So...
I recently finished viewing the new Sherlock Holmes movie (again!) and decided I'd like to craft a BBEG that uses a wrist mounted derringer much like Prof. M.
At first I had the thought of just using a Pistol from the PF Campaign Setting and a Spring-loaded Wrist Sheath from the Adventurers Armory. However I ran into a snag, as the wrist sheath can only hold a one pound weapon and the Pistol is 4.
My thought to "correct" this would be to make my derringer with 1/4th the weight and reduce the range by 3/4ths. This gives you a weapon that still fires the same bullet (damage remains the same) but shows the extremely small size of a derringer. It'd have a weight of 1 lb. and a range increment of 15. Because a Pistol is already easy to conceal, I'd say a derringer is even more so and thus would up the bonus to conceal it from +2 to +4. Cost would remain the same.
Does this logic make sense?
Alrighty... no automatic negative response is better than nothing I guess.
I was thinking that I wanted this little derringer to fire a special round. Thus I was thinking about making a batch of magic bullets.
So... creating bullets would require a batch of 50 MW bullets, a +1 enhancement, and then I could drop some interesting magic on them. Each +1 bullet is 46gp. Each +2 magic bullet would be 166 gp.
The reason I'd create the BBEG with a batch of magic bullets is that I could mix and match the enhancements on them. This would allow me to have a selection of Bane bullets for each of the major races.
The changes to weight and range seem balanced and I like the magic bullet idea. The only thing I'd suggest is Rapid Reload to bring the reload time down from a move action to a free action. That'll help him take advantage of the variety of magic bullets he'd have and still be free to move around.
Thanks for your comment.
I had another thought about the derringer concept. I know that quite a few real life derringers have a "over-under" barrel with two shots.
Perhaps if I added half-again to the cost of the original weapon we could add this feature. So that would be adding an additional 700gp onto the cost of the original 1400gp weapon. A smart gunsmith would be able to adjust the construction of the frame to keep the weight mostly on par with a single shot derringer by using mithral. Though... if the weapon is already one pound... making it out of mithral should only cost 500gp.
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So...
I recently finished viewing the new Sherlock Holmes movie (again!) and decided I'd like to craft a BBEG that uses a wrist mounted derringer much like Prof. M.
At first I had the thought of just using a Pistol from the PF Campaign Setting and a Spring-loaded Wrist Sheath from the Adventurers Armory. However I ran into a snag, as the wrist sheath can only hold a one pound weapon and the Pistol is 4.
My thought to "correct" this would be to make my derringer with 1/4th the weight and reduce the range by 3/4ths. This gives you a weapon that still fires the same bullet (damage remains the same) but shows the extremely small size of a derringer. It'd have a weight of 1 lb. and a range increment of 15. Because a Pistol is already easy to conceal, I'd say a derringer is even more so and thus would up the bonus to conceal it from +2 to +4. Cost would remain the same.
Does this logic make sense?
If you're dropping the weight, you have to drop the damage. A 1 lb pistol is very small, so the bullets will be pretty tiny. Also, no matter the size, a free action to reload is pretty cheezy.
If you're dropping the weight, you have to drop the damage. A 1 lb pistol is very small, so the bullets will be pretty tiny. Also, no matter the size, a free action to reload is pretty cheezy.So...
I recently finished viewing the new Sherlock Holmes movie (again!) and decided I'd like to craft a BBEG that uses a wrist mounted derringer much like Prof. M.
At first I had the thought of just using a Pistol from the PF Campaign Setting and a Spring-loaded Wrist Sheath from the Adventurers Armory. However I ran into a snag, as the wrist sheath can only hold a one pound weapon and the Pistol is 4.
My thought to "correct" this would be to make my derringer with 1/4th the weight and reduce the range by 3/4ths. This gives you a weapon that still fires the same bullet (damage remains the same) but shows the extremely small size of a derringer. It'd have a weight of 1 lb. and a range increment of 15. Because a Pistol is already easy to conceal, I'd say a derringer is even more so and thus would up the bonus to conceal it from +2 to +4. Cost would remain the same.
Does this logic make sense?
Actually, the size and weight of the pistol has nothing to do with the damage it can do as long as you keep the barrel diameter the same. A derringer can fire the same bullets that a larger pistol can. Shrinking the size of the weapon decreases the amount of barrel length you have and thus the range you can achieve before the bullet strays off course. After all the biggest NEEDED components for a gun is the barrel that the bullet and powder is crammed into and a means to ignite the powder. True... if you were aiming for a true "pocket revolver" you might go with a smaller round, but that does not need to be the case in a single or even double shot weapon.
The second drawback to having a derringer is that you will not be pistol whipping anyone. A regular 4 pound pistol makes a good club.
Actually, the size and weight of the pistol has nothing to do with the damage it can do as long as you keep the barrel diameter the same.
