Early Industrial
Firearms
March 2023 | by Dani
| Name | Damage | Properties |
|---|---|---|
| Flintlock | 1d6 Piercing | Ammunition (range 40/160), light, loading |
| Wheelgun | 1d4 Piercing | Ammunition (range 40/160), light |
| Dragoon | 1d6 Piercing | Ammunition (range 20/60), loading, buckshot |
| Musket | 1d10 Piercing | Ammunition (range 100/400), heavy, loading, two-handed |
| Blunderbuss | 1d10 Piercing | Ammunition (range 20/60) heavy, loading, two-handed, buckshot |
Early Industial Firearms
Personally, I think it would be really cool to have firearms in D&D. Unfortunately, The default rules in the Dungeon Master's Guide are rather dull, and I've yet to find any homebrew rulesets that I'm satisfied with. So, I've made my own ruleset for firearms.
Firearms in Fantasy
Across most fantasy settings, Firearms can be quite rare, and so acquiring or gaining proficiency with them is not always a simple task.
It's up to both the Player and Dungeon Master to decide when it fits for a character to have proficiency with firearms, and how they might come into possession of one.
Otherwise, firearms can be considered Martial Ranged Weapons, meaning the ability modifier used for their attacks is Dexterity.
Ammunition
Different firearms use different ammunition:
- Flintlocks, Wheelguns, and Muskets use bullets.
- Dragoons and Blunderbusses can use either slugs or buckshot. If buckshot is used, your attack has half range, but you may roll twice as many damage dice.
Flintlocks
The flintlock is the standard one-handed firearm. Though it fires slowly, it can be dual-wielded for extra effectiveness. Mechanically, it is a reskinned version of a hand crossbow.
Wheelguns
The wheelgun is the historical predecessor to the modern revolver. It is somewhat weaker than flintlocks, but can be fired much quicker due to its revolving wheel-chamber.
Dragoons
The dragoon is the one-handed equivalent of the blunderbuss. It is heavier than other handguns and effective over a much shorter range, but can pack a pretty big punch when it hits.
Muskets
The musket is the archetypical two-handed firearm. A favourite of many, it is effective at long range, and does significant damage. Mechanically, it is a reskinned version of a heavy crossbow.
Blunderbusses
One of the largest firearms, the blunderbuss is capable of immense power, but is only good over very short distances. Should you ever encounter someone wielding a blunderbuss, keep your distance.
