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Firearms.

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
zombiegleemax
Jul 15, 2007 11:30:54 I have a friend that wants to start using firearms in her campaign but we need to know what are the statistics for firearms? And I don't mean damage and such but rather what happenes when someone rolls a critical failure with one and so forth.
#2
zombiegleemax
Jul 15, 2007 18:58:52 I thought this was covered in the DMG or PH. Been a while since I looked at that section. IIRC, bad things happen but don't know what exactly.
#3
Shiftkitty
Jul 15, 2007 22:04:37 It's in the DMG. I've used firearms in my campaign for a long time now, but I keep them very hard to get hold of so as not to destroy game balance.
#4
extempus
Jul 16, 2007 3:18:11 We've used them rarely, and usually in emergency situations. Offensive spells are far more destructive than firearms anyway...
#5
Shiftkitty
Jul 16, 2007 9:37:09 One thing I remember reading back in the TSR era. It went something like this:

Q: In a world with people who can cast Magic Missiles and Fireballs, who needs firearms?

A: People who can't cast Magic Missiles and Fireballs.

Firearms are great on the surface, but I let one character make a small, handheld rapid fire almost a mini Gatling gun. He insisted that his character would know all about how to make one, have the materials, the funds, etc. He pouted enough so I let him have his way. First time he fired it in a dungeon where I had already described the jagged stone walls, it was riccochet city! I expected yipes about how I wasn't being fair, but it ended up being a fun game instead with the whole party diving for cover, orcs freaked out of their minds, and general pandemonium, which is what they called the gun; the Pandemonium Device.
#6
waylander39
Jul 16, 2007 14:15:51 In addition to the DMG, it's worth hunting down a copy of the Mighty Fortress historical setting, as it covers firearms in some detail along with some good ideas for putting it in your campaign.
#7
rubermavors
Jul 17, 2007 9:18:18 the spelljammer campaign setting also has a lot of information on the use of different types of firearms including a type of pistol. i believe that a critical fumble causes the device to backfire causing damage to the user and fouling the gun which takes a few rounds to clean.
#8
zombiegleemax
Jul 29, 2007 1:04:30 Lots and lots of firearms stats if you know where to look. I draw from "A Mighty Fortress", "Masque of the Red Death", and Gamma World 4th Edition for my campaigns.
#9
zombiegleemax
Aug 17, 2007 0:41:35 I played with firearms a lot and even had a character play a Gunmage (outrageous!). Combat and Tactics is the best sourcebook for all that stuff. Guns are cool when used sparingly or if a player's PC is a Giff. They are also cool if you are playing in a Spelljammer or Pirates campaign. Just make gunpowder or smokepowder hard to get a hold of and that will keep your players from becoming too trigger happy.
Critical Failures were based on the type of the gun. Arbequeses backfire on a roll of 1 or 2, doing damage to the wielder and fouling the barrell. While the more high tech flintlock is safer and fouls only on a 1. There can also be hangfires where the powder ignites 1 to 4 rounds after the trigger is pulled, your mechanisim can break, or other nasty things can happen.
Open ended damage is worth it. Everytime you hit, there is a 25% chance of getting to roll another damage die, and another, and another....
#10
zombiegleemax
Aug 22, 2007 18:31:37
In addition to the DMG, it's worth hunting down a copy of the Mighty Fortress historical setting, as it covers firearms in some detail along with some good ideas for putting it in your campaign.

