4E DMG: No guns?!?

[Reynard]

I was flipping through my 3.0 DMG, rying to figure out which edition to run, when it suddenly occurred to me: the 4E DMG doesn't have (unless I'm missing something) any guns in it, by way of an "alternate base assumptions" section. Both 1E and 3.0 (I'll have to check my 3.5 DMG) had modern weapons and laser blasters, and the 2E DMG at least had reinnesance firearms.

It's a small thing, to be sure, but it's sort of a tradition.

BTW, if I'm wrong, please give me a page reference.

 

[Lord Xtheth]

You're right, there's no guns at all.

But then again, things were "held back" for DMG II, III, IV, etc.

 

[Verdande]

I understand the spirit of your complaint, but in an edition that, supposedly, broke so many other traditions, is there really any surprise they did away with weapons that I've never heard of anybody ever using?

 

[Fallen Seraph]

While, it isn't in the DMG. I wouldn't be surprised if they will appear in the Adventurer's Vault (most likely if they do appear there will be lots of good alternative rules and such for firearm-oriented D&D).

 

[thundershot]

That's funny, because I swear one of the tidbits we got last year for 4E was that gunpowder would be in the PHB as part of the default setting. Hopefully we see them soon. They should also put Giff in the same book, since they're the race most closely associated with guns.




Chris

 

[Shroomy]

While, it isn't in the DMG. I wouldn't be surprised if they will appear in the Adventurer's Vault (most likely if they do appear there will be lots of good alternative rules and such for firearm-oriented D&D).

Hmmm, I don't think so (something like an eternal wand is probably as close as you'll get), its probably something you'd see from a 3PP supplement or perhaps a Dragon article. I always felt that D&D modeled fire arms poorly and the current incarnation of the game seems to forgo elements that don't mesh with the current high fantasy trends.

 

[Reynard]

I understand the spirit of your complaint, but in an edition that, supposedly, broke so many other traditions, is there really any surprise they did away with weapons that I've never heard of anybody ever using?

Really? Never? You never had space marines accidentally crash land on your D&D world? You never threw in high tech treasure and reveal at the end of a campaign that the "fantasy world" was really a post apocalyptic earth? You never armed illithid with technobabble arcane instruments because they were fifth dimensional invaders from the dark between the stars?

Okay, maybe I'm just wierd, but to me D&D was always wide open and stuff like I listed above was as likely to occur and as "appropriate" as liches, dragons and evil cults.

Really, the realization just made me realize what's missing from E for me: inspiration. I am getting ready to be a player in a 4E game (I like gaming with my friends + they are playing 4E = Reynard plays 4E) and reading through the PHB gave me no inspiration at all for an interesting (and by that i mean outside of tactically interesting) character. The MM is the same way. I have some love for the 4E DMG, actually -- despite the distinct lack of futuristic firearms -- but otherwise the scope and intended play of the game just feels limited.

Anyway - -they should have kept tradiiton alive and put guns -- even matchlocks -- in the DMG.

 

[El Mahdi]

You're right, there's no guns at all.

But then again, things were "held back" for DMG II, III, IV, etc.

Or they may be holding them for an updated D20 Modern.

 

[jmucchiello]

That's funny, because I swear one of the tidbits we got last year for 4E was that gunpowder would be in the PHB as part of the default setting.

Maybe they'll be in the PHB3 with the introduction of the Elemental power source.

 

[Keefe the Thief]

Really? Never? You never had space marines accidentally crash land on your D&D world? You never threw in high tech treasure and reveal at the end of a campaign that the "fantasy world" was really a post apocalyptic earth? You never armed illithid with technobabble arcane instruments because they were fifth dimensional invaders from the dark between the stars?

Okay, maybe I'm just wierd, but to me D&D was always wide open and stuff like I listed above was as likely to occur and as "appropriate" as liches, dragons and evil cults.

Really, the realization just made me realize what's missing from E for me: inspiration. I am getting ready to be a player in a 4E game (I like gaming with my friends + they are playing 4E = Reynard plays 4E) and reading through the PHB gave me no inspiration at all for an interesting (and by that i mean outside of tactically interesting) character. The MM is the same way. I have some love for the 4E DMG, actually -- despite the distinct lack of futuristic firearms -- but otherwise the scope and intended play of the game just feels limited.

Anyway - -they should have kept tradiiton alive and put guns -- even matchlocks -- in the DMG.

I think one of the more important concepts for the new books was "lets fit in stuff that we think is needed for beginning a game" instead of "lets fit all stuff in that has been traditionally in the corebooks." Which i heartily approve of.