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    Default Arsenals of Eberron: Ray Weapons

    Ray Weapons in Eberron
    The artificers of Eberron have developed an entirely new class of weapon. Rather than relying on magically-sharpened blades or flaming arrows, they have developed weapons that harness the power of magic itself, unleashing it in devastating rays and beams.

    A ray weapon is treated as a magical weapon (and a masterwork one), and can be enhanced normally with an enhancement bonus and special qualities. A ray weapon’s enhancement bonus applies to any ranged touch attacks made with it as well as to any damage rolls made with it, if there is any (if a ray weapon has a dice roll other than damage, such as the death ray’s negative levels or the healing from a wandgun loaded with a healing wand, the enhancement bonus does not apply to it). Any special qualities applied to a ray weapon apply normally to any attacks made with it, with one exception–qualities that deal damage, such as flaming or icy do not apply to ray weapons that do not deal damage. It is possible to create a +1 flaming implosion cannon, but creating a +1 icy death ray would be useless.

    Many ray weapons must be charged with a spell or infusion before they can be fired. Charging a ray weapon is a move action, and the character charging the ray weapon must be able to touch it. However, once charged, the ray weapon will function for any wielder–not just the character who charged it. A spell cast from a wand, scroll, or similar magic item can be used to charge a ray weapon. In addition, some ray weapons are built with a chamber into which a pearl of power can be placed. The wielder can take a move action to recharge the weapon using the extra spell slot the pearl would normally allow them to recover (even if they cannot normally cast spells of that level).

    Most characters treat ray weapons as Exotic Weapons, and must take the Exotic Weapon Proficiency feat to become proficient. However, a character with the Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Firearms) feat, or who has both the Craft Magic Arms and Armor and Craft Wondrous Item feats instead treats all ray weapons as martial weapons. Firing a death ray is a standard action. A ray weapon can be held and fired with one hand, unless otherwise specified. Ray weapons are extremely complex magical power sources, and as such require both the Craft Magic Arms and Armor feat and the Craft Wondrous Item feat to create.

    Ball Lightning Gun
    A simple weapon, a ball lightning gun is a bulbous glass ray weapon, its interior containing a solenoid of rotating copper rings wrapped around an amber rod. Before it can be fired, a ball lightning gun must first be charged, as a move action. The gun fires luminescent ball lightning, a ray with a range of 40 ft. that deals 3d8 electricity damage. Spell resistance does not apply against a ball lightning gun. It is possible to create ball lightning guns that deal cold or fire damage; to do so, substitute ice storm or fireball for lightning bolt in the item's requirements.

    Moderate Conjuration, CL 6th. Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Wondrous Item, lightning bolt. Cost 11,000 gp + 880 xp. Price 22,000 gp. Weight 1 lbs.

    Concussion Blaster
    These long-range weapons are devastating on the battlefield, capable of knocking combatants off their feet. Made of translucent crystal, their weight is such that they require two hands to aim and fire, although they can be held in one hand. A concussion blaster fires a ray of invisible force, with a range of 150 ft, that deals 2d6 force damage. In addition, an enemy damaged by a concussion blaster must a Fortitude save, DC 14, or fall prone.

    Faint Evocation, CL 5th. Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Wondrous Item, magic missile. Cost 12,500 gp + 1,000 xp. Price 25,000 gp.

    Death Ray
    Employing necromantic axioms and powerful negative energy relays, these Karrnathi-developed weapons were first deployed in the Last War, to devastating effect. They are cruel, jagged, and angular weapons of iron and obsidian, constructed with traditional Karrnathi functionalism.Their weight is such that they require two hands to aim and fire, although they can be held in one hand. A death ray fires a black ray of crackling negative energy, with a range of 40 ft. If the attack succeeds, the target gains 1d2 negative levels. Assuming an enemy survives the death ray, it regains lost levels after 7 hours. The negative levels from a death ray never risk becoming permanent. An undead creature hit by a death ray is instead healed 5d2 hp (a creature willing to be hit by a ray is treated as having a touch AC of 10).

    Moderate Necromancy, CL 7th. Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Wondrous Item, enervation. Cost 20,000 gp + 1,600 xp. Price 40,000 gp. Weight 8 lbs.

