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Guns and High-Tech Weaponry — from black powder to ray guns – Guns for Classic D&D

by Cab Davidson from Threshold Magazine issue 34

Surprisingly firearms of various sorts have been part of the classic D&D game for decades. The classic DA series of modules, Dave Arneson’s “Blackmoor” adventures, published in 1986 and 1987, perhaps most notably DA3: “City of the Gods”, presented a range of high-tech weapons, and in IM1: “The Immortal Storm” Frank Mentzer presented weapon mastery rules for the kinds of firearms one might unreasonably encounter on the streets of America in that era. Both versions are interesting, but sadly there is little overlap between the two and only a hint of what might have been possible is presented.

In this article I have taken inspiration from both of those sources, as well as the AD&D 2nd edition HR4: “A Mighty Fortress” to cover firearms from their earliest of forms to the more high-tech weaponry of the Star Frontiers game. What follows cannot, of course, be an exhaustive guide to every permutation of firearm or modern weapon, but I hope that this will be enough to satisfy the needs of most players and dungeon masters, whether seeking to add merely a hint of sixguns and sorcery or intending to go full on Dungeon Frontiers!

Firearms in Pentaspaces

Gunpowder is not normally found on Mystara; in fact it is rare on the prime plane, and this is due to the way gunpowder chemistry works in different kinds of spaces.

According to IM1, firearms are found on some outer planes, and are common in trispaces (three dimensional planes), but rare elsewhere. Few forms of gunpowder or other propellants are stable in tetraspaces and pentaspaces (such as the prime plane), thus transporting them to the prime or other inner planes leads to a probability of explosion. Taking a round of ammunition or a powder charge to a tetraspace creates a 50% possibility of explosion, which increases to 75% in a pentaspace. The effect is similar to a small (5' diameter) fireball, inflicting 1d10 damage to every creature within range (save vs. spells for half damage), but also setting off all other rounds within range, thus increasing damage proportionately. The probability should be checked for each round of ammunition, which for convenience can be made with a single roll (see table 1). The exception is in certain confined areas of the prime that don’t obey normal dimensional rules; thus, it is possible that in some areas where magical teleporting is impossible, guns may also be stable. Proximity to dimension-warping technology (e.g., radiance effects, fusion generators, and starship engines) can also lead to pockets of stability for firearms. This is quite different to high-tech energy weapons, which are typically functional even in pentaspaces, but as civilisations rarely jump from bows and arrows to beam weapons, societies with both wizardry and technology are extremely rare.

Rounds of ammunition

% Chance of Exploding


Tetraspace

Pentaspace

1

50

75

2

75

88

3

88

94

4

94

97

5

97

99

6

99

100

7+

100

100

Table 1: Percentage chance of ancient and modern ammunition exploding in tetraspaces and pentaspaces.

Class Restrictions

Characters restricted in weapon choices may not be able to use all guns. Clerics cannot use any guns, and magic-users are restricted to small pistols. Small races struggle with larger weapons used for larger races, thus halfling- and gnome-sized characters can only use small and medium firearms, whereas dwarves, elves and humans may use any. Pistols (and guns of a similar size) can, at a push, be used as blackjacks, and rifles, muskets, and larger guns as clubs (applying normal weapon mastery rules for those weapons).

Weapon Mastery and Weapon Class

Firearms are divided into multiple classes for mastery purposes. For example, ancient pistol-sized weapons are class A, medium-sized are class B (small muskets etc.), larger firearms class C (rifles and weapons typically requiring a stand), and hand cannons (large, crude firearms) class D. Characters are treated as having one level of mastery lower in a weapon of the same class as they are trained, and two levels lower in a weapon of an adjacent class. For example, a master with a flintlock musket (class B) is treated as an expert with a matchlock caliver (also class B) and skilled with a flintlock pistol (class A).

A non-skilled character using a gun gains no bonus to attack, and the only applicable beneficial special effect is smoked (on a roll of 20). All deleterious special effects (fouling, jamming, etc.) do apply.

Firearms and Armour

One of the key advantages to using firearms is that at short range ordinary armour confers no protection. Magical bonuses, however, still apply. So, for example, a character wearing plate mail armour +2 and wielding a shield +2, without a dexterity bonus but wearing a ring of protection +2, is an armour class of -4 against normal attacks, but an armour class of 3 if someone is shooting at them using a firearm at short range.

Cover

Ordinary rules for hard and soft cover apply, although the DM may wish to situationally change the definitions thereof. For example, a thin wooden barrier may ordinarily provide hard cover vs. arrows but may only provide soft cover against firearms.

Special Effects

Many special effects associated with guns are identical to those described in the Rules Cyclopedia. Novel special effects mentioned in the weapon mastery table (table 2) are shown and variant special effects specific to guns are described below.

Ammunition: The number of bullets the weapon can contain, and which can be used, before it must be reloaded. Reloading with a full, pre-prepared magazine takes 1 round, filling an empty magazine takes 1 round per 3 bullets added to it.

Double Damage/Triple Damage/Quadruple Damage: Multiply damage inflicted by the stated amount.

Fouling: Ancient firearms build up a detritus of burned charge, wadding, etc., in use. For every 3 shots the chance of misfiring increases by 1 and the hit roll to hang fire moves by 1, as described in the entries for misfire for hang fire. Cleaning a fouled weapon is a simpler task than removing the detritus of misfire, and the weapon can be restored to full functionality with one full minute of cleaning.

Hang Fire: On a hit roll of 2 the powder in a clean ancient firearm takes extra time to ignite, causing what is known as a hang fire. While not an immediate danger this does somewhat foul the barrel of the gun which will need to be cleared. Subsequent shots fired have an increased chance of misfiring, such that after 1 hang fire, subsequent hit rolls of 1–2 now misfire, with a roll of 3 causing another hang fire. Each subsequent hang fire increases the range for misfiring by 1 and moves hang fire result by 1. Fully cleaning an ancient firearm such that the chance of hang fire and misfire is reduced to base level takes 1 minute.

