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I'll apologize in advance, this post might become a be a bit long-winded and technical. This is essentially just a "Wish List" of game mechanic's I'd like to see involving the combat system.
I have played most of the d20 systems that feature Firearms and other High Tech weapons at one point or another, so I thought it would be a good idea to highlight some of the Pro's and Con's of various design choices I have noticed over the years.
Damage
d20 Future went even higher (unfortunately, d20 Future wasn't incredibly well balanced, but did have some really nice ideas on weapon modification, more on that later).
These damage values felt right to me then, and they still do now. A Laser/Plasma/Rail weapon dealing less damage than a Longbow is just very wrong.
Recoil
Some weapons should have greater recoil, while others should have little or none. This can be used as an additional balancing factor when designing weapons of various power.
An example method of representing Recoil: Let's say, that weapons with a recoil rating suffer a penalty equal too that rating on any subsequent attacks beyond the first in a round. A user can negate this penalty by an amount equal too there Strength Modifier. Additionally, allowing a wielder to increase their STR modifier by +1 for using 2 hands would make logical sense.
Continuing this example, lets say we have two weapons. The first is a Laser Pistol with a base damage of 1d10+1 and a Recoil score of 0. The Laser Pistol can be used by anyone without taking any penalties on subsequent attacks after the first. Alternatively, a Plasma Pistol is more powerful, Dealing 2d8 damage, but with a Recoil score of 2. User's without a 14 Strength will find it difficult to control in one hand (although by using 2 hands someone with a 12 Strength can manage it).
This makes logical sense, and also allows for a wider variation in weapons. Instead of every hero choosing a weapon based on only it's damage value, other factors are taken into consideration.
A character who want's to wield a pair of pistols might be better off choosing lighter models with less recoil (instead of simply picking whatever has the highest damage die), while a character that intends too carry only a single pistol might prefer the extra damage.
Shotguns
Weapon Modification, Accessories and Aiming
I would also Like to see some rules for spending a Move Action to Aim (granting a bonus on the attack roll, but limiting you're rate of fire). This is NOT something that should be locked behind a feat, but should instead be written into the new rules (A Feat that makes you better at it would be fine).
Weapon Accessories are something else we could use. A few suggestions would be.
Recoil Compensator's: Going with my recoil Idea above, this would reduce a weapons Recoil rating by 1.
Scope's: These can reduce penalties for range, as well as increase the bonus from Aiming (see above)
Holo-Sighs: These can reduce the time needed to Aim too a Swift action, or perhaps simply provide a static bonus to hit.
I would be interested in hearing what people think?
I think the lethality of small arms is better illustrated with a higher critical multiplier, which is how PF does it already. And only really high caliber guns should have lots of damage dice IMO.
There are more martial x4 weapons than are exotic ones (discounting firearms).
And I highly disagree, a critical hit is what happens when you hit a vital area such as the head or lungs, while the normal dice of a weapon represent hits to non vital locations and, when rolling low damage, glancing hits.
What I'd like to see is scaling damage.
Perhaps it's a class power, or perhaps a feat selection.
But I'd like to see ways where someone who gets better with ranged weapons also deals more damage with those weapons.
For example, perhaps you have Weapon Focus, but it also deals a x2 damage modifier when you hit as well. Then you have Greater Weapon Focus which deals a x3 Damage modifier.
Or perhaps as a Rogue's sneak attack goes up as they level, a Martials ranged weapon damage goes up by multipliers as they level.
Perhaps with other additional options as well, such as stunning on a hit if you roll so much greater than the required amount, or paralyzing someone if you choose and roll an amount over a certain threshold.
Things that give martials that used ranged weapons something that can bring them up to the level of higher level spellcasters as the Martials gain higher levels as well.
I think sci-fi ranged weapons with the various things that have been associated with them in sci-fi in general could be an excellent way to do that.