    Disintegration Ray
    This superweapon is feared throughout all of the Five Nations. Small, easily concealed, and elegantly wrought from mithral, the sheer destructive power bound up within the disintegration ray is hard to conceive of. A disintegration ray fires a beam of green light with a range of 250 ft. that deals 30d6 damage. A Fortitude save, DC 16 + the firer’s highest mental ability modifier, reduces the damage to 5d6. Any creature reduced to 0 or fewer hit points by this ray weapon is entirely disintegrated, leaving behind only a trace of fine dust. A disintegrated creature’s equipment is unaffected.Before it can be fired, a shrink ray must first be charged, as a move action. To charge it, the wielder must expend a 6th-level arcane spell or spell slot, or a 5th-level infusion. A single such charge lasts for 24 hours, allowing the ray to be fired without limit in that period.

    Strong Transmutation, CL 15th. Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Wondrous Item, disintegrate. Cost 65,000 gp + 5,200 xp. Price 130,000 gp. Weight 3 lbs.

    Essence Disruptor
    Developed in the conflict of the Last War as a counter to enemy spellcasters, an essence disruptor is a potent antimagical weapon, a bulkily constructed ray weapon of cold iron. An essence disruptor fires a beam of pure white light, a ray with a range of 40 ft. Any spellcaster or artificer hit by the beam loses one random prepared spell, spell slot, or infusion of the highest level they can cast. A psionic character hit by the beam loses a number of power points equal to their manifester level.

    Faint Abjuration, CL 5th. Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Wondrous Item, dispel magic. Cost 9,000 gp + 720 xp. Price 18,000 gp.

    Firewand
    Forged of ruddy iron and copper, these ray weapons are capable of unleashing swift volleys of flame. A firewand shoots a ray of concentrated heat with a range of 50 ft. that deals 4d6 fire damage. However, unlike most ray weapons, shooting a firewand requires only an attack action, not a standard action: thus, it is possible to make a full attack with a firewand. It is possible to create firewands that deal cold or electricity damage; to do so, substitute ice storm or lightning bolt for scorching ray in the item's requirements.

    Strong Evocation, CL 11th. Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Wondrous Item, scorching ray. Cost 20,000 gp + 1,600 xp. Price 40,000 gp.

    Forceweb Cannon
    A rare nonlethal ray weapon, forceweb cannons are useful for manhunters and city watchman alike. Bulky cannons of steel and silver, their weight is such that they require two hands to aim and fire, although they can be held in one hand. Rather than firing an actual ray, a forceweb cannon fires out a net of magical force with a range of 40 ft., which requires a ranged touch attack to hit. An enemy hit by a net of force is entangled in it. A DC 20 Escape Artist check can be made to escape from the net, but it cannot be damaged or burst. However, dispel magic or disintegrate, along with similar effects, will negate the net of force. The nets of force dissipate after 3 rounds.

    Moderate Transmutation, CL 9th. Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Wondrous Item, telekinesis. Cost 5,000 gp + 400 xp. Price 10,000 gp. Weight 8 lbs.

    Freeze Ray
    With your freeze ray, you can stop the world. Elegant and elongated, these mithral ray weapons can halt a being in time. Their weight is such that they require two hands to aim and fire, although they can be held in one hand. A freeze ray fires a ripping cerulean cascade, with a range of 60 ft. An enemy hit by the ray must make a Fortitude save, DC 18 + the wielder's highest mental ability score, or be frozen in time, as the temporal stasis spell. The stasis lasts for ten minutes. You may only place a single creature in stasis at a time with a freeze ray–firing it an additional time releases the previous target. Before it can be fired, a freeze ray must first be charged, as a move action. To charge it, the wielder must expend a 8th-level arcane spell or spell slot, or a 6th-level infusion. A single such charge lasts for 24 hours, allowing the ray to be fired without limit in that period.

    Strong Transmutation, CL 15th. Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Wondrous Item, temporal stasis. Cost 75,000 gp + 6,000 xp. Price 150,000 gp. Weight 20 lbs.

    Hand-Trebuchet
    These simple ray weapons are actually modified, designed as weapons that can use anything as ammuniton. Intricate clockwork contraptions, they have an open chamber that can be loaded with a single item of Fine size as a move action. Firing the hand-trebuchet flings the loaded item up to 100 ft. away. If used to launch an item as ammunition, such as firing a stone or stick, the attack requires a ranged attack (not a ranged touch attack) to hit, and deals 1d4 damage. However, a hand-trebuchet can also be used to launch splash weapons such as alchemist's fire, the use they most often saw in the Last War. You still make an attack roll for the splash weapon as normal, but take no range penalties on the roll.

    Faint Transmutation, CL 5th. Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Wondrous Item, mage hand. Cost 500 gp + 40 xp. Price 1,000 gp. Weight 1 lbs.