Hit Modifier: While primitive firearms are difficult to aim and often inaccurate, modern and high-tech firearms may be very much more precise. Thus, hit modifiers given in firearms tables here replace hit modifiers used in standard weapon mastery when these weapons are used, and are shown in the relevant weapon mastery tables for each weapon.

Incorporeal: Having no material form, these weapons can neither be used to deflect blows nor can they be deflected by opponent’s weapons, meaning that defensive bonuses for weapon mastery and deflect effects cannot be used to block sonic weapons.

Jam: Modern firearms are less prone to fouling than ancient, but are still prone to jamming, whereby the mechanism of firing or of moving ammunition to a firing position becomes stuck. If a 1 is rolled on an attack roll, then the user will notice that the gun may not be behaving properly and is now likely to jam.

After this, the weapon must be checked. This is a relatively simple task, taking 3 rounds. If this is not done, then the weapon becomes likely to jam. If another 1 is rolled on an attack, the weapon jams, and cannot be used until a full minute is spent unjamming it, but another 3 rounds are still needed to return the gun to fully operational condition (i.e., if another 1 is rolled before this, the gun will jam again).

Min. Range: Weapons with this special effect will not operate if used on targets closer than a stated minimum range. This is typically only the case for various grenade-launching, high-tech weapons.

Misfire: On a hit roll of 1, an ancient firearm misfires, meaning that it cannot be used again until the current charge and shot are removed, and the weapon thoroughly cleaned. This takes 10 rounds to complete.

Overheat (and cool): Weapons with this special effect are prone to malfunction when too hot. Each round, keep track of the number of charges used, and add this number to a running total of charges used in previous rounds. Each round the weapon cools by the equivalent of a set number of charges: 1 for pistols, 3 for rifles, and 5 for heavy weapons. The net difference between the increased temperature of the weapon and its total cooling determines the weapon’s current temperature. If an unmodified attack roll made with the weapon is lower than the current temperature of the weapon, then it will not work that round. For example, a laser rifle has been used 3 rounds in a row, each time expending 5 charges (15 in total). It has also cooled each round, for the equivalent of 3 charges per round (9 in total). Therefore, on an unadjusted attack roll of 6 or under (15-9=6) the weapon has overheated and will not operate for the rest of the round.

RoF: Rate of fire. Primitive firearms take multiple rounds to load and fire. For example, a flintlock rifle has a rate of fire of 1/3, so takes 3 rounds to load and fire. A high-level fighter may add extra attacks as usual and use them to reload the gun, so for example a 25th level fighter capable of making 3 attacks per round could load and fire the same rifle once per round. Rates of fire above 1 per round are covered under ‘burst fire’ (see below).

Slicing: If the weapon’s attack roll meets the stated target counting any magical bonus but no other bonuses, the opponent struck must make a saving throw vs. death ray or be struck dead with one blow. If the saving throw is successful, the victim still takes triple normal damage from the blow. These special damage bonuses do not apply when the weapon is used against undead or incorporeal creatures of any sort, or against any slimes or oozes that do not have identifiable anatomies.

Smoked: On a roll of 20 (not including any bonuses), a victim must save vs. death ray or die. If the save is successful, damage is applied normally, and the victim is stunned for 3d6 rounds.

Sonic: Ranged sonic weapons do massive damage at short range, but at longer range they are far less effective. Damage given is for short-range targets. Between short and medium range only half damage is inflicted, and up to long range quarter damage is caused.

Stunned: If a hit roll of 17–20 (for ancient firearms) or 16–20 (for modern firearms) is made, not including any bonuses, the victim must make a save vs. death ray or be stunned. A stunned creature acts last in every round (after a delayed creature), moves at one-third speed, and cannot attack or cast spells. The victim also suffers a +2 penalty to their Armour Class and a -2 penalty to all saving throws. A saving throw vs. death ray may be made each round to recover from the stun effect.

Wreck: Having quite tremendous penetrating power, these weapons can only be blocked by magic, magical weapons, or by other melee weapons with the wreck property – thus if non-magical weapons are used to deflect or block them, this will be successful only once, the weapon being rendered useless thereafter. Likewise, if striking opponents wearing normal armour, that armour is ignored, and each strike reduces the efficacy of that armour by 1 place. For example, chain mail struck by a light sabre for the first time subsequently only provides protection to AC6 rather than AC5. Adamantine, arachnium, powered collapsium, duralloy, and isiidium armour are not thus affected. Mithril armour is unaffected and provides an extra +3 bonus to armour class against weapons with the wreck ability.

Burst Fire

Modern and futuristic firearms, containing clips or charge packs holding many rounds of ammunition, may come in automatic variants. This means that in a single round each attack can be made up of multiple shots, aimed at a single target or sequentially at multiple targets within 5' of a primary declared target. This must be declared at the beginning of the attack, and for each shot fired a -2 cumulative penalty is applied to the roll. For example, a burst attack is made with an automatic medium rifle, and 6 bullets are expended. Each attack can be made at any characters within 5' of the prime target and are made in order from one side of the area to the other. Hit rolls against each target are made with a -12 penalty (-2 per bullet, 6x2=12). Normal chances for a gun to jam apply. Note that once a burst has begun, the attacker cannot stop if they believe the gun may be about to jam, i.e., if on the first attack a 1 is rolled the character cannot terminate the burst to prevent the gun from jamming if a subsequent 1 is rolled. High-level fighters who can make multiple attacks may attempt burst fire with each separate attack.

Note there are also higher quality military weapons available to military organisations with powered mechanisms for delivering bullets, which may not be as prone to jamming. Details for those weapons are not given here.

Ancient Weapons

A bewildering array of firearms have been invented over the centuries but for simplicity only a few weapon types are included, weapon mastery for such being found in table 2.

Not all ancient weapons were concurrent. Hand cannons are more primitive than matchlock weapons, which in turn were invented before wheellock weapons, and were subsequently supplanted by more reliable but ultimately simpler flintlock weapons. Thus, it is unlikely that all such weapons will be in use at the same time, in the same society.

