I keep meaning to update but life keeps getting in my way! Scheduling conflicts and sinus infections abounding! GAh!
Quick question: Why do some of the melee weapons like the Ripper have the "load free" property? That seems like a useless property as they don't have anything to load.
Also, I'd be interested in seeing how you'd see
Bolt weapons or
Melta weapons working under your system.
The glow rod has the property because it has the Alt Fire[Taze] property. So, unless the alt fire has just been used (requiring a minor to Reload) it's load free.
As for the ripper and lacerator.... hmm... that's a good question Illathid. I suppose it's to reflect the fact that they DO require ammunition (batteries) but it was never meant to bog down the combat mechanics. Of course, that's a fluff reason, so I suppose I'll just eliminate it. *edited*
The bolta/melta weapons may not actually be weapons, but alternative forms of ammunition. I'm currently working on a list of different types of ammunitions (bullets, laser modules, grenades, etc) that will change the damage type of the already existing weapons. That's not to say I can't come up with a custom weapon if you're interested. ^_^
Overall I like. I appreciate the effort, and I might actually get an opportunity to playtest them at some point. I would get rid of the 1d6 after every attack. It drags down combat by a split second (that adds up over time) and only makes sense for rapid-fire weapons anyway. I think you're better off just keeping track of ammo, or ignoring it all together.
First of all, thank you so much for your consideration! I'm always pleased to hear that others find my ideas useful!
Are you refering to the 'Empty 6' mechanic? That one was reserved for the heavy weapons which either had 1) a limited ammunition capacity as in the case of the grenade launcher or 2) HUGE ammunition capacity as in the case of the chain gun and flamer.
I felt these weapons represented two special cases:
On the one hand a typical grenade launcher has between 5 and 12 shots- so it didn't warrant a load standard or load minor (especially since you were using a minor to Reload). But at some point the weapon was going to require some extra action to reload.
Alternatively, the flamer and chain gun both hold an extraodinary ammount of ammo, but also use an indeterminate ammount per attack... which also justified NOT giving either a standard/minor load...but requires that extra time be spent to reload the weapon
at some point.
I felt the 'Empty 6' mechanic successfully represented both of these scenarios, while at the same time providing for that cinematic 'empty click' moment in action movies. It is these three, and only these 3 weapons (so far) that use this mechanic.
It's probably more fair to just count ammo (since you could theoretically run into a streak of 6's) but I just loathe that level of book keeping. I refuse to count bolts, arrows, sling stones, bullets, batteries, number of rounds or otherwise. This belief isn't helped by the fact that 4e has done away with durations in rounds, lending credence to this philosophy. ^_~
However, of the three weapons, I think perhaps only the chain gun and the flamer are the only weapons truly deserving of this mechanic. After all, how time consuming can it be to click in a new cylinder clip of grendades? And of course, if this mechanic is slowing down your game, then feel free to track the ammo differently. The 'rules' represented here are merely guides- you are of course welcome to use RULE #0 at any time.
As for you playtesting, that would be awesome! Please let me know if the overall mechanic (the Alt Fire[]/Reloading mechanic specifically) seems balanced! I'm eager to have that kind of feedback! Thanks! ^_^
... design weapons for civilizations tens of thousands of years down the line. Like, a society so advanced that compared to them we're cavemen throwing rocks at each other. A few ideas are:
*A device shaped like a paperclip... Useful for cutting holes in walls and people...
*Super-hot napalm that consumes anything, even metal
*A device that creates a microscopic black hole...
*And of course, armor that protects you against any of this.
I don't know, work with it if you feel like it. Believe it or not it would actually be useful for my campaign.
I'm currently working on a suite of alternative ammunitions and accessories, I'll keep these ideas in mind.
Sorry, I had to laugh. Neutrons are not charged particles. Lasers are not charged either, and they only behave like particles when you know their precise position.
LOL! A physicist/chemist/hard science major, I am NOT! I prefer literature and the soft sciences thank you! LMAO!