    Implosion Cannon
    The single most powerful superweapon in all the Five Nations, the implosion cannon is more powerful iteration of the disintegration ray. Their weight is such that they require two hands to aim and fire, although they can be held in one hand. An implosion cannon fires an oscillating wave of green light, a ray with a range of 300 ft. that deals 40d6 damage. A Fortitude save, DC 16 + the firer’s highest mental ability modifier, reduces the damage to 5d6. All creatures and objects within 5 ft. of the target take 20d6 damage, and may attempt a Fortitude save to reduce the damage to 1d6. All creatures and objects within 10 ft. of the target take 10d6 damage, and may attempt a Fortitude save to negate the damage. Before it can be fired, an implosion cannon must first be charged, as a move action. To charge it, the wielder must expend a 9th-level arcane spell or spell slot, or a 6th-level infusion. A single such charge lasts for 24 hours, allowing the cannon to be fired without limit in that period.

    Strong Transmutation, CL 20th. Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Wondrous Item, disintegrate. Cost 125,000 gp + 10,000 xp. Price 250,000 gp. Weight 20 lbs.

    Melting Ray
    This odd weapon is useful for disarming foes without harming them. A rust-colored ray, it fires a rippling silver beam, with a range of 40 ft. A non-magical metal item weighing up to 35 lbs. can be melted by the ray if it is struck, becoming a liquid and flowing like water for one round. After that round, it re-solidifies in the form of a solid metallic puddle, rendered completely useless. This does not change the temperature of the metal. An item in the possession of a creature may attempt a DC 16 Will save to avoid being melted, using its wielder's saving throw bonus in place of its own unless its own is higher. Before it can be fired, a melting ray must first be charged, as a move action. To charge it, the wielder must expend a 5th-level arcane spell or spell slot, or a 4th-level infusion. A single such charge lasts for 24 hours, allowing the ray to be fired without limit in that period.

    Moderate Transmutation, CL 9th. Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Wondrous Item, stone shape. Cost 30,000 gp + 2,400 xp. Price 60,000 gp. Weight 3 lbs.

    Shrink Ray
    Developed by an obsessive-compulsive gnomish artificer, this weapon never saw much use outside of the laboratory, but despite that, it is a potent magical weapon. Despite its function, the ray weapon itself is large and somewhat bulbous, a claptrap mechanism of patched-together iron. The shrink ray fires a crackling blue-and-yellow burst of sparks, a ray with a range of 50 ft. An enemy hit by the ray must make a Fortitude save, DC 15 + the wielder's highest mental ability score, or be shrunk, permanently, to Fine size. They take a penalty to their Strength, Constitution, and natural armor, but gain a bonus to their Dexterity (the penalties to Strength and Constitution cannot reduce the score below 1). The penalties and bonus depend on the creature's original size, as below:

    {table=head]Original Size|Str|Con|Natural Armor|Dex
    Colossal
    |-42|-18|
    -14
    |+12
    Gargantuan
    |-34|-14|
    -9
    |+12
    Huge
    |-26|-10|
    -5
    |+12
    Large
    |-18|-6|
    -2
    |+10
    Medium
    |-10|-2|
    -0
    |+8
    Small
    |-6|-0|
    -0
    |+6
    Tiny
    |-2|-0|
    -0
    |+4
    Diminutive
    |-0|-0|
    -0
    |+2
    Fine
    |-0|-0|
    -0
    |+0[/table]

    A character shrunk by a shrink ray can be restored to full size by a greater restoration spell, and the size change wears off after 24 hours. Incorporeal or gaseous creatures are immune to the shrink ray, and a creature with the shapechanger subtype can revert to its natural size as a standard action. Before it can be fired, a shrink ray must first be charged, as a move action. To charge it, the wielder must expend a 5th-level arcane spell or spell slot, or a 4th-level infusion. A single such charge lasts for 24 hours, allowing the ray to be fired without limit in that period.

    Moderate Transmutation, CL 10th. Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Wondrous Item, baleful polymorph. Cost 30,000 gp + 2,400 xp. Price 60,000 gp. Weight 5 lbs.

