Gunpowder weapons

[drnuncheon]

Looks like muzzle velocity from a .58 musket (Civil War era, on multiple web pages) is ~950 ft/sec. A pistol would definitely be less.

J

 

[JacktheRabbit]

This would be a smoothbore pistol. So yes muzzle flash will be a problem.

I don't want to use more than than the silence spell for this so I will have to think this out a bit more.

I would assume that a skilled user of a blackpowder pistol with a masterwork pistol could work down the amount of powder to use so that it reduces the amount of flash.

 

[mmadsen]

Does anyone know what the muzzle velocity of a gunpowder weapon might be?

This came up in the other gun thread. From what I've read, an early arquebus doesn't even have the "muzzle velocity" of a crossbow (and it fires a smaller, lighter projectile).

I am wondering if the party will hear anything at all if someone shoots at them with a gunpowder pistol while in a silence spell.

I've read about "whistling" bullets enough to assume they make a whizzing sound as they go by. They certainly make a sound if they hit anything.

It might be an interesting twist to give a rogue a musket pistol and a silence spell. The party suddenly starts taking hits and bleeding. They dont see the hidden rogue. The silence spell kills the sound. All the party knows if members suddenly fountain blood and get possibly knocked down by the impact of the bullet.

How do you not notice a matchlock with its glowing fuse, flash in the pan, giant muzzle flash, and huge puff of smoke?

 

[JacktheRabbit]

Re: Re: Gunpowder weapons

How do you not notice a matchlock with its glowing fuse, flash in the pan, giant muzzle flash, and huge puff of smoke?

I figure masterwork flintlock for one instead of simple matchlock. If this rogue specializes in this as his weapon he should try to carry the best.

I plan on putting some ranks into knowledge: gunpowder weapons. When reloading he makes a skill check to try and not overload the gun. This should cut down on the muzzle flash a bit.

Finally depending on level he may get some levels in the Pistoleer PrC from Ravenloft. One of its abilities is to make ricochet shots. So he can pop the party from around corners.

 

[buzzard]

This would be a smoothbore pistol. So yes muzzle flash will be a problem.

I don't want to use more than than the silence spell for this so I will have to think this out a bit more.

I would assume that a skilled user of a blackpowder pistol with a masterwork pistol could work down the amount of powder to use so that it reduces the amount of flash.

Well the gunsmith will have to invent the flash supressor for me to find it believeable (even modern weapons have appreciable muzzle flash, especially in darkness). Honestly, I think the muzle flash is going to defeat this idea. I don't see a way around it. I've been to the range at dusk, and the flashes from the pistols were quite impressive.
Riccochets may be your saving grace.

buzzard

 

[Felix]

Smokeless powder might solve some of your rogue's problems. A few fellas at the gun range I frequent tote around Civil War era rifles, and the smoke is definitely noticable. It wafts around for a bit before the wind takes care of it.

But smokeless powder and Silence spell aside, the thing will have quite a flash; completely supressing the flash will mean that your rogue has technology that isn't common on most weapons today. The tech is available, but none of my guns have it. Something to do with being illegal I guess.

The arquebus might fire a lighter, smaller projectile than a crossbow, but I'd rather have a bolt sticking out of me than have one of those soft-lead bullets hit me; when the bullet hits, it flattens out. If it hits near bone, the bone will disintegrate. Thus the many amputations in the Civil War; there were no bones left to set. Maybe make the target roll a Fort save to aviod being stunned by the impact, or something.

Oh yeah, it takes a while to reload those muzzle loaders. Your player might take notes from Carribean pirates; they carried as many pistols on them as possible because it was a one-shot deal. No time to reload.

 

[dave_o]

Just a thought, since I'm using a firearm-user soon in AFMC -

SPELL STORING ON FIREARMS IS SWEET!

 

[Gnarlo]

So now you have a flintlock pistol with a 2' diameter sphere of silence on it plus a 2' diameter sphere of darkness... party members dropping down from a hooded and cloaked figure that looks like it has a Sphere of Annihilation grafted onto it's arm... I'd run

/em gnarlo!

 

[Felix]

Oh, in case any of your players thinks to ask - gunpowder stinks to high heaven. Not that it would help in battle, but it would make this guy so easy to track by scent it's not even funny.