All ancient weapons come with tools for use and maintenance, including ramrods (for pushing home charge, wadding, and bullets) and brushes (for cleaning), as part of their purchase cost. Replacements can be bought if necessary, a relevant set costing 2gp.

Hand Cannon

One of the most primitive firearms, also known as a gonne or handgonne, this is a simple metal tube with a touch hole near the base into which powder is forced, with wadding and a shot (stone or metal), needing to be fired directly by application of embers (typically fuse) to the hole. Relatively inaccurate and necessitating that a source of flame be maintained, the hand cannon is nonetheless a devastatingly lethal weapon in skilled hands.

Matchlock Weapons

With a trigger mechanism that brings a length of slow match (loose twine or cord infused with a slowly flammable material to maintain a slow-burning flame) down onto a firing pan charged with black powder, that in turn ignites a charge of powder behind wadding holding a lead ball, all rammed firmly down into a steel barrel. The match is held back by a lock to facilitate loading, and a trigger mechanism frees the lock and drops the burning match onto the firing pan. Matchlocks are therefore cumbersome, requiring match to be kept burning, making them unreliable in wet conditions.

A matchlock musket is typically an infantry weapon, being 5'’ to 6' long and typically requiring a forked stick as a rest to fire accurately. A caliver is shorter, being useable without a rest, while an arquebus is only around 3' long.

Loading requires using fine powder for the pan, and more coarse powder for the barrel, while keeping the match burning and not setting fire to any of the powder outside of the barrel. They are thus complex and slow. Slow match itself must be kept burning to use a matchlock weapon, and this can be difficult if not impossible in some conditions (heavy rain or snow, for example). Slow match burns at a rate of around 1' per hour, and typically around 1' is included with each purchase of 20 shots.

Wheellock Weapons

Similar to a matchlock but replacing the slow burning match with a spring mounted steel that spins rapidly when the lock is released by pulling the trigger, striking a piece of pyrite, and sending sparks into the firing pan. Otherwise, they are loaded and used in a similar manner to matchlocks, but not needing a source of flame they can be loaded and prepared more readily in advance and even hidden, loaded, under a cloak. The belt pistol is a shorter weapon that can be readily concealed thus, while the horse pistol is larger, around 18" long, and a popular weapon among cavalrymen. The arquebus is a longer weapon, requiring the use of a stand (usually a forked stick), used by infantry.

Wheellock weapons need to have the pyrite on which the steel wheel creates sparks replaced regularly, but this component is typically very cheap, and provided for free with standard purchases of 20 rounds of shot and powder.

Flintlock Weapons

In various guises also known as snaplock or snaphaunce weapons, in which a shaped flint is brought down onto a steel by releasing the lock, generating sparks that ignite in the firing pan. They are otherwise like earlier firearms, and they are the pinnacle of primitive firearm design. They are simpler to use and maintain than matchlock and wheel lock weapons.

Flintlock muskets tend to be shorter than earlier firearms and do not require a stand for use. Flintlocks are also the first weapons to be commonly used as rifles, with the barrels having interior grooves to impart spin to the bullet for increased accuracy at range. Such rifles, still muzzle-loaded, trade accuracy for some convenience, being a little slower to load.

The flints for flintlock weapons are cheap and easy to make, and while an individual flint can be used hundreds of times it is usual to expect a fresh flint to be provided with any purchase of 20 bullets and charges.

Modern Weapons

No attempt is made here to cover the complexity or variety of modern weapons that have emerged and been used since the 19th century, and a very simplified view of the range available is given here (see table 3). The categories of ‘pistol’ and ‘rifle’ will be familiar.

The weapons here are essentially the simple firearms that might be available to civilian operators in places where such are allowed. Many other more powerful weapons, reliably able to fire many more rounds of ammunition, are also likely to exist within the armed forces of any modern era society.

Tech Weapons

Many varieties of tech weapons exist, and it is impossible to give an overview of every type, on every world, and in every plane. Common weapons can, however, be divided into categories. In addition to standard firearm guns (which are effective and continue to be used well into eras with more exotic weaponry), ranged weapons also include lasers, sonics, blasters, needlers, and gyrojets. Melee weapons include sonic, laser, and electrified variants. High-tech guns for which weapon mastery is appropriate are shown in table 4.

Power Sources

Ammunition comes in four different forms. Energy clips are roughly palm-sized, rechargeable units weighing 3cn that slot into the handle or stock of the weapon, holding 20 charges that can be expended before charging. Belt packs are around 8" by 4" by 2", weigh 50cn, and hold 50 charges. Multiple devices can be plugged into belt packs, and they can also be recharged. Power backpacks are larger still and hold 150 charges. They can also be used to simultaneously power multiple devices, but they are heavy, having an encumbrance of 200cn, and they prevent any other backpack being worn. Lastly, for static guns (typically only heavy lasers) static power banks can be used. These may come in capacities from 500 to 2,000 charges, can simultaneously supply power to many devices, but they are essentially immobile.

Blaster/Heavy Blaster

Not a gun in any standard sense, the blaster is merely a handled tube with a slot for a power cartridge and a plug socket for other power supplies, whereas a heavy blaster is the size of a large rifle. Both shoot bolts of plasma up to 240', which explode into a ball of crackling electrical discharge in a 20' radius. Blasters inflict 6d6 damage for the expenditure of 3 charges, while heavy blasters inflict 8d6 damage for the cost of 5 charges (with saving throws vs. spells reducing damage by half). The weapons’ built-in targeting system means that a hit roll is not needed, but relative to other high-tech weapons these weapons inflict only limited damage for the energy expended.

