Fantastic Firearms

What are Fantastic Firearms?

In some fantasy settings, relatively modern firearms are not only present but exceedingly common, yet so are more conventional fantasy weapons such as swords and axes, which do not prove any less effective in combat.

For such settings, the more "realistic" rules for firearms present in the Dungeon Master's Guide are inadequate, as the stats for guns listed there prove much more powerful than the average longsword or warhammer. In addidion, these weapons are treated as exceedingly rare and valuable, requiring martial training to use. In such worlds where firearms are commonplace but fail to totally outstrip older weapons, the rules presented below can be used.

Additional Class Proficiencies

In addition to the proficiencies listed in the Player's Handbook, characters gain the following proficiencies.

• If a class grants proficiency with all simple weapons or all martial weapons, that class has proficiency with all weapons of that type listed in this document.
• Bards and Rogues are proficient in carbines, gunblades, and revolvers.
• Sorcerers and Wizards are proficient in pepperguns and shotguns.
• At the DM's discretion, Druids may be unable to use firearms much like they cannot use metal armor or shields.

Starting Equipment

When choosing starting equipment, players may substitute certain equipment options for comparable firearms.

• A light crossbow and 20 bolts may be substituted for a shotgun and 20 slug shells.
• A longbow and 20 arrows may be substituted for a carbine and 20 rifle bullets.
• A shortbow and 20 arrows may be substituted for a pocket pistol and 20 pistol bullets.

Weapon Properties

In addition to the properties listed in the Player's Handbook, the weapons in this document have the following new properties.

Firearm. A weapon with the firearm property detonates some form of alchemical compound to propel a projectile at high speeds. When you make a ranged attack with this weapon it makes a loud, distinct noise which can be heard up to 500 feet away, and you have disadvantage on hearing-based checks until the start of your next turn.

In addition, unless otherwise stated, ammunition used by a weapon with the firearm property is destroyed after use, regarless if the attack hits or not.

Hybrid. A weapon with the hybrid property can also be used to make ranged attacks. A damage value is listed in parentheses next to the property- the damage dealt by making a ranged attack with the weapon. This weapon is considered a ranged weapon when making attacks using this property.

The finesse and versatile properties cannot be applied to ranged attacks made with this property, and the ammunition property only applies to ranged weapon attacks made with this weapon.

Reload. A weapon with the reload property can store multiple pieces of ammunition within itself, allowing the weapon to be fired multiple times before reloading. The number listed in parentheses next to this property is how many pieces of ammunition can be loaded into the weapon at once.

Loading a weapon with this property is a bonus action, and requires a free hand as usual.

Repeating A weapon with the repeating property can perform ranged attacks at an incredibly high rate of fire. You may only add half of your proficiency bonus to attacks made using this weapon. When you use the attack action on your turn to make an attack with this weapon, you may make one additional attack with this weapon as part of your attack action.

Special Weapons

Weapons with special rules are described here

Axe, Shot. When you make a ranged attack with a shot axe outside its normal range, the attack deals 1d4 piercing damage on a hit.

Bayonet. You can use an action to attach a bayonet to the end of a two-handed crossbow or firearm. While wielding a bayonetted weapon, you may make attacks with the bayonet, dealing 1d6 piercing damage in place of the bayonet's normal damage.

Peppergun. You cannot make attacks with a peppergun outside its normal range.

Shotgun. When you make a ranged attack with a shotgun outside its normal range, the attack deals 1d4 piercing damage on a hit.

Knife, Ballistic. You cannot make melee attacks with a ballistic knife that isn't loaded.

Crank Gun. Reloading a crank gun requires an action.

Rifle, Long. You have disadvantage when you use a long rifle to attack a target within 10 feet of you.

Firearm Descriptions

Below are the descriptions for the various types of firearms.

Axe, Shot. A shot axe is a crude hybrid weapon consisting of an axe head mounted to the barrel of a shotgun, which has been reinforced to bear the weight of the heavy blade.

Bayonet. A bayonet is a dagger specially fitted with a ring to allow it to be attatched to most long arms, allowing the weapon to double as a sort of spear.

Dagger, Pistol. A pistol dagger resembles a small, single-shot pistol with a short blade positioned underneath the barrel.

Gunspear. A gunspear is a spear modified to incorporate a low-powered rifle into the haft.

Peppergun. A peppergun is a particularly wide-barrreled pistol designed to accept shells rather than conventional bullets.

Pistol, Pocket. A pocket pistol is a small, easily concealable pistol with two barrels arranged in an over-under fashion.

Rifle, Hunting. A hunting rifle is an easy to use, low-powered rifle common amongst frontiersmen for use in hunting game.

Shotgun. A shotgun is a simple but powerful short-range long gun sporting two barrels.

Gunblade. A gunblade consists of a sword with a pistol incorporated into the hilt.

Knife, Ballistic. A ballistic knife is an unorthodox firearm which fires the entire knife blade.

Crank Gun. A crank gun is a large, heavily mechanized firearm with multiple roatating barrels and is capable of being fired repeatedly by way of a hand crank.

Culverin. A culverin is a scaled-down cannon as to be wielded by a single person.

Revolver. A revolver is a pistol with a rotating chanber able to hold six bullets.

Rifle, Carbine. A carbine is a small, versatile rifle well-suited for all manner of combat situations.

Rifle, Long. A long rifle is a particularly cumbersome, long-ranged weapon with increased stopping power.

Ammunition and other Items

Item	Cost	Weight
Bandolier	2 gp	2 lb.
Blade, ballistic knife	5 sp	1/2 lb.
Bullets
Pistol (20)	2 gp	1 lb.
Rifle (10)	2 gp	1 1/2 lb.
Shells
Shot (10)	3 gp	1 1/2 lb.
Slugs (10)	2 gp	1 1/2 lb.

Item descriptions

The items in the above table are described below.

Bandolier. This leather strap can be slung across the shoulder or worn as a belt around the waist and contains loops to hold up to 20 bullets, shells, or similarly sized objects for easy access.

Bullets. Pistol bullets are used to load pistol daggers, pocket pistols, gunblades, and revolvers. Rifle bullets are used to load gunspears, hunting rifles, carbines, and long rifles.

Shells. Both shell types are used to load shot axes, pepperguns, shotguns, and culverins. Slugs serve as standard ammunition for these weapons.

Shot, when loaded, can be fired as an action. All creatures in a 15-foot cone in front of you must make a Dexterity saving throw (DC 8 + your dexterity modifier + your proficiency bonus, if proficient in the weapon) or take 1d6 piercing damage (1d4 for a peppergun).

Credits

All content created here was created by Darth-Loki using Naturalcrit's Homebrewery.