Time to move into the modern era. Let’s talk about guns, specifically handguns. Extremely popular in the US, handguns are commonly seen as everything from a means of protection to status symbols, with more notorious uses in the middle.Broadly, there are around tend not so distinct categories of handgun, but for the purposes of game play, lets narrow that down to Hand Cannons, single shot weapons, inclusive of flint and wheellocks, Pistols, which includes revolvers and semi-automatics, and Machine Pistols, fully automatic handguns.
Firearms in the Real World
Do firearms make you safer?
- https://time.com/6183881/gun-ownership-risks-at-home/
- https://www.thetrace.org/2020/04/gun-safety-research-coronavirus-gun-sales/
- https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2022/04/handguns-homicide-risk.html
Mechanics
Broadly, handguns are a means to deliver a small projectile, Ranged TY Power Boon, at speed for lethal results, Devastating and Boost Devastating Power Boons along with a Specialty for Heavy Blow. However, let us acknowledge that one there are less than lethal rounds, and two in a superhero setting they should work as intended. (This glosses over real world complications with this type of ammunition, but for the purposes of gameplay, avoids slowing things down and allows players to enjoy a firearm wielding character without killing.) Now, let’s look at our categories:
- Hand Cannons: Single shot handguns, offering high damage. Hand Cannons will include the Total Devastation Boon and a variation on Limited Uses that requires reloading after every Attack, but counts as 2 Drawbacks. (Note: This is an older definition as the modern usage of hand cannon typically refers to any high impact ballistics.)
- Pistols: As our “middle of the road” handgun, they receive the Limited Uses Drawback.
- Machine Pistols: Capable of fully automatic fire, machine pistols will have the Power Boon of the same name, the Limited Uses Drawback, along with a Specialty for Suppressing Fire, see below.
Suppressing Fire: Making an Attack with a power that has either the Automatic or Continuous Boon forces opponents to duck for cover, or otherwise get out of the way.
- Roll: The character makes an Attack roll with a -30 Penalty against the Target’s Psyche Defense or Mental + Never Back Down whichever is higher. The character may spend a Full Turn to reduce the Penalty to a -10.
- Failure: The attack has no effect.
- Partial: The Target suffers a -5 to their next Action.
- Success: The Target must either sacrifice an Action or suffer a -10 to their Actions on their next Turn.
- 1 Degree: As with a normal Success, and the Target takes half the Attack’s base Damage.
- 2 Degrees: As with a normal Success, and the Target takes the Attack’s base Damage.
- Notes:
- Automatic Attacks threaten adjacent targets as well.
- Automatic Attacks must check for Limited Uses as normal.
- Attacks with Cone, Line, or Radius threaten anyone that would normally be hit by the Attack.
Gear By Power Level
The following section provides examples of weapons appropriate for a given Power Level. As the Power Level increases the example Gear typically becomes more specialized as we move further away from real world counterparts.
Exceptional
“Gun” 6
- Parent Attribute: Dexterity or Senses
- Primary Role: Offense
Ranged TY
Devastating (Boost Devastation) MA2
(S) Heavy Blow 4
(S) Short Range 4
Limited Uses
Cost: 8 + 3 + 12 + 6 + 6 – 3 = 32 / Gear (8) = MA4
There are many handguns that, while unique, don’t necessarily stand out. Saying a 9mm or a .38 is enough to get the point across that this is a dangerous weapon. Fairly reliable, but not remarkable.
Note: While true for any handgun, the “Gun” is a great starting place to start adding extras to customize a weapon for Low Powered games.
Prison Pistol 4
- Parent Attribute: Dexterity or Senses
- Primary Role: Offense
Cone TY
Ranged TY
Devastating (Boost Devastation, Total Deviation) MA3
Secondary Role: Sleight of Hand MA
(S) Heavy Blow 4
(S) Surprise Attacks 3
Limited: Must always use Heavy Blow
Limited: Secondary Role: Sleight of Hand only to conceal the pistol.
Limited: Short Range Only
Limited Uses: Single Shot (2)
Cost: 6 + 3 + 3 + 18 + 6 + 6 + 5 – 3 – 3 – 3 – 6 = 32 / Gear (8) = MA4
Cobbled together in a metal shop, or garage, this pistol is a single shot gun firing shards of metal using packed matchstick heads. The range is extremely limited, but it can fire over a short range and the metal shards act to give the prison pistol a shotgun-like effect. Where the homemade hand cannon is most effective though is when catching someone by surprise gives the shooter an extra edge to overcome the firearm’s lack of accuracy.
Saturday Night Special 6
- Parent Attribute: Dexterity or Senses
- Primary Role: Offense
Ranged TY
Devastating (Boost Devastation) MA2
(S) Interrupting Attacks 4
(S) Heavy Blow 4
Limited Uses
Cost: 8 + 3 + 12 + 6 + 6 – 3 = 32 / Gear (8) = MA4
Originally used as a term for guns made of cheap materials, saturday night specials have become more ubiquitously known as cheap guns commonly used by criminals. These guns often have low recoil, and can easily catch opponents off guard.
Low Powered
Break-Action Hand Shotgun 8
- Parent Attribute: Strength or Constitution
- Primary Role: Offense
Cone TY
Ranged TY
Devastating (Boost Devastation, Total Deviation 2) MA4
(S) Close Range 5
(S) Heavy Blow 5
Limited: Shooter must brace (1 Action) or suffer a -20 Penalty to fire or lose 2 Stamina as per the Feedback Drawback.
