2018/08/07

OSR: Simple Pirate Firearm Rules

Basic rules, quick and dirty, for my upcoming piratical game.
Willem van de Velde the Elder
Range Brackets
Point Blank Range: +4 to hit
-> Standard Range: No bonus to hit

->Max Range: Only hits on a critical success.
->Beyond Max Range: Always misses.

On a critical failure, roll on the misfire table. While reloading, you cannot move or take any other actions. If you are hit by an attack while reloading, your turn spent reloading is wasted.


Weapons

Pistol
Cost: 5 gp 

Damage: 1d8. Target must also Save or be stunned if struck.
Standard Range: 20 ft.

Max Range: 40 ft.
Rounds to Reload: 2

2 to an inventory slot.
 
Can be used as a club in melee (1d4+strength bonus damage.)

Musket
Cost: 10gp
Damage: 1d8+2. Target must also Save or be stunned if struck.
Standard Range: 60 ft.

Max Range: 120 ft.
Rounds to Reload: 2 
1 to an inventory slot. 
Can be used as a club in melee (1d4+strength bonus damage) or a spear if a bayonet is attached (1d6+SB damage)

Blunderbuss

Cost: 10gp
Damage: 3d4. Target must also Save or be stunned if struck.
Standard Range: 20 ft.
Max Range: 40 ft.
Rounds to Reload: 3

1 to an inventory slot. 
Can use anything as ammo. Can be used as a club in melee (1d4+strength bonus damage).

Swivel Gun
Cost: 100gp

Damage: 3d6. Target must also Save or be stunned. If a 1 or 2 HD creature is killed, creatures immediately behind them in a straight line take any excess damage. 
Standard Range: 100 ft.
Max Range: 200 ft.
Rounds to Reload: 4
Occupies 6 inventory slots.
You probably shouldn't carry one of these. 

Naval Cannon
Cost: 1,000 gp
Damage: 5d6. Target must also Save or be stunned. If a 1 or 2 HD creature is killed, creatures immediately behind them in a straight line take any excess damage. On a miss, if a wood or stone structure could be hit instead, splinters deal 1d6 damage in a 20' radius around the point of impact.
Standard Range: 400 ft.

Max Range: 800 ft.
Rounds to Reload: 6

Occupies 12 inventory slots. You probably shouldn't carry one of these.
 
Naval Carronade

Cost: 2,000 gp
Damage: 6d6. Target must also Save or be stunned. If a 1 or 2 HD creature is killed, creatures immediately behind them in a straight line take any excess damage. On a miss, if a wood or stone structure could be hit instead, splinters deal 1d6 damage in a 20' radius around the point of impact.
Standard Range: 100 ft.
Max Range: 200 ft.
Rounds to Reload: 6
 
Occupies 14 inventory slots. You probably shouldn't carry one of these.


Misfire Table

Roll 1d10 normally. Roll 1d10+5 if there are complicating circumstances (old weapon, inexperienced operator, rushed reloading).
1d10 Misfire Effect
1-3 No Effect. The weapon fires normally after a 1/10th of a second pause (just long enough to worry).
4-5 Match Extinguished. The weapon does not fire this round. The weapon can be fired normally next round.
6-7 Fizzle. The weapon fires in 1d4 rounds (roll secretly).
8 Bad Load. The powder half-detonates. The ball flies, but range and damage are halved.Takes 2 extra rounds to reload.
9 Dud. The powder does not ignite. Takes 4 extra rounds to reload.
10 Split. The ball shatters as it leaves the barrel. 1d6 damage to anything at point-blank range. Wielder must Save or be hit by shrapnel.
11-12 Spiked. The weapon partially detonates. 10' radius, 1 damage, Save for half. Weapon cannot be fired until repaired.
13+ Shattered. The weapon detonates spectacularly. 10' radius (1d10x10' for cannons and above), regular weapon damage, Save for half. The weapon is gone.
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 "A superb arrangement of arms, perfect for the man who has everything but a shotgun, 2 swords and a brace of pistols."

Maintaining and Firing

Charges
Cost: 1sp each
6 to an Inventory Slot. Used by Pistols, Muskets, and Blunderbusses.

Pistol, Musket, and Blunderbuss Reloading Tools

Cost: 1sp
Assumed to take up the same inventory slot as the weapon.

Cannonballs
Cost: 5sp each
1 to an inventory slot.

Cannon Charge

Cost: 1gp each
1 to an inventory slot.

Cannon Reloading Tools

Cost: 5sp
1 to an inventory slot.

3 comments:

  1. Interesting methodoloy Skerples. Have you read Blood of Prokopoius's thoughts on the subject?

    http://bloodofprokopius.blogspot.com/2017/07/meditating-on-firearms-in-d.html

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  2. I once played in a piratical game where we mounted a massive old bombard on a dank little sloop. Couldn't reload quickly or aim at all (so basically limited to a single point-blank attack portside), and it nearly capsized the dang boat every time it fired, but man, trying to hull a galleon with that thing is a golden memory.
    Anyway, glad to see the carronade on this list. Do you think anyone will use it, though, given it's double the cost and a quarter of the range of a cannon, with only 20% more damage?

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    Replies
    1. Absolutely. Think about it as a +1 sword; how much more expensive is a +1 sword compared to a regular sword? Damage output is everything. Even if it requires you to close to close range (which you were going to do anyways if you're a pirate; sunken ships means no treasure), a single carronade blast gets the other ship out of the fight more quickly.

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