Well, to each their own. For me, a 20/x4 is a horrible way of representing something like the effect of a hollow point bullet impacting an unarmored target's torso. I would rather depict is as something like a base damage value for the weapon (2D4 light pistol, 2D6 one handed pistol, etc) and then the threat range, multiplier and other riding effects are values of ammunition. But that does make for a much more complex system.
Who said that would be a hollow point? That would be a "normal" bullet.
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Hitpoints are an abstract system, so taking damage from a weapon isn't necessarily even being 'hit'. The HP system doesn't model the lethality of medieval melee combat well either. Ultimately you can't have a highly lethal combat system as you'd run out of PCs.
4e had their mook system with 1 HP monsters that had level appropriate offensive capabilities that could model a more fast and furious playstyle that facilitates mowing down large numbers of opponents with single shots.
Star Wars Saga edition allowed autofire weapons to target a block of squares for unmissable partial damage, allowing massive numbers of even the weakest enemies to be a threat and tax the parties resources but could still be cut down like stormtroopers by mid-level PCs.
Ultimately whatever model is used to mimic a cinematic style where you have one shot = one kill high lethality gunplay but the heroes consistently come out alive is going to have to be handled on the back end mechanically like SW Saga or 4e and not by just making guns highly lethal by themselves.
Scaling damage by player level is obviously another way to go as someone else above suggested.
All I wanna know is if going melee is not a death sentence since while you charge tbe frontline with your stun baton or some s&$+, your opponents have machineguns for hands. And eyes. And other appendages. Lots of things are improved by replacing it with only more guns...
Your opponents are gunborgs.
So basically, what madman would do that? Are they some kind of space knight? Do they have a space steed to ride into space battle against space...vikings... or something. Is a barbarian more or less useful in space? Will we finally get ranged sneak attacking implemented or are the rogue equivalent in Starfinder (we will call them Smugglers for now) even worse due to system holdover?
Time will tell.
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Melee will be there. Being a shirtless barbarian witha battle axe won't work, but being a Jedi with a light saber, an assault terminator ultrsmarine with stormshield and thunderhammer, a cyberninjas with a monoedge power katana, a spice-infused fremen with a crysknife or a clawed 4 armed alíen with wookie level strength and predator like reflex will of course be part of the game, because they are standar tropes of the genre.
By Pathfinder rules and feats, you can do that already with Cut from the Air. Don't ask how it works with laser guns, it's difficult enough as is to work out how you stop a bullet with a dinner fork. Or a ballista shot, for that matter.
The Dune route would make some sense but then we wouldn't want laser guns. Those things explode when they hit force shields. Like, violently.
I am curious to know about weapon ranges and whether it will be possible to run combats on old Pathfinder map boards. If Starfinder weapons have ranges similar even to modern weapons it will be hard to place combatants on the same map.
What's wrong with cone or line effects for shotguns or automatic rifles?
Good question! I would have thought cone or line effects would be ideal for futuristic weapons in a space opera type game.
Factoring for recoil, reduced damage over range, aiming as an action and modifications to firearms are all features of GURPS (as well as a whole bunch of other rules that make firearms more realistic). I am all for realistic rules in a realistic setting but to have them in a space opera style game will just slow the game down for no benefit.
I think you really need damage reduction rules vs. AC rules for firearms. You're not dodging bullets so the outcome of a hit roll should be based solely on the shooters skill (modified by range, cover, etc).
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All I wanna know is if going melee is not a death sentence since while you charge tbe frontline with your stun baton or some s+!%, your opponents have machineguns for hands. And eyes. And other appendages. Lots of things are improved by replacing it with only more guns...
Your opponents are gunborgs.
So basically, what madman would do that? Are they some kind of space knight? Do they have a space steed to ride into space battle against space...vikings... or something. Is a barbarian more or less useful in space? Will we finally get ranged sneak attacking implemented or are the rogue equivalent in Starfinder (we will call them Smugglers for now) even worse due to system holdover?
Time will tell.
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