Firearms Reloaded, Again
There are plenty of firearm homebrews out there, but here is my attempt. Firearms are not considered simple nor martial weapons, and are their own category.
A DM may allow a character with martial weapon proficiency to also gain proficiency with firearms, if a setting has firearms more widespread in a world's culture, or it would interact with a feature in a cool way. In such a world, it is likely that bows and crossbows have been completely replaced.
Ammunition
| Ammunition | Cost | Properties |
|---|---|---|
| Acidic | 10 gp (1) | Explosive (1d4 acid) |
| Arcane | 20 gp (1) | Magical |
| Dragon | 10 gp (1) | Explosive (1d4 fire) |
| Standard | 4 gp (20) | - |
Mundane Firearms
| Weapon | Cost | Damage | Weight | Range | Properties |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blunderbus | 70 gp | 2d8 piercing | 10 lb. | 10/30 | Ammunition, Misfire, Reload, Slow, Spread |
| Duel Arquebus | 125 gp | 1d12 piercing | 20 lb. | 400/1600 | Ammunition, Heavy, Misfire, Reload (2), Two-Handed |
| Longarm | 100 gp | 3d6 piercing | 25 lb. | 600/2400 | Ammunition, Heavy, Misfire, Reload, Slow, Two-Handed |
| Palm Pistol | 40 gp | 1d8 piercing | 1 lb. | 40/160 | Ammunition, Light, Reload |
| Pepperbox | 80 gp | 1d10 piercing | 5 lb. | 80/320 | Ammunition, Reload (8), Misfire |
| Pistol | 50 gp | 1d10 piercing | 3 lb. | 60/240 | Ammunition, Reload (4) |
| Rifle | 90 gp | 2d8 piercing | 10 lb. | 300/1200 | Ammunition, Reload, Misfire, Slow, Two-Handed |
Weapon Properties
Ammunition
For firearms, the ammunition property works nearly identically to the property listed in the official books. However, ammunition expended from firearms cannot be recovered once shot.
Explosive
Upon impact, each creature within 5 feet of the target (including the target) must make a Dexterity saving throw or take damage of an amount and type noted in parentheses by the tag. The DC is equal to 8 + the user's Dexterity modifier + the user's proficiency, if the user is proficient in the weapon being used.
On a weapon with the Spread property, it instead increases the damage of the attack by the amount and type noted.
Misfire
When you make an attack with a firearm with this property and roll a 1 on the d20, the weapon misfires. The weapon fails to fire, and the weapon cannot be used until you use 1 attack, 1 action, or 1 bonus action to ready it to fire again.
Reload
The weapon can be fired a number of times equal to its Reload score before you must spend 1 attack or 1 action to reload. You must have one free hand to reload a firearm. By default, a weapon's reload score is 1, unless noted in parentheses as higher.
Slow
This weapon is incredibly slow to reload, taking an entire action to reload.
Spread
When fired, you do not make an attack roll with this weapon. Instead, you fire a cone of shrapnel, pellets, or some other dangerous spew of deadly material. The cone's length is equal to the weapon's long range.
Each creature within this area must make a Dexterity saving throw against a DC equal to 8 + the user's Dexterity modifier + the user's proficiency, if the user is proficient in the weapon being used. An affected creature that is not in the weapon's normal range has advantage on this saving throw. On a failure, a creature takes damage equal to a roll of the weapon's damage dice. You do not add your ability modifier to this damage.
Firearm Feats
With so many weapon feats, if firearms are now a part of the world so should their feats!
Advanced Firearm Tinkering
Prerequisites: proficiency in Tinkerers Tools and firearms
You have tinkered with your firearms much, and have learned the true ins and outs of each one. This knowledge comes with the following benefits:
- Your Intelligence increases by 1, to a max of 20.
- You can add double your proficiency bonus when making an ability check with tinkerers tools regarding firearms or ammunition.
- You spend half as long designing and manufacturing firearms and ammunition.
- When crafting ammunition, you can spend 50% more in the crafting process (rounded up) to cause the ammunition to be considered magical for the purposes of overcoming resistances.
