Anyone know which manual (if any) has rules and stats for using guns like muskets and/or blunderbuss guns?
I’ve got pirates in my campaign and I need some flintlock weaponry, but would rather not have to write my own rules to do so…
They can be found in the dungeon masters guide, I’m not sure which page, but I’m positive it’s less than 100.
They also have standard action reload times, which makes them innefective as weapons.
The rules for Renaissance guns can be found in the 3.5 DMG in chapter 5 Campaigns under the “Building a Difference World” section pages 144-145.
Many musketeers would have one to two of them on thier body at any given time ready to fire. They’d start off a fight firing the guns and throwing them to the side while pulling out thier rapier for close combat.
They werent made to be used more than once per battle, but they sure did pack a punch at the begining!
TY for the info, both of you.
I’m not so sure; in rank and file combat, you could fire a musket about 3 times a minute (if you were disciplined; twice is more realistic), and considering it’s range, you might get one or two volleys against an organized advance.
And as far as I know, the rapier was more of a civilian weapon, and what it did best was fight another rapier. To lessen the chances of getting your melee weapon bound in someones body after transfixing them with it, I’m sure many carried so-called “cut and thrust” swords, which could also be used for hacking and slicing, an easier form of swordplay more amenable to the conditions of an all out melee.
As for the blunderbus, you may want some rules of your own. I think it’s rather clever to treat them like cone weapons, allowing for a Reflex save.
There was an issue of Dragon magazine which had expanded rules. I just checked, and it was in issue 321. You might be able to find someone who can send you the pages if you came on to IRC or something. HINT HINT
Yeah, IRC is one big PIRATE BANZAI, isn’t it?
Oh yes. IRC is the place to go for illicit goods.
That would be like cheating, though. DMs should hash out these problems by themselves whenever possible, or through discourse with others (esp. their players) before going online or looking in a magazine. It builds character.
Actually, Law has failed miserably. It allowed Pun-Pun the Almighty to exist. So… CHAOS.
You mentioned that you were running a campaign with pirates? A good friend of mine wasn’t really satisfied with the different classes that D&D had for pirates as a whole, so he did some tinkering and made up his own pirate class. I’ve tested it with a few characters already and it’s a pretty nice well rounded class. I’ll post it here if you’d like to take a look and see if you’d like to use it:
Pirate
Table: The Pirate
Level BAB: Fort: Ref: Will: Special
1st +1: +2 +2: +0: Sea Legs
2nd +2: +3 +3: +0: Rope Monkey
3rd +3: +3 +3: +1: Mapping, Reckless Abandon
4th +3: +4 +4: +1: Animal Companion, Sneak Attack +1D6
5th +4: +4 +4: +1: Slippery Tongue
6th +5: +5 +5: +2:
7th +6/+1: +5: +5: +2: Lightning Parry
8th +6/+1: +6: +6: +2: Sneak Attack +2D6
9th +7/+2: +6: +6: +3: Dirty Fighting
10th +8/+3: +7: +7: +3: Master of Escape
11th +9/+4: +7: +7: +3: Swashbuckler
12th +9/+4: +8: +8: +4: Sneak Attack +3D6
13th +10/+5: +8: +8: +4: Breathe Like a Fish
14th +11/+6/+1: +9: +9: +4: Master Swashbuckler
15th +12/+7/+2: +9: +9: +5: Pirate Knowledge
16th +12/+7/+2: +10: +10: +5: Sneak Attack +4D6
17th +13/+8/+3: +10: +10: +5:
18th +14/+9/+4: +11: +11: +6: Dread Pirate
19th +15/+10/+5: +11: +11: +6
20th +15/+10/+5: +12: +12: +6 Pirate’s Curse, Sneak Attack +5D6
Skills:
Appraise (Int), Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Int), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Forgery (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (Local), Knowledge (Nobility & Royalty), Knowledge (Seafaring) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Open Lock (Dex), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), and Use Rope (Dex).
Hit Dice: d8
Skill Points at 1st Level: (6 + Int modifier) x_4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 6 + Int modifier
Weapon Proficiencies: A pirate is proficient with the following weapons: cutlass (short sword), rapier, hand axe, dagger, punching dagger, crossbow, and shortbow.
Armor Proficiencies: A pirate is proficient with no armor. If a pirate ever dons armor he loses the following abilities so long as he wears the armor: Sea Legs, Rope Monkey, Reckless Abandon, Lightning Parry, Master of Escape, Swashbuckler, and Master Swashbuckler.
Sea Legs
A pirate spends years at sea, and learns to stay on his feet during
fair weather and foul. A Freeport Pirate gains a +2 competence bonus to all Balance checks. Furthermore, a successful check allows a full move instead of a half move. A failed check still means no movement at all.
