D&D 5E (2014) Let's Talk About Guns in 5E

[Rocker26a]

doesn't address how they would impact armor.

It doesn't, because it doesn't need to, for reasons that have been stated.

 

[CreamCloud0]

I've long wondered why we can't have at least fire arrows, since there are perfectly good reasons for "martials" to need sources of elemental damage, which is handed out for free to many classes with cantrips, but a Fighter has to make do with improvised weapons like torches and alchemist's fire.

Or have a caster cast the spell ‘flame arrows’, sigh

 

[James Gasik]

Would a tinkerer make regular bullets and a thinkerer make mind bullets?

That's telekinesis, Kyle!

 

[James Gasik]

Or have a caster cast the spell ‘flame arrows’, sigh

Which they probably won't do, since it's a third level spell slot and concentration for a mere bonus 1d6 fire damage per hit.*

*I'm not saying this is never a good idea, but I've honestly never seen anyone cast this spell in a live game in the decades I've been playing D&D.

 

[Remathilis]

Sure, the PHB has firearms artificially frozen there, and doesn't address how they would impact armor.

D&D opts to ignore it. Which is fine. D&D armor is hardly realistic. The kinetic impact of 21 foot tall, 8,000 lb giant's axe would reduce a human to red mist; plate armor or no. The same armor would roast him alive when bathed like dragonfire like a baked potato in tinfoil. Bullets are child's play when you consider that.

I've watched enough action flick where the hero "takes a stray" shot to the arm and shrugs the wound off one scene later to accept D&D bullets are slightly better than bolts/arrows and not the near-instants-fatality machines they are IRL.

 

[Remathilis]

That's telekinesis, Kyle!

I almost added that...

 

[James Gasik]

D&D opts to ignore it. Which is fine. D&D armor is hardly realistic. The kinetic impact of 21 foot tall, 8,000 lb giant's axe would reduce a human to red mist; plate armor or no. The same armor would roast him alive when bathed like dragonfire like a baked potato in tinfoil. Bullets are child's play when you consider that.

I've watched enough action flick where the hero "takes a stray" shot to the arm and shrugs the wound off one scene later to accept D&D bullets are slightly better than bolts/arrows and not the near-instants-fatality machines they are IRL.

This reminded me of the gag in Last Action Hero, where a fatal injury is only a "flesh wound" in the movie-verse.

 

[CreamCloud0]

Which they probably won't do, since it's a third level spell slot and concentration for a mere bonus 1d6 fire damage per hit.*

*I'm not saying this is never a good idea, but I've honestly never seen anyone cast this spell in a live game in the decades I've been playing D&D.

Honestly it would probably be far better as a moderate level magic item.
‘Flame quiver’ - every piece of standard ammunition you pull from this quiver deals an additional 1d6 fire damage’

 

[James Gasik]

Honestly it would probably be far better as a moderate level magic item.
‘Flame quiver’ - every piece of standard ammunition you pull from this quiver deals an additional 1d6 fire damage’

I mean, yeah. It's rough that you still need to turn to magic when an alchemical arrow should be possible, though.

 

[Reynard]

I mean, yeah. It's rough that you still need to turn to magic when an alchemical arrow should be possible, though.

Froma practical perspective, what is the difference between an alchemical arrow and buying magic fire arrows?