[Advice Requested] Stats for demonic gun

[Henry]

In the current d20 Modern Game I am running for my group, I am thinking of introducing the opportunity for them to uncover a demonic weapon - it looks like a Colt 1911 .45 Auto Pistol, but with a slightly organic look - a mix of metal and flesh, with horny material covering it, and an eerie aura of paranatural malice exuding from the thing.

The plan is this: The gun is to have the base Modern Stats for a .45 Automatic, but with a catch: when the safety is removed, two bony scythelike protrusions emerge from the grip, and EMBED themselves in the user's wrist, causing irritation and slight pain. When fired, the gun saps something from the user to increase damage.

The gun will do 3d6 damage instead of the standard 2d6. I want it to be a superior weapon, but for there to be a price in its use.

My question is: What would be an appropriate sacrifice for this weapon? I was thinking either

1d6 damage to the user

-1 CON to the user

-2 CON to the user.

Can anyone offer advice as what they see an appropriate cost for the use of this weapon? Any other suggestions besides CON and hit point damage are welcome.

 

[Shadow64]

Not a bad idea....what about doing subdual damage? Maybe 1d4 or so per attack. Maybe also tack on a threshold so that for every 12-15 points of subdual damage he takes he also takes 1 con damage. The theory being that the gun saps energy from him (not true lethel damage, but still punishing his body) and that he can only take so much (the threshold) before it really starts to affect him.

You could also maybe have it sap Wis instead, CoC d20 uses that as a good gauge of someones mental fortitude when dealing with the supernatural. *Shrug*

What about a bonus to his Cha for using the gun? He takes a negative bonus when brandishing about in "good" company (because they can tell from the way the gun looks that it is not "good") and a positive bonus when using it agressivly in situations that would call for intimidate checks, scare tactics, etc.

Something else, there could be the potential when he crits with the weapon that he could gain some HP/Con damage back. Just a thought on that one though.

 

[Mr Fidgit]

1 - gun could do 2d6 + damage dealt to user (if damage is dealt per usage)

2 - has no apparent effect but uses the PC's Con (or Wis) score as a 'threshold' number, that, once surpassed, allows a demon to take possession of the PC (this could even be in stages - Con score surpassed once, PC starts to experience short blackouts - getting progressively worse until full possession occurs)


edit - using an action point just isn't worth it...

 

[Kae'Yoss]

Not a bad idea....what about doing subdual damage?

There is no such thing as subdual damage. At least not in d20m. They have nonlethal damage, and that's handled differently (with 1d6 it will be almost useless)

The theory being that the gun saps energy from him (not true lethel damage, but still punishing his body)

Well, since HP represent more than just resistance to wounds, but the ability to roll with blows and turn a lethal one into a glancing blow and so on, "real" damage might be appropriate.


I think it would be OK to deal 1d6 but give 2d6 extra damage (1d6 extra isn't so much, that can be achieved with double tap, without damage to yourself.

You could also make it magical, giving the bullets an enhancement bonus or some special stuff - give an additional 1d6 infernal damage, or even turn the whole affair into something different from ballistic damage. There's also nice FX like the bullets emitting a low-pitched growl or a whisper, and your hand and arm glowing red. You get +4 circumstance bonus to intimidate when you threaten the target with the thing, and a -2 penalty on all other cha based skill checks and cha checks whenever someone has seen you with the thing, or seen you using it before (the latter might increase the penalties even further). Also, this could result in the weapon using your life energy as ammunition, eliminating the need to reload the gun.

Then indeed, the consciousness of the thing might try to take over: Every time you shoot the weapon, you have a 10% chance that it will stir, +1% (or more) for every additional shot (it stacks, but drops back to 10% at the end of the encounter). If the weapon stirs, you make a will save (DC 15, +1 cumulative for every additional save) once every round as long as you use the gun (you repeat those saves every round if it has once stirred until the end of the encounter). If you fail such a save, you fly into a blood frenzy: you get 2 temporary HP per character level, and a +2 infernal bonus to attack and damage rolls with the weapon (on top of everything else), but you cannot stop until you either have killed every single sentient being around you or drop due to low HP. You must shoot as often as you can (taking full attack actions, and using double tap and the like). Once per round, you get another will save: success means that you gain back your self-control - but only for a short time, long enough for one attempt to get rid of the gun (see below).