Arcane Gunslinger
Prerequisites: firearm proficiency
You gain +1 to your Wisdom or Dexterity score, to a max of 20.
You learn the following cantrip. The spellcasting modifier for the spell is Dexterity.
Arcane Ricochet
Evocation cantrip
- Casting Time: 1 action
- Range: Self
- Components: S, M (a firearm worth at least 1 gp)
- Duration: Instantaneous
You imbue the weapon used in the casting of this spell with arcane energy and make a ranged attack with it against one creature within the firearm's normal range. On a hit, the target suffers the weapon's normal effects, and you can cause a bullet of force to fire from the creature towards a different creature of your choice that you can see within 10 feet of it. The second creature takes 1d6 force damage.
At 5th level, the ranged attack deals an extra 1d6 force damage to the target on a hit, and the force damage the second creature takes increases to 2d6. The damage further increases by 1d6 at 11th level (2d6, 3d6) and 17th level (3d6, 4d6).
Firearm Expert
Prerequisites: 8th level, firearm proficiency
You have mastered the art of the gunslinger, and have gained the following benefits:
- You ignore the reloading property of firearms, as you reload them so fast it costs you hardly a moment. If the firearm has the slow property, you instead ignore the slow property. Either way you must still have a free hand to reload.
- Being within 5 feet of a hostile creature doesn't impose disadvantage on your attack rolls with firearms.
- When you use the Attack action and attack with a one-handed weapon, you can use a bonus action to attack with a firearm you are holding that doesn't have the two-handed property.
Novice Gunner (replaces Gunner)
You have learned how to expertly use firearms, and gain the following features:
- Your Dexterity increases by 1, to a max of 20.
- You gain proficiency in firearms.
- On your first turn in initiative, if you immediately make an attack with a firearm you are holding, you gain advantage on that attack.
- The Pepperbox and Pistol firearm gain the Light property when you use them.
Changes to Gunslinger
These changes affect the Gunslinger fighter subclass (from Critical Role) in some ways, even invalidating certain features. As such, the following changes can be applied to the subclass to keep it fun and balanced.
I also recommend changing the subclasses secondary ability score from Wisdom to Intelligence, so they can actually craft guns without being super MAD.
Intuitive Design
Optional Feature: Replaces Rapid Repair
At 10th level, you can add double your proficiency bonus when making an ability check with tinkerers tools regarding firearms or ammunition.
Additionally, you can reload a firearm without a free hand.
Instant Reload
Optional Feature: Replaces Lightning Reload
Starting at 15th level, you can reload a firearm as a bonus action. If the firearm has the slow property, you instead ignore the slow property.
Magical Firearms
If you can create magical items, you may be able to manufacture one of the following, or a firearm of entirely your creation. Talk with your DM about what is allowed, and what your character can manage to create.
All magical firearms may gain bonuses to attack and damage rolls (+1, +2, and +3) upon being found or created. As the bonus to attack and damage rolls increases, so does the price and difficulty of acquiring.
Magic Firearms Stats
| Weapon | Rarity | Damage | Weight | Range | Properties |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glorious Gatling | Very Rare | 1d8 piercing | 20 lb. | 100/400 | Ammunition, Heavy, Misfire, Reload (20), Slow, Two-Handed |
| Montelo Gunblade | Rare | 1d8 piercing | 7 lb. | 60/240 | Ammunition, Misfire, Reload (3) |
| Quicksilver | Very Rare | 1d6 piercing | 6 lb. | 70/280 | Light, Misfire, Two-Handed |
| Matchbox | Uncommon | 1d10 piercing | 5 lb. | 80/320 | Ammunition, Reload (8), Misfire |
| Ghostfire | Uncommon | 1d8 necrotic | 5 lb. | 60/240 | Ammunition, Reload (3), Misfire |
| Horizon | Rare | 1d10 force | 12 lb. | 100/sight | Ammunition, Reload, Misfire |
| Beast | Legendary | 2d6 piercing | 8 lb. | 80/320 | Reload (4), Two-Handed |
| Leviathan's Roar | Very Rare | 2d6 bludgeoning | 12 lb. | 10/40 | Reload, Spread, Two-Handed |
| Unstable Prototype | Rare | 4d4 fire | 18 lb. | 15/60 | Ammunition, Misire, Reload, Two-Handed |
| Heaven's Law | Very Rare | 1d12 piercing | 35 lb. | 100/400 | Ammunition, Explosive (2d10 fire) Reload, Slotted, Slow, Two-Handed |
| Arcane Ace | Very Rare | 1d10 piercing | 5 lb. | 60/240 | Ammunition, Reload (4), Slotted |
Glorious Gatling
This weapon has a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls. The glorious gatling grows in strength the longer it sustains fire. If you fired this weapon and performed no other action on your previous turn, you can fire this weapon as a bonus action.
