Path of the Cannoneer
The path of the Cannoneer is tempting to those barbarians mad or stupid enough to enjoy drenching both themselves and their enemies in fire. Cannoneers die in battle at the hands of their opponents as commonly as from the misfires of their boomsticks. However, as long as the misfire is bright, brilliant, and as devastating to a Cannoneer's foes as it is to the Cannoneer, this is a wholesome death.
Weapon of Fury and Fire
At 3rd level, when you adopt this path, you learn how to channel your ferocity to improve your performance with cannons, allowing you to add your rage damage to any ranged attacks made with a cannon. You also gain resistance to thunder and fire damage while raging, as you have grown to build up a resilience to your cannon's constant loud and burning misfires.
In addition, as a bonus action, you may attempt to repair a broken cannon by performing a reckless repair check. To perform a reckless repair check, roll a d20, adding your Strength or Dexterity bonus. If it's result is higher than the cannon's current misfire score, you fix the cannon, and it may now be used for ranged attacks with a misfire score of 1. If the result is equal to or below the cannon's misfire score, it misfires again, as you continue to slam the cannon in anger.
Art Credit: Kekai Kotaki
Written By: James Rathwell
Bigger Gun, Bigger Boom
At 6th level, your ability to wield heavier cannons increases. Your carrying capacity (including maximum load and maximum lift) is doubled.
Additionally, you no longer have disadvantage when attacking targets within 5 feet of you with a ranged cannon attack.
Break Things to Fix Things
At 10th level, when attempting to repair a broken cannon, instead of bashing it with your hand or on the ground, you may now instead bash enemies with it in a mad attempt to repair it. After dealing damage to an enemy on a successful melee attack using a broken cannon, you may roll a reckless repair check.
Also, if you successfully hit a creature using your reckless attack feature with a broken cannon, you gain advantage on the next reckless repair check you make that turn.
Playing With Fire
At 14th level, you can use the scalding remnants of past shots still lying within your cannon to give fresh shots an extra kick. If your cannons misfire score is 5 your cannon shots deal one extra damage dice, at a misfire score of 10 they deal two extra damage dice; at 15 they deal three extra damage dice, and at 20 they deal four extra damage dice.
In addition, you may now clear your cannon as a bonus action.
Cannons, Expanded.
A creature may hold a cannon as if it is a two handed weapon so long as the cannons weight is below the creatures maximum carrying capacity. When holding a cannon you can add your Strength modifier instead of Dexterity for ranged attack and damage rolls and the cannon gains the following properties: martial weapon, special, misfire 1, reload 1, ammunition, ranged, heavy, two handed.
Example Cannons:
- 250lb - 1 damage dice - range 75/300ft - 250gp
- 500lb - 2 damage dice - range 150/600ft - 500gp
- 1000lb - 3 damage dice - range 225/900ft - 1000gp
- 1500lb - 4 damage dice - range 300/1200ft - 1500gp Cannon from pg 255 of the DMG:
- 3500lb - 8 damage dice - range 600/2400ft - 3500gp
Special: Weight Based Damage and Range
A cannons number of damage dice and range is determined by its size. A 500 pound cannon can fit a shot which deals 2 damage dice. Every 500 pounds the cannon is beyond this increases the damage dice by 1 as outlined above. A 500 pound cannons range is 150/600ft, every 500 pounds above this its minimum range increases by 75ft, and its maximum range adjusts accordingly (max range = min range x4).
A cannon deals half its damage dice rounded down in d8 bludgeoning damage when being used for melee attacks (minimum of 1d8).
Misfire 1
A cannon starts with a misfire score of 1. Each time you fire your cannon hazardous shot remnants begin to build within the cannons chamber and the misfire score of the cannon increases as outlined on the misfire score table. When making a ranged cannon attack, before adding your to hit modifiers, compare the rolls result to the misfire score table. If the result is equal to or lower than the current misfire score of your cannon, your cannon misfires.
When a cannon misfires instead of making a ranged attack it breaks, causing a small explosion forcing all creatures within 10ft of the cannon to make a constitution saving throw or take a number of d10 fire damage equal to the cannons number of damage dice. On a successful save they take half damage. While a cannon is broken it cannot be used to make ranged attacks until it is repaired.
Misfire Score Table
1st shot - misfire 1
2nd shot - misfire 5
3rd shot - misfire 10
4th shot - misfire 15
5th shot - misfire 20
Clearing a Cannon. As an action you may clear a cannon, cleaning out loose shot remnants and resetting the cannons misfire score. The next time you fire your cannon it counts as having a misfire score of 1.
Reload 1
After this weapon is fired a number of times equal to its reload score it requires a bonus action or action to reload before being fired again.
Ammunition: Cannon Shots
Every time you load a cannon choose a type of shot described below. The amount of damage dice a cannon deals on a successful ranged attack is determined by the cannon you are using, while the shot you select will dictate the type of damage dice, damage type, and one unique effect. For example the cannon on pg 255 of the DMG would deal 8d10 bludgeoning damage while using a Round Shot and would cause a Ricochet Effect.
Shot Effect Save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength or Dexterity Modifier.
Round Shot. The classic cannonball. This shot bounces like a golf ball through enemy lines. A target hit with round shot takes (number of cannon damage dice)d10 bludgeoning damage.
Ricochet Effect: The cannon ball ricochets and hits a secondary target behind it within 30ft of the original target. The secondary target must make a Dexterity saving throw or take half the damage the first target took, rounded down. On a successful save the creature takes no damage and the ball shot ricochet misses.
Canister Shot. Made up of a large amount of small musket balls or other pieces of shrapnel shoved into a canister, canister shot explodes upon impacting its target shooting its contents forwards in a shotgun-like effect. A target hit with canister shot takes (number of cannon damage dice)d6 piercing damage.
Shrapnel Effect: A 15ft cone spreads out originating from the target, all other creatures within the cone must succeed a Dexterity saving throw or take half the amount of damage the primary target took rounded down. A creature who succeeds the saving throw takes no damage.
Chain Shot. Consisting of two smaller cannon balls connected by a chain, chain shot is usually used to tear apart ship masts. A target hit with chain shot takes (number of cannon damage dice)d8 slashing damage.
Chain Effect: The target must succeed a Strength saving throw or is pushed back 10ft and knocked prone. Huge and larger creatures have advantage on this save. If this movement causes the creature to move into another creatures space, the other creatures must make a Strength saving throw or are also knocked prone.
Creature Shot. You may load a creature you have grappled into your cannon as if you were loading any other shot. A small creature can fit inside a 2000lb cannon, a medium creature can fit inside a 4000lb cannon, a huge creature inside a 8000lb cannon, etc. A target hit with a creature shot takes (number of cannon damage dice)d10 bludgeoning damage.
Creature Effect: A creature takes (number of cannon damage dice)d10 bludgeoning damage if fired from a cannon.
Repairing a Broken Cannon
You may repair a broken cannon by completing a successful Tinker's or Smith's tools check. The DC equals the cannons current misfire score. Each time you roll the check you must spend a number of minutes equal to the DC attempting the repair.