Hand Grenade

Thrown grenades are treated as ‘tossed objects’ for the purpose of attacks, and depending on whether in the modern or high-tech categories can have any of the effects of gyrojet grenades, with the range of a tossed object. Most are made such that pulling a pin out and depressing a button activates the grenade, which subsequently explodes 4 seconds later (the time taken to throw it). Some varieties (high explosive, fragmentation, and smoke) are also available in societies with access to modern firearms. Grenade types are listed in the weapon chart below.

Laser Guns

Laser pistols, rifles and heavy lasers have the great advantage of being truly instantaneous in action, making them reliably accurate.

Lasers can be used in burst fire (as above, see firearms) but more commonly a dial is used to adjust power between 1 and a maximum total (as shown in the weapon mastery table under ‘Max Charges’). The number of charges that are used in a shot governs the damage done if an attack hits. For example, if a character with basic skill with a laser rifle expending 3 charges hits a target, they inflict 1d8 damage for each charge.

Laser weapons are fully functional across the multiverse, regardless of available dimensions. They can hit targets immune to magical attacks up to +3. Armour provides normal protection vs. laser weapons.

Sonic Guns

These weapons inflict damage by producing potent bursts of sound, directed towards single targets. They utilise the same standard energy packs as laser weapons, and each use costs a set number of charges (listed in their weapon mastery tables). While sonic weapons inflict huge damage at short range, with increased range they are very much less damaging (see ‘sonic’, in special effects, above). Armour provides normal protection vs. sonic guns, and they can hit targets normally immune to up to +2 magical weapons. Incorporeal creatures are completely immune to sonic damage.

Needler Guns

Originally designed for law enforcement, needler guns resemble wide-barrelled firearms, and utilise pressurised gas to propel a tight cluster of needles at a target. This causes some damage, but their primary purpose is to poison foes, typically to stun or incapacitate them. They have relatively short range (although more skilled users learn to arc trajectories for better range), but they are excellent weapons for subduing foes. Creatures immune to poison are unaffected by needler weapons, and any creatures that can only be hit by silver or magical weapons are immune to normal needler guns. Armour provides normal protection against needler guns.

Because of the compressed gas needed to propel the needles, needler cartridges come pre-filled and cannot be reused.

Gyrojet Guns

Resembling standard firearms, gyrojet weapons fire larger rounds that are powered by a chemical reaction, making them rocket-powered with four vents at their base. This arrangement causes the projectile to spin as it accelerates away from the barrel of the gun. While this means that gyrojets are less damaging at short range, because the projectile is still accelerating, standard gyrojet ammunition is not explosive in pentaspaces, making such weapons a popular choice by technologically capable races when venturing to such places. They are less accurate than lasers, but reliable, less prone to overheating, and deadly. Armour provides normal protection against gyrojets at short range, but no protection at mid or long range (other than magical bonuses to AC).

Gyrojet grenade launchers also exist. Not all types of grenades are stable in tetraspaces and pentaspaces, and none can be used on targets within 30', being designed not to detonate close to the wielder of the weapon. If a grenade launcher misses its target, refer to the grenade launcher scatter table for how far it missed by and in which direction – once shot, a grenade will explode somewhere. Note that the restriction on grenades not exploding within 30' of the launcher still applies – a character aiming at a target 100' away but so badly that it lands within 30' of themselves is safe from their own grenade.

Modern and High-Tech Melee Weapon

While in most higher technology societies the efficacy of ranged weapons is such that melee is less important, there are times when a warrior may be forced into a close encounter. In such scenarios a range of high- and low-tech options are used. Swords, axes, maces, and a wide range of ancient weaponry are used in modern and high-tech societies, and other weapons otherwise not used in ancient cultures are also found.

Melee weapons all use standard weapon mastery bonuses to hit. Weapon mastery tables for novel high-tech melee weapons are shown in table 5.

Bayonet: Popular with many firearm cultures but applicable even with laser rifles, a bayonet is a blade attached to the end of a musket, rifle, or carbine, providing a melee option. Such a weapon is treated as a spontoon (Rules Cyclopedia page 81) for weapon mastery purposes.

Older firearms may also come with a sword bayonet. The wielder of a sword bayonet may instead of attaching it to a firearm wield it as if a short sword.

Combat Knife: Such knives exist in many different forms and are treated as daggers.

Laser Sword/Knife: Otherwise known as light sabres, these weapons appear as handles of normal swords or knives. When activated a beam of light either 1' or up to 4' emerges from one end, that being a form of semi-solid laser light of almost any colour. They use standard power packs, and each round they expend one charge.

Laser knives and swords can be thrown at higher levels of mastery if they are powered by standard energy clips, but not if powered via wire-using belt packs or larger energy sources.

Sonic Sword/Knife: These weapons look like short or long handles such as may be found on ordinary knives or swords. When in use, a vague shimmer may be observed protruding from them, with a length typically like a knife or a sword. They must be powered and use the same standard power packs as laser guns. When in use, each round they utilise one charge. Having no material form, and inflicting damage by vibration, sonic melee weapons can be used by clerics.

Shock Gloves: A pair of silver-coloured gloves, powered by standard power packs. Each punch from shock gloves inflicts an extra 1d6 damage and discharges a single unit of power from the power pack, and an opponent must make an extra saving throw vs. death ray or be stunned. Shock gloves use standard unarmed combat weapon mastery and can be used by clerics and mystics.

Armour

Modern

Modern armour falls into two broad categories. Laminate plate armour (usually simply referred to as plate armour) can be made up of metal or ceramic plates incorporated into a vest or even a full-body suit, whereas fibre armour is made of multiple crossed layers of strong fibres, designed to catch and contain bullets. Modern armour obeys the same rules as traditional armour, with modern plate behaving as plate mail armour but with half of the encumbrance, at 4 times the price, while fibre armour behaves as chain mail armour with a third of the encumbrance, at twice the price. Rules for piecemeal armour (see GAZ10) apply. Unlike ancient armour, modern armour provides protection against firearms even at short range.

Modern shields are often made of either light laminates with metal, or toughened polycarbonate. They provide the same protection as ancient shields, but with lower encumbrance.