Not quite true. There is some minimum barrel length for complete combustion of the powder charge. A super-short barrel limits how much powder you can put behind a given diameter bullet. Beyond that amount just gives you a bigger muzzle flash but doesn't put any more energy into your shot.
You could use faster burning powder to get more burned in the limited length, but then your chamber pressure rises faster and to a higher peak requiring a stronger (that is, bigger and heavier) chamber.
Actually, the size and weight of the pistol has nothing to do with the damage it can do as long as you keep the barrel diameter the same.Not quite true. There is some minimum barrel length for complete combustion of the powder charge. A super-short barrel limits how much powder you can put behind a given diameter bullet. Beyond that amount just gives you a bigger muzzle flash but doesn't put any more energy into your shot.
You could use faster burning powder to get more burned in the limited length, but then your chamber pressure rises faster and to a higher peak requiring a stronger (that is, bigger and heavier) chamber.
There is that... but also because of the closer range the bullet is impacting with less loss of energy due to air friction. I'm not exactly sure what the minimum distance required for a bullet to reach its max velocity... but I do not think its overly long.
We'd need a ballistics expert to step in and tell us if a 45 cal. bullet fired from a normal sized handgun and a derringer sized handgun over a distance of 15 feet really has much difference in impact...etc.
I'm not exactly sure what the minimum distance required for a bullet to reach its max velocity... but I do not think its overly long.
Unless the barrel is ridiculously long, the velocity of the bullet at the muzzle is as fast as it is ever going to go on its flight. The still expanding gasses from the combustion of the powder can't push on it any more. The longer the barrel, the longer those gasses can push, but each increase in barrel length gets you less that the previous increase as the pressure continues to drop as the bullet moves down the barrel.
I don't know about handguns, my experience was with tank guns.
Also, no matter the size, a free action to reload is pretty cheezy.
Could be, but firing a bow 4 times in 6 seconds seems a bit cheesy as well. But, if the rules and the GM allow it, why not?
I do agree that reducing the damage might be appropriate.
Also, no matter the size, a free action to reload is pretty cheezy.Could be, but firing a bow 4 times in 6 seconds seems a bit cheesy as well. But, if the rules and the GM allow it, why not?
I do agree that reducing the damage might be appropriate.
In this instance it'd depend allot on if you have bullets with brass casing. Having to pack powder, bullet, and wading into the barrel takes a little time. Granted, if you have pre-measured loads in paper it is quicker. However, from my understanding of the write up for guns in the PCS, we are talking flint and powder weapons.
Reloading a revolver would be even more complex as you would need to pack each of five chambers.
A quick google search turned up THIS.
Still looking for a good speed shooting video for archery but thats for another subject entire.
The problem with discussing damage is that the movie does not take place in D&D and therefore you die when you are shot in the face ;p
The problem with discussing damage is that the movie does not take place in D&D and therefore you die when you are shot in the face ;p
Not always. People have survived that sort of thing. :D
Granted... they aint going to be still fighting afterwards. heh!
I did like D20 Moderns approach to making firearms deadly. The massive damage rule is that if you ever take damage equal to your Con score in one hit you have to make a save or go into shock. (-1 and begin dieing.)
The majority of the time in Pathfinder however a d6 damage is not going to be that worrisome. Your face shots come along when you have that lucky player roll mulitple 6's in a row with the exploding dice optional rule.
As the DM I tend to describe killing attacks as hitting somewhere vital. If the attack is one that drops and kills a enemy in one hit... that usually involves a blow to the face or head shot.
In this instance it'd depend allot on if you have bullets with brass casing. Having to pack powder, bullet, and wading into the barrel takes a little time. Granted, if you have pre-measured loads in paper it is quicker. However, from my understanding of the write up for guns in the PCS, we are talking flint and powder weapons.
Reloading a revolver would be even more complex as you would need to pack each of five chambers.
A quick google search turned up THIS.
Still looking for a good speed shooting video for archery but thats for another subject entire.
Ah, yes. I was assuming relatively modern bullets. My GM has a homebrew steampunk setting and his firearms are "wild west" tech level. That skews my reasoning.
Ah, yes. I was assuming relatively modern bullets. My GM has a homebrew steampunk setting and his firearms are "wild west" tech level. That skews my reasoning.In this instance it'd depend allot on if you have bullets with brass casing. Having to pack powder, bullet, and wading into the barrel takes a little time. Granted, if you have pre-measured loads in paper it is quicker. However, from my understanding of the write up for guns in the PCS, we are talking flint and powder weapons.
Reloading a revolver would be even more complex as you would need to pack each of five chambers.
A quick google search turned up THIS.
Still looking for a good speed shooting video for archery but thats for another subject entire.
No problem. As most of the Paizo staff does not like firearms, I believe they left it at a earlier stage as a "balance" on top of the huge price. I'm pretty sure we will not be seeing any updates from Paizo anytime soon.