D&D 4E Firearms for the 4E Game (Contributions Welcome)

[CleverNickName]

The thing is, I like firearms in my games. I like dwarven footsoldiers to carry hand-cannons onto the battlefield instead of battle-axes. I like my pirates to use pistol and cutlass instead of hand crossbows and rapiers. That sort of thing. So when/if I start up a 4E campaign, I would like these noble, historic, and badass weapons to be there for me and my players.

I banged these out in a fit of inspiration last night, and would like some constructive criticism. Since we know so little about weapons at the moment, there are a lot of assumptions:

I am assuming that firearms are "simple" weapons. After all, the fact that common peasants could be taught to use them in just a few days is the main reason why they replaced the longbow, which took months or years to master. Historically-speaking, anyway. But I'm not trying to teach a history lesson here; if it needs changing, I can change it.

I invented the category for these weapons ("projectile"), even though I have no indication that such a category exists. I couldn't exactly call them "picks" or "light blades," and I had to call them something, so...well, this was the best I could do.

The "three standard actions" reload time and "provokes attacks of opportunity" are holdovers from 3E, and I'm not sure how mechanically sound they will be in 4E. Feedback would be awesome...this is the part that I am most shaky on. If Wikipedia is to be believed, a highly-trained soldier still needs more than one full minute to reload a muzzle-loading weapon...I am trying to replicate that here to some extent, without getting too deep into the "simulationist" quagmire.

This is what I've got so far.

[SBLOCK=Firearms For 4E]Bayonet
(Military Melee Weapon)
Proficency: 2
Damage:[/B] 1d8
Range: --
Cost: 5 gp
Weight: 2 lb.
Category: Spear?
Properties: two-handed, high crit

Bayonets may be fastened onto muskets only. They require some degree of training to use beyond that of a simple spear; thus they are considered Military weapons.


Blunderbuss
(Simple Ranged Weapon)
Proficency: 2
Damage: 1d10
Range: 10/20
Cost: 100 gp
Weight: 10 lb.
Category: Projectile?
Properties: two-handed, load 2 standard actions

This is a large musket with a flared, trumpet-like end and a flintlock or wheel-lock firing mechanism. The predecessor of the modern shotgun, it is designed to fire powder and pellets. The flared end makes it easier to reload than muskets: reloading a blunderbuss requires two standard actions. Reloading a blunderbuss draws attacks of opportunity.


Musket, Hv.
(Simple Ranged Weapon)
Proficency: 2
Damage: 1d12
Range: 15/30
Cost: 100 gp
Weight: 12 lb.
Category: Projectile?
Properties: two-handed, load 3 standard actions

This is a historical flintlock or wheel-lock musket with a long barrel, common in Europe during the 15th century. It fires lead or silver bullets, and can be fitted with a bayonet. Reloading any musket requires three standard actions. Reloading a musket draws attacks of opportunity.


Musket, Lt.
(Simple Ranged Weapon)
Proficency: 2
Damage: 1d8
Range: 12/24
Cost: 100 gp
Weight: 6 lb.
Category: Projectile?
Properties: load 3 standard actions

This is a historical flintlock or wheel-lock musket, common from the Middle Ages through the Renaissance. Like its larger version, it fires lead or silver bullets and can be fitted with a bayonet, but is small enough to be held in one hand. Reloading any musket requires three standard actions, and draws attacks of opportunity.


Ammunition

Powder and shot (for musket)
Quantitiy: 10 rounds
Cost: 3 gp
Weight: 1 lb.

Powder and pellets (for blunderbuss)
Quantity: 10 rounds
Cost: 2 gp
Weight: 1 lb.

Silver bullets
Quantity: 10 round
Cost: 10 gp
Weight: 1 lb.[/SBLOCK]
EDIT: I've incorporated a lot of your comments (thanks again, by the way...this is awesome stuff), and rewrote my first set of stats.

They are still "simple" weapons.

Instead of making them projectiles, they are bludgeoning or piercing weapons with a per-encounter ability. Cleaner and easier to run in-game, and solves the reload time issue.

Check out the latest rendition:

[SBLOCK=Firearms for 4E: Reloaded](Get it? Reloaded! Har har...heh...hm.) ::crickets::

Blunderbuss
(Simple Melee Weapon)
Proficency: 1
Cost: 100 gp
Weight: 10 lb.
Category: ?Club
Properties: two-handed

This is a large musket with a flared, trumpet-like muzzle and a flintlock or wheel-lock firing mechanism. The predecessor of the modern shotgun, it is designed to fire many tiny pellets rather than a single bullet. The flared end makes it easier to reload than a musket, but prevents it from being fitted with a bayonet.

Slam (standard; at-will)
Melee vs. AC; 2d4 bludgeoning

Discharge (standard; encounter)
Range 10; range vs. AC; target up to 2 adjacent foes; 2d6 + Dex piercing damage.