High Tech

The array of technologies used in defensive suits across the multiverse is bewilderingly huge, and those given below are intended as examples.

Federation Battle Armour: With a simple ‘foil spacesuit’ appearance battle armour is made from powered foil and acrylic mesh, utilising a standard energy clip, which once connected confers an armour class of 0. Unpowered, the suit is only marginally protective, giving an armour class of 8. This is the standard protective suit employed by Federation staff. Light and unencumbering (only the energy clip counts towards a character’s encumbrance, the suit itself being as light as normal clothing), the suit also protects a character from a broad range of environmental conditions and incorporates standard fittings for protective helmets (including space helmets), gas fittings for space and underwater survival, waste removal, and for jet packs. Using the suit merely as armour uses 1 charge per day, whereas controlling the environment (protecting the user from heat, cold or radiation) uses 1 charge per hour.

Ablative Screen: Not actually a suit of armour, this is a small (6" by 2" by 4") box that can be clipped to a belt, a leg, an arm, etc., and which generates a protective field around the wearer. It is powered by any of the standard power packs and absorbs incoming damage of any type. It provides a certain element of protection (AC3), this passive protection using only 1 charge per week. It comes into its own when the user would otherwise be damaged: 5 points of damage (rounded down) of any sort are absorbed per charge expended, and up to 5 charges can be expended (protecting against up to 25 points of damage) per round.

Holo-suit: A skin-tight suit, usually green but occasionally blue, with an array of dots in which micro-cameras and light emitters are contained. Its unique mode of operation precludes its use at the same time as battle armour, but it can be used with an ablative screen.

Utilising standard power packs, it has a range of settings. For 1 charge per hour, it can project an invisibility screen, which works like a standard elven cloak (the user is only detectable on a 1 on a 1d6) except that the wearer does not become visible if they attack (although muzzle flashes from guns, spells, etc., may give their position away). For 2 charges per hour the appearance of the wearer can be changed to that of anything up to 3' taller or shorter than the wearer that the armour has been able to record in the last 4 weeks (the length of its memory buffer) or to any other object or creature depicted in the memory of any computer network to which the wearer has current access. Up to 12 individual creature or object appearances can also be stored by the armour. The appearance of this façade is faultless except when the wearer is interacting with items or people around them – their arms, legs, etc. are in the same place, and the matchup between the holographic projection and the real location of the wearer can be revealing. Lastly, for 1 charge per turn the wearer may maintain invisibility (as described above) while projecting their own image 4' in any direction. This has the same effect as a displacer cloak, giving a -4 bonus to armour class while meaning most missile fire automatically misses the target if the attacker is unaware of the displacement.

Power Shield: A wrist-mounted shield, roughly the size of a watch, which can generate a shield (conferring the normal -1 to AC a shield gives) for 1 hour for the expenditure of 1 power charge (from any standard power source). Being a watch, it is essentially encumbrance-free.

