Blackpowder Firearms

<div class='cover-header'>Blackpowder Firearms</div>

<div class='cover-footer'> Realistic and balanced for fantasy!</div>

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# Tame Fire and Thunder
**The artificer readies his musket, unleashing a hellish blast into the approaching goblins. One of their number falls, but the rest rise up to take advantage of the opening as the Dwarves' apprentice hands him a freshly-loaded weapon.**

**The pirate lord swings between the ships, landing on the deck. Before the crew of the assaulted ship can react, the captain faces down the barrel of a pistol. The pirate knows he has only one shot, but who dares to test him using it?**

**The barbarian of the sulfer plains gives chase to the fleeing beast, intent on ending the threat it poses before it can escape. He shifts his great hammer to one hand and pulls the blunderbuss from it's sling, ready to confirm his kill with a spray of grapeshot.**

Blackpowder (or "Smokepowder" in the Forgotten Realms settings) is a prototype technology, and while very powerful it is still ungainly, making it unable to usurp the role of archery or combat magic. However, used to supplement one's selection of arms it provides ample benefit.

### Properties

Blackpowder Firearms are ranged weapons and use ranged weapon attacks. However, they have a distinct property that they ***do not adding the attackers ability score modifier to the damage dealt***. This is offset by their extremely high base damage.

> ##### Alternate Rule
> Firearms are often benefit more from knowledgeable use and technique than sheer reflexes and finesse. Instead of Dexterity, a DM may rule that firearms use Intelligence as their attack modifier.

In addition, most firearms have the following properties:

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 ##### Reload
 This weapon can store a set amount of ammunition ready to fire, indicated by the number after this property. It cannot be fired with without ammunition ready in this way. If this weapon lacks the Muzzle-load property, one piece of ammunition can be loaded as an action.

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 ##### Muzzle-load
 It requires three actions to reload a single shot into this weapon; one to add powder, one to load the ball, and one to prime it.
 
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***It is ill-advised to load a muzzleloader in-battle***. One should use them to deal high damage, then switch to another weapon, perhaps even another firearm, or use them on targets that are out of conventional reach for the moment.

This system highly recommends the DM implement some system to limit the number of weapons a character can practically carry, specifically in order to prevent a rich player from buying more than two or three pistols to make multiple shots in a row. The cost of more advanced weapons is the other primary limiting factor, as such DMs need to be aware of how much money they are making available to the party.

### Ammunition
Firearms all require ammunition, and theirs is particularly expensive.

| Ammunition  | Cost |
|:---:|:-----------:|
|  Lead Shot (20)  | 10gp |
|  Metallic Cartridge/Shotshell (10)  | 50gp |
| Metallic Cartridge, Hot-loaded (10) | 200gp |

**Lead Shot**. A bag of projectiles for firearms. A bag contains 20 shots packed in paper with pre-measured powder loads.

**Metallic Cartridge**. A self-contained projectile, propellant and ignition system for advanced firearms. If expended cartridges are recovered, they can be reloaded for the same cost as buying common lead shot and at least an hour of work with Reloading Tools by a proficient user. If you fire a hot-loaded cartridge, the weapon deals an additional die of damage, but this has a risk: if you roll a natural 1 on the attack roll, the weapon malfunctions and jams, needing an action to remedy before it can be fired again.

### Feat
The Gunner feat is modified to better suit this system:

#### Gunner
You have trained extensively with firearms, and can use them to great effect. You gain the following benefits:
* You may add your Dexterity or Intelligence modifier to damage dealt by firearms attacks.
* You may choose to load additional powder in a weapon that has the muzzle-load property. If you do so, the weapon deals an additional die of damage, but this has a risk: if you roll a natural 1 on the attack roll, the weapon malfunctions and deals its attack damage to everyone within 5ft of it, including the wielder. 
* You can use Reloading Tools to consolidate two cartridges into one during a short rest to “hot-loaded” cartridges.
* If a weapon has the Reload property, you may reload twice the number of shots you normally would on your turn (up to the normal number of shots the weapon can hold).