Also, in addition to punishment for using it, there should be an even bigger punishment for getting rid of it: you must succeed at a strength check (or something) and removing them is accompanied by extreme pain: 2 points of temporal con damage and make a save like with massive damage (including being reduced to -1).

You could make an advanced class (or even prestige class) for someone who uses that weapon, giving him a little more control or mor power.

 

[cybernetic]

My suggestion would be for it to force a Fortitude save each time fired or do some Con damage...if the gun were to bring the weilder to 0 or less con they die and become one of these demonic guns in a few days....

 

[Skade]

Why Con? If I were making a demonic gun I would questioning it's purpose. Demonic guns would be made to make sure more killings were committed. So I would have it reduce Wisdom, if were to do some kind of ability dmamage. I might though give the thing an ego, like 3E and have the item eventually try to gain control.

 

[suburbaknght]

Vicious Weapons

Just use the Vicious Weapon from Sword and Fist. It's a +1 enhancement (and the gun needs a minimum of +1 enhancement bonus) so the gun becomes a total of +2 for a purchase DC modifier of +13.

Vicious does an extra 2d6 damage to the target (giving the gun a total of 4d6) but does 1d6 damage to the wielder.

 

[Henry]

Thanks for the suggestions, all!

Skade, the gun is not actually "demonic", though I don't want to say a lot about it in case one of my players happens to read this for any reason. But my personal belief on making an item tempting, is to ACTUALLY make it tempting to use. To have a really cool effect, at the cost of something you'd rather not pay, is one of the bastardly things I like to spring on my players, such as a Cursed Everstriking Sword in D&D (from an old Dragon Mag), or an item that gives someone LOTS OF power - but at the cost of health and mental well-being.

I want something that scares the players, as much as the NPC's, when it gets brought out. And them worrying about what exactly it's sucking out of them, is the kind of concern I like to foster.

 

[DanMcS]

When fired, the gun saps something from the user to increase damage.

The gun will do 3d6 damage instead of the standard 2d6. I want it to be a superior weapon, but for there to be a price in its use.

My question is: What would be an appropriate sacrifice for this weapon? I was thinking either

Can anyone offer advice as what they see an appropriate cost for the use of this weapon? Any other suggestions besides CON and hit point damage are welcome.

Is this every time the safety gets unset, or every time the gun gets fired? For Con or hp damage, I wouldn't ever use this if it was damage per-shot.

You might go with 1 point of charisma damage. It's wreaking havoc on his spirit and personality, and when he gets too low, he starts getting crazy. That would even be tempting on a per-shot basis, because many players think of charisma as throw-away

 

[Henry]

Re: Re: [Advice Requested] Stats for demonic gun

Is this every time the safety gets unset, or every time the gun gets fired? For Con or hp damage, I wouldn't ever use this if it was damage per-shot.

It's every time you unset the safety. The gun is found with safety on, and "comes to life" when the safety is off.

CHA might be too easy a target, at least for my group. As for hp or CON damage, I tend to take the "Magic the Gathering" school of game design: players will risk an awful lot if it means they are likely to kill an enemy outright. Some MtG card combos are driven on harming yourself a great deal just to kill your opponent. As one player once put it, "It's not about dying - it's about dying LAST."

With that in mind, I may indeed use the vicious strike idea from Sword and Fist, (for a .45 auto that does 4d6 dmg per shot) but still can't decide between 1d6 damage or -1 CON damage. Maybe both?

I appreciate all the responses thus far, though! It's really made me think about just how much someone would be willing to pay for that much effectiveness.