Fun with Flintlocks

[Jack Daniel]

[color=silver]
Weapon                  |  Cost  | Damage | Type | Critical | Range | Weight[/color][color=skyblue]

Ammunition (10 rounds)      3 gp   --       --     --         --       2 lb. 
[/color][color=silver]
*Tiny Firearms*[/color][color=skyblue]
Pistol, Light              30 gp   2d4      P      20/x3      30 ft.   3 lb.
[/color][color=silver]
*Small Firearms*[/color][color=skyblue]
Pistol, Blunderbuss        20 gp   1d8      P      19-20/x2   10 ft.*  6 lb.
Pistol, Heavy              40 gp   2d6      P      20/x3      50 ft.   4 lb.
[/color][color=silver]
*Medium Firearms*[/color][color=skyblue]
Blunderbuss                35 gp   1d10     P      19-20/x2   15 ft.** 10 lb.
Musket, Carbine            65 gp   2d8      P      20/x3      100 ft.  8 lb.
Musket, Long               90 gp   2d10     P      20/x3      150 ft.  10 lb.
[/color]

Firearms in most campaigns should be exotic weapons, but if the technology level is high enough, they might be martial weapons. Most flintlocks fire a single bullet (commonly known as a ball) propelled by a charge of gunpowder. Blunderbusses fire spreads of shot that are more likely to critical, but do so for less damage. Blunderbuss attacks should be treated as a spray attack, dealing damage to everything they hit within a path that widens by 5 feet out to five range increments.

Ammunition comes in the form of bags of ten 1-inch diameter lead bullets, or pouches of small lead pellets. These projectiles are propelled by about an ounce of gunpowder, that infamous combination of saltpeter, carbon, and sulfur. Gunpowder is available in 2-pound horns for 35 sp or 20-pound kegs (carrying 15 pounds of gunpowder) for 250 sp each. A powder horn consequentially has enough powder to charge 30 rounds, while a keg will last for 240 shots.

Flintlocks had a tendency to jam in the worst situations. In the event of a critical fumble (a natural 1 followed by a failed Dexterity check vs. DC 10) the weapon misfires. Roll 1d6:
1-3: Jammed Barrel. The weapon is fouled and cannot be fired again until cleaned.
4-5: Hangfire. Poorly measured charge results in the weapon going off 1d4 rounds later.
6: Explosion. The powder wasn't packed tight enough, and an air pocked blew, dealing 2d6 damage to you (Reflex Half; DC 15). Oh, and the remains of your weapon now resemble something Elmer Fudd tried to shoot Bugs Bunny with after the wascally wabbit stuck his finger in the barrel.

Reloading takes three full round actions, as the character must measure the powder, pour the charge into the barrel, either place a bullet on a greased patch or measure shot and pour that down the barrel, and finally pack the powder tightly with a ram-rod. The Rapid Reload feat reduces this time to two full-round actions, while the Muzzleloader Drill feat (which does not affect crossbows like Rapid Reload) allows you to reload a firearm with one full-round action.

Firearms can be modified to include melee weapons such as axe or sword blades. Such combined weapons require proficiency in both weapons to use properly, and cost the same as the sum of both weapons. Likewise, flintlocks other than blunderbusses often come in a double-barreled variety, which can be fired twice before reloading is necessary. Such weapons cost double and weigh one and a half times as much.

* Blunderbuss Pistol Area of Effect

[color=silver]

    x -- character position[/color][color=skyblue]
    1
    1
   222
   222
  33333
  33333
 4444444
 4444444
555555555
555555555[/color]

** Blunderbuss Area of Effect

[color=silver]

    x -- character position[/color][color=skyblue]
    1
    1
    1
   222
   222
   222
  33333
  33333
  33333
 4444444
 4444444
 4444444
555555555
555555555
555555555
[/color]

Each number represents a 5' square, with the number being the range increment.

 

[Artimus]

3 rounds!?!? That's a lot. I can see for a musket and all. But for your little tiny pistol, that's rediculess.

 

[Jack Daniel]

LOL. On the WotC boards, someone said "if you want to make it realistic, it should take more than 18 seconds to reload a muzzleloader!" Since Deadlands and Dragon Magazine say 3 rounds, I'm giving them precedence over the DMG's one round.

 

[DMaple]

The British army use to manage around 3 rounds a minute with the front loading muskets they used in the Penisula War. Thats one shot every 20 seconds.

So in reality it takes 2 rounds to load another to fire (going on about 6 second rounds, D&D is 6 second rounds now isn't it?) but then the British army were believed to be the best trained army around at the time when it came to musket drill.

Problem is the bow and arrow far outclass the both the crossbow and a musket for anyone with more than one attack a round.

Its hard to make realistic muskets appealing when the simple bow and arrow are so powerful already.

 

[Jack Daniel]

Hence, the increased damage dice for my firearms. Where reloading is concerned, basic proficiency is an 18 second reload, training (via Rapid Reload) can cut it down to 12 seconds, and finally, heroic effort worthy of mythic fantasy can let you reload in 6 seconds with an extra feat spent of Muzzleloading Drill.

 

[MythandLore]

Yep, I read about 20 second reload times being fast back then.

 

[DMaple]

Hence, the increased damage dice for my firearms.

Only problem I see is a 1st level fighter with Weapon Focus [ Composite Long Bow] and Rapid Shot can do.

Two shots each doing 1d8+3 every round. Assuming he has access to a mighty composite longbow.

Where as even equipped with the best musket he can only do 2d10 once every 4 rounds. So lets give him rapid reload to give him a chance.

2d10 in 3 rounds.

Archer with no additional Feats, 3d8

Archer with rapid shot 6d8.

You add in possible strength bonuses and it gets even worse.

As so a character gets to BA +6/+1 then the musket becomes even worse.

 

[Jack Daniel]

Muskets aren't bows, and aren't meant to be used as such. In a melee, flintlocks are a one-shot deal. Try to take one foe out and lessen your enemy's ranks before charging. As a primary ranged weapon, don't expect to have a fantastic rate of fire -- but DO expect to hit what you're shooting at. When it comes to sniping, not even a composite longbow can compete with a marksman's musket.

 

[DMaple]

So are you giving firearms a bonus to hit then?

 

[Jack Daniel]

Check the range increments

Er, no...