Shotgun Houserules...

[Pbartender]

I like that idea, although I wonder if it should be like Autofire and if they make their save they don't take any damage? Not sure...but I do like the idea a lot.

Tellerve

Nope... Game mechanic-wise, it is a BAD IDEA® to make both a To Hit roll and allow a Saving Throw to negate damage for a damage roll. You are allowing the opponent to have two chances to completely avoid damage from an ordinary weapon. Unless it inflicted extraordinary amounts of damage, who would use such a weapon? Spells don't even suffer such a limitation.

It hasn't yet come up in our game. I gave the character in question the option of divvying up his current ammunition between shot and slugs, and he picked all slugs for now. He did find some shot on a dead red-neck bugbear, so I let you guys know how the rule works once he tries them.

 

[Mistwell]

Are you guys seriously contemplating a rule that allows a shotgun to hit a FIVE FOOT AREA? Boy talk about your fantasy games! Why not have the shotgun fire a laser beam of anti-matter, it's about as realistic...

 

[Tellerve]

hehe, yeah laser beam antimatter! Ok, I agree the 5'x5' isn't the best but autofire is messed up as well, or do you only allow 10 people/things to get shot. As it is written everything in a 10'x10' area is riddled with bullets. I guess in game mechanics there could only be 4 people in those spaces, but I'm figuring more when they aren't in battle positions (5' away from each other).

Anyways, I think my real miff with shotguns is that they don't seem like something that people would use, which is why this thread was started. People I know that use/used shotguns call them housecleaners and other grand titles. In movies, granted movies, they are used for good up close battles and tear things apart.

*sigh* I just want my boomstick

Tellerve

 

[Saeviomagy]

Personally, I can't see the problem with a shotgun as-is. At close range, they're one of the most damaging weapons out there. They ARE good for close combat. They're not better than a large-calibre rifle, but that's fairly realistic. Why do you use one? Because they're cheap and do the job.

 

[Tellerve]

Umm, see, I'd rather fire a shotgun at close range because it does have a bit of a spread. Granted not 5' but at least a bit. As for cheap, if shotguns are played as is I wouldn't touch them. I'd go straight for the Winchester 94 (.444). It is as cheap as the Mossberg 12 guage, has 3x's the range and does 2d10 as opposed to 2d8 damage. They have the same license restriction, ammo capacity and weight. Gosh, tough one to decide huh.

Tellerve

 

[Mistwell]

Umm, see, I'd rather fire a shotgun at close range because it does have a bit of a spread. Granted not 5' but at least a bit. As for cheap, if shotguns are played as is I wouldn't touch them. I'd go straight for the Winchester 94 (.444). It is as cheap as the Mossberg 12 guage, has 3x's the range and does 2d10 as opposed to 2d8 damage. They have the same license restriction, ammo capacity and weight. Gosh, tough one to decide huh.

Tellerve

Ammo cost Mossburg = 4, and Winchester = 6.

 

[Tellerve]

hehe, good, a viable difference, although I'd still get the more expensive ammo and the gun that can shoot much further with more punch.

Tellerve

 

[Shadowlord]

The shotgun rules in the DMG (under scattergun) look very good, but what do they mean exactly with "a 5ft path" ? Do you need to hit first and do you count a cover bonus for every previous person who obviously blocks the way?

Also, what's the crit of a scattergun? The DMG reads "*". Does this mean it has no crit or that it only causes a crit in the first two increments?

 

[Mistwell]

The shotgun rules in the DMG (under scattergun) look very good, but what do they mean exactly with "a 5ft path" ? Do you need to hit first and do you count a cover bonus for every previous person who obviously blocks the way?

Also, what's the crit of a scattergun? The DMG reads "*". Does this mean it has no crit or that it only causes a crit in the first two increments?

Those rules are not particularly applicable to d20 Modern in my opinion. It is not in line with d20 Modern standards for guns and damage really (and I believe it will be changed to conform to d20 Modern in the next edition of the DMG).

 

[Tellerve]

I think what I've decided is to get rid of this whole path and 5x5 crud. What about giving a +2, or +1 to hit with buckshot in the first 3 range increments?

I think this helps for people that want the spread, ie better hit, but doesn't go overboard. Incidentally my group that I met with tonight, one of the guys is a big gun guy, and he assured me he didn't much care about the shotgun as he'd much rather have a rifle. Even when I tried to quote evil dead, he still prefered a rifle. *sigh*

Tellerve