Table 2: Primitive Guns, Weapon Mastery

Weapon

Lvl

Hit Modifier

Range

Damage

Hand Cannon

BS

-8

40/60/200

2d8

P=A, 2H

SK

-6

60/80/200

2d10

RoF: 1/6

EX

-4

80/100/200

2d10+2

Class: D

MS

-2

100/120/200

2d10+4


GM

0

120/140/200

2d8+8

Musket, Matchlock

BS

-4

60/80/270

2d8

P=A, 2H+stand

SK

-2

80/100/270

2d10

RoF: 1/4

EX

0

100/120/270

2d10+2

Class: C

MS

+2

120/140/270

2d10+4


GM

+4

140/160/270

2d8+8

Caliver, Matchlock

BS

-4

50/70/220

2d6

P=A, 2H

SK

-2

70/90/220

2d8

RoF: 1/4

EX

0

90/110/220

2d8+2

Class: B

MS

+2

110/130/220

2d8+4


GM

+4

130/150/200

2d6+8

Arquebus, Matchlock

BS

-4

20/40/120

1d8

P=A, 2H

SK

-2

30/50/120

1d10

RoF: 1/4

EX

0

40/60/120

1d10+2

Class: B

MS

+2

50/70/120

1d10+4


GM

+4

60/80/120

1d8+8

Belt pistol, Wheellock

BS

-2

20/40/100

1d4

P=A, 2H

SK

0

30/50/100

1d6

RoF: 1/3

EX

+2

40/60/100

1d6+2

Class: A

MS

+4

50/70/100

1d6+4


GM

+6

60/80/100

1d4+8

Horse Pistol, Wheellock

BS

-2

20/40/120

1d6

P=A, 2H

SK

0

30/50/120

1d8

RoF: 1/3

EX

+2

40/60/120

1d8+2

Class: A

MS

+4

50/70/120

1d8+4


GM

+6

60/80/120

1d6+8

Musket, Flintlock

BS

0

60/80/270

2d8

P=A, 2H

SK

+2

80/100/270

2d10

RoF: 1/2

EX

+4

100/120/270

2d10+2

Class: B

MS

+6

120/140/270

2d10+4


GM

+8

140/160/270

2d8+8

Rifle, Flintlock

BS

+2

90/100/300

2d8

P=A, 2H

SK

+4

110/130/300

2d10

RoF: 1/3

EX

+6

130/150/300

2d10+2

Class: C

MS

+8

150/170/300

2d10+4


GM

+10

160/180/300

2d8+8

Pistol, Flintlock

BS

0

20/40/120

1d8

P=A, 2H

SK

+2

30/50/120

1d10

RoF: 1/2

EX

+4

40/60/120

1d10+2

Class: A

MS

+6

50/70/120

1d10+4


GM

+8

60/80/120

1d8+8




All Primitive Guns

BS

Stun (17–20), Double Damage (20), Smoked (20), Misfire, Hang Fire, Foul

SK

Stun (17–20), Double Damage (19–20), Smoked (20), Misfire, Hang Fire, Foul

EX

Stun (17–20), Triple Damage (19–20), Smoked (20), Misfire, Hang Fire, Foul

MS

Stun (17–20), Triple Damage (18–20), Smoked (20), Misfire, Hang Fire, Foul

GM

Stun (17–20), Quadruple Damage (17–20), Smoked (20), Misfire, Hang Fire, Foul



Table 3: Modern Guns, Weapon Mastery

Weapon

Lvl

Range

Damage

Pistol, Small

BS

30/50/150

1d4

P=A, 1H

SK

50/70/150

1d6

RoF: 4

EX

70/90/150

1d6+2

Ammunition: 15

MS

90/110/150

1d6+4

Class: H

GM

110/130/150

1d4+8

Pistol, Medium

BS

40/60/160

1d6

P=A, 1H

SK

60/80/160

1d8

RoF: 3

EX

80/100/160

1d8+2

Ammunition: 12

MS

100/120/160

1d8+4

Class: H

GM

120/140/160

1d6+8

Pistol, Large

BS

50/70/170

1d8

P=A, 1H

SK

70/90/170

1d10

RoF: 2

EX

90/110/170

1d10+2

Ammunition: 8

MS

110/130/170

1d10+4

Class: I

GM

130/150/170

1d8+8

Pistol, Very Large

BS

60/70/180

1d10

P=A, 1H

SK

80/100/180

1d12

RoF: 2

EX

100/120/180

1d12+2

Ammunition: 6

MS

120/140/180

1d12+4

Class: I

GM

140/160/180

1d10+8

Rifle, Small

BS

60/70/200

2d4

P=A, 2H

SK

80/100/200

2d6

RoF: 3

EX

100/120/200

2d6+2

Ammunition: 30

MS

120/140/200

2d6+4

Class: L

GM

140/160/200

2d4+8

Rifle, Medium

BS

70/80/250

2d6

P=A, 2H

SK

90/110/250

2d8

RoF: 2

EX

110/130/250

2d8+2

Ammunition: 20

MS

130/150/250

2d8+4

Class: L

GM

150/170/250

2d6+8

Rifle, Large

BS

80/90/300

2d8

P=A, 2H

SK

100/120/300

2d10

RoF: 1

EX

120/140/300

2d10+2

Ammunition: 20

MS

140/160/300

2d10+4

Class: M

GM

150/170/300

2d8+8

Rifle, Very Large

BS

90/100/400

2d10

P=A, 2H

SK

110/130/400

2d12

RoF: 1

EX

130/150/400

2d12+2

Ammunition: 10

MS

150/170/400

2d12+4

Class: M

GM

160/180/400

2d10+8



Modern Firearms Special Effects – All Guns

Hit Roll Bonus



Pistols

Rifles

All Modern Guns

BS

+4

+6

Jam, Stun (16–20), Smoked, Double Damage (20)

SK

+5

+7

Jam, Stun (16–20), Double Damage (19–20), Smoked (20)

EX

+6

+8

Jam, Stun (16–20), Triple Damage (18–20), Smoked (20)

MS

+7

+9

Jam, Stun (16–20), Triple Damage (17–20), Smoked (20)

GM

+8

+10

Jam, Stun (16–20), Quadruple Damage (16–20), Smoked (20)



Table 4: High-Tech Guns, Weapon Mastery

Lasers

Weapon

Hit Bonus

Lvl

Range

Damage

/charge

Special

Laser Pistol

+5

BS

70/80/250

1d8

Cool (1)

P=A, 1H

+6

SK

90/110/250

1d10

Cool (1)

RoF: 4

+7

EX

110/130/250

1d10+2

Cool (1)

Max Charges: 3

+8

MS

130/150/250

1d10+4

Cool (1)

Class: H

+9

GM

150/170/250

1d8+8

Cool (1)

Laser Rifle

+6

BS

80/90/300

1d8

Cool (3)

P=A, 2H

+8

SK

100/120/300

1d10

Cool (3)

RoF: 3

+10

EX

120/140/300

1d10+2

Cool (3)

Max Charges: 5

+12

MS

140/160/300

1d10+4

Cool (3)

Class: L

+14

GM

150/170/300

1d8+8

Cool (3)

Heavy Laser

+6

BS

90/100/400

1d8

Cool (5)

P=A, 2H + Tripod

+8

SK

110/130/400

1d10

Cool (5)

RoF: 2

+10

EX

130/150/400

1d10+2

Cool (5)

Max Charges: 10

+12

MS

150/170/400

1d10+4

Cool (5)

Class: M

+14

GM

160/180/400

1d8+8

Cool (5)




Special Effects – All Lasers

BS

Overheat, Stun (16–20), Smoked, Double Damage (20)

SK

Overheat, Stun (16–20), Double Damage (19–20), Smoked (20)

EX

Overheat, Stun (16–20), Triple Damage (18–20), Smoked (20)

MS

Overheat, Stun (16–20), Triple Damage (17–20), Smoked (20)

GM

Overheat, Stun (16–20), Quadruple Damage (16–20), Smoked (20)



Sonic Weapons

Weapon

Hit Bonus

Lvl

Range

Damage

Special

Sonic Pistol

+2

BS

20/40/60

3d10

Stun (18–20), Sonic

P=A, 1H

+3

SK

25/45/60

4d10

Stun (17–20),

Sonic

RoF: 1

+4

EX

25/45/60

5d10

Stun (16–20),

Sonic

Charge Cost: 2

+5

MS

30/50/60

6d10

Stun (16–20)

Sonic

Class: H

+6

GM

30/50/60

7d10

Stun (15–20), Sonic

Sonic Rifle

+4

BS

60/120/180

3d10

Stun (18–20), Sonic

P=A, 2H

+6

SK

70/130/180

4d10

Stun (17–20),

Sonic

RoF: 1

+8

EX

90/110/180

5d10

Stun (16–20),

Sonic

Charge Cost: 4

+10

MS

110/130/180

6d10

Stun (16–20)

Sonic

Class: L

+12

GM

130/150/180

7d10

Stun (15–20), Sonic



Needler Weapons

Weapon

Hit Bonus

Lvl

Range

Damage

Special

Needler Pistol

+1

BS

10/20/40

1d6

Delay, Stun, Knockout

P=A, 1H

+2

SK

15/25/45

1d8

Delay, Stun, Knockout

RoF: 1

+3

EX

20/30/50

1d8+2

Delay, Stun, Knockout

Ammo: 12-round cart.

