Author Topic: [3.5] Casters - magical guns  (Read 2584 times)

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ScarfNinja

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[3.5] Casters - magical guns
« on: August 18, 2010, 03:18:28 PM »
I admit Outlaw Star is my inspiration for this one. I was thinking of a campaign in a world where two world powers are at war, and wanted to include guns of a certain flavour, whilst also making a useful tool to help bring up the non-casters in my campaign. Generally I wanted the guns to be powerful, useful, but not automagically superior to any other available weapon or to make melee combat obsolete.

So yeah, here's what I came up with. Any comments, advice, suggestions and the like is very welcome.


The Caster Gun

The Caster Gun, or Caster for short, is a magically powered, breech-loading firearm that uses a magical force effect to project ammunition over great distances.  Available in many shapes and sizes, casters are easy to use, powerful weapons that can be loaded either with standard, non-magical slugs, or specially crafted Caster Shells, which contain magical shells. The presence of Casters in a campaign, depending on availability and distribution, may have far-reaching social consequences as magic is readily placed in the hands of soldiers across the world whilst the means of producing that power is still firmly in the hands of mages themselves.

Whilst Casters in a campaign are powerful and likely to revolutionise warfare, their inability to use magical ammunition places them at a clear disadvantage in the face of a magic resistant enemy, shields or weapons with Arrow Deflection properties, or those who routinely wear Bullet Proof VestmentsCastersActivating a ShellBayonet

An attachable blade that can be fixed to the muzzle of a Caster, on a Hand Caster/Repeater, the bayonet deals damage as a punching dagger of the same size and is treated as a light weapon. With a Heavy or Light Caster/Repeater, the bayonet deals damage as, and is considered, a spear of the same size that cannot be thrown and is treated as a two-handed weapon. If a character has Weapon Focus or a similar feat with Punching Daggers or Spears may add the associated bonus to attack rolls they make with a Bayonet. Equally, if a character has Weapon Focus or similar bonuses for attacking with Casters, they may apply this bonus to any attacks they make with Bayonets attached to Casters as well.

A character fighting with a bayonet affixed to a Caster may attack with the Caster or the Bayonet as they wish. Any attacks made with the attached Caster on the same round after attacking with the Bayonet suffer a -2 penalty.

Anyone who is proficient with a Caster is considered proficient with an attached Bayonet; otherwise it is a considered a martial weapon, even in settings where Casters are uncommon.

If the Caster is used to activate a shell containing a touch range spell, the user may instead use the bayonet as the target of the spell rather than the barrel of the Caster. They may then attempt a touch attack with the Bayonet normally, or use the Bayonet in a normal attack much as a natural or unarmed attack when Holding the Charge that does not provoke attacks of opportunity. If the attack hits, then the spell discharges, if it misses, the Bayonet is still holding the charge. Any attacks made in this fashion with the Bayonet, whether touch attacks or standard attacks, do not apply the Caster's enhancement bonus or special abilities to the attack roll or damage roll, but instead apply the Bayonet's own enhancement bonuses and abilities to the attack roll, though not to any damage roll for the spell.

A Bayonet not attached to a Caster may be used as an improvised weapon at a -4 penalty to deal damage as a punch dagger of its size.

Caster, Hand

You can shoot, but not load a Hand Caster with one hand at no penalty. Loading a Hand Caster is a move action that provokes attacks of opportunity. You can shoot a Hand Caster with each hand, but you take a penalty on attack rolls as if attacking with two light weapons.

Caster, Light

Loading a Light Caster is a move action that provokes attacks of opportunity. Normally, operating a Light Caster requires two hands. However, you can shoot, but not load, a Light Caster with one hand at a -2 penalty on attack rolls. You can shoot a Light Caster with each hand, but you take a penalty on attack rolls as if attacking with two light weapons. This penalty is cumulative with the penalty for one-handed firing.


Caster, Heavy

Loading a Heavy Caster is a move action that provokes attacks of opportunity. Normally, operating a Heavy Caster requires two hands. However, you can shoot, but not load, a Heavy Caster with one hand at a -4 penalty on attack rolls. You can shoot a Heavy Caster with each hand, but you take a penalty on attack rolls as if attacking with two one-handed weapons. This penalty is cumulative with the penalty for one-handed firing.

