D&D 4E Gunpowder in 4E?

[CleverNickName]

In the new playtest report, there is a slight reference to gunpowder...in the game, some goblins ignite a bunch of "powder reserves" in a ship's hold, which blows the ship apart.

Now I admit that it is a bit of a stretch, but it is possible that gunpowder could make it into the 4E core rules (either the PHB or the DMG.) How does everyone feel about that?

 

[beholdsa]

I would like to see it as an optional element presented in the DMG, similar to the way renaissance weapons are currently presented in the DMG. I find that to be ideal.

 

[TerraDave]

2nd edition had guns in the PHB, and Realms, and Spelljammer...I think coming from an ed greenwood article in Dragon (and it was a good article)

...and thats the place for it. Dragon, latter books. Etc. Not everything needs to be in core.

 

[CleverNickName]

I might end up in the minority, but I think it would be a great idea to make gunpowder a core element. Not only is it historically accurate for Middle-Ages technology, but it is great flavor for swashbuckling-style adventures. Pirate ships with cannons, rangers who fight with pistol and sword, dwarven siege weapons that fire powerful shells...

I am content to wait for a splatbook to come out with everything I ever needed to know (and more) about gunpowder, I suppose. But it would make me very happy if WotC would save me the trouble and put everything I need in core.

 

[JDJblatherings]

Slap the blackpowder and laser guns in a couple of pages in the DMG and I'll be happy.

 

[Voss]

Something with such a specific flavor shouldn't be in the core rules. This is something that fits into a very small number of D&D games, and should be somewhere else.

 

[Doug McCrae]

I'm ambivalent about it. On the one hand guns are very cool. On the other, gunpowder feels like 'not D&D' to me. In D&D universes if ya wanna blow things up ya gotta use magic.

 

[Wormwood]

Blunderbusses and wheel-locks and grapeshot sweeping the decks? Hell yes.

But I can wait until PHB2. Give the gnomes something to do.

 

[withak]

I don't care one way or another. If it's not there, I won't miss it. If it is, I'll house-rule it out. No big deal.

 

[Simia Saturnalia]

Not until that whole 'artifice' power source, which I presume will include alchemy. *proffers cake to the Devs to make it so*

My players have trouble with gunpowder in, upon reflection, D&D. Escalating hit points + firearms = non-starter for the group.