While guns and gunpowder do exist in the world of The Fifth War, they are very expensive, rare, and dangerous to use. This section covers the house rules for use of firearms and gunpowder.

Little more than metal tubes filled with black powder and then ignited to hurl metal bearings at a target, the technology is in its infancy. Invented by the imperial alchemical engineers before the fall of the Aelthion Empire, they were once reserved solely for the Emperor’s personal guard.

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An Important Note to Players —

This is very important to note. Guns are VERY dangerous. If you use them, and your character is not equipped to deal with a catastrophic failure, it is very likely you could kill your own character.

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Loading a Cannon/Handcannon —

It takes at least three rounds to load a cannon/handcannon. 1 round to pour one shot of black powder (larger cannons require more than one shot of powder), 1 round to load bearing (bullet), and the third round to prime and light the fuse. On the round preceding priming, the weapon may be fired. A cannon and handcannon can be preloaded, but still requires one round to prime and light the fuse before it can be fired.

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Details & Types of Cannons/Handcannons —

Small Handcannon (Pistol) ~
4d8 damage (10% failure) [Value: 500 GP] Weight: 7 pounds
Ammo: 1 shot of black powder / fire + 1 bearing
Range Modifier: None
Area of Effect: 5’ Square, Straight line until range depletes or a target is struck
Recoil Save: Fortitude DC 15 (Failure: Stun for 1 round)

Medium Handcannon (Blunderbuss) ~
4d12 damage (20% failure) [Value: 800 GP] Weight: 15 pounds
Ammo: 1 shot of black powder / fire + 3 bearings (or half-damage for equiv. debris. )
Range Modifier: +10 Feet
Area of Effect: 15’ Square spread, Straight line until range depletes or a targets are struck
Recoil Save: Fortitude DC 18 (Failure: Stun for 1 round)
Special: All in 30-feet must make Fort Save DC 10 or be deafened for 1d4 Rounds

Large Handcannon (Shoulderarm) ~
4d20 damage (40% failure) [Value: 1200 GP] Weight: 80 pounds
Ammo: 2 shot of black powder / fire + 1 bearing
Range Modifier: +20 Feet
Area of Effect: 5’ Square, Straight line until range depletes, all targets in range, halve resulting damage for each additional target.
Recoil Save: Fortitude DC 20 (Failure: Stun for 2 rounds)
                                                  Special: All in 50-feet must make Fort Save DC 15 or be deafened for 2d4 Rounds

Full-Size Cannon ~
10d20+20 damage (50% failure) [Value: 3000 GP] Weight: 700 pounds
Ammo: 5 shot of black powder / fire + 1 cannon ball
Range Modifier: +60 Feet (Requires 1 full round to acquire a new target)
Area of Effect: 5’ Square, Straight line until range depletes, all targets in range.
Recoil Save: None, get the hell out of the way! (Failure: Stun for 3d4 rounds)

A Note on Barrier Penetration (The “Through Shot” Effect): Both sholderarms and Full-Size cannons have the ability to pass through targets to include multiple targets in a straight line. There are some limitations to this effect however. The “through shot” effect is limited to soft targets. A shoulderarm cannot pass through stone/earthen barriers, wooden barriers thicker than a 6-inches, and cannot penetrate metal barriers thicker than 1/8-inch thick. A full-size cannon may pass through stone/earthen barriers up to (6-inces thick * remaining range at time of impact [maximum 5-feet thick]), will shatter through any normal wooden barrier, and can penetrate metal barriers up to 1-inch thick (at a cost of halving the resulting damage after each such penetration). If the pass through effect occurs, it is considered that the hardness of the barrier has been obliterated.

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Related Supplies —

Powder Bag ~ (10 shots of black powder) 100 GP / 5 pounds
Powder Keg ~ (50 shots of black powder) 500 GP / 50 pounds
Bearing (Bullet) ~ 2 GP / 0.25 Pounds
Cannon Ball ~ 20 GP / 25 Pounds

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Range & Effectiveness —

Handcannons and cannons have a base range of 30-feet + their range modifier. For every 10-feet beyond that the chance to hit is reduced by -5.

When a handcannon is fired, the wielder must make a reflex save to offset the effect of the weapon’s explosive recoil. The DC and failure effects of this check are identified above with each firearm type. Note: This recoil effect does not apply for a full size cannon, as a character cannot wield it on his or her person.

Critical Hits with Cannons/Handcanons —

A 20 is considered a critical hit with any handcannon or cannon (as long as the range parameters are met by the target). There is no damage multiplier for a critical hit with a firearm. However, a roll of natural 20 will guarantee a successful hit.

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Determining & Results of Cannon/Handcannon Failures —

Each type of cannon/handcannon has a Failure Chance defined. Roll 1d%. If you roll over the failure chance, the shot is successful. If you roll equal to or under the % of failure chance then the weapon fails.

If a cannon or handcannon experiences a failure, the weapon is rendered useless until repaired.
Repairing a cannon or handcannon requires “craft (gun)” skill w/ DC equal to the amount failed by. The time required to repair a cannon or handcannon is 1-hour/ 5 points of this failure difference. If a failure occurs make note of the failure difference for later reference on repairing.

For example, if when firing a blunderbuss (which has a failure of 20%), and on the failure chance you roll a 5%, this means the weapon experienced a failure and was damaged. Since 20%- 5% is 15, this means that it will require a craft (guns) skill check of 15 or higher to repair. An attempt to repair a gun may be made once only. If the skill check fails, then the weapon is rendered un-repairable in the attempt.

If the failure is critical (a roll of 1%) then this is a catastrophic failure and the weapon is completely destroyed.

In the case of a failure: the shot fails, the wielder is harmed. The character must make a Reflex Save with a DC equal to the amount the shot failed by. If the saving throw is successful they take no damage, and are simply stunned for 1d4 rounds. If the saving throw is failed, then the character takes 1/4th the damage total for the shot and is stunned for 3d4 rounds.

In the case of a catastrophic failure: the shot fails, the wielder is harmed. The character must make a Reflex Save with a DC equal to the amount the shot failed by. If the saving throw is successful the character takes 1/4th the damage total for the shot and is stunned for 3d4 rounds. If the saving throw is failed then the character takes one half of the damage total for the shot and is knocked unconscious if he or she is not killed.

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Creating Gunpowder —

Only an alchemist may create black powder. To do this, an alchemist must take the special feat “Craft Black Powder” and must put skill points into the skill “craft (black powder)”. For every 10 points put into the craft (black powder) skill, the alchemist can create 1 shot of black powder/day at the cost of 3GP materials (components required: saltpeter, charcoal, and sulphur).

Note: The alchemical name for blackpowder is, “dragon’s lung.”