Caster, War

A massive Caster with multiple barrels spun by means of a hand crank (a free action). A War Caster can hold up to 20 rounds of ammunition at once. Ammunition for War Casters comes in Reloading a War Caster is a full round action that provokes attacks of opportunity. A War Caster is too heavy and ungainly to carry in one hand and may only be used one-handed by a character with the Monkey-Grip, or similar feat, or a character at least one size category larger than the War Caster is intended for. Firing a War Caster with one hand gives a -6 penalty on attack rolls. If you can shoot a War Caster with each hand, you take a penalty on attack rolls as if attacking with two one-handed weapons. This penalty is cumulative with the penalty for one-handed firing.

The War Caster has a twenty-first chamber specially prepared to accept magic shells. It may hold one magic shell at a time as well as 20 rounds of slugs allowing either to be used at any one time. Expelling a dead shell and loading another is a move action that provokes an attack of opportunity. There is a clear panel on the top of this chamber to allow the wielder to know what their currently loaded shell is, if it is marked for such identification.

Because of its sturdy composition, a War Caster is 20% less likely to Jam due to magical ammunition or Overloaded Shell use, and provides a +4 bonus to UMD checks to prevent Jamming (this is due to an effective 20% reduction in jam percentage, rather than providing an additional bonus). As such, a War Caster may use level six Overloaded shells with no chance of Jamming, use slugs with a effective enhancement bonus of +2 or less without chance of Jamming, or be enchanted with abilities such a Flaming, Shock War Caster, or a Flaming Burst War Caster, with no chance of Jamming. This does not mean that a +1 or greater War Caster cause their ammunition to be considered as magical, merely that that ammunition can be made magical with a lower chance of Jamming the machine.

RepeatersSlug

A slug is a dense sphere of metal. Due a quirk of their speed and their large, spherical nature, these slugs when fired can be considered to deal bludgeoning damage. Slugs can be made out of non-standard materials such as Silver or Cold Iron for the appropriate cost, but are rarely enchanted due to the possibility of jamming the Caster they are fired from.

A Caster can fire small pebbles or rock salt at targets, however the actions of the Firing Matrix upon such items will pulverise them upon firing, making any damage caused by the caster Blunt and Non-lethal, as well as giving a -2 penalty to attack rolls with such improvised ammo.

Because of the forces acting upon a fired slug, a slug cannot be reused and is destroyed, regardless of whether it hits or misses.

Magic ShellOverloaded ShellSpell Storing Shell

A Spell-Storing shell comes in two varieties, a lesser, one-use version of the item, and a greater, reusable version, typically made out of a precious stone of some fashion. For both shells a spell caster may cast any spell of up to fourth level on the shell. This spell may not have a casting time of longer than one standard action, and any effects which reduce the effective spell level on the item are ignored for the purposes of determining whether a spell can be cast upon a Spell-Storing shell, hence a Metamagic School Focus Empowered Fireball or a Sudden Empowered Fireball are both considered fifth level spells, and cannot therefore be applied to a Spell-Storing shell.

Once a spell is in place, it may be used with a Caster to activate the shell as normal. Once infused with a spell, a new spell cannot be cast upon the spell-storing shell until it is used, at which point either it turns into an unenchantable blackened husk as a normal shell does, or in the cast of a reuseable Spell Storing shell, becomes empty, ready to be recovered from the Caster for a new spell to be cast upon it.

Strong evocation (plus aura of stored spell); CL 8th; Craft Magic Arms and Armour, creator must be a caster of at least 8th level; Price: 500 GP (Lesser), 4000 GP (Greater)


Creating a CasterJamming
Enhancement
Feats

Rapid Reload
« Last Edit: August 18, 2010, 04:32:10 PM by ScarfNinja »

McPoyo

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Re: [3.5] Casters - magical guns
« Reply #1 on: August 23, 2010, 05:32:54 PM »
I like this. I was working on something similar, but I like your system a lot more. Question: When activating a magical shell, the weapon doesn't do it's normal damage to the target, correct?

Also, the War Caster entry has a couple sentences that are missing parts of them.
[Spoiler]
A gygaxian dungeon is like the world's most messed up game show.