No, you are absolutely correct! It's the protons and electrons that are charged and clearly a weapon that fires neutrons cannot be a laser weapon. Coming up with a fluff description quickly can lead to these kind of flubs! I've changed it a little... see what you think!
I will say this though, there WAS a semi-scientific reason for choosing neutrons- they have the most mass of any of the sub atomic particles and seem most likely to cause physical trauma. Right? That's sciency-ish right? ^_^
Browsing through this, I really like what I see: you have a solid basis for something here, more so than any sci-fi 4e write-up I've read.
Thank you for the compliment and the feedback! ^_^
Some change to make it flow a little better:
Hit: Half[1w] damage and the target is slowed until the end of your next turn. If target is already slowed, target is dazed instead. If target is already dazed, target goes unconscious (save ends).
This is definitely a possibility for Taze. I like the continuity of this description, especially since it is also represented several times in the Monster Manual. I had thought about it when I first conceptualized Taze, but honestly didn't like the first condition to be slow. Tazed people are not slow! They are paralyzed! (lol)
Hmm...maybe immobilize would be better as the first status condition?
Also, more things should expand the minor action to force the player to really think strategically with how they use their minor (or converting their move):
*Guns that have high proficiency... instead of giving that high prof in the stat, leave it at +2 and give it a property.
Careful Aim: Minor Action
You gain a +1 power bonus to attack with this weapon for the first attack you make with it, before the end of your next turn.
*Stabilizing... for Long Burst, Spray, or Burst add this: after use, receive a -2 to hit with this weapon until a minor action is used to stabilize.
*Range Finding: Minor Action
You increase the range of this weapon by 5 squares for the first attack you make with it, before the end of your next turn.
*Aim Assist: Minor Action
This weapon gains the Brutal 1 property for the first attack you make with it, before the end of your next turn.
Firstly, I think you are right to add more options that capitalized on using Minor actions to make the decision for the characters even more meaningful. I totally agree with that sentiment.
However, my gut feeling with the majority of these suggestions is that they ought NOT be weapon properties. Maybe they could be options unlocked by accessories? This seems especially true for the Range Finding and Aim Assist abilities... can't you see these abilities as part of a laser guidance system on a rocket launcher? Or maybe as a attachments to a sniper rifle?
Careful Aim seems more like a new combat manuever honestly. Something between standing and prone, like:
-------------------------
CAREFUL AIM: MINOR ACTION
-
Drop into a crouch and draw a steady bead on your enemy.
CROUCH CONDITION:
- You gain a +1 bonus to ranged attack rolls.
- You grant combat advantage to enemies making melee attacks against you.
- You get a +1 bonus to all defenses against ranged attacks from nonadjacent enemies.
- You’re kneeling on the ground. (If you’re flying, you safely descend a distance equal to your fly speed. If you don’t reach the ground, you fall.)
- You take a –1 penalty to melee attack rolls.
- You are slowed.
- You can standup as a minor action.
- You can crouch as a minor action.
Stabilizing is actually a really interesting concept. I feel like it goes REALLY well with some of the weapons, but having to both reload AND stabilize seems like too much of a penalty... unless I rewrote long burst, spray and burst like you say...I will definitely be thinking this one over.
As for the suggestion to knock down the weapon proficiencies, I'm sorry to say but I strongly disagree. I don't think it's fair to have an entire suite of weapons that only go up to +2. It's unlike any other weapon group already printed. I already took the high prof into account when I wrote these weapons- those with high prof typically lack the variety of extra powers that the other weapons have... and I think that's a good balance. Of course, if you happen to playtest, try it out for yourself and let me know what you think then. ^_^
Also, some of the Weapon Properties are way powerful. Spray should be the only one that counts as a ranged basic. Spray can be buffed a little more: make the secondary attack autohit.
I'm not really sure what you mean here. If you feel like the weapon properties are really powerful, why do you think Spray needs to be improved? Do items like Bracers of Perfect Shot make you wary of the ranged basic quality? Please elaborate. ^_^