Montelo Gunblade
This +1 weapon is a gun and a rapier combined into one weapon of destruction. Whenever you use this weapon, you choose to attack as though you were using a rapier or the firearm incorporated within it.
Whenever you hit a creature with a melee attack using this weapon, your next ranged attack with it gains an additional +1 bonus to the attack and damage. Whenever you hit with a ranged attack using this weapon, your next melee attack with it gains an additional +1 bonus to the attack and damage.
Quicksilver
This +3 weapon magically fabricates ammunition at the moment you pull the trigger. If you roll a 20 on an attack roll with this weapon, the next attack you make before the end of your next turn you do not roll for the attack and instead automatically hit your target. This hit is considered a critical hit.
This weapon can be used with two weapon fighting as though it were a melee weapon.
Matchbox
This +1 weapon overheats itself easily. When you fire this weapon more than once on a turn, it overheats, dealing 1d6 fire damage to your target, and half as much to yourself.
Ghostfire
This +1 weapon contains fragments of the souls of creatures it has killed. Upon hitting a creature with this weapon, the creature begins to glow with dim ghostly energy, creating dim light in a 10-foot radius around it until the end of your next turn. While the creature glows, you ignore all cover, even total cover, that the creature has from you while firing this weapon as you can see the target's glowing outline through any surface.
Horizon
This +1 weapon's long range is as far as you can see, provided the target has no cover from you.
Beast
Requires attunement
This +3 weapon is sentient, and contains the soul of a terrifying beast with no name. It is chaotic neutral with an Intelligence of 14, a Wisdom of 16, and a Charisma of 14. It perceives the world through your senses. It communicates telepathically with you and can speak, read, and understand common. It seeks to sink it's teeth into powerful prey, and rewards you for doing so. When you fire this weapon, it fires ethereal sharp canine teeth of an unknown creature.
You can manifest a claw of the beast to make a melee attack with the weapon dealing the weapon's damage. The claw shares the same properties as a shortsword, and you are proficient with this attack.
Upon taking damage from a creature, you can use your reaction to cast hunter's mark on it at 1st level without requiring concentration. If you reduce a creature with this mark on it to 0 hit points with a ranged attack from this weapon, the weapon releases a massive beam of primal energy, forming a wave of wolf-like spirits that tear through creatures in a 5 foot wide and up to 100 feet long wide line, forcing all creatures in the area to make a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw. On failure, a creature takes 6d6 piercing damage, or half as much on success.
You cannot cast hunter's mark in this way again until you next roll initiative. If you activate the primal beam attack, you instantly regain the ability to cast this spell.
Leviathan's Roar
When firing this weapon, it launches a powerful wave of water that quickly evaporates. All creature's that fail the saving throw of this weapon's attack are knocked prone. Those that succeed the saving throw are pushed 5 feet away from you.
Unstable Prototype
This weapon fires a powerful mote of fire that explodes when it reaches it's target. Creatures within 10 feet of a target you hit must make a Dexterity saving throw or take 4d4 fire damage on failure, or half as much on success.
If you misfire this weapon, it is considered to still hit the target. You take 4d4 fire damage, and the weapon damage and explosion damage increases by 2d4 fire damage.
Heaven's Law
Undead and fiends have disadvantage on the saving throw against the explosive effect of this weapon. In addition, the damage it deals ignores resistances that undead and fiends have.
