Originally posted over at G+'s Torchbearer community. Needs improvement from the crowd
Just brainstorming a weapon for modern-day fight conflicts inTorchbearer (ie: a Walking Dead hack). Here’s a primitive firearm to start with. Comments, suggestions welcome!
Arquebus (hand/carried 2)
-1D, +1s Attack / -1D, +1s Maneuver (like a two-handed sword)
Ranged attack but vulnerable to dagger’s disarm ability (like a crossbow)
Every additional time the weapon is fired it costs the shooter 1 HP
Choose a benefit each time the weapon is fired:
• Bypass leather armor (like a spear) or chain (like a mace)
• Increased chance of damaging plate (like a warhammer)
• Bypasses a shield’s defense bonus (like a flail)
I’m not certain that TB has the granularity to encompass a historical comparison of firearms. Probably better to just focus on your era and scale weapons appropriately.
Old style firearms are LOUD, which should somehow be worked into the stats. It’s what usually makes my players in D&D avoid them when going into dungeons, despite the fact that they are pretty deadly (I rule a wandering monster check each time one is fired, with double chance of an encounter unless in a very isolated area). However, a morale effect can also be cool; the wounds these things cause in concert with the noise should tend to scare off cowards and beasts alike.