    Six-Demon Gun
    A truly bizarre weapon, the six-demon gun is an experimental ray that never saw battlefield use. Only a few prototypes exist, locked away in magical vaults or lying unused in arcane laboratories. A six-demon gun is loaded with Khyber dragonshards containing bound fiends, and fires the fiends into its victims, allowing them to possess them. A six-demon gun can hold six ammunition shards at a time, and all six can be loaded into it as a move action. A six-demon gun fires an invisible ray through which a bound fiend may possess the target. If the ray hits, the target must save against possession, as per the rules on page 100 of the Eberron campaign setting. The save has a DC of 20. The possession follows the normal rules for fiendish possession. The possessing fiend is not under the wielder’s control, and may act as it chooses–which may include possessing the target as an ally to help it kills its wielder. The exact alignment and behavior of the fiend are left to the DM; their behavior tends to be erratic, but rarely overtly dangerous to the six-demon gun's wielder. The possessing fiends have the following (abridged) statistics:

    Possessing Fiend
    Size/Type: Medium Outsider (Evil, Extraplanar)
    Hit Dice: 10d8
    Abilities: Int 14, Wis 14, Cha 20
    Skills: Bluff, Diplomacy, Hide (Mental), Intimidate, Knowledge (Arcana), Knowledge (The Planes), Sense Motive
    Alignment: Any Evil
    The fiends bound in the ammunition shards are not proper demons, but rather shards of fiendish essence created by binding and torturing an evil extraplanar being and shattering its essence into smaller shards. They are incapable of existence outside of a Khyber dragonshard or their possessed victim. If forced out of either, they are immediately destroyed. Khyber dragonshards must be forged separately from the six-demon gun to be used as ammunition. Once a shard has been used, its energy is expended, rendering it useless.

    Six-Demon Gun: Strong Conjuration, CL 11th. Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Wondrous Item, planar binding. Cost 2,500 gp + 200 xp. Price 5,000 gp. Weight 1 lbs.

    Ammunition Shards (6): Strong Conjuration, CL 11th. Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Wondrous Item, planar binding. Cost 15,000 gp + 1,200 xp. Price 1,500 gp (250 gp per shard).

    Stun Ray
    The ultimate submission weapon, stun rays are favorites of the Sharn City Watch, and found much use in the Last War. Sleek and easily concealed, the stun ray fires a pulsating golden ray, with a range of 30 ft. Any creature hit by the ray must make a saving throw, DC 14 + the wielder's highest mental ability score, or be stunned for 1d4 rounds. Once fired, a stun ray must cool down for 5 rounds before it can be fired again. A stun ray is a mind-affecting ability.

    Strong Enchantment, CL 15th. Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Wondrous Item, power word stun. Cost 12,500 gp + 1,000 xp. Price 25,000 gp. Weight 1/2 lbs.

    Wandgun
    No arsenal of wands is complete without a wandgun, a compact ray weapon whose design ranges widely, based on the aesthetic of the artificer who created it. Aundairian wandguns are typically sleek and elegant chrome affairs, while Brelish models tend to be a plain gunmetal piece. As a move action, any wand that contains a spell requiring a ranged touch attack can be slotted into a wandgun (or removed from one). Once this is done, the wand can be triggered through the wandgun, allowing it to benefit from any enhancement bonus or special abilities it has. This is otherwise treated as casting the spell from the wand normally for all purposes.

    Moderate Transmutation, CL 5th. Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Wondrous Item, greater magic weapon. Cost 1,000 gp + 80 xp. Price 2,000 gp. Weight 1 lbs.
    Last edited by The Demented One; 2009-03-12 at 09:54 AM.
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    Default Re: Arsenals of Eberron: Ray Weapons

    looks good, and with an overall cool concept, however there seem to be some problems with the crafting requirements for the implosion cannon
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    Default Re: Arsenals of Eberron: Ray Weapons

    Quote Originally Posted by vegetalss4 View Post
    looks good, and with an overall cool concept, however there seem to be some problems with the crafting requirements for the implosion cannon
    Yep, copypasta slip-up. Fixed that.
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    Default Re: Arsenals of Eberron: Ray Weapons

    Added in proficiency rules and a bunch of new ray weapons, including the freeze ray...which is just horrible. Also, the Black Rain discipline is now ray weapon-compatible.
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    Default Re: Arsenals of Eberron: Ray Weapons

    All I can say is Freakin' Awesome!

    I am so totally going to use this in my campaign! :D

    You rock, D1!

    -X
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    Default Re: Arsenals of Eberron: Ray Weapons

    Quote Originally Posted by ErrantX View Post
    All I can say is Freakin' Awesome!

    I am so totally going to use this in my campaign! :D

    You rock, D1!

