D&D 5E How to Make Firearms Powerful But Not Crazy in 5E?

[TerraDave]

Attack vs. dex save, impose a condition (your on fire!), something else besides extra damage. Just doing extra damage is boring.

 

[Beleriphon]

I this the stats suggested in the Dungeon Master's Guide (p.268) is pretty fine, though.

Also, a rifle definitely would not do radiant damage.

Why not? Its magical crystal beam shooter, not a blackpowder firearm.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

I kinda liked 2e’s firearms in Spelljammer: roll 1d6 (or whatever the die was) for damage, if you roll a six, roll again. However, if you roll a nat 1 on your attack roll, the weapon suffers a misfire and explosion.

 

[leonardoraele]

Why not? Its magical crystal beam shooter, not a blackpowder firearm.

Well, as I understand it, radiant damage refers to divine magic, like spells cast by cleric or paladin's smite. For instance, do you think an energy beam from this rifle would deal less damage to an angel or more damage to a shadow?

I don't think mechanical apparatus can deal radiant damage unless a divine spellcaster can somehow channel divine energy through it. (just like paladins do with their smite)

 

[AaronOfBarbaria]

Well, as I understand it, radiant damage refers to divine magic...

That's not quite true.

Radiant damage, as defined in the game "sears the flesh like fire and overloads the spirit with power." but is not inherently tied to only happening because of divine magic.

In fact, as far as I can tell "divine magic" as 5th edition uses it only means "the spells of clerics, druids, paladins, and rangers," which even things like angels attacks don't fall under the category of.

Also, there is at least one spell that is only available to sorcerers and wizards (arcane magic) that's primary function is to deal radiant damage (sunbeam).

As for radiant damage dealt by a mechanical apparatus, I like to think of it as something akin to a laser or plasma weapon (burning, but not fire).

 

[was]

...I like 2d6 fire damage with either limited uses before the gun needs to recharge, or a round spent recharging between shots.

 

[NotActuallyTim]

Use the stats for dragon breath weapons, but call them guns. NO ONE WILL EVER KNOW!

 

[leonardoraele]

That's not quite true.

Radiant damage, as defined in the game "sears the flesh like fire and overloads the spirit with power." but is not inherently tied to only happening because of divine magic.

In fact, as far as I can tell "divine magic" as 5th edition uses it only means "the spells of clerics, druids, paladins, and rangers," which even things like angels attacks don't fall under the category of.

Also, there is at least one spell that is only available to sorcerers and wizards (arcane magic) that's primary function is to deal radiant damage (sunbeam).

As for radiant damage dealt by a mechanical apparatus, I like to think of it as something akin to a laser or plasma weapon (burning, but not fire).

I think I expressed myself poorly. When I spoke about "divine", I was refering to positive energy, for instance, from the celestial planes. (this is what clerics and paladins do) But not necessarily "spell channalized from a god", which is the definition of divine magic. (I think)

In fact, angels have resistance to radiant damage and deal radiant damage as well. And creatures from the lower planes have vulnerability to radiant damage, as I cited the shadow.

That's why I think the firearm should not deal radiant damage.

What do you think a plamagun (or whatever alike gun) do? Do you think it just just disintegrates the target, tearing the materia apart and leaving not but a crater in the place or whatever the beam touches? Then we can use the Disintegrate spell as an example: its force damage completely destroying the target; or do you think it burns the target by an extreme heat, like a laser, and leaves a super-hot hole or crater on whatever it hits? Then its indeed fire. There's no need to have flames to do fire damage, damage by heat by itself is fire damage, the heat metal spell as an example of that. Do you think that a fire elemental, with his incorporeal body of flames would take damage from the beam? Then its force (or may radiant, as you suggests). No? Then its fire damage. (I think no—or at least it would have resistance, what you think?)

 

[Curmudjinn]

We used 1st-level evocation wands from 3.5, and had them just look like firearms. Randomly roll charges if the PCs pick them up, and a check every use for NPCs to determine if any ammunition remains. We also brought back the Use Magic Device skill, to give PCs the trained skill to use one efficiently.

For this, I would keep the damages the same between pistols and rifles of the same type, only increasing range increments.