Behind door number one: INSTANT DEATH!
Behind door number 2: A magic crown!
Behind door number 3: 4d6 giant bees, and THREE HUNDRED POUNDS OF HONEY!
They don't/haven't, was the point. 3.5 is as dead as people not liking nice tits.

Sometimes, their tits (3.5) get enhancements (houserules), but that doesn't mean people don't like nice tits.

Though sometimes, the surgeon (DM) botches them pretty bad...
Best metaphor I have seen in a long time.  I give you much fu.
Three Errata for the Mage-kings under the sky,
Seven for the Barbarian-lords in their halls of stone,
Nine for Mortal Monks doomed to die,
One for the Wizard on his dark throne
In the Land of Charop where the Shadows lie.
[/spoiler]

archangel.arcanis

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Re: [3.5] Casters - magical guns
« Reply #2 on: August 23, 2010, 05:48:26 PM »
2 critiques. First name them something other than "casters" to avoid confusion. May I suggest something like Mage-lock firearms, in reference to match/flint-lock weapons they would likely resemble. Second these guys are screwed when DR comes into play. I think that allowing the attacks to count as magical and whatever material the slug is made of would be fair. Or if not then allow the normal rules for ammo gaining the properties apply but make them cost extra to enchant due to their already magical nature. Either something flat like Cold Iron's +2000gp or make it an extra 50-100%, thus making a +5 to +10 weapon a kings ransom.
Clerics and Druids are like the 4 and 2 in 42. Together they are the answer to the ultimate question in D&D.
Retire the character before the DM smacks you with the Table as the book will feel totally inadequate now.-Hazren

McPoyo

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Re: [3.5] Casters - magical guns
« Reply #3 on: August 23, 2010, 05:54:37 PM »
Didn't I see something up in there about passing on the +'s to the ammo? I may have misread.

Also, the name was because that's what they were called in the series they were pulled from.
[Spoiler]
A gygaxian dungeon is like the world's most messed up game show.

Behind door number one: INSTANT DEATH!
Behind door number 2: A magic crown!
Behind door number 3: 4d6 giant bees, and THREE HUNDRED POUNDS OF HONEY!
They don't/haven't, was the point. 3.5 is as dead as people not liking nice tits.

Sometimes, their tits (3.5) get enhancements (houserules), but that doesn't mean people don't like nice tits.

Though sometimes, the surgeon (DM) botches them pretty bad...
Best metaphor I have seen in a long time.  I give you much fu.
Three Errata for the Mage-kings under the sky,
Seven for the Barbarian-lords in their halls of stone,
Nine for Mortal Monks doomed to die,
One for the Wizard on his dark throne
In the Land of Charop where the Shadows lie.
[/spoiler]

archangel.arcanis

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Re: [3.5] Casters - magical guns
« Reply #4 on: August 23, 2010, 06:08:20 PM »
he called out that they specifically don't pass the +'s and that they are never treated as magical for DR which makes them horrible for adventurers but still fine for rank and file armies.
Clerics and Druids are like the 4 and 2 in 42. Together they are the answer to the ultimate question in D&D.
Retire the character before the DM smacks you with the Table as the book will feel totally inadequate now.-Hazren

McPoyo

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Re: [3.5] Casters - magical guns
« Reply #5 on: August 23, 2010, 06:20:51 PM »
Ah, you are correct. I misread that.

In which case, dual activating Orbs of Force fixes that.
[Spoiler]
A gygaxian dungeon is like the world's most messed up game show.

Behind door number one: INSTANT DEATH!
Behind door number 2: A magic crown!
Behind door number 3: 4d6 giant bees, and THREE HUNDRED POUNDS OF HONEY!
They don't/haven't, was the point. 3.5 is as dead as people not liking nice tits.

Sometimes, their tits (3.5) get enhancements (houserules), but that doesn't mean people don't like nice tits.

Though sometimes, the surgeon (DM) botches them pretty bad...
Best metaphor I have seen in a long time.  I give you much fu.
Three Errata for the Mage-kings under the sky,
Seven for the Barbarian-lords in their halls of stone,
Nine for Mortal Monks doomed to die,
One for the Wizard on his dark throne
In the Land of Charop where the Shadows lie.
[/spoiler]

archangel.arcanis

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Re: [3.5] Casters - magical guns
« Reply #6 on: August 23, 2010, 06:36:55 PM »
Ah, you are correct. I misread that.

