Muskets, Magic, and Colonial Empire!

[SHARK]

Greetings!

Hello. I'm currently working on developing a continent in my campaign that may feature some very unusual characteristics. My campaign world is roughly the size of Jupiter, so there are enormous oceans, and a good number of continents.

I'm toying with the idea of an environment where you essentially take Europe and the colonial empires of the 1720's, and seamlessly blend in magic, as well as other, non-human races. Thus, you'd have Ships O'the Line, Musketeers, whigs, Tricorn hats, leggings, fancy dresses, and on and on. What do you think? What would work, and what wouldn't?

I'm curious about how muskets and cannon, as well as many other aspects of the Colonial Era, would mix with magic, and non-human races. Pretty interesting, wouldn't you agree?

Semper Fidelis,

SHARK

 

[I'm A Banana]

Quite.

My current campaign includes some elements of that. The PC's are from a continent that has just discovered a New World of jungles and strange, legendary animals and people.

Of course, I haven't really advanced the technology that much...

How I've dealt with the infrequent guns in this campaign is making them basically modified wands. They are usable by anyone, by pulling a trigger, and they fire off a spell that requires a ranged touch attack to hit. In this way, I can make guns that don't mean instant death if it.

But that's just IMC. It definately is an interesting idea.

 

[mmadsen]

Have you checked out Castle Falkenstein? It describes a Victorian-era world with the addition of magic (Seelie and Unseelie courts, occult lodges, etc.) and wondrous technology (a la Jules Verne and H. G. Wells).

 

[BiggusGeekus]

The Twin Crowns d20 setting uses this motif. Though I don't think they're technologically advanced as you may like.

One thing that always bugs me about musket-type rules for D&D is that they always overpower the damage. Muskets weren't deadlier than bows during that time, they were just much easier to learn how to use. Ah well, just a mini-rant.

Happy gaming!

 

[JacktheRabbit]

Its not that muskets are overpowered. Its more that bows (especially the longbow) is underpowered by the rules. Remember the wide introduction of the longbow pretty much spelled the end of the moounted knight. Yet by DnD rules knights do just find against longbow men.

One thing that always bugs me about musket-type rules for D&D is that they always overpower the damage. Muskets weren't deadlier than bows during that time, they were just much easier to learn how to use. Ah well, just a mini-rant.

Happy gaming!

 

[GMSkarka]

It's been done, and done really, really well.

Check out Septentrionalis , which is a D&D campaign set in 17th/18th century North America (or Septentrionalis as it was known on old maps). Rules for black-powder weapons, sea battles, lots of cool stuff.

This stuff is so good it deserves to be a commercial product. I'm really surprised that no D20 company has hit this guy with an offer yet.

GMS

 

[Mistwell]

Wow, that site is REALLY NICE! I've never heard of it before. I'll have to delve deeper.

 

[Ace]

Greetings!

Hello. I'm currently working on developing a continent in my campaign that may feature some very unusual characteristics. My campaign world is roughly the size of Jupiter, so there are enormous oceans, and a good number of continents.

I'm toying with the idea of an environment where you essentially take Europe and the colonial empires of the 1720's, and seamlessly blend in magic, as well as other, non-human races. Thus, you'd have Ships O'the Line, Musketeers, whigs, Tricorn hats, leggings, fancy dresses, and on and on. What do you think? What would work, and what wouldn't?

I'm curious about how muskets and cannon, as well as many other aspects of the Colonial Era, would mix with magic, and non-human races. Pretty interesting, wouldn't you agree?

Semper Fidelis,

SHARK

Funny you should ask, we just played a D&D 1620 game last night and I have a similar varient of my own setting as well.

The things I noticed in design

If you are using D&D you need a defense system because lines of flintlocks will chew up armor and armor in the period tended to be light (a leather bBuff coat or occasionally a breast plate)

IMC guns are a ranged touch attack. This works well to bring on the correct feel but can be very nasty so be carefull.

In the game I was in they were regular attacks but we were in the Carribean so the armor was light.

Wizards are less awesome with cannon and muskets.

Non Humans, No problem

Fire spells and sailing ships are bad combination. Fireproof those sails! Same with Gunpowder.

Fights are quite different. The usual for us is a simple volley of shots (2 or 3 from muskets or pistols) then advance to melee. In most of our regular games there is much less opportunity for missle fire.

Fireamrs are slow to reload, We assume 3 rounds although 4 is a little more accurate with a feat to lower it to 3

Swashbuckling is fun, be sure to encourage feats like Mobility.

Otherwise while the culture would be different the basic stuff works pretty well. D&D standards work well up to about 1830 or so. Repeating arms throw off the balance and necessate a lot of new rules.

Books to read that you may not be familiar with.

On Stranger Tides: Tim Powers
The Necromancer: Paula Volsky
Goblin Moon and the Gnomes Engine: Thersa Edgarton
Swords Point: Ellen Kushner

These are not quite Colonial but they are close enough and may give you ideas.

 

[LostSoul]

I think that, to accurately model muskets in D&D, you have to give them an inherent Strength.

A musket might have a 16 Str, giving it a bonus of +3 to damage and to hit. This models its ability to punch through armour and how difficult it is to dodge the bullet (or ball).

 

[SHARK]

Greetings!

Wow, this is some excellent stuff! I have been developing some things like this for a while, but I haven't really introduced it "officially" into the rest of the campaign yet. I think there is a lot of potential!

Semper Fidelis,

SHARK