Firearms
A lost technology revived by Merikan curiousity
Navigation Pane
Cultural Background
Firearms in the Heroic Age
Black Powder Tech in Merika
Rules for Firearms
Proficiency
Range and Penetration
Prices
Scatter Effects
Misfires
Matchlock and Wheel Lock - PL2
PL2 Firearms Table
Snaplock and Flintlock - PL3
PL3 Firearms Table
Percussion Cap - PL4
PL4 Firearms Table
Cartridge Firearms - PL5
PL5 Firearms Table
Fusion Age Firearms - PL6
PL6 Firearms Table
by Bashford Dean (1867-1928)
Firearms in the Heroic Age
Their use and manufacture lost to time after the last of the Road Wars, black powder weapons reemerged in the history of human warfare during the campaigns of the Four Heroes. Though Lord Fredrick took care to guard the technology and prevented it from proliferating during and after the Wars of Princes, the necessary mass mobilization of firearms and other industrialized weapons in the Merikan Campaign of the Retribution War made it impossible to suppress the secrets of black powder and its methods of use and manufacture quietly spread throughout the Merikan Zones in the aftermath of the Battle of New York.
Black Powder Tech in the Merikan Zones
The Invisible Revolution, a shift in attitudes about science and technology which has been slowly transforming the zones of the Merikan Union for the past three decades, has brought about a seemingly sudden prevalence of black powder weapons in the arsenals of the Union Army. These weapons have been in common use for the past few years in the ongoing Larada Border War being fought at the High River Frontier. Inevitably, many of the muskets and pistols developed by Union gunsmiths have wound up in the hands of Larada and Vril warriors and it is becoming increasingly common to see these weapons traded at larger settlements in Larada, Vrelland, and even in the Lowland Dominion.
Vril traders have now started to sell Merikan guns even in the western regions of The Forbidden Zone. In spite of the relatively low Progress Level of even Eldenterra's major cities, the Zoner tradition of DIY Precursor kitbashing and amateur engineering has led to an enthusiastic adoption and even imitation of black powder weapon technology in the Silverlands of Arenko and will surely take hold elsewhere in the Zone as well.
Rules for Firearms
Loading Firearms
Unless otherwise indicated, firearms must be loaded with a bullet and single dose of black powder. Loading any firearm provokes attacks of opportunity. The time it takes to load a firearm depends upon the firing mechanism (see sections on specific eras of firearms for information on various loading times). You always need at least one hand free to load one-handed and two-handed firearms. In the case of two-handed firearms, you hold the weapon in one hand and load it with the other—you only need to hold it in two hands to aim and shoot the firearm.
Loading siege firearms requires both hands, and one hand usually manipulates a large ramrod (which can be wielded as a club in combat). It takes three full-round actions by one person to load a siege firearm. This can be reduced to two full-round actions if more than one person is loading the cannon. The Rapid Reload feat reduces the time required to load one-handed and two-handed firearms, but this feat does not reduce the time it takes to load siege firearms.
Firearm Proficiency
The Exotic Weapon Proficiency (firearms) feat allows you to use all firearms without penalty. A nonproficient character takes the standard –4 penalty on attack rolls with firearms, and a nonproficient character who loads a firearm increases all misfire values by 4 for the shots he loads. Even though the Exotic Weapon Proficiency (firearms) feat grants you proficiency with all firearms, anytime you take a feat that modifies a single type of weapon (such as Weapon Focus or Rapid Reload), you must still pick one specific type of firearm for that feat to have affect. All firearms are part of the same weapon group for the purposes of the fighter’s weapon training class feature.
Range and Penetration
Armor, whether manufactured or natural, provides little protection against the force of a bullet at short range.
PL 2 and 3 Firearms: When firing an early firearm (PL 2 or 3), the attack resolves against the target’s touch AC when the target is within the first range increment of the weapon, but this type of attack is not considered a touch attack for the purposes of feats and abilities such as Deadly Aim. At higher range increments, the attack resolves normally, including taking the normal cumulative –2 penalty for each full range increment. Unlike other projectile weapons, early firearms have a maximum range of five range increments.
PL 4 and 5 Firearms: Advanced (PL 4 or 5) firearms resolve their attacks against touch AC when the target is within the first five range increments, but this type of attack is not considered a touch attack for the purposes of feats such as Deadly Aim. At higher range increments, the attack resolves normally, including taking the normal cumulative –2 penalty for each full-range increment. Advanced firearms have a maximum range of 10 range increments.
Firearm Descriptions
There are four general categories of firearms: from Progress Level 1-4. Weapons are listed in the following PL tables according to their technical classification which determines their function, availability, and variable cost. Weapons marked with an asterisk have been adapted from the PFSRD20 firearms tables. All other firearms from the PFSRD20 tables are considered PL 3.
