Ready the Radium Pistols!

[Jyrdan Fairblade]

Now, I love the John Carter of Mars series. I'd love to blend that, C&C, and old Spelljammer materials into a campaign one day.

Now, that involves putting guns, albeit fantastical ones, in the game, most likely.

Which would you do?

Right now I'm leaning toward using crossbows as the basis for the stats, and coming up with some decriptive text for what them as magical pistols and rifles.

[Alto Banor]

So am I!! I have an issue of Dungeon (101) that has a d20 mini-RPG as part of it.

IRON LORDS OF JUPITER

Strand yourself on an alien world of science fantasy with this d20 Modern Mini-Game of planetary romance. Ready your cutlass and ray gun and prepare yourself for battle with the Iron Lords of Jupiter!

It is obviously made in the same vein as John Carter of Mars. Check this out as well.

Alto
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[irda ranger]

Spelljammer & C&C I know of, but I have no idea what Radium weapons are. Can you narratively describe how they're supposed to work (before any C&C conversion)?
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[Traveller]

Well, I'm not he...but in a nutshell, Radium pistols and rifles on Burrough's Barsoom are not unlike Earth pistols and rifles, but made of a metal much lighter yet stronger than steel. The difference between Earth and Barsoomian versions of the weapon lies within the bullet. The bullet has a core of Burrough's "Radium" (not to be confused with the radioactive element on Earth) surrounded by a shell of a light blocking material. When the shell is broken (by impact) in daylight, the bullet explodes.

Radium pistols and rifles are far less effective at night because it's the interaction of light with the bullet that produces the explosion. The morning following a night battle, you'll see explosions all over the place from unexploded Radium bullets. Burroughs actually described this in one of the books, but which one, I don't recall.
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[Tadhg]

Jyrdan Fairblade wrote:
Right now I'm leaning toward using crossbows as the basis for the stats, and coming up with some decriptive text for what them as magical pistols and rifles.

I think I would go this way, as I would want this weaponry to not unbalance the game.
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"By the pricking of my thumbs, Something wicked this way comes:" - Macbeth

[irda ranger]

Based on what traveller said, I would probably use a firearms mechanic from something like Masque of the Red Death or d20 Modern. There would be a base damage (e.g., 1d10, perhaps with special critical hit damage, like an addtional D10 per natural 20 rolled), plus exploding damage (+2d6 to target, and 1d6 to those nearby) on top of that during daylight hours.

Quote:
I would want this weaponry to not unbalance the game.

No such thing, as long as everyone's got one. Actually, really powerful radium weapons might balance the game. As they say, God created man, and Sam Colt made them equal.

The real "problem" with introducing Radium is PC's who decide to carry lots of it around with them, and do things like throw Radium grenades or give someone a trick telescope (with lens cap) that has a radium lining inside it. The first time the person tries to use it during the day time it blows their head off.
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[Tadhg]

irda ranger wrote:
No such thing, as long as everyone's got one. Actually, really powerful radium weapons might balance the game. As they say, God created man, and Sam Colt made them equal.

LOL! Indeed.
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Count Rhuveinus - Lejendary Keeper of Castle Franqueforte

"Enjoy a 'world' where the fantastic is fact and magic really works!" ~ Gary Gygax

"By the pricking of my thumbs, Something wicked this way comes:" - Macbeth

[Tadhg]

irda ranger wrote:
Based on what traveller said, I would probably use a firearms mechanic from something like Masque of the Red Death

Oooh, any chance to see that? I mean if you could post a sample of say - a revolver?
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Count Rhuveinus - Lejendary Keeper of Castle Franqueforte

"Enjoy a 'world' where the fantastic is fact and magic really works!" ~ Gary Gygax

"By the pricking of my thumbs, Something wicked this way comes:" - Macbeth

[irda ranger]

Rhuvein wrote:
Oooh, any chance to see that? I mean if you could post a sample of say - a revolver?

Well, it's been a long time since I looked at these rules (so don't quote me on the exact numbers), but they looked something like this:

Quote:
Revolver

Range: 30'

Damage: 1d10

Neverending Crit: On a natural 20, add 1d10 and roll again. If you roll another 20, add another 1d10 and roll again. Etc.

Cartridge: A revolver holds 6 shots. You get your rull number of attacks per round (This was AD&D 2E - Ed.) up to six shots, and then must spend two round reloading.

I'm also pretty sure that firearms ignored AC bonuses from armor and shields, which effectively meant that only people who spent a lot of time fighting "aboriginals" bothered with armor or shields. Even "field guides" didn't wear it too often though, since MotRD (1) used a "real Earth map" circa 17/1800's, and (2) had rules for heat exhaustion that made wearing armor in "aboriginal" environments costly to your health.

Rifles were a lot more dangerous than revolvers (as IRL). They could have cartridges too (6 shots), did 2d10 damage, and had a range increment of 150' (which could be extended with a scope). If you went into the bush, you took a rifle. They also had rules for different caliber weapons, but I really don't remember those.

The never-ending crit rule was supposed to replicate the the "danger" of firearms; that a good shot could kill any hero. I think it does a lousy job of that though, since the odds of rolling multiple 20's in a row are just so low; plus the damage adds up too slowly. A "good" way of replicating this effect would be "on a natural 20, roll again. If you get 10 or better, roll again." Past the first natural 20, odds of more damage is very high. In other words, many bullet wounds are flesh wounds, but a "good shot" probably hit an artery. An even "better" way to do this would be to use a Wound Point system, such as d20 Modern.

Obviously a game with these weapons would be very different than standard C&C. That's not a bad thing. It just is what it is.

The real questions (if you're playing a post-firearm fantasy world) are: did humans invent guns and finally "solve" the orc problem, or do orcs have guns too? Are there "big game hunters" with owlbear guns? Do they wear monocles? Are Barbarians still a viable PC class? How do guns and magic-users get along? What's a "balanced" range for a 2nd level version of Magic Missile which only sends one missile, doesn't miss, does no damage, but gives off a 20' burst of natural sunlight on impact and can be used to target an enemy's radium supply? Do you even care what a balanced range would be, or make the range whatever you care it to be and let the chips land where they may?
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