In which case, dual activating Orbs of Force fixes that.
???  I don't get it unless your talking about the magical rounds, and that would bee 700 a pop so not too useful unless you have already destroyed the concept of a realistic economy.
Clerics and Druids are like the 4 and 2 in 42. Together they are the answer to the ultimate question in D&D.
Retire the character before the DM smacks you with the Table as the book will feel totally inadequate now.-Hazren

McPoyo

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Re: [3.5] Casters - magical guns
« Reply #7 on: August 23, 2010, 06:53:45 PM »
Ah, you are correct. I misread that.

In which case, dual activating Orbs of Force fixes that.
???  I don't get it unless your talking about the magical rounds, and that would bee 700 a pop so not too useful unless you have already destroyed the concept of a realistic economy.
perhaps overkill, but it ensures DR doesn't matter for whomever they just splattered.
[Spoiler]
A gygaxian dungeon is like the world's most messed up game show.

Behind door number one: INSTANT DEATH!
Behind door number 2: A magic crown!
Behind door number 3: 4d6 giant bees, and THREE HUNDRED POUNDS OF HONEY!
They don't/haven't, was the point. 3.5 is as dead as people not liking nice tits.

Sometimes, their tits (3.5) get enhancements (houserules), but that doesn't mean people don't like nice tits.

Though sometimes, the surgeon (DM) botches them pretty bad...
Best metaphor I have seen in a long time.  I give you much fu.
Three Errata for the Mage-kings under the sky,
Seven for the Barbarian-lords in their halls of stone,
Nine for Mortal Monks doomed to die,
One for the Wizard on his dark throne
In the Land of Charop where the Shadows lie.
[/spoiler]

ScarfNinja

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Re: [3.5] Casters - magical guns
« Reply #8 on: August 25, 2010, 09:46:05 AM »
Ooo, replies. Sorry for the delay in checking in.

Okay, in order:

1: That's correct. A Caster cannot hold a Shell and a Slug at once, and a Repeater/War Caster has its own special barrel for shells that is used instead, and shells deal no damage. On top of that, it takes at least a standard action, so it's impossible to fire and activate a shell on the same round.

2: I thought I'd cleared out the missing sentences, can you point out any more that are missing so I can fix them please?

3: The name is a little confusing, McPoyo's right, they were Casters in Outlaw Star, but even while I was writing it I saw there might be some confusion. Magelock sounds a little odd to me for some reason, but they're powered by a controlled Force-effect, how about Pulselocks as an overarching name? I'd probably keep Warcasters though.
If anyone wants to use the rules then they can rename them as they like though, I was never good with names.

4: I have several reasons behind the Pulselock not being allowed "magic" ammo.

A: They're pretty strong, numerically, compared to a magical crossbow. A +1, Flaming, Shocking, Frost Heavy crossbow is 1D10+1D6+1D6+1D6+1. An average of 17 damage a shot on a 32k GP weapon. An ordinary Pulselock Heavy Rifle is 3D8, an average of 13 damage a shot on an 800 GP weapon. That's a clear advantage for a military force since the army could equip hundreds of people for a lower price, but it's a much clearer tradeoff for the adventurer. +5 guns still add +5 to hit bonus and +5 to damage (I'd consider this to be by firing it faster, increasing the spin, and course-correction HUD enhancements), it's just not a magical one, so far as DR is concerned. I don't want it to be a no-brainer to have a gun over a bow (for a PC at least), so there needs to be something beyond price that makes these things a trade-off.

B: They already have an incredibly versatile magical option, one I was more worried about being too powerful when it comes to Double-Activation. Pulselock pistols can pull out two lesser Orbs, or two magic missiles from 25gp a shell, or go a little more on the CL of the ammo and grab some 9th CL ammo later on for 10D4+10 unavoidable force damage for 450gp as a full round action, or just piddle along with 1D4+1 unavoidable damage at 25gp a shot. I see them as much as hyper-adaptable wands as they are a primary attack option. Versatility demands a price be paid in my opinion, and if that's having to drop down to Ranged Touch for 1D6 damage at 12.5gp a shot (Disrupt Undead shells) on occassion, that's really not too bad - compare it to a Rogue with Undead.

