Problems crop up when elf games take it too far. Take for example this list from d20 modern:
Keep in mind that's just the handguns.
Now I'm the kind of guy that can never tell the difference between your Beretta 92F and your Beretta 93R, but I do know they both do 2d6 damage. Quick story: I was playing Call of Cthulhu and a friend of a friend asked me why I chose a lower caliber rifle or a higher caliber one. My answer: "They do the same damage."
So if my experience is any indication of the collective elf gamer experience, I should avoid large lists of letter-followed guns with overlapping damage arrays.
The only gun list that's come close to fulfilling my goal is Classic Traveller's:
That's all the guns by the way. Such a succinct list; it almost makes me swoon.
This list establishes a few things. It completely ignores model, manufacturer, and caliber, and throws out any notions of "simulation." (Albeit this just makes sense for a sci-fi game set thousands of years in the future. It's still a good rule of thumb.) It has a movie-goers idea of the way damage die progress. As I said I'm no gun expert but I know a laser hurts more than a shotgun hurts more than a rifle hurts more than a pistol.
The only problems with this list is its elaborate matrices that modify attack rolls based off effective range and distance. This is ineffective for a game like Variant that prioritizes simple strategy above anything else. Also damage takes the form of multiple d6s, which in the late 70s was an effective method of generating random numbers but our polygonal overlords have since taken over.
Anyway on to solutions.
Pistols, d6
Your standard pistol. Pistols are the only firearms you can effectively conceal and dual-wield. In the case of dual-wielding, you roll two damage die, taking the better result or adding them together if they are doubles.
Rifles, d8
Rifles are the standard affair when it comes to equipping armies. They are more effective at long range than pistols.
Shotguns, d10
Shotguns are more effective at clearing out groups of opponents but only within close quarters. If you're in a blocks-spanning shootout you're better off using a pistol or rifle. But the tight-corners of a building or dungeon is where shotguns shine.
Lazers, d12
Lazers are the ultimate hurt when it comes to firearms. They are capable of turning adults into minuscule piles of ash.
Explosives, d20
Explosives are a catch-all term for dynamite, grenades, mines, etc. Explosives are deadly against groups of opponents. When an explosive goes off you roll a d20 for everyone caught in the blast radius and deal the better damage to all of them. Most explosives have a blast radius of 20'.
Special Considerations
Group Fire
Firearms that are full-automatic or shotguns can hit additional opponents adjacent to the target. Adjacent opponents save vs Dex or suffer the weapon's damage.
Firing in Melee
Attacking an opponent with a firearm that is adjacent to you imposes disadvantage on your attack roll.
Sights
You can equip a rifle with a sight, which grants advantage on attack rolls from long range.
And, perhaps appropriately, it is games invested in simulation that apply the most power and consequence in firing or being shot by a gun. See CP2020, as an example. Batman's words hold true.
ReplyDeleteI've seen a few systems with dense tactical combat or wargame combat where it felt vaguely appropriate to use that D20 Modern list. (One of them was actually a D20 Modern hack with an additional 300 pages of firearms.)
ReplyDeleteI can see the appeal of knowing whether your revolver is single-action or double-action, but if you're giving those things a mechanical impact then you need a system where combat is complex enough that it feels appropriate. D20 rolls vs static AC and +1/-1 modifiers just don't cut it.