Limited: Must always use Double Heavy Blow
Limited Uses: Single Shot (2)
Cost: 10 + 3 + 3 + 24 + 7 + 7 – 3 – 3 – 6 = 48 / Gear (8) = MA6
This is not a sawed off shotgun, but rather a specially designed break-action handgun designed to fire shotgun shells. Due to the exceptional power behind the firearm, the shooter must brace to avoid the shot going wild, or harming themselves. (This requires one action, and remains in effect until the shooter moves.) Even when braced, the Hand Shotgun is less reliable than most other firearms of this size, even those considered to be “wrist breakers.” However, the force at which it is capable of striking a target cannot be understated.
Machine Pistol 8
- Parent Attribute: Dexterity
- Primary Role: Offense
Ranged TY
Automatic (Increased Rate of Fire) MA2
Devastating (Boost Devastation) MA2
(S) Heavy Blow 3
(S) Mobs 3
(S) Suppressing Fire 5
Limited: Shooter must brace (1 Action) or suffer a -20 Penalty.
Limited Uses
Cost: 10 + 3 + 12 + 12 + 5 + 7 + 5 – 3 – 3 = 48 / Gear (8) = MA6
Originally designed around World War I, machine pistols were intended to be a more effective sidearm for artillery crews should forward lines fail. Due to the size and fire rate, machine pistols are notoriously inaccurate, but can still be effective against clustered targets. Eventually retired for personal defense weapons (PDW), a type of compact submachine gun. However, the unique design of the machine pistol has generated a niche market, and designs have continued to evolve through the decades that followed.
Wrist Breakers 8
- Parent Attribute: Strength or Constitution
- Primary Role: Offense
Ranged TY
Devastating (Boost Devastation) MA2
Secondary Role: Support Intimidation MA
(S) Advantaged Attacks 7
(S) Heavy Blow 8
(S) Short Range 8
Limited: Support Intimidation does not affect targets with powers of 8 or greater, or Classic Background characters of above.
Limited: Shooter must brace (1 Action) or suffer a -20 Penalty to fire or lose 2 Stamina as per the Feedback Drawback.
Limited: Must always use Heavy Blow
Limited Uses
Cost: 10 + 3 + 12 + 6 + 9 + 10 + 10 – 3 – 3 – 3 – 3 = 48 / Gear (8) = MA6
The .45 Magnum, .50 Desert Eagle, the big boy guns that demand respect, and can crack an engine block. Like other powerful handguns, wrist breakers must be braced to be fired properly.
Classic
GEO Gyrojet Smart .49 GX “Cape Stopper” 12
- Parent Attribute: Dexterity or Intelligence
- Primary Role: Offense
Ranged TY
Devastating (Boost Devastation) MA2
(S) Advantaged Attacks 8
(S) Bypass Armor 12
(S) Heavy Blow 8
(S) Medium Range 8
Limited: Must always use Heavy Blow
Limited Uses
Locked: Loses Devastating at Close Range.
Cost: 14 + 3 + 12 + 10 + 14 + 10 + 10 – 3 – 3 – 3 = 64 / Gear (8) = MA8
Unlike most firearms, gyrojets fire miniature rockets, or microjets, that automatically stabilize when fired. Developed in the 1960s, gyrojets were an interesting, low recoil, concept that eventually faded into obscurity. While the Gray Matter Incident and Burr Quarantine Zone led to a ban on most nanomachine research, it did spark a burst of scientific advancement, particularly in micronization. With advances in rocketry, microjets were back on weapon manufacturers’ minds. In recent years GEO has begun producing the .49 GX which uses a micro-targeting computer synced to the pistol’s sights for target acquisition and communication with the gyrojet round to make minute adjustments for maximum effectiveness. Although, still in the experimental stage, it already has a reputation within some mercenary circles as “the Cape Stopper.”
Li Ting’s Cannon 12
- Parent Attribute: Senses or Wisdom
- Primary Role: Offense
Cone MA
Ranged TY
Devastating (Boost Devastation, Total Deviation 2) MA4
Secondary Role: Support: Tactics MA
Control: Induce Madness MA
(S) Close Range 8
(S) Heavy Blow 8
Limited: Must always use Double Heavy Blow
Cost: 14 + 6 + 3 + 24 + 10 + 10 – 3 = 64 / Gear (8) = MA8
Forged in 1286, this bronze and jade hand cannon fires volleys of spectral jade. The mystic force that empowers the hand cannon can drive foes to madness, causing them to turn on one another, sending chaos into the battlefield. The magical nature of the firearm also means that it never has to be loaded. The wielder simply willing the cannon to fire.
High Powered
IMR FP-X “Ripperjack” 15
- Parent Attribute: Senses or Intelligence
- Primary Role: Offense
Ranged TY
Automatic (Increased Rate of Fire 2) MA3
Devastating (Boost Devastation) MA2
(S) Heavy Blow 8
(S) Mobs 10
(S) Suppressing Fire 12
Limited: Loses Devastating against hard (ceramic, metal, etc.) armors
Limited Uses
Cost: 17 + 3 + 18 + 12 + 10 + 12 + 14 – 3 – 3 = 80 / Gear (8) = MA10
Designed for defense of the Odin satellite system following the Lensing Conflict, the FP-X is an experimental machine pistol that fires flechette rounds; with three “needles” within each round. Designed with a unique venting system cycles the chamber and releases excess gas in multiple directions to prevent destabilizing the astronaut firing the weapon. The FP-X’s firing speed and needle-like projectiles make it optimal for soft targets. However, it lacks the punch to overcome harder armors. The idea of going from brutally effective, to virtually worthless has kept the flechette pistol in the experimental stages and out of mass production.