Rope Monkey
Experienced seamen can climb rigging and ropes with the speed and dexterity of monkeys. Starting at 3rd level a pirate retains his Dex bonus to AC while climbing or fighting on rigging, ropes, or even masts. Furthermore, opponents gain no bonus to hit in these circumstances.
Mapping
A pirate knows how to read and make maps. If the pirate has been in an area for more than a week he may make a map of the area that has major cities and landmarks. If he has been there for two weeks he can improve this map to include smaller cities and minor roadways. If he has been there three weeks he can begin placing distances between places and detail the location of dwellings of important people in the area.
Reckless Abandon
No one fights quite like a pirate. Scorning armor, the pirate defies
death with style and panache. Due to his fearlessness and swashbuckling demeanor, the pirate adds his Cha bonus (if any) to his Dex bonus to modify his Armor Class. This bonus is lost if the pirate wears any armor. You can’t look fearless while hiding behind a tower shield!
Animal Companion
If the character desires, he can gain an animal companion on
reaching 2nd level. Treat this as the animal friendship spell, though the ability is not magical in nature. Common animal companions include parrots and monkeys, but others are also possible. This is an extraordinary ability.
Sneak Attack
Same as the Rogue class in the Player’s Handbook.
Slippery Tongue
A pirate often finds himself in situations that he must use his tongue instead of his sword to escape. The pirate gains a +2 competence bonus to all Bluff and Diplomacy checks.
Lightning Parry
A pirate with a light weapon in his off-hand can use it to parry incoming melee attacks. This adds +2 to the pirate’s AC for the round, and the off-handed weapon cannot be used to attack while executing a lightning parry.
Dirty Fighting
A pirate never fights fair. In fact, these sea dogs often find whatever advantage they can in battle. At 9th level a pirate has master several dirty techniques he can use in a fight to gain an advantage. These tricks count as a standard action and can only be used once per round and only as many times as a pirate’s Int bonus per day.
Sand in Your Eyes: With a successful sleight of hand check versus an opponents spot he can attempt to toss or kick sand, dirt, dust, or any other powder-like substance into an opponent’s eyes. The victim can make a reflex save at a DC of 10 + half the pirate’s pirate levels + his Dex modifier to avoid the attack. If the victim fails she is blinded for 1d4 rounds.
Sucker Punch: With a successful Bluff, a pirate can attempt to fool his opponent into watching for a blow with the pirate’s weapon while hitting his opponent with a kick to the groin, knee to the stomach, or head-butt (be creative). The victim of the sucker punch must make a fortitude save of a DC of 10 + half the pirate’s pirate levels + the pirate’s Str modifier. A failed fortitude means the victim is stunned for one round.
Master of Escape
Pirates are known to be slipper scallywags to hold in any place. A pirate gains a +4 bonus to escape artist checks at 10th level.
Swashbuckler
At 11th level a pirate has been through so many skirmishes with both other pirates and the law that he has gained extra competence with his weapon of choice. At 4th level the pirate gains +1 bonus to hit. This bonus stacks with any existing Weapon Focus feat.
Breath Like a Fish
A pirate learns to survive underwater for extended periods of time. He can hold his breath for a number of rounds equal to quadruple his Constitution, instead of double Con as normal. See page 85 of the DMG for full rules on drowning.
Master Swashbuckler
At 14th level a pirate has mastered her weapon of choice and knows how to strike with it for maximum damage. The pirate gains +2 to damage with that weapon. This stacks with any Weapon Specialization feat.
Pirate Knowledge
A pirate of 15th level has been around many ports and heard many a man’s drinking stories. This ability works like Bardic Knowledge in the Player’s Handbook. Use the pirate’s pirate levels to determine the bonus.
Dread Pirate
At 17th level the pirate’s reputation is so great that many foes flee at the mere sight of him. By announcing his presence and taking a dramatic action (like holding up the severed head of an enemy, for instance), a Freeport Pirate achieves the same effects as a fear spell cast by an 17th level sorcerer (use the pirate’s Cha to determine DC). This is an extraordinary ability that can be used twice a day.
Pirate’s Curse
At 20th level the pirate gains his most feared ability: the Pirate’s Curse. In his last moments of life the pirate can pronounce a curse on a person or small group of people (no more than 1d4+1). This is a supernatural ability that has the same effect as a bestow curse spell cast by a 20th level sorcerer (and again using the pirate’s Cha for DC). Typical targets include the pirate’s killers or those who steal his treasure. The curse may be given a trigger (“May my curse strike down the first scurvy dog to wield my cutlass in battle.”). DMs should feel free to make up curse effects other than those listed in the PH. Curses should be both vengeful and appropriate to the crime. The dead pirate’s ghost haunting the family of his killer for three generations, for instance, has a lot more flavor than a simple die roll penalty.[/quote]