Upon reducing an undead or fiend to 0 hit points with this weapon, a beam of holy light shines down upon it's corpse until the end of your next turn. This light is bright light and fills a cylinder that stretches 40 feet above the corpse and in a 5 foot radius around it. Any creature that was hostile to the target regains 3d6 hit points when it starts it's turn in this area or enters it for the first time on it's turn.
Arcane Ace
Requires attunement by a spellcaster
As part of an attack with this weapon, you can expend a spell slot. If the attack hits, it deals additional acid, cold, fire, lightning, poison, radiant, or thunder damage (your choice) equal to 1d10 + a number of 1d10's equal to the spell slot consumed.
If the attack misses, the ammunition expended explodes as it passes the target, dealing half as much damage as it would have done on a hit.
Firearm Upgrades
These are magical modifications that can be applied to firearms, or found on existing ones. Any DC a modification has can be replaced with a gunslinger class/subclasses save DC, if it has one.
Elemental
Prerequisite: No spread property
Choose one of the following damage types; acid, cold, fire, lightning, poison, or thunder. Once a turn, when you make an attack with this weapon you can choose for the shot to deal 1d4 additional damage of the chosen type.
Upon reducing a creature to 0 hit points or rolling a 20 on an attack with this weapon against a hostile creature, a burst of energy erupts from the creature, dealing 1d6 of the weapon's elemental damage type to creatures within 10 feet of it.
Blood Barrel
Modification: Barrel
This firearm's barrel is scarlet red, and appears to always be slightly dripping.
Whenever a creature is reduced to 0 hit points by this firearm, the gun automatically reloads with magical scarlet ammunition. Attempting to remove this ammunition from the gun causes it to become a red liquid and quickly evaporate.
Blockade
Prerequisite: No spread property
As a reaction to being hit with an attack, the weapon generates a magical shield around it granting you a +3 bonus to your AC until the end of your next turn, potentially causing the attack to miss.
This ability can be used once per hour, and is instantly recharged upon rolling a 20 on an attack with this weapon against a hostile creature.
Radiant Defender
Prerequisite: No spread property
In place of an attack, you can target a willing creature within the weapon's normal range. The target gains temporary hit points equal to a roll of the weapon's damage dice that lasts for 1 minute.
This ability can be used once per hour, and is instantly recharged upon rolling a 20 on an attack with this weapon against a hostile creature.
Outbreak
Once a turn, upon reducing a creature to 0 hit points with this weapon, it explodes into a swarm of magical insects that seek out creatures near it. This effect is as though you cast magic missile with a range of 30 feet at the creature's position.
Malicious
Prerequisite: No spread property
When you fire this weapon, you can choose to take 1d4 necrotic damage that cannot be reduced or avoided. Upon doing so, the shot fired deals an additional 1d6 necrotic damage, and if this reduces a creature to 0 hit points restores 5 hit points to you.
Frozen
When you hit a creature with this weapon, the target's movement speed is reduced by 5 feet until the end of it's next turn.
Upon reducing a creature to 0 hit points, it erupts in a burst of icy magic, forcing creatures within 10 feet of it to make a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw or have it's speed reduced to 0 until the end of it's next turn.
Arcane Malleability
This weapon's damage type can be swapped as a bonus action, changing between cold, fire, lightning, and piercing.
Flash Freeze
Prerequisite: Spread Property
A creature that fails the saving throw against this weapon also has it's movement speed halved.
Lively Reload
Prerequisite: No spread property
If you hit a creature with an attack from this weapon then do so again before the end of your next turn, the weapon magically reloads one ammunition.
Energetic Empathy
Whenever you take acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder damage, you can use your reaction to store that damage type within the weapon. The next time you fire the weapon, it deals an addition 1d6 damage of the type you stored.
Phase Rounds
The weapon's damage becomes force and it no longer requires ammunition to fire, as it now fires magical surges of magical energy.
Credit
Thanks to the Discord of Many Things for help balancing this.
Additionally, special thanks to Ovion Design on the discord for making their own firearm table and rules, which I referenced heavily when making this.