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## Firearms

Firearms require *firearms proficiency* to wield. 
In the setting of Neanma, only Artificers, Fighters and Wizards have *firearms proficiency* as a class feature.

| Name  | Cost | Damage | Weight | Properties |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  Pistol  | 250gp | 2d10 piercing | 2lb | *Light, range 30/90, reload 1, muzzle-load.* |
|  Double Pistol  | 750gp | 2d10 piercing | 3lb | *Light, range 30/90, reload 2, muzzle-load.* |
|  Pepperbox  | 1500gp | 2d10 piercing | 3lb | *Light, range 20/60, reload 4, muzzle-load.* |
|  Revolver  | 2000gp | 2d10 piercing | 3lb | *Light, range 30/90, reload 6, muzzle-load.* |
|  Cartridge Revolver  | 8000gp | 2d10 piercing | 2lb | *Light, range 30/90, reload 6, special.* |
| | | | |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| | | | |
|  Musket  | 100gp | 2d12 piercing | 6lb | *Two-handed, range 50/120, reload 1, muzzle-load.* |
|  Heavy Musket  | 400gp | 3d12 piercing | 8lb | *Two-handed, heavy, range 50/160, reload 1, muzzle-load.* |
|  Rifle  | 600gp | 4d12 piercing | 6lb | *Two-handed, range 80/200, reload 1, muzzle-load.* |
|  Breech-loading Rifle  | 2000gp | 5d12 piercing | 6lb | *Two-handed, range 80/200, reload 1.* |
|  Cartridge Rifle  | 8000gp | 5d12 piercing | 6lb | *Two-handed, range 80/200, reload 1, special.* |
| | | | |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| | | | |
|  Firelance  | 100gp | 3d10 fire | 6lb | *Two-handed, reload 1, muzzle-load, special.* |
|  Blunderbuss  | 400gp | 3d10 piercing | 6lb | *Two-handed, reload 1, muzzle-load, special.* |
|  Scattercannon  | 1500gp | 5d10 piercing | 6lb | *Two-handed, heavy, reload 1, muzzle-load, special.* |
|  Coach Gun  | 1500gp | 5d12 piercing | 6lb | *Two-handed, heavy, reload 2, special.* |
| | | | |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| | | | |
|  Bayonet  | 5gp | 1d4 piercing | 0.5lb | *Special.* |

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### Pistols
Pistol-type firearms increase in the number of times they can be fired before reloading as they are upgraded. Most are also light, so they can be used in conjunction with two-weapon fighting.

##### Pistol 
A handy black-powder pistol, often carried by those of rank. It’s small size means it is good for carrying in the offhand, complimented by a one-handed weapon, or for multiple pistols to be carried, fired and discarded.

##### Double Pistol
A double-barreled black-powder pistol, with two triggers. The design allows it to be fired twice, but at greatly increased manufacturing cost.

*(Ought to be available around level 5 in classic fantasy campaigns)*

##### Pepperbox
A blackpowder pistols with four barrels that can be rotated to fire from a single trigger and hammer. The increased weight of the barrel assembly means the barrels had to be shortened, and the range is similarly decreased.

*(Ought to be available around level 11 in classic fantasy campaigns)*

##### Revolver
A prototype black-powder revolver, separating the loading chambers from the barrel allows for more shots to be stored at the ready and a longer barrel than a pepperbox. Six shots at one’s disposal makes this a devastating weapon worth considering a primary armament, if one could afford it.

*(Ought to be available around level 15 in classic fantasy campaigns)*

##### Cartridge Revolver
A prototype black-powder pistol that uses expensive metallic cartridges (5gp each), each containing everything needed to fire a shot, making it actually practical to reload during a fight... as if anyone could possibly afford to take such a weapon to a fight.

**Special**: the wielder of this weapon can use their bonus action to reload this weapon.

*(Probably should not be available in classic fantasy campaigns)*

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### Long Guns
Long guns increase in the amount of damage they deal, and their range, as upgraded.

##### Musket  
A standard black-powder musket for hunting or military use. Suitable for anyone who needs quick, simple, devastating firepower, and its value to militaries as a weapon that needs little training to deal devastating damage decreases its rarity considerably.

##### Heavy Musket
A musket with a greatly reinforced barrel, allowing more powder to be loaded and thus greater range and power.

