Firearms Preview

Morrus · Jun 12, 2011

This preview contains an extract from the ZEITGEIST Player's Guide, introducing firearms to the game. We hope you enjoy it!

ZEITGEIST will be here very soon, I promise! Hopefully these previews (and the nine character themes in another thread) will help satiate your appetite a little in the meantime.

As with the theme previews, I put these together myself, so they're not as pretty as the stuff done by our layout artist. And, as with the themes, these are previews based on the near-final manuscript, so there may be some minor differences in the final Player's Guide.

This is the D&D 4E version. There is, of course, a Pathfinder RPG equivalent.

john112364 · Jun 12, 2011

I like the preview. There are some definite plusses to having a gun, without overshadowing other weapons. Basically shoot 'em then draw your real weapon. Good job of balancing.

Colmarr · Jun 13, 2011

I still think these are probably the best firearms rules for D&D (of any edition) that I've seen. They make them worthwhile but not overpowered.

But load standard wasn't enough. Now they're load 2?

Mock outrage aside, I don't think there's much of a practical difference between the two. Whether it's load standard or load 2, it still equates to one shot per encounter unless you're carrying more than one weapon.

It has more relevance to NPCs (wink wink) than PCs, unless you don't apply the same reload rules to them.

Morrus · Jun 13, 2011

Colmarr said:
I still think these are probably the best firearms rules for D&D (of any edition) that I've seen. They make them worthwhile but not overpowered.

But load standard wasn't enough. Now they're load 2?

Mock outrage aside, I don't think there's much of a practical difference between the two. Whether it's load standard or load 2, it still equates to one shot per encounter unless you're carrying more than one weapon.

It has more relevance to NPCs (wink wink) than PCs, unless you don't apply the same reload rules to them.

Bear in mind the preview doesn't include feats.

Colmarr · Jun 13, 2011

Morrus said:
Bear in mind the preview doesn't include feats.

Assuming they're the same as the feats RangerWickett posted about as part of his firearms teaser a few weeks ago, I'm aware of them. And they form part of why I consider this "probably the best firearms rules for D&D (of any edition) that I've seen".

I wasn't objecting to load 2. It fits well with what is actually involved in loading a firearm of that type. I was getting in first to point out that there is little practical difference between load standard and load 2. Attempting either is a poor use of standard actions, and is unlikely to come up that often for PCs.

It's more of an issue for NPCs, particularly if a firearm is their primary weapon (and I can think of one in particular in the first adventure).

Unless, of course, they get either a special dispensation from the reloading rules, or a bandolier filled with loaded firearms.

RangerWickett · Jun 13, 2011

actually, I think Russ is using an older file for these previews. I changed it to load standard for Colmarrs reason.

LightPhoenix · Jun 13, 2011

Colmarr said:
Unless, of course, they get either a special dispensation from the reloading rules, or a bandolier filled with loaded firearms.

Fire until it's empty, drop it, draw a new one.

Riastlin · Jun 13, 2011

Thanks for the preview! As I've mentioned earlier, I've been toying with the idea of bringing firearms into my next D&D campaign, but have been wrestling with the balance issues. These are certainly a very good start and I will be looking forward to seeing the full set. Though I seem to have missed the other firearms preview.

Cellowyn · Jun 14, 2011

Morrus said:
This preview contains an extract from the ZEITGEIST Player's Guide, introducing firearms to the game. We hope you enjoy it!

ZEITGEIST will be here very soon, I promise! Hopefully these previews (and the nine character themes in another thread) will help satiate your appetite a little in the meantime.

As with the theme previews, I put these together myself, so they're not as pretty as the stuff done by our layout artist. And, as with the themes, these are previews based on the near-final manuscript, so there may be some minor differences in the final Player's Guide.

This is the D&D 4E version. There is, of course, a Pathfinder RPG equivalent.

When will the PFRPG version be released for us to drool over?