Aside from Progress Level, firearms are further divided into one-handed, two-handed, and siege firearms. As the category’s name implies, one-handed firearms need only one hand to wield and shoot. Two-handed firearms work best when you use two-hands while shooting them. Two-handed firearms can be shot with one hand at a –4 penalty on the attack roll.
Weapon Prices: Market prices appearing below are listed according to corresponding Progress Level. A PL 2 Weapon purchased in a PL 2 or higher city will be available for the listed price. A weapon's price increases by a factor of 10 for every level the city/market is lower than the weapon's PL. For example a PL 5 weapon purchased in a PL 2 city/market would cost more than the listed price by a factor of 1000.To craft advanced firearms requires access to a schematic.
Scatter Weapon Quality: A weapon with the scatter weapon quality can shoot two different types of ammunition. It can fire normal bullets that target one creature, or it can make a scattering shot, attacking all creatures within a cone. Cannons with the scatter weapon quality only fire grapeshot, unless their descriptions state otherwise. When a scatter weapon attacks all creatures within a cone, it makes a separate attack roll against each creature within the cone. Each attack roll takes a –2 penalty, and its attack damage cannot be modified by precision damage or damage-increasing feats such as Vital Strike.
Effects that grant concealment, such as fog or smoke, or the blur, invisibility, or mirror image spells, do not foil a scatter attack. If any of the attack rolls threaten a critical, confirm the critical for that attack roll alone. A firearm that makes a scatter shot misfires only if all of the attack rolls made misfire. If a scatter weapon explodes on a misfire, it deals triple its damage to all creatures within the misfire radius.
Misfires: If the natural result of your attack roll falls within a firearm’s misfire value, that shot misses, even if you would have otherwise hit the target. When a firearm misfires, it gains the broken condition. While it has the broken condition, it suffers the normal disadvantages that broken weapons do, and its misfire value increases by 4 unless the wielder has gun training in the particular type of firearm (see Gunslinger). In that case, the misfire value increases by 2 instead of 4.
PL 2 and 3 Firearms: If a PL 2 or 3 firearm with the broken condition misfires again, it explodes. When a firearm explodes, the weapon is destroyed. When a gun explodes, pick one corner of your square—the explosion creates a burst from that point of origin. Each firearm has a burst size noted in parentheses after its misfire value. Any creature within this burst (including the firearm’s wielder) takes damage as if it had been hit by the weapon—a DC 12 Reflex save halves this damage.
PL 4 and 5 Firearms: PL 4 and 5 firearms can misfire, but when they do, they only gain the broken condition. A further misfire does not cause advanced firearms to explode.
Matchlock and Wheel Lock - Progress Level 2: Middle Ages
Matchlock Rifles: Pulling the trigger of a matchlock plunges a glowing match into a pan of priming powder. This mechanism presents several difficulties, including keeping the match lit (particularly in wet weather) and having to manually open the pan cover before firing.
Wheel Lock Firearms: Though far more efficient than matchlocks, they require an expensive mechanism. Pulling the trigger slides open the pan cover and presses a crystal of iron pyrite against a steel wheel, producing sparks to ignite the priming pan. Though muskets and carbines exist, wheel lock pistols are more common.
Loading Times: The first firearms are difficult to load, aim, and fire. Powder and shot must be poured into the barrel and packed down. Reloading any kind of PL 2 firearm requires two full-round actions. A character with the Rapid Reload feat can reload with a single full-round action.
Accuracy: Since the bullet of a PL 2 firearm is smaller in diameter than the barrel, it bounces down the barrel when the gun is fired and leaves the barrel in an essentially random direction. For this reason, a character wielding one of these weapons cannot apply his Dexterity bonus to his attack roll, though any Dexterity penalty still applies.
Early Matchlock & Wheel Lock Firearms (PL2)
| Weapon | Dmg | Crit | Type | Range | Misfire | Mag. | Weight | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pistol, wheel lock | 1d6 | x3 | B & P | 15 ft. | 1-2 (5 ft.) | 1 | 4 lbs. | 750 |
| Culverin (hand cannon)* | 2d8 | x4 | B & P | 30 ft. | 1 (10 ft.) | 1 | 10 lbs. | 4000 |
| Musket, wheel lock | 1d10 | x3 | B & P | 40 ft. | 1-2 (10 ft.) | 1 | 8 lbs. | 800 |
| Carbine, wheel lock | 1d8 | x3 | B & P | 30 ft. | 1-2 (10 ft.) | 1 | 7 lbs. | 750 |
| Musket, matchlock | 1d10 | x3 | B & P | 40 ft. | 1-3 (10 ft.) | 1 | 20 lbs. | 750 |
Pistol, wheel lock: This is a large pistol, usually equipped with a large balI at the end of the stock to make it easier to grab and draw on horseback.