+4

MS

25/35/55

1d8+4

Delay, Stun, Knockout

Class: H

+5

GM

30/40/60

1d6+8

Delay, Stun, Knockout

Needler Rifle

+2

BS

40/60/80

1d8

Delay, Stun, Knockout

P=A, 2H

+4

SK

50/70/90

1d10

Delay, Stun, Knockout

RoF: 1

+6

EX

60/80/100

1d10+2

Delay, Stun, Knockout

Ammo: 24-round cart.

+8

MS

70/90/110

1d10+4

Delay, Stun, Knockout

Class: L

+10

GM

80/100/120

1d8+8

Delay, Stun, Knockout

Gyrojet Guns

Weapon

Hit Bonus

Lvl

Range

Damage

Special

Gyrojet Pistol

0

BS

-/30/150

1d10

½ Damage (30')

P=A, 1H

+2

SK

-/40/150

1d12

½ Damage (30')

RoF: 6

+4

EX

-/50/150

1d12+2

½ Damage (30')

Ammo: 6

+6

MS

-/60/150

1d12+4

½ Damage (30')

Class: H

+8

GM

-/70/150

1d10+8

½ Damage (30')

Gyrojet Carbine

+6

BS

-/90/400

2d10

½ Damage (20')

P=A, 2H

+8

SK

-/120/400

2d12

½ Damage (20')

RoF: 6

+10

EX

-/150/400

2d12+2

½ Damage (20')

Ammo: 12

+12

MS

-/180/400

2d12+4

½ Damage (20')

Class: I

+14

GM

-/210/400

2d10+8

½ Damage (20')

Gyrojet Grenade Launcher

+6

BS

-/100/400

Special

Min. Range (30')

P=A, 2H + Tripod

+8

SK

-/130/400

Special

Min. Range (30')

RoF: 1

+10

EX

-/150/400

Special

Min. Range (30')

Ammo: 8

+12

MS

-/170/400

Special

Min. Range (30')

Class: M

+14

GM

-/180/400

Special

Min. Range (30')



Gyrojets – Pistols and Carbines

Special Effects

BS

Stun (16–20), Smoked, Double Damage (20)

SK

Stun (16–20), Double Damage (19–20), Smoked (20)

EX

Stun (16–20), Triple Damage (18–20), Smoked (20)

MS

Stun (16–20), Triple Damage (17–20), Smoked (20)

GM

Stun (16–20), Quadruple Damage (16–20), Smoked (20)





Grenade Types (Gyrojet and thrown)


AoE

Save

Effect

Doze

30'

Death Ray (avoids)

Sleep (2d4 turns)

Fragmentation*

30'

Wands (half damage)

Shreds of metal (6d6)

Gamma

30'

Death Ray (avoids death)

Save or die. Take 8d6 radiation damage if save is made, only affects organic tissue

Incendiary*

20'

Dragon Breath (half damage)

Fire (6d8)

Neuron

30'

Dragon Breath (avoids)

Contact poison paralysis cloud, 1d4dmg+paralysis 6 turns

Light

60'

Spells (avoids)

60'-diameter continual light, save vs. spells or blinded 1 round

Poison

10'

Poison (avoids)

Death (in 6 rounds)

Smoke

50'

n/a

Obscures vision (4d6 rounds in still air)

Sonic

5'

Paralysis (avoids)

1d4x14 hp + paralysis 12 turns. Full damage to wooden objects

Tangler

20'

Paralysis (avoids)

Entangled/immobile (2d4 turns)

* Unstable in pentaspaces (see firearms for explosion risk rules)



Gyrojet Grenade scatter

Hit Roll Missed By

Distance from Target

Direction (d8)

1–2

10'

1

N

3–5

20'

2

NE

6–9

40'

3

E

7–14

60'

4

SE

15–19

80'

5

S

20

100'

6

SW



7

W



8

NW


Table 5: High Tech Melee Weapons, Mastery Table

Weapon

Lvl

Range

Damage

Defence

Special

Laser Knife

BS

5/10/15

2d4


Slicing (20), Wreck

P=H, 1H

SK

10/15/20

2d6

H-1AC/1

Slicing (19–20), Wreck

Small

EX

15/20/25

4d4

H:-2AC/2

Slicing (18–20), Wreck

Class: A

MS

20/25/30

P:6d4

S:4d4+2

H:-2AC/2

Slicing (17–20), Wreck


GM

25/30/35

P:8d4

S:6d4+2

H:-3AC/3

Slicing (16–20), Wreck

Laser Sword

BS


2d8


Slicing (20), Wreck

P=H, 1H

SK


2d12

H-2AC/1

Slicing (19–20), Wreck, Deflect (1), Disarm

Small

EX

5/10/15

4d8

H:-2AC/2

Slicing (18–20), Wreck, Deflect (2), Disarm

Class: B

MS

10/15/20

P:4d8+4

S:4d6+6

H:-3AC/3

Slicing (17–20), Wreck, Deflect (3), Disarm


GM

15/20/25

P:4d6+16

S:4d4+16

H:-4AC/4

Slicing (16–20), Wreck, Deflect (4), Disarm

Sonic Knife

BS


2d4


Stun, Incorporeal

P=H, 1H

SK


2d6


Stun (Save-1), Incorporeal

Small

EX


4d4


Stun (Save-2), Incorporeal

Class: A

MS


P:6d4

S:4d4+2


Stun (Save-3), Incorporeal


GM


P:8d4

S:6d4+2


Stun (Save-4), Incorporeal

Sonic Sword

BS


2d8


Stun, Incorporeal

P=A, 1H

SK


2d12


Stun (Save-2), Incorporeal

Small: B

EX


4d8


Stun (Save-4), Incorporeal


MS


P:4d8+4

S:4d6+6


Stun (Save-6), Incorporeal


GM


P:4d6+16

S:4d4+16


Stun (Save-8), Incorporeal

Cost and Encumbrance

Note that while costs are given in gold pieces, most modern and high-tech societies do not use a gold standard for currency, and that this is merely an equivalent value.

