May 08, 2010 18:16:12	As long as you are basing gun stats off of the existing rules for ranged weapons, then you should not run into any major balance issues. The only thing that would annoy me as a player would be how they are restricted to one race.
#4 urpriest May 08, 2010 23:13:34	In a general campaign I could see gnome only as being overly restrictive, but in this case the setting can't work any other way. The gnomes refuse to show non-gnomes how to use guns because they (rightly) fear that it could rewrite history.