Editing User:Bill/Buckle Your Swash! (section)

==Rules==

Obviously D&D3.5 is the set I'd be most interested in using for this. I could easily apply the setting notes to another set of rules though and I am willing to negotiate. My custom firearms rules follow.

===Firearms===

In this variant firearms will be widely available. However, I consider the rules presented for period firearms in the DMG to be a poor representation of the weapon. They are both too weak and too expensive. As presented in the DMG they are intended to have minimal impact on the setting, providing flavor without requiring a major shift in the economy or power level of the default setting. And since printing a more effective weapon would have effectively "nerfed" most of the armor in the game and classes that rely upon it to remain viable, it's not surprising that WotC didn't. I will be using the following instead:


{| width=100% cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0
|-
| Pistol || 2d8 || 18-20 || x3 || 30ft || 3lbs || Ballistic || 75gp
|-
| Musket || 2d10 || 18-20 || x3 || 90ft || 10lbs || Ballistic || 100gp
|-
| Bomb || 2d12+10 || 5ft(r) || || 10ft || 1lb || Fire || 75gp
|-
| Smoke Bomb || NA || || 20ft(r) || 10ft || 1lb || NA || 35gp
|-
| Powder (15lb) || || || || || 20lb keg || (1050 shots) || 125gp
|-
| Powder || || || || || 2lb powder horn || (140 shots) || 18gp
|-
| Shot (20) || || || || || 1lb 20 balls || (no chance to recover) || 1gp
|}


Ballistic attacks are a new class of damage I am introducing to D&D3.5. While this damage type appears in D20 Modern, it will be mechanically distinct for purposes of this game. In D20 modern most available armor is designed for use against ballistic attacks, and therefore no special rules are really required.

Ballistic attacks travel at significant velocity, exceeding the speed of sound. Due to this velocity they possess properties allowing them to negate a significant portion of an armor’s defensive value. All attacks inflicting Ballistic damage are considered touch attacks and reduce the effectiveness of non-supernatural damage reduction by 3. This penetrating effect will not reduce the effectiveness of supernatural damage reduction such as that provided by spells, spell like effects, or curses like lycanthropy.

====Combat Example====
A combat featuring this type of weapon should work like so:

RD 1: Everybody fires their guns, the biggest ugliest and most heavily armored characters taking the most fire. Mooks and weak characters that are hit are incapacitated and dying, aforementioned big ugly armored dudes are hurting because most of their armor was ignored and they just got peppered with half a dozen 2d10 attacks.

RD 2-4: Melee ensues while noncombatants reload in the rear and tend to the wounded. Folks with additional pistols may or may not fire again.

RD 5: Noncombatants unload again on anybody still standing.

Wash, rinse, repeat.

Ideally very few combats would last more than ten rounds, though that will depend greatly on how many characters are involved and how many hit points they have.

Untrained characters will require a full minute to reload firearms. Those possessing Exotic Weapon Proficiency Firearms are able to reload in three combat rounds. To reload any faster will require a spell or supernatural ability. Feats will not cut it. 

This is consistent with historical accounts of trained British soldiers during the war of independence. A trained man was able to fire three rounds a minute, even with a muzzle loading weapon.


====Feats====
Many archery feats may be applied to firearms, but please use your common sense when selecting them. The following feats are suggested.

*Able Sniper
*Point Blank Shot
**Defensive Archery
**Far Shot
**Precise Shot
**Improved Precise Shot
**Ranged Disarm
**Ranged Sunder
**Sharp Shooting
**Shot on the Run
**Woodland Archer
*Zen Archery

====Who, or What, Has Access?====
The following core classes will gain Exotic Weapon Proficiency Firearms at first level:

*Bard
*Rogue
*Scout
*Swashbuckler

Human and Goblin fighters may optionally give up proficiency with heavy armors in exchange for proficiency with firearms.

Only two cultures in this game will have completely embraced firearms.Civilized urban humans and goblinoids living in close proximity to urban humans. Individual representatives of any race may adopt the use of firearms. However, the more mystically inclined a race is the less likely they will be to do so. Additionally Dwarves generally consider the devices to be crude and without art. No NPC Dwarven craftsman will willingly construct such a thing. This bit of background fluff is suggested, but not mandatory.

The stats presented above represent medium sized firearms. Most guns will fall into the small and medium categories. However, like any other weapon a firearm may be made larger or smaller. Such a custom weapon must be made as a masterwork item.

====Repeaters?====
No. Repeating weapons are beyond the current technological development of the world. However, enchanted firearms and mystical prestige classes that focus onthe use of firearms may circumvent this restriction.

This has some grounding in balance. By introducing firearms that are already more dangerous than most of the standard fighter builds can handle the game is biased towards fighters that can evade getting shot by the first salvo then move in with melee weapons to mop up. By upping the proverbial ante and allowing for widespread use of repeating firearms all melee combat will cease and it'll come down to who can shoot faster and more accurately with out being hit.

That being said, if you want more than a single shot consider carrying a brace of pistols. It worked for Blackbeard.

===Armor Cost===
The increased commonality of firearms will dramatically reduce the demand for heavy armor, making its appearance much more rare and costly. To reflect this double the base cost of all medium armor and triple that of heavy armor.