It must also be noted that most of these weapons are not readily available in a single society. Where matchlocks are known and used, flintlocks have yet to be discovered, for example, and modern weapons cannot be bought in medieval cultures.

Table 6: Costs and Encumbrance

Ancient Weapons

Item

Cost (gp)

Enc (cn)

Hand Cannon

50

250

Musket, matchlock (with stand)

30

200

Caliver, matchlock

6

110

Arquebus, matchlock

10

100

Belt Pistol, wheellock

50

30

Horse Pistol, wheellock

80

40

Musket, flintlock

90

140

Rifle, flintlock

150

140

Pistol, flintlock

50

30



Modern Weapons

Item

Cost (gp)

Enc (cn)

Pistol, small

100

10

Pistol, medium

150

20

Pistol, large

200

40

Pistol, very large

300

60

Rifle, small

150

50

Rifle, medium

200

80

Rifle, large

400

120

Rifle, very large

600

250

Automatic modern weapons firing up to 10 shots per round are available at triple the price of the standard gun. Automatic weapons are necessary for burst firing.

High Tech Guns

Item

Cost (gp)

Enc (cn)

Blaster

800

20

Heavy Blaster

1,000

150

Laser Pistol

400

15

Laser Rifle

600

100

Heavy Laser

1,000

300

Sonic Pistol

400

15

Sonic Rifle

700

120

Needler Pistol

200

20

Needler Rifle

400

100

Gyrojet Pistol

200

10

Gyrojet Carbine

300

70

Gyrojet Grenade Launcher

700

100

Laser weapons capable of automatic mode can be purchased for twice the normal price (see burst fire).

Modern and High-Tech Melee Weapons

Item

Cost (gp)

Enc (cn)

Laser Knife

400

10

Laser Sword

1,000

10

Shock Gloves

200

5

Sonic Knife

300

15

Sonic Sword

800

120

Needler Pistol

200

20

Bayonet

10

15

Combat Knife

5

15



Ancient Weapons – Ammunition and Accessories

Item

Cost (gp)

Enc (cn)

Hand Cannon, powder and stone (1)

4

5

Pistol/Caliver, powder and shot (20)

10

20

Musket/Arquebus/Rifle powder and shot (20)

20

30

Slow match, 10'

1

5

Flints for lock (20)

2

7

Pyrite for wheellock (20)

4

7



Modern Weapons - Ammunition

Item

Cost (gp)

Enc (cn)

Pistol, small (50 rounds)

10

5

Pistol, medium (50 rounds)

15

8

Pistol, large (50 rounds)

20

12

Pistol, very large (50 rounds)

40

18

Rifle, small (20 rounds)

10

5

Rifle, medium (20 rounds)

20

8

Rifle, large (20 rounds)

50

20

Rifle, very large (20 rounds)

100

40

Pistol, small (empty magazine)

10

2

Pistol, medium (empty magazine)

15

3

Pistol, large (empty magazine)

20

6

Pistol, very large (empty magazine)

30

9

Rifle, small (empty magazine)

10

4

Rifle, medium (empty magazine)

20

6

Rifle, large (empty magazine)

30

10

Rifle, very large (empty magazine)

40

15



High Tech Weapons - Ammunition

Item

Cost (gp)

Enc (cn)

Power Clip (20ch)

50

3

Power Belt Pack (50ch)

100

50

Power Backpack (150ch)

750

200

Power Bank (500–2,000ch)

1,000–10,000

2,000–8,000

Needler Pistol Cartridge (12)

50

25

Needler Rifle Cartridge (24)

80

50

Gyrojet Pistol Rounds (48)

200

75

Gyrojet Rifle Rounds (48)

400

125

Gyrojet Carbine Magazine

20

5

Gyrojet Rifle Magazine

30

8

Doze Grenade/Round

50

10

Fragmentation Grenade/Round

20

15

Gamma Grenade/Round

500

30

Incendiary Grenade/Round

30

15

Light Grenade/Round

20

10

Neuron Grenade/Round

10

10

Poison Grenade/Round

100

10

Smoke Grenade/Round

10

15

Sonic Grenade/Round

50

10

Tangler Grenade/Round

50

20



Armour

Modern Armour

Item

AC

Cost (gp)

Enc (cn)

Fibre

5

80

130

Laminate Plate

3

240

250

Riot Shield

(-1)

30

10



High Tech Armour

Item

AC

Cost (gp)

Enc (cn)

Ablative Screen

3 (9)

5,000

20

Federation Battle Armour

0 (8)

1,000

0

Holo-Suit

-

5,000

0

Power Shield

(-1)

500

0





Table 7: Weapon Mastery Class - All Guns

All Guns – Weapon Mastery Class List

Weapon

Class

Belt Pistol, wheellock

A

Pistol, flintlock

A

Arquebus, matchlock

B

Caliver, matchlock

B

Rifle, flintlock

C

Musket, matchlock

C

Hand Cannon

D

Pistol, modern, small

H

Pistol, modern, medium

H

Gyrojet Pistol

H

Laser Pistol

H

Needler Pistol

H

Sonic Pistol

H

Pistol, modern, large

I

Pistol, modern, very large

I

Gyrojet Carbine

I

Rifle, modern, small

L

Rifle, modern, medium

L

Laser Rifle

L

Needler Rifle

L

Sonic Rifle

L

Rifle, modern, large

M

Rifle, modern, very large

M

Gyrojet Grenade Launcher

M

Heavy Laser

M