Comments on: Follow-up: D&D 4th Edition Firearms

By: Erik1979

Erik1979 — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 02:04:34 +0000

Can’t say I like the idea of using guns as an encounter power. Because ultimately there is no good reason that you couldn’t drop enough gold and essentially buy three or four of those encounter powers and carry them on you. Also no good reason that you couldn’t re-use that encounter power if you get an opportunity in combat to reload… UNLESS you make the guns somehow inherently magical and only able to be used once before recharging for several minutes or something to that effect.

By: Argent

Argent — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 21:52:33 +0000

I think you have the power about right, but I don't think it should be a PC power. I would create a new category – essentially like a Magic Item – Tech Item or something similar.

Thus a Pistol would be something like a Level 2 Tech Item with an encounter power more or less exactly as you have written. There should also be a risk of misfire, say 1 in 3 as these weapons, particularly with the primitive matchlock weapons. More effective, or higher damage weapons, would be higher level Tech Items.

I would allow anybody to use the item, but offer feats for Black Powder weapon proficiency, which would improve the likelihood of hitting and reduce the chance of a misfire.

Using this mechanic would mean you do not have to create an encounter power for every class. It would also enable Edward Teach to enter combat with 4 pistols, and be every bit as scary as he was in real life.
.-= Argent´s last blog ..Handling a Major Battle in 4e Part 2 =-.

By: Stargazer

Stargazer — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 14:57:04 +0000

@greywulf: Maybe. But I don't think I will develop that idea any further. After all I don't play D&D 4th Edition right now, but I thought some people might like Perfidius' idea and expand on it.

By: greywulf

greywulf — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 14:51:24 +0000

I like!

I suggest that you make the Attack roll DEX vs. Fort – Black Powder weapons did, after all, make armour all but obsolete and include a certain amount of risk. Something like this, maybe:

Miss: If you miss and rolled a Natural 1, take 2d10 damage.
.-= greywulf´s last blog ..Everything you need to know about Skill Challenges but were afraid to ask =-.

By: Stargazer

Stargazer — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 14:07:51 +0000

The easiest way to handle this would just to assume that the pistol is reloaded while resting, so that you can use it again on the next encounter.

By: Wyatt

Wyatt — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 14:03:45 +0000

Ah ha, there we go! And yeah, I do like the idea of it being an encounter power. There should be a way to reload maybe, if so inclined. Perhaps a feat, and it takes a standard action to reload it, and you can only do so once per encounter? Maybe an encounter utility power to reload? Either way, I find this is better than some other interpretations (one that I've seen and didn't like was making guns only work on Basic attacks, but having hideous gross damage like 4d6.) .-= Wyatt´s last blog ..Monsters of Eden: Introduction =-.

By: Stargazer

Stargazer — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 12:49:02 +0000

@Wyatt: Huh! That Dexterity vs Reflex line was meant to be in. I don't know how it got lost. I now made a few changes and reuploaded the image.

By: Wyatt

Wyatt — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 12:37:32 +0000

That gun is hideously broken, aside from not having an Attack line and so not being able to actually use it. Make the daze end at the end of your next turn, and it falls right back into line with the rest of the game. And add a "Dexterity vs Reflex" line. .-= Wyatt´s last blog ..Monsters of Eden: Introduction =-.