Culverin: The culverin, also known as a hand bombard, consists of a simple smoothbore tube, sealed at one end except for a small hole used to ignite a gunpowder charge. A wooden stock partially encases the barrel, allowing the wielder to hold it under his arm with relative ease when carrying it. Firing a culverin without support (such as a wall, a window, or a stand) imparts a –4 penalty on the attack rolls, and the wielder is knocked prone. A culverin uses 4 doses of black powder and grapeshot. Note that these statistics simulate only the original, hand-held culverins—their larger descendants are considered cannons and are dealt with in the section on siege weapons.
Musket, matchlock: The matchlock musket is a heavy weapon typically steadied by a short pole planted on the ground-the precursor of more modern tripod mounts.
Musket, wheel lock: Because the wheel lock mechanism is expensive compared to the matchlock, it is rarely used in muskets intended for common soldiers and it never entirely displaces the matchlock. Wheel lock muskets are usually elaborately decorated weapons owned (and possibly used) by members of the nobility.
Carbine, wheel lock: This weapon is similar to the wheel lock rifle but shorter, making it more suitable for use on horseback.
Snaplock and Flintlock Firearms - Progress Level 3: Age of Reason
Snaplock and Flintlock Firearms: Snaplock (also called snaphance or snaphaunce) weapons are an early form of flintlock weapons. Pulling the trigger opens the pan cover and strikes a piece of flint against steel, creating sparks to ignite the primer in the pan. Although effective, this mechanism is somewhat more complex than the simpler and less expensive flintlocks that developed from it.
Loading Times: Flintlocks are easier to handle than matchlocks and wheel locks but still difficult to load. Snaplock and flintlock firearms are muzzle-loaded, requiring bullets or pellets and black powder to be rammed down the muzzle. If a PL 3 firearm has multiple barrels, each barrel must be loaded separately. It is a standard action to load each barrel of a one-handed snaplock or flintlock firearm and a full-round action to load each barrel of a two-handed snaplock or matchlock.
Accuracy: Flintlocks are slightly more accurate than matchlocks and wheel locks: therefore, characters can apply their Dexterity modifiers to attack rolls with a snaplock or flintlock. Their small range increments reflect their inaccuracy compared to modern firearms.
Snaplock & Flintlock Firearms (PL3)
| Weapon | Dmg | Crit | Type | Range | Misfire | Mag. | Weight | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pistol, snaplock* | 1d8 | x4 | B & P | 20 ft. | 1 (5 ft.) | 1 | 4 lbs. | 1000 |
| Pistol, blunderbuss* | 1d8 | x2 | B & P | 10 ft.* | 1-2 (10 ft.) | 1 | 8 lbs. | 2000 |
| Pistol, double-barreled* | 1d8 | x4 | B & P | 20 ft. | 1-2 (5 ft.) | 2 | 5 lbs. | 1750 |
| Pistol, four-barreled | 1d8 | x4 | B & P | 20 ft. | 1-2 (5 ft.) | 4 | 5 lbs. | 2500 |
| Pistol, pepperbox* | 1d8 | x4 | B & P | 20 ft. | 1-2 (5 ft.) | 6 | 5 lbs. | 3000 |
| Musket, snaplock* | 1d12 | x4 | B & P | 40 ft. | 1-2 (5 ft.) | 1 | 9 lbs. | 1000 |
| Musket, blunderbuss | 1d10 | x2 | B & P | 10 ft.* | 1-2 (10 ft.) | 1 | 11 lbs. | 2500 |
Blunderbuss Pistol and Musket: These weapons fire pellets or a bullet from a trumpet-shaped barrel, making them effective fowling weapons or close-fighting personal defense weapons. The blunderbuss fires in a 15-foot cone when firing pellets (see Scatter quality above), and has a 10-foot range increment when firing a bullet. A blunderbuss uses a bullet or pellets and a single dose of black powder or a single alchemical cartridge as ammunition.
Pistol, multi-barrel flintlock, and pepperbox: Double-barrel pistol: This pistol has two parallel barrels; each barrel can be fired independently as separate attacks, or both can be fired at once as a standard action (the attack action). If both barrels are shot at once, they must both target the same creature or object, and the pistol becomes wildly inaccurate, imparting a –4 penalty on each shot. A character can reload two barrels of a multi-barrel flintlock with one full-round action (or one standard action with the Rapid Reload feat).
Four-barrel pistol: This flintlock has four identical barrels arranged so the user can rotate each barrel under the hammer, allowing four shots before reloading. On the downside, reloading all four barrels requires two full-round actions (or one full-round action with the Rapid Reload feat). A character can reload two barrels with one full-round actions (or one standard action with the Rapid Reload feat).
Pepperbox Pistol: A refinement of the multi-barreled pistols that appear at the end of the flintlock era, a pepperbox rotates the barrels by means of a cocking mechanism in the trigger, allowing the user to shoot multiple times single-handed. Reloading all six barrels requires three full-round actions (or two full-round actions with the Rapid Reload feat). A character can reload two barrels with one full-round actions (or one standard action with the Rapid Reload feat).