Mighty Fortress is my preferred firearm reference for 2nd edition as well, its a great and detailed book! Word of warning, the firearms are a little more powerful in that printing with the open ended damage mechanics.
#11
elondir
Aug 28, 2007 8:09:19 Savage Coast had a few guns in it too IIRC.
#12
Shiftkitty
Aug 28, 2007 14:11:59 Was that the one with the funky red metal?
#13
elondir
Aug 29, 2007 12:20:13 Yeah and it's free somewhere on the wizards website.
#14
Shiftkitty
Aug 29, 2007 14:26:04 I've got the books, but that's all. Any maps are long gone (or else in one of the boxes in the garage), and the CD that came with it has also vanished.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 zombiegleemax Jul 15, 2007 11:30:54	I have a friend that wants to start using firearms in her campaign but we need to know what are the statistics for firearms? And I don't mean damage and such but rather what happenes when someone rolls a critical failure with one and so forth.
#2 zombiegleemax Jul 15, 2007 18:58:52	I thought this was covered in the DMG or PH. Been a while since I looked at that section. IIRC, bad things happen but don't know what exactly.
#3 Shiftkitty Jul 15, 2007 22:04:37	It's in the DMG. I've used firearms in my campaign for a long time now, but I keep them very hard to get hold of so as not to destroy game balance.
#4 extempus Jul 16, 2007 3:18:11	We've used them rarely, and usually in emergency situations. Offensive spells are far more destructive than firearms anyway...
#5 Shiftkitty Jul 16, 2007 9:37:09	One thing I remember reading back in the TSR era. It went something like this: Q: In a world with people who can cast Magic Missiles and Fireballs, who needs firearms? A: People who can't cast Magic Missiles and Fireballs. Firearms are great on the surface, but I let one character make a small, handheld rapid fire almost a mini Gatling gun. He insisted that his character would know all about how to make one, have the materials, the funds, etc. He pouted enough so I let him have his way. First time he fired it in a dungeon where I had already described the jagged stone walls, it was riccochet city! I expected yipes about how I wasn't being fair, but it ended up being a fun game instead with the whole party diving for cover, orcs freaked out of their minds, and general pandemonium, which is what they called the gun; the Pandemonium Device.
#6 waylander39 Jul 16, 2007 14:15:51	In addition to the DMG, it's worth hunting down a copy of the Mighty Fortress historical setting, as it covers firearms in some detail along with some good ideas for putting it in your campaign.
#7 rubermavors Jul 17, 2007 9:18:18	the spelljammer campaign setting also has a lot of information on the use of different types of firearms including a type of pistol. i believe that a critical fumble causes the device to backfire causing damage to the user and fouling the gun which takes a few rounds to clean.
#8 zombiegleemax Jul 29, 2007 1:04:30	Lots and lots of firearms stats if you know where to look. I draw from "A Mighty Fortress", "Masque of the Red Death", and Gamma World 4th Edition for my campaigns.
#9 zombiegleemax Aug 17, 2007 0:41:35	I played with firearms a lot and even had a character play a Gunmage (outrageous!). Combat and Tactics is the best sourcebook for all that stuff. Guns are cool when used sparingly or if a player's PC is a Giff. They are also cool if you are playing in a Spelljammer or Pirates campaign. Just make gunpowder or smokepowder hard to get a hold of and that will keep your players from becoming too trigger happy. Critical Failures were based on the type of the gun. Arbequeses backfire on a roll of 1 or 2, doing damage to the wielder and fouling the barrell. While the more high tech flintlock is safer and fouls only on a 1. There can also be hangfires where the powder ignites 1 to 4 rounds after the trigger is pulled, your mechanisim can break, or other nasty things can happen. Open ended damage is worth it. Everytime you hit, there is a 25% chance of getting to roll another damage die, and another, and another....
#10 zombiegleemax Aug 22, 2007 18:31:37	In addition to the DMG, it's worth hunting down a copy of the Mighty Fortress historical setting, as it covers firearms in some detail along with some good ideas for putting it in your campaign. Mighty Fortress is my preferred firearm reference for 2nd edition as well, its a great and detailed book! Word of warning, the firearms are a little more powerful in that printing with the open ended damage mechanics.
#11 elondir Aug 28, 2007 8:09:19	Savage Coast had a few guns in it too IIRC.
#12 Shiftkitty Aug 28, 2007 14:11:59	Was that the one with the funky red metal?
#13 elondir Aug 29, 2007 12:20:13	Yeah and it's free somewhere on the wizards website.
#14 Shiftkitty Aug 29, 2007 14:26:04	I've got the books, but that's all. Any maps are long gone (or else in one of the boxes in the garage), and the CD that came with it has also vanished.