Firearms: Yes or No

[Raven Crowking]

IMC, there are planes with magic and planes where science works -- they are mutually exclusive. Mass production fails on magic planes -- nothing is repeatable without investing will or personal power (casting a spell or spending XP). The sentient fabric of the universe must be delt with on its own terms.

So, when I use a Craft skill to make a longsword, how many XP does it cost me?

 

[tetsujin28]

that brings me to my next question: what races and classes can use black powder weapons in your games.

Only humans. 'Cause all my games have only humans. And any class can use them, as I made them a simple weapon. They're pretty easy to handle...but watch out for all those modifiers if you're using a matchlock.

 

[Tuzenbach]

I've actually used gunpowder/cannons as a plot contrivance. When the party defeated the really big monster at the end of the dungeon, they get weapons that alter the technological balance of the campaign world. It's kind of like Barrier Peaks but a lot less shocking.

 

[mmadsen]

Infantry Missile Weapons in the Renaissance

Reasons that firearms took over from bows and crossbows. Inital reason on bows is firearms (and crossbows) require less training and less reliance on physical strength (though crossbows without a windlass are tough to use for a prolonged time). Things that occur with both are firearms are easier to mass produce, provide a bigger impact per pound of weapon and ammunition is potentially lighter.

Well said.

From Infantry Missile Weapons in the Renaissance:

By 1500 infantrymen had three different missile weapons available to them. There was the arquebus, a relatively light firearm manageable by one man, as well as the very common crossbow, and the longbow, which was mostly limited to use by the English. Technically the arquebus was inferior to both the other two weapons in range, accuracy, and rate of fire, while the longbow was generally superior to the crossbow.
[...]
But the arquebus possessed several advantages over its two rivals.

Relatively speaking the arquebus was cheaper than either the longbow, which had to be meticulously handcrafted from yew, and the crossbow, which required equally meticulous workmanship and rather expensive steel as well. The arquebus could be mass-produced by a foundry in fairly cheap cast iron. In addition, while the range, accuracy, and effectiveness of an arquebus round were inferior to those of the other weapons, an arquebusier could carry more ammunition than either of his competitors. Arquebus ammo weighed less than arrows or crossbow bolts, even after adding in the powder charge.

As a result of this difference in ammunition weight, an arquebusier could sustain fire longer than either a crossbowman or a longbowman. And ultimately it was sustained fire that won battles, more than accurate fire.

In addition, despite the inferior technical performance of the arquebus ball, it was superior to arrows as an armor smasher. Rounded, soft lead bullets were less likely to be deflected by the polished curved surface of armor than were arrows.

The arquebus had one more very important advantage over its rivals. It was perhaps the critical advantage in determining the rather rapid conversion of armies from archers to arquebusiers. A man required considerably less skill to become an arquebusier than either a crossbowman or a longbowman. A few weeks training was all that was necessary to turn out a fairly capable arquebusier. In contrast, it took years to properly train a the bowman, who had to develop considerable musculature before being able to use his weapon to its fullest capacity. This was particularly true of longbowmen, of whom there was a saying that in order to a good one you had to start with his grandfather.

 

[JeffB]

Simple Answer?

No

I Hate guns/BP weapons mixed in my D&D type fantasy. Seriously..they just ruin it for me. I've owned and shot plenty of guns, when I'm playing make-believe, I'd rather have something cool like a Halberd or Scimitar

 

[Nifft]

So, when I use a Craft skill to make a longsword, how many XP does it cost me?

None -- you've already spent personal power to take ranks in the skill, and a Longsword is not automation. It would cost your personal time and labor.

-- N

 

[Raven Crowking]

None -- you've already spent personal power to take ranks in the skill, and a Longsword is not automation. It would cost your personal time and labor.

-- N

So, what is the difference between the personal power I spend to take ranks in Craft (firearm)? Or, how is the action in the firearm different than that of my creating a fire? Primitive firearms are also not automation -- they are chemical in nature (or better, in D&D, alchemical).

But I was just being cheeky earlier, so you can ignore the above if you like!

I went through a long period of not wanting firearms, steam trains, and the like in my fantasy worlds. Then Alan Moore got me to rethink the idea. If I was to devise a new campaign world today, I think it would be a modified earth using the Dictionary of Imaginary Places, making it a kind of "League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" wannabe. Victorian adventurers off to South America to seek Maple White Land while avoiding the Army of the Ants. Lots of stuff from Deadlands in the American West. Young Lord Greystoke found in Africa, while strange things happen in Arkham, and astral envoys are sent to Barsoom.....

 

[Pants]

Barsoom has flintlocks. Cause they're cool. People use them because, well, pretty much because they're cool.

BOOM! POW!

Fairly similar answer. My world has guns. Because facing down an evil, swashbuckling hobgoblin with a pair of runic pistols in your hand while riding a burning airship above the peaked towers of the Mage's Guild is cool. Now I just have to run that part someday... Hmmmm

 

[TheAuldGrump]

I like 'em.

I tend to run Reformation/Counter-Reformation period games.

Plus I have fired blackpowder weapons, so I feel comfortable with them.

The Auld Grump, blackpowder smoke smells like the Devil's own farts...

 

[the Jester]

No black powder, but I do have a culture with firearms.

The orcs of Valonia are an (often) lawful evil subrace of orc that really wants in to the Free Trade Alliance that has made a number of nearby human nations very wealthy. They've gone so far as to adopt the worship of Galador, the god of the Sun and stuff, who is LG.

Galadorians know the secret of distilling sunlight into a sort of super holy water substance. Very volatile!

Well, the Valonian orc clerics of Galador learned the secrets of turning distilled sunlight into sunpowder.

They even have a prestige class- the orcish pistoleer (or musketeer).