Percussion Cap Firearms - Progress Level 4: Industrial Age
Percussion Cap Firearms: In a percussion cap weapon, a hammer strikes a tiny explosive cap, which sends a flash down a narrow channel to the powder. The end of the age of flintlocks also sees the introduction of rifling, which makes longarms far more accurate by controlling the spin of the bullet. Better gunsmilhing techniques also make breech-loading possible at around the same time.
Loading Times: Firearms of this era are chamber-loaded. Unless otherwise stated, it requires a move action to load one chamber in a one-handed or two-handed PL 4 firearm. The Rapid Reload feat reduces this to a free action.
Rifles, Breach Loaders, & Percussion Cap Firearms (PL4)
| Weapon | Dmg | Crit | Type | Range | Misfire | Mag. | Weight | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pistol, breech-loaded* | 1d6 | x4 | B & P | 20 ft. | 1 (5 ft.) | 2 | 4 lbs. | 3000 |
| Pistol, revolver* | 1d8 | x4 | B & P | 20 ft. | 1 | 6 | 4 lbs. | 4000 |
| Rifle* | 1d10 | x4 | B & P | 80 ft. | 1 | 1 | 12 lbs. | 5000 |
| Rifle, pepperbox* | 1d10 | x4 | B & P | 80 ft. | 1-2 | 4 | 15 lbs. | 7000 |
| Shotgun* | 1d8 | x2 | B & P | 20 ft. | 1-2 | 1 | 12 lbs. | 5000 |
| Shotgun, double-barreled* | 1d8 | x2 | B & P | 20 ft. | 1-2 | 2 | 15 lbs. | 7000 |
Pistol, breech-loaded: This double-barreled pistol variant has its barrel attached to its stock by a hinge, enabling ammunition to be loaded quickly and easily. Reloading a breech-loader is a move action that reloads both barrels; the Rapid Reload feat reduces this to a free action.
Pistol, revolver: A revolver is a pistol with a revolving cylinder containing six chambers. Each chamber holds a metal cartridge, and when one cartridge is shot, the cylinder automatically rotates (no extra hand or action required), readying the next chamber for firing. A revolver uses metal cartridges as ammunition. Reloading all six chambers in a revolver requires a full round action (or a standard action with the Rapid Reload feat).
Rifle: This improvement on the musket, featuring grooved barrels, can fire farther and with more accuracy than earlier long-bore firearms. A rifle uses metal cartridges as ammunition.
Rifle, pepperbox: The four barrels of this rifle are set into a turnable housing that can be quickly rotated by hand (a free action) between shots. A pepperbox rifle uses metal cartridges as ammunition. Reloading each of these barrels requires a move action (or a free action with the Rapid Reload feat).
Shotgun: This advanced version of the blunderbuss shoots in a 30-foot cone when firing pellets, and has a 20-foot range increment when firing a bullet (often called a slug). A shotgun uses metal cartridges (loaded with either a bullet or pellets) as ammunition.
Shotgun, double-barreled: This twin-barreled shotgun’s barrels can be fired independently as separate attacks, or both can be fired at once as a standard action (the attack action). A double shot that fires bullets is inaccurate, and takes a –4 penalty on both attacks. A double shot that fires bullets targets only a single creature and increases the damage of each barrel to 2d6 points (Small) or 2d8 points (Medium) for a total of 4d6 or 4d8 points. A double-barreled shotgun uses metal cartridges (loaded with either a bullet or pellets) as ammunition.
Cartridge Firearms - Progress Level 5: Late Industrial / Information Age (Work in Progress)
Energy Weapons - Progress Level 6: Energy Age (Work in Progress)
Energy Weapons: Semper ubi sub ubi.
Loading Times: Firearms of this era are chamber-loaded (though many magazines of this era may contain many more rounds than the magazines used by earlier weapons). Unless otherwise stated, it requires a move action to load one chamber in a one-handed or two-handed PL 6 firearm. The Rapid Reload feat reduces this to a free action.
Energy-Based Firearms (PL6)
| Weapon | Dmg | Crit | Type | Range | Misfire | Mag. | Weight | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laser Pistol, revolver | 2d8 | x3 | Fire | 40 ft. | 1 (5 ft.) | 6/10 | 3 lbs. | 10000 |
Laser Pistol: This hand-held weapon has two loading and fire mechanisms. It may either be loaded with 10-charge battery discs (which are slid into a narrow chamber behind the loading cylinder), or the cylinder's six chambers can be loaded with individual rounds. The ammunition used in this way must be designed for use in PL6 pistol sidearms (PL4 percussion cap rounds may look viable, but the firing mechanism is not compatible).
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