Firearms
by RobinI knew I had a D&D BECMI compilation on this matter, especially as per Old rules Gunpowder could not work on Mystara due magic.
Bruce Heard in DRAGON magazine 199 (Ready, Aim Fire) and the IM1 Best of Intentions regarded to this matter.
I sought and found my compilation of these sources. I added some pictures whhere they were missing, and removed the trispace notifications and such anmd altered these to the Planar Mystara as we know, I added the magic rule that a Dispel Magic will trigger a chance of explosion, and a Antimagic effect like a beholder nullifies the explosive power.
Boomstick box pellet corner 200cn(200 pellets), powder(150 shot), boomstick, extra wick or sparkplug
Boomstick in usebelt 5cn, pellet pouch 51cn(50 pellets), powder(100 shot), boomstick, extra wick or sparkplug
Dwarven Rifle pellet pouch 51cn(50 pellets), powder(100 shot), Dwarven rifle, extra wick or sparkplug
Boomstick is carried on belt or in hand.
Dwarven Rifle is carried in hand or on shoulder or in quiver on side mount
Two-weapon fighting is impossible.
Dwarven Rifles can be mounted with a blade. and be used as a awkward heavy polearm (1d6 base damage only -2 to hit)
Boomsticks can be used as an awkward club (1d4 base damage only and 25% release a random direction shot if loaded. each random shot has a cumulative 5% per additional partymembers(including user) in range to hit as if targeted.
Functionality depending on design,
Very Poor=0, Poor=+1, Very Simple=+2, Simple=+3, Normal=+4, Good=+5, Very Good=+6, Superb=+7, Excellent=+9
Functionality depending on state,
Very Poor=0, Poor=+1, Very Simple=+2, Simple=+3, Normal=+4, Good=+5, Very Good=+6, Superb=+7, Excellent=+9
Functionality depending on inherent (dwarven)magic,
None=+0, Low(+1 enchantment)=+2, average(+2 enchantment)=+3, high(+3 enchantment)=+4, very high(+4 enchantment)=+5, Top/max(+5 enchantment)=+6
Add all these together and you get the basic weapon modifier(BWM)
Boomstick
basic initiativ -4, basic range as smallbow, basic damage as Longbow, basic Price 150gp, basic weight 70cn
Dwarven Gun
basic initiativ -5, basic range as Longbow, basic damage as crossbow, basic price 350 gp, basic weight 120cn
Basic weapon Modifier (BWM)
this will affect, the basic initiativ, basic range and basic damage and even the basic price and weight of a boomstick or dwarven gun
lower than 4=Initiative +0, Range=+0/+0/+0, Damage=+0, price x1, weight =+0
5-9=Initiative +0, Range=+5/+10/+15, Damage=+1, price x2, weight =+5%
10-13=Initiative +1, Range=+10/+15/+20, Damage=+2, price x3, weight =+10%
14-16=Initiative +2, Range=+15/+20/+25, Damage=+3, price x5, weight =+15%
17-19=Initiative +3, Range=+20/+25/+30, Damage=+4, price x6, weight =+20%
20-22=Initiative +3, Range=+25/+30/+35, Damage=+5, price x8, weight =+25%
23-24=Initiative +4, Range=+30/+35/+40, Damage=+6, price x12, weight =+30%
25+=Initiative +4, Range=+35/+40/+45, Damage=+7, price x 25, weight =+35%
Weapon Mastery user
Unskilled=-2, Basic=0, Skilled=+2, Expert=+2, Master=+4, GrandMaster=+6
These will affect the basic weapon modifier(BWM) as per user and must be added to the BWM (effects as given except on Price/weight of the weapon which is unaffected by Weapon Mastery). As can be seen weapon mastery works a wee bit different and affects the effectivity of the weapon as any other effect. thus making a low master with a good gun and a good master with a simple gun could have the same statistics.
In 1015AC Human Weapon Masters will exist to Basic level, Dwarven Weapon Masters to Expert Level, Gnome Weapon Masdters will exist to Master.
In 1020AC Human Weapon Masters will exist to Expert level, Dwarven Weapon Masters to Master Level, Gnome Weapon Masdters will exist to Grand Master.
In 1025AC Human Weapon Masters will exist to Master level, Dwarven Weapon Masters to Grand Master Level, Gnome Weapon Masters will exist to Grand Master.
after 1030AC the balance will be equal to all races as with any other weapon. The number of Grand Masters will be 1 every 50 Masters, number of Masters will be 1 every 100 Experts,number of Experts will be 1 every 200 Skilled, number of Skilled will be 1 every 500 Basic, which is about as equal to any other weapon. Most teachers also own a Gunshop, making their own powder.
