D&D as Space Opera

[Will]

Did you encounter any problems due to firearms being more damaging than bows? I'm worried that with heavy pistols, a guy with 2 weapon fighting is going to rip balance a new one.


One idea I had for energy weapons:
So a 'produce flame 50 charges activate-by-use' item is 1000 gp. Effectively, a pistol that does 1d8 fire damage that ignores armor bonus (ranged touch), hard range 120'.

But that's '20 gp per shot,' and the item has no base cost. Which is weird. I could make it unlimited, at 2x cost, but that's also a little unsatisfying.

One variation I thought of was 'pistol is 500, clip of 10 shots is 100' and ignore the fact that, after the first 50 shots, the pistol is 1/2 the price it should be.

Or I could make energy pistols disposable; use them 50 times and it's just easier to buy a new one, which appeals due to simplicity and a bit of space operaness.

 

[Nadaka]

Guns are better than bows. I do not really see the issue. Though a composite longbow dealing 1d8+4 strength damage (in the hands of an 18 str guy) is still about as good as a light rifle doing 2d8 (and using the d20 modern version the bow has a slightly better critical, but worse range as well).

If I were you, I would check out D20 modern and D20 future. its about 95% compatable with 3e D&D, so you should be able to gleen what you want from it. The only problem is that the spacecraft part of future was butchered in editing.

 

[Herobizkit]

Not to take the fun out of homebrewing away, but...

D20 Future + AD&D2's Spelljammer + AD&D2's boxed Tale of the Comet should more than satisfy your primal space urges.

Personally, I would run Psi as the only form of PC special abilities but have a race of hyper-intelligent "mages" that do it old-school. Worked for Robotech. Or... run the magic rules as is but apply the psi "points" mechanic to them. Worked for the Phantasy Star series of games.

 

[Will]

I don't like D20 Modern. And yeah, I know that realistically guns are better than bows. But I want to preserve game balance and I also want to play space opera, where realism isn't important -- if someone wants to use a bow, there you go.

From a balance perspective, yeah, a strength bow is on par with a light rifle, but it has more strict requirements; you'd have to be a credible ranged guy with 18 Str, which is tough. But with a light rifle you don't have to do much...

Now maybe the difference isn't that important, but given how many people favor items with only one or two more damage, it makes me nervous.

 

[Nadaka]

There are a few reasons why the strong guy with a bow might be better than a normal guy with a light rifle.

The strong guy has archaic(martial) weapon proficiency and the strength to use it well when ranged combat is no longer an option. THe ranged guy has Personal Firearms Proficiency, and is unlikely to be able to duke it out up close.

To get an 18 strength you need to start with a 12 strength, and add a +6 enhancement item, so it isn't really that big of a deal. Of course if you also started with a high strength, that +6 item with a superior strength bow will significantly out damage the rifle.

If that doesn't interest you...
Perhaps bows/arrows in your campaign are more often enchanted?
Perhaps guns/bullets are resistant to enchanting?
Perhaps guns require special licenses to carry in public, and bows do not (this is the case for most of America and in D20M). Restricting access to or increasing price of this license means that gun wielders need to keep a lower profile or risk prosecution.
Perhaps bows and arrows don't set off weapon detectors as easilly as firearms?
Etc.

As for TWF with heavy pistols?
realistically (and going against d20 modern) a good shooting stance involves placing both hands on the pistol regardless of its power. And heavy pistols? Should require an extra feat to one hand (like the bastard sword) due to weight and recoil. And this way, TWF with heavy pistols incures the prohibitive -4 to all attacks in addition to the opportunity cost of spending an extra feat.