Musket, Heavy
(Simple Melee Weapon)
Proficency: 3
Cost: 100 gp
Weight: 12 lb.
Category: ?Spear/Club
Properties: two-handed

These stats are used for a wide variety of flintlock or wheel-lock muskets with a long barrel, wooden stock, and brass fittings. It fires lead or silver bullets, and comes fitted with a long, spiked bayonet near the muzzle.

Slam (standard; at-will)
Melee vs. AC; 1d8 piercing (with bayonet) or 2d4 bludgeoning

Discharge (standard; encounter)
Range 10; range vs. AC; 2d8 + Dex piercing damage and the target is pushed back 1 square.


Musket, Light
(Simple Melee Weapon)
Proficency: 3
Cost: 100 gp
Weight: 6 lb.
Category: ?Light blade/Club
Properties: High crit

These stats are for any flintlock or wheel-lock musket with a short barrel and curved wooden grip, that is designed to be held and fired with one hand. Like its larger version, it fires lead or silver bullets and is fitted with a dagger-sized blade near the muzzle.

Slam (standard; at-will)
Melee vs. AC; 1d4 piercing (with bayonet) or 1d4 bludgeoning

Discharge (standard; encounter)
Range 10; range vs. AC; 2d6 + Dex piercing damage and the target is pushed back 1 square.


Ammunition

Powder and shot (for muskets)
10 rounds cost 3 gp and weigh 1 lb.

Powder and pellets (for blunderbuss)
10 rounds cost 2 gp and weigh 1 lb.

Silver bullets (for muskets)
10 rounds cost 10 gp and weigh 1 lb.[/SBLOCK]

 

[Scrollreader]

How reliable/quick etc do you want them to be, in your games?

I'm going for a three musketeers/phoenix guards/PotC feel for mine, so they'll just be encounter power 'magic items'. I like the initial exchange of fire, but for things to be decided by swords. YMMV, of course.

 

[Fallen Seraph]

I am having a hard time figuring out how to do firearms for my game as well. Especially since, they are; revolvers, shotguns, carbines, rifles and repeating rifles. So got to figure out weapons that can fire rapidly, have spread fire, and finally long distance/precise aim.

 

[CleverNickName]

How reliable/quick etc do you want them to be, in your games?

I'm going for a three musketeers/phoenix guards/PotC feel for mine, so they'll just be encounter power 'magic items'. I like the initial exchange of fire, but for things to be decided by swords. YMMV, of course.

I'd like them to be fairly reliable, but not so quick on the reload. Like you said, I want a good initial exchange of fire at the start of battle, then the old stock-and-blade action of bayonet combat to finish the encounter.

Others might want a different feel, though, so it would probably be best to figure out how to have it both ways (low reliability and rapid reloading, for example). Feats, perhaps? Maybe masterworked weapons are more reliable? Do MW weapons even exist in 4E?

 

[CleverNickName]

I am having a hard time figuring out how to do firearms for my game as well. Especially since, they are; revolvers, shotguns, carbines, rifles and repeating rifles. So got to figure out weapons that can fire rapidly, have spread fire, and finally long distance/precise aim.

OoooOoh, spread fire. That would be perfect for the blunderbuss. So maybe a cone effect, range 6? (fervently types notes into Word)

 

[Dark080matter]

OoooOoh, spread fire. That would be perfect for the blunderbuss. So maybe a cone effect, range 6? (fervently types notes into Word)

Another thing you could do is just increase the Proficiency bonus for the Blunderbuss (not as much need for a precise aim, but shorter ranged to compensate) and maybe add an effect along the lines of:

Secondary Attack: On a hit, choose one target adjacent to your primary target.

And make that either a second attack roll or a limited amount of free damage (like a 1x Encounter ranged Cleave, I suppose). Just an idea because Spread (or Burst now I suppose) attacks are... sometimes a bit much for an item anybody can use.

 

[SlagMortar]

I'd suggest making firearms a club that does 1d4 damage and grants an per-encounter power that does X and is balanced against a similar power on the Wizard or Warlock list.

Maybe also add a feet that allows some sort of recovery of the per-encounter power for spending an action.

Edit: I 'scrolled' over ScrollReader's post too quickly, I see.

 

[Aust Diamondew]

I think you could safely increase the damage a little bit, given their slow reload time. As has been stated these are essentially a 'per encounter' ability.
So perhaps they should deal damage about equal to a typical weapon's base damage x2.
Proably a little less since they're a piece of equipment.

For instance, the longbow appears to do 1d10 in 4e (if I recall) so the heavy musket would be safe dealing 2d8 I think. 2d8 is a little less than twice the long bow's damage.

On the otherhand I could be way off.

 

[Rabbitbait]

I like how you have the long reload time. With those sort of old firearms people did tend to have the one shot and then draw their swords.

However I think they should have something 'special' to make up for the long reload time. Possibly if you hit an enemy they are pushed 1 square back.

 

[GoodKingJayIII]

Unless you want to get real specific on the types of firearms, just drop light/heavy crossbows and use their stats for pistols/longarms.