C: Rule of Cool. I use it a lot. They're also the only ranged weapon that can have the Brilliant Energy property (yes, Rule of Cool demands laser guns), the only ranged weapon which can cast magic spells, and the only ranged weapon which can have a Bayonet without needing an Exotic Proficiency feat (or at least an extra one). In fact, Bayonets benefit from all the bonuses to hit from feats that you'd get from Weapon Focus for the gun they're attached to, including Improved Critical and the like, making it much less onerous to specialise.

More rule of cool is of course - Bullets aren't "magic". Stories are full of enemies which guns just can't handle. I want to keep that feeling for  the times I want people to dread. Can't shoot a ghost, can't gun down a vampire, or take out a demon with a witty-one liner and a shotgun to the face (well, you can, but that was clearly with an Outsider-Bane shotgun). They can have ammo of any material, and if they're confronted by DR/Magic, DR/Good, DR/Lawful etc... Then they lock Bayonets (which can be magicked out the wazoo) and charge the blighters. The overload rule also serves as a Suicide Pill. Charge to the centre of enemy lines, grapple with their general and fire your 100% failure chance +10 Slug for 11D6 explodey damage to you both.

D: It makes Warcasters special. Warcasters can have +2 ammo, or give their weapons enhancements worth +2. A +1 Flaming/Shock Warcaster shoots at 4D8+2D6+1 with no misfire chance. A +0 Warcaster can have +1-+2 ammo with no trouble - It can't have a Bayonet, so it can pick up the penetration enhancements on its ammo, and I'd say that a "heroic" ranged-damage specialist would be using the Warcaster, not a pistol.
The Pistols are better intended for adventurers who are tricky. Dual-casting two spells a round is an expensive feat chain for a full-time mage, so whilst they have some pretty decent damage on their own, I don't think their trouble penetrating DR is going to make them any less appealling to an adventurer who understands them.

E: It makes unusual enchantments more appealling. Bane gives all its slugs an effective +2 Enhancement bonus against a single monster type, so a +1 Magebane Pulselock Pistol's ammo do count as magic for piercing a Mage's Protection from Arrows or bulletproof vestment. It also penetrates Dragon DR/magic because they cast spells. A lot of nasty enemies are spellcasters, hence why Magebane was specifically allowed. Bane/x can be used against more specific, dangerous targets if you like, but Magebane in particular would/should be almost mandatory for an Adventuring Gunman, since so many dangerous foes have - Arcane Spell-like abilities or Arcane spells. What usually gets used on a bow? Flaming, Holy, Frost, Shocking Burst, Speed....? Things that add damage dice in my experience, so keeping the types of enhancement available is important.

F: Risk. You can always risk it. Desparate against a wraith? Have some +1 slugs? Risk it. It's only slightly more likely than a Critical Miss, and you'll only take 3-18 damage from it if it blows, but maybe you'll kill the wraith first? If you don't, maybe you'll take it low enough that it'll die from the splash damage? It's only got 32 HP after all, take a chance.
A soldier would get a dressing down from breaking their gun. An adventurer would get it fixed and walk away with mountains of treasure.


I'm quite happy to accept that campaigns heavy in the DR/x monsters, there is the possibility that this just won't be enough. In which case, I'd suggest a Feat chain for Pulselocks:

Engineer (rename as desired):
Requires: Proficiency with a Pulselock gun.
All Pulselock weapons you wield that you are proficient with have a -5% chance of Jamming when used.
Super Engineer: (I could have spent hours coming up with perfect names for these you know)
Requires: Proficiency with a Pulselock gun, Engineer.
All pulselock weapons you wield that you are proficient with have a -5% chance of Jamming when used. This is cumulative with Engineer.

ULTRA Engineer: You get the picture, 20% total reduction.
UBER Engineer: 40% total reduction.
They're all Fighter Bonus feats.

With all four feats and a Warcaster, you can have +6 ammo without the chance to jam, but an investment of more than just gold.