Magical firearms

[John Q. Mayhem]

I've got an idea for magical guns, inspired by something I heard about an anime show that has guns shooting spells. I don't know anything at all about the show, but it got the ol' wheels rolling.

Basically, the guns are called spellarms, and consist of a tube of metal covered with runes and such, probably traces of mystical metals and things. The "bullets" are small scrolls rolled up and inserted into little metal tubes, similarly covered with runes. Creating a spellarm requires Craft Magical Arms and Armor; making a "bullet" obviosly requires Scribe Scroll. This way, the spellarms themselves will be pretty expensive, but the ammo will be fairly readily available. I think the damage would be around 2d4 or 2d6, energy or force damage. These would probably be simple weapons with regard to proficiency, but might require a feat (Activate Spellarm or something) to use. I don't know if it should be a touch attack or what, or how much they should cost. I've been rolling it around in my head for maybe a month, not really thinking about it too hard, and would really like some help. Thanks in advance.

 

[Storyteller01]

Have you read 'Arsenal' from Perpetrated Press?? They have similar ideas (guns with Evocation chambers firing spells instead of bullets). That could help.

Love the idea, would there be a range increase (touch based spells having range, etc)?

 

[John Q. Mayhem]

I had originally planned on them firing actual spells, but I couldn't think of a way to make it work. Maybe a divine spellarm could contain an inflict light wounds spell. A psionic spellarm might use the hammer power.

Really these would be mostly divorced from existing spells. They'd be mostly weapons that use magic, as opposed to a delivery system for spells.

EDIT: I checked out ARSENAL, read a buncha buncha reviews, and it looks pretty freakin' cool! I got it on Amazon for $14, including S&H, which is also pretty freakin' cool.

 

[painandgreed]

It's aneat idea. I'd make the ammo come in an assortment of types, fire, force, cold, etc. Some might cost more than others. I don't think I'd give it ranged touch attacks. That sort of thing happens for guns because the bullet is so small and traveling at such a high speed. That's not to say there might be a type of ammo that would make it a ranged touch attack. There might even be a type of ammo that automatically hit like a magic missle or acted as a ray spell out of the gun.

 

[Tetsubo]

I had originally planned on them firing actual spells, but I couldn't think of a way to make it work. Maybe a divine spellarm could contain an inflict light wounds spell. A psionic spellarm might use the hammer power.

Really these would be mostly divorced from existing spells. They'd be mostly weapons that use magic, as opposed to a delivery system for spells.

EDIT: I checked out ARSENAL, read a buncha buncha reviews, and it looks pretty freakin' cool! I got it on Amazon for $14, including S&H, which is also pretty freakin' cool.

Arsenal is a solid book. Their Factory book is also cool.

Your idea is interesting. Have you ever seen the Magi-Tech book for the Amazing Engine system? It has a "bullet" spell that is used to make guns. It's an interesting read as well.

 

[John Q. Mayhem]

I don't think I'd give it ranged touch attacks. That sort of thing happens for guns because the bullet is so small and traveling at such a high speed. That's not to say there might be a type of ammo that would make it a ranged touch attack. There might even be a type of ammo that automatically hit like a magic missle or acted as a ray spell out of the gun.

That's really why I wasn't sure about ranged touch; I still haven't decided if the metal casing and scroll are shot out of the spellarm, burned up inside (with just energy shooting out) or ejected from the side like a modern firearm. Here's my preliminary writeup.

Light spellarm, 500 gp. Damage (S) 2d4, Damage (M) 2d6. Crit x2. Range increment 50 ft. Weight 2 lb. Damage type: special.

One-handed spellarm, 750 gp. Damage (S) 2d6, Damage (M) 2d8. Crit x2. Range increment 75 ft. Weight 4 lb. Damage type: special.

Two-handed spellarms are not viable; I haven't decided why yet. Light spellarm ammo costs 8 gp, one-handed costs 12 gp. Spellarms can be made masterwork like normal weapons; this is a modification to the physical structure of the spellarm, and is non-magical.

Magical spellarms are covered in runes and symbols. Most crafters, especially civilian ones, put their own arcane mark on the hilt as a trademark. Some magicians are well-known as masterful spellarm crafters, and spellarms with their marks can sell for significantly more than others.

Psionic spellarms have straight lines inlaid with crystal carved up the barrel from the grip to the mouth. When they fire, a flash of light flickers up the lines on the barrel, and the power stone inside is physically ejected from the barrel at the target. Psionic spellarms require the hammer power to make, and deal bludgeoning damage.

Divine spellarms and ammo are typically made from some metal or material sacred to their crafter's deity. They are inscribed with prayers and supplications. Divine spellarm ammo only works in spellarms dedicated to the same deity.

 

[Taryn]

Outlaw Star, or at least that's the anime I think you're referencing here.

The gun, called a 'Caster', fires bullet-type objects. Each bullet is imbued in much the way a scroll is, except for the fact that instead of it being called a "Bullet of Greater Ruin", it's called a #13 (aka: "Number Thirteen").

Neat anime, but... *shrug* Neat idea too... but I don't like to emulate things out of anime (I just got done with a fiasco relating to trying to emulate the Shinobi out of Naruto... horrible idea, one player used 'Replacement'... constantly.)

 

[John Q. Mayhem]

Yeah, like I said I know next-to-nothing about Outlaw Star. This isn't intended in any way to be a direct conversion.

Spellarms are typically built with a locking hinge where the barrel meets the grip, and are snapped open like certain shotguns when they are reloaded. Reloading a spellarm requires a move-equivalent action provided you have the scroll-bullet in hand. Retrieving a charge from a bandolier or open, easy-to-access pouch is a free action; retrieving one from an ordinary pouch, or one with mixed charges requires a move-equivalent action. The Quick Reload feat can be applied to spellarms.

EDIT: With the Quick Draw feat you can retrieve a charge from a normal pouch as a free action, and anyone with BAB +1 or greater can retrieve a charge from a normal pouch as part of a move action, as normal.

EDIT again: Retrieving a charge from a normal pouch with mixed charge types is a standard action.

 

[Storyteller01]

Arsenal is a solid book. Their Factory book is also cool.

The Factory book is VERY cool. I especially liked the Computer Charisma ruling (gives a bonus to your Use Device roll do to user friendliness).

John Q., have you check Iron Kingdoms 'Gun Mage' (I believe they have a copy of the class on-line)? I think that may be close to what your after (at higher levels, anyway...)

MGP also had a PrC in the 'Quintessential Psionic Warrior' that is sort of close to this. Every ability gained was based on exanding the 'Bolt' power (X psp creates bolts/arrows/bullets that do Y ability and last Z minutes per character level)

 

[John Q. Mayhem]

John Q., have you check Iron Kingdoms 'Gun Mage' (I believe they have a copy of the class on-line)? I think that may be close to what your after (at higher levels, anyway...)

Yeah, I've got the IKCG, L&L, and MN1. This is different; a different kind of gun rather than a sub-class of sorceror. Thanks tho. I'll look into picking up Factory once I've got Arsenal.