THAC0; Both Magical and Weapon Mastery Influence the Hitroll as per enchantment or as per normal amount (RC). Magic does not influence damage however. and weapon mastery influences only the damage as the BWM as above.
Magical ammunition cannot penetrate magcal forcefields(as it no longer contains lead/gold) but the enchantment is added to the basic damage as per BWM
Pellets; As the pellets used are nearly always lead, and lead is resistend to magic they can't have any magical charge.
Hence the weapon if magical does only influence THAC0
the use of lead has doubled its price since the discovery of guns. each pellet(1cn) costs now 2cp , a pouch contains rarely more than 50 pellets, a box rarely more than 200.
The benefit of Lead (or gold)pellets is that they penetrate any magical barier other than solids or protection from normal missile effects with ease.
Also a benefit it dispells any magical curing of a wound which still contains a pellet. The bullet has to be removed by a succesful surgery skill, or a succesful healing skill at -4 which takes 4 rounds with each attempt. each failed attempt has a 50-(#failure x 5)% to cause an additional 1 point of damage to the victim. When the pellet is removed normal healing or regeneration will be possible again. Silver pellets are treated as lead pellets to Lycanthropes. when removed, their lycanthropic healing kicks in at 5hp/round.
The rare use of silver, or other metals(mostly tin) increases the standard pellet price to 25 fold normal for silver pellets and other by x5
However, if done so these pellets (except when containing Gold or Lead) can be enchanted to give extra fire damage equal to the magical charge
The non-lead/gold pellets follow the same rules as normal weapons and thus do not affect creatures immune to magic and (or fire) unless the pellets are enchanted to do so as a normal magical weapon would do.
Boomstick and Dwarven Gun pellets can't normally exchanged between eachother, and if done there is only a 25% a shot is functional, and a 5% the weapon explodes. but all boomsticks and also dwarven guns each use their own type of pellets.
Pellets can be made by any race and if non-lead or non-gold enchanted as normal.
Powder(gunpowder) metal flask 100 uses or 150 uses depending on size. Will ignite in weapon with spark plug or wick and enable shot to be made. state, quality and even skill and magic can influence the time to do so. A magical hasted gunner will be able two shoot twice as normal as a non hasted one in each round. Sold only at special locations as gunshops, Harbours/pirate captains(mostly Illegal) or Dwarven/Gnome Smithies. 100 cn of powder can be made by a gunsmith (new skill as smith only applied to Guns, and added alchemy skill in the skill for powder making.) in 3 hours. Most have several barrels of 1000cn powder carefully stored. Gunpowder is also stored in castles per barrel used for canons or guns alike. As an average a Knight/captain/pirate has 3 barrels, a Baron 6, a Landed Knight 9, and each higher rank has 1d10+6 per rank higher than baron this in each defensive structure. Powder costs 100gp to fill a 150 cn flask and 75gp to fill a 100cn flask.each barrel is mrked with XXX to mark explosive. each barrel costs 750 gp, and wields an explosive effect equal to a 3d8 fireball. each extra barrel will be added to these with no limit.
remember each 5 points of damage is 1 point of structural damage.
If a weapon has a spark plug it has to be exchanged every 250 shots for 100 gp, if it has a wick it has to be exchanged every 50 shots for 5gp.
Magic; Dwarves & Gnomes are the only ones who can Add dwarven magic by either a Forge of Power or by Gnomish Meddling skill
Firearms (boomsticks, guns or otherwise) made by any other race can't be enchanted, and never have a design over Normal, or a state over very good.
Enchanted Dwarven guns are mostly family heirlooms and must be treated with respect. as such each gun can be identified by Clan and even family. Most of these weapons have impressive names
Care; Firearms not taken care for regularly (dried, cleaned, oiled after 20 shots or 24 hours whichever comes first) or after being exposed to negative conditions(Wet, Sand, Salt, Salty water, rust, slime/ooze, acid) loose 1 State step each week not taken care off.
only one lost step can be restored after a total of 24 hours of caring treatment by the owner(material cost 1gp), and only two lost steps similar by a gun manufacturer(work and material cost 1d6x10gp)...any worse will be permanent damage to the weapon.
Circumstances;
Underwater ;these weapons will not work here or 2 to 4 hours after submerged.
However shot from an air bubble, the surface, behind a forcefield etc the distance and damage is as if the State and Design of the weapon 1 step lower per 10' water crossed(see BWA).
floating in a void(above the Skyshield) the user is propelled half the shot distance backwards if not tethered