Gunpowder in your games

[NoOneofConsequence]

A great book for incorporating gunpowder into a medieval world is Mary Gentle's "Ash: A Secret History". It's set in the high middle ages, on the cusp of the renaissance. Gunpowder is there, but it doesn't win battles.

An excellent book in general, BTW.

 

[Kilmore]

Oh yeah. Fire dragons just loooove powder caissons.

 

[TheAuldGrump]

Hmmm, I am a long time proponent of gunpowder in my games, and have used several iterations.

The one I currently favor is giving guns the ability to ignore any non-magic armor less than breastplate, and allowing breastplate and better half its normal armor bonus. Masterwork breastplate and better is considered 'proofed' and grants its full protection. Blackpowder weapons require the exotic weapon proficiency, and are becoming common, but not there yet. (One more generation...) They will discover caked powder in about 10 years, currently they are using just a uncaked powder. (Ranges almost double with the new powder, and the fumble range is also reduced.) Wheel locks are rare and expensive, most rely on the matchlock.

The threat range is normal, x3 modifier for critical, and damage is 1d10 for a pistol and 1d12 for muskets and calivers.

The Auld Grump

 

[Kobold Avenger]

Firearms are the primary weapon of choice in my campaign in developement since I'm trying to have a high fantasy world with a 19th century setting. All classes have class defense bonuses, and armor bonus does stack with the defense bonus but reduces that bonus. Against firearms armor is only half as effective. All firearms threaten on 19-20/x2 and pistols do 1d8 for light, 1d10 for medium, 1d12 for heavy, 2d6 for revolvers. There's long rifles for 2d6 and military rifles 2d8. There's spitterguns much like the ones from the Polyhedron Spelljammer article, there's blunderbusses, there's rockets, cannons, airships, and there's fearsome calvary units who generally don't ride horses.

 

[Gellion]

I think it would be kinda fun to play in a setting where you have magic, but you also have a decent amount of tech. In battles you would have a Ranger with his +4 Composite Longbow, next to a guy with a Plasma Rifle. Odd i know, but it would be interesting.

 

[paulewaug]

Really it pretty much depends on how you handle it.
Mostly I am for it,
I ask my players how they felt about it and they mostly didn't care or have much opinion about it. I have so far decided to waite on having it make an appearance.
Freeport has rules for it and so does the Iron kingdoms, so it Can fit into a fantasy setting. It could also appear in the hands of the enemy, such as Sarumans use of it.
If it starts to ruin the feel of the game for the players have them set out to stop the ones using it. If they can stop it before it becomes widespread then they will be able to contribute something to the development of the campaign.
Since magic is most likely more prevelant in a game without gunpowder if it pops up as a unique resource for a group or individual the impact initially will be small. Most people will just think it is a nother kind of magic. "boomstick magick!"

Dwarves are always a good candidate for the 'good guys' having it and they guard the secret carefully, so carefully that the few dwarves that know the secret could easily all be killed and the secret lost. This could be another source of adventure for the pcs. Maybe someone has been murdering the dwarves and they have to figure out who and stop them.

All in all it's up to you, just decide on how it impacts the game and get a feel for it. You can always try to adjust if you don't like the way it goes.


There was en episode of Hercules: TLJ where there was a guy that knew how to make it. I believe he called it "helios"(?) The secret died with him.
Also you can see the effects in Robin Hood Prince of Thieves and how it affected a medival group. Although, of course there was no "big booming magic" in that setting.

SO really try to get a feel for what it will do to the atmosphere of your game. I have set a precedent IMC by introducing a dwarf that is a clever inventor. He has developed a barrell grenade (that so far the pcs have been afraid to use) and a spring loaded "crossbow" (short range, high impact bolt-thrower).

But at his point I don't think I will be fully intigrating guns and gunpowder. I will however use it when I advance the setting and run the Witchfire Trilogy and the Freeport Trilogy.
That'll be a while though.
Well anyhow, that's enough rambling!
Good luck!

 

[Dagger75]

In my new swashbuckling game that we will be playing soon, there will be "gunpowder" Called Dragon Powder.

It is made by crushing the bones of dragons and adding some other alchemical stuff. The stuff is rare and expensive. Dwarves invented the first rifle about 150 years ago and the gnomes refined the process and invented pistols. Needless to say the dragons aren't to happy either. Ohh and the mages are kinda mad since it was also discovered that all enhancment bonuses and magical protections don't work against guns.

Then there are rumors of a dragon graveyard that is supposed to be on this newly discovered land out west.

Exotic weapon to use such a weapon. Without the feat it would take you 10 rounds to load a gun, with the feat 5 rounds. BUT with the feat you get the concentration skill as a class skill, the better a roll on a concentration check, the faster you can reload the gun.

 

[Fenes 2]

Firearms enter my D&D campaigns only over my dead body. Their presence completely ruins a Fantasy campaign for me.

 

[paulewaug]

Firearms ... completely ruins a Fantasy campaign for me.

And that's why the most imprtant thing is to see how Everbody feels about it.
I say again it really does need to suite the atmosphere of the game you are running. If somebody wants to play Arthur in Camelot and the Knights of the Rond Table and you have "Blackbeard" show up and start quickdrawing pistols and shooting things up -that can mess up the atmosphere.

You may try running a "side-trek" type of adventure, possbily with "one off" characters and see how everybody feels about it. THe main thing is to see if you can maintain the atmosphere you want while these things are in use.
The same could be said for allowing "exotic weapons" and characters. Running a Middle Earth type game where all of a sudden a player brings in a Samurai can through of the feel.
You really have to see how Everbody feels about it.

 

[Mythtify]

A very good take on gunpowder and fantasy is presented in privateer press's Iron Kingdom. I believe the book, Lock and Load has the gun rules.

They are done very well, with blast powder being magical, and very expensive. As the powder is magical, it is effects can be canceled out by your typical anti-magic stuff.

I am realy looking forward to finaly seeing the IK campaign guide. Hopefully, it wont be to much longer.