*(Ought to be available around level 5 in classic fantasy campaigns)*

##### Rifle.  
A black-powder rifled musket, using bullets instead of balls for much higher accuracy and efficiency.

*(Ought to be available around level 11 in classic fantasy campaigns)*

##### Breech-loading Rifle

A prototype black-powder rifle that does not need to be loaded from the muzzle, making it much quicker to reload. Likely to be the pinnacle of military firearms technology.

*(Ought to be available around level 15 in classic fantasy campaigns)*

##### Cartridge Rifle
A prototype black-powder rifle that uses expensive metallic cartridges (5gp each), each containing everything needed to fire a shot. Surely, this would never catch on…

**Special**: The wielder of this weapon can use their bonus action to reload this weapon.

*(Probably should not be available in classic fantasy campaigns)*

### Scatterguns
Scatterguns increase the speed at which they can be used as they are improved, although the type varies. Their advantage is that their spray of pellets force Dexterity saves instead of a regular attack roll, which can make them much more effective against certain targets in the hands of a less-skilled user.

##### Firelance

A container, often wooden, of blackpowder and incendiary materials with a triggering mechanism, all out on the end of a staff-like rod for safety. It is aimed and wielded like a spear.

**Special**: when attacking with this weapon, instead of an attack roll all creatures in a 15ft line must pass a Dexterity saving throw equal to 10 + the wielder’s attack bonus to firearms (DEX if not proficient) or take 3d10 fire damage from this weapon. Due to the length of the handle, this blast can be initiated 5ft away from the wielder.

##### Blunderbuss

A large-bore black-powder weapon that fires a spray of smaller projectiles. It requires little talent to use, simply filling the area in front of it with hot lead.

**Special**: when attacking with this weapon, instead of an attack roll one target within a 30ft must pass a Dexterity saving throw equal to 10 + the wielder’s attack bonus to firearms (none if not proficient) or take 3d10 piercing damage from this weapon.

*(Ought to be available around level 11 in classic fantasy campaigns)*

##### Scattercannon
A extra-wide-bore blunderbuss, dramatically increasing its spread without compromising its destructive potential.

**Special**: when attacking with this weapon, instead of an attack roll all creatures in a 30ft line must pass a Dexterity saving throw equal to 10 + the wielder’s attack bonus to firearms (DEX if not proficient) or take 5d10 piercing damage from this weapon.

*(Ought to be available around level 15 in classic fantasy campaigns)*

##### Coach Gun
A double-barreled breech-loading weapon that uses brass or paper shotshells and has an advanced choke to the barrel, dramatically increasing its rate of fire and range whilst retaining its ease of use, but denying its ability to hit multiple targets. Single-use paper shotshell costs 5sp, and a reloadable brass one costs 6gp.

**Special**: when attacking with this weapon, one creature in a 60ft must pass a Dexterity saving throw equal to 10 + the wielder’s attack bonus to firearms (DEX if not proficient) or take 5d12 piercing damage from this weapon.

*(Probably should not be available in classic fantasy campaigns)*

### Misc.
##### Bayonet

A large dagger-like spike that can be attached to a musket or rifle, making it handle rather like a heavy, short spear.

**Special**: when attached to a musket, rifle, or firelance, the combined weapon can be used as a melee weapon with the combined properties of both weapons (such as *two-handed* or *heavy*) that deals 1d8 piercing damage.

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 ##### Bang
 
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 Muskets were a technology that existed aalongside what many of us consider fantasy staples of swords armor and bows for a very long time, several hundred years, in fact. However, the options the DMG proposes are little more than poory-reskinned crossbows.
 
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 This system treats firearms more like minor magic items or special spell slots (with the only spell the can cast being "bullet"). They have limited uses, but great power if you hit. While unlikely to dethrone existing combat options, guns are still powerful enough to appeal to players as niche burst-damage options: softening enemies before engaging, dropping fleeing foes, or simply threating sudden, loud and grievous harm.

Hopefully, you find this as an enjoyable and effective piece of homebrew as I did!
 
 
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Cover art credit: jeewook Choi (c juk)

@ *https://www.artstation.com/jukc*
 
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