    -X
    Just wait till you see the Warblade/Artificer Black Rain prestige class I'm planning...
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    Default Re: Arsenals of Eberron: Ray Weapons

    Quote Originally Posted by The Demented One View Post
    Just wait till you see the Warblade/Artificer Black Rain prestige class I'm planning...
    *grin* Awesome. I can't wait to see it. My friend is going to be starting up an Eberron campaign in a few months when mine is done, and he plans on advancing the timeline a bit and wanted to add something firearm-ish to the setting. I think this is an incredibly logical next step.

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    Default Re: Arsenals of Eberron: Ray Weapons

    Disintegration Ray should be 16 + MODIFIER, not 16 + ABILITY SCORE, I should think. A small typo, but an important one.

    Edit:
    Ditto for Implosion Cannon.

    I would think the demons would at least need an alignment line so the GM knows how to play them... Really a bunch of fluff on personality, since they might be around for a while, would be a good idea.
    Last edited by DracoDei; 2009-03-09 at 07:09 PM.
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    Default Re: Arsenals of Eberron: Ray Weapons

    I just want to say that this is an awesome idea. If only I were DMing an Eberron game. Or a D20 Girl Genius game, for that matter. Mwa-ha-ha-ha!

    Oh, and thanks for the Dr. Horrible reference. Is the Melting ray an allusion to Dr. Venture's Ooo-ray? or just cool?

    Also, I think if I were to use these I'd make them all require spellslots/infusions to be charged, instead of some needing charges and some not.

    Anyway, great stuff, yoinked in hopes I can use it someday. :)

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    Default Re: Arsenals of Eberron: Ray Weapons

    Quote Originally Posted by DracoDei View Post
    Disintegration Ray should be 16 + MODIFIER, not 16 + ABILITY SCORE, I should think. A small typo, but an important one.

    Edit:
    Ditto for Implosion Cannon.
    Nice catch.

    I would think the demons would at least need an alignment line so the GM knows how to play them... Really a bunch of fluff on personality, since they might be around for a while, would be a good idea.
    I figured I'd give the DM leeway to do whatever they want with the demon's alignment and personality...really, it's kinda meant to reflect on just how stupid the weapon is. It's classic mad science–"I know, a gun that shoots demons into people's souls!" And it's so, so stupid, because you have literally no idea what happens.

    Oh, and thanks for the Dr. Horrible reference. Is the Melting ray an allusion to Dr. Venture's Ooo-ray? or just cool?
    The Melting Ray's actually inspired by that guy on Heroes who could...melt stuff.

    Also, I think if I were to use these I'd make them all require spellslots/infusions to be charged, instead of some needing charges and some not.
    Keep in mind that the charging/not-charging thing is already factored into the price.
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    Default Re: Arsenals of Eberron: Ray Weapons

    I think I need to modify them to be wall mounted cannons.
    Having trouble writing up hard stat blocks but I'm doing a lot of sharing ideas and soft mechanics lately.

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    Default Re: Arsenals of Eberron: Ray Weapons

    Quote Originally Posted by The Demented One View Post
    Added in proficiency rules and a bunch of new ray weapons, including the freeze ray...which is just horrible.
    "This is the one. Stops time. Freeze ray, tell your friends."

    As a fellow Doctor Horrible's Sing-Along Blog I congratulate you. Poor Billy.
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    Default Re: Arsenals of Eberron: Ray Weapons

    Needs a shrink ray, a la Birdman, so that I can run around saying "Back off!". Also, I'm not sure I like the idea that the save DCs are based on mental ability scores. It should be based on how well you shoot the ray (Dexterity). A spellcaster could just cast the spells if he wanted... I see these being used more by non-casters with lower mental scores.

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    Default Re: Arsenals of Eberron: Ray Weapons

    So very cool.

    Would it make sense to allow them to be wielded by their creators (artificers) as though the wielder had the Exotic Prof (firearms) feat?
    People seemed to like this better, but only marginally so - the way one might prefer to be stabbed than shot. Optimally, one isn't stabbed or shot. Optimally, one eats some cake! But there are times when cake is not available, and instead we are destroyed. This is the deep poetry of the universe. -- Tycho Brahe

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    Default Re: Arsenals of Eberron: Ray Weapons

    Quote Originally Posted by dyslexicfaser View Post
    So very cool.

    Would it make sense to allow them to be wielded by their creators (artificers) as though the wielder had the Exotic Prof (firearms) feat?
    Ka-edit! FOR SCIENCE!
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    Default Re: Arsenals of Eberron: Ray Weapons

    Clarification: so the wandgun, say you stick a wand of fireball in there. The wandgun is a +5 flaming weapon.

    Would it do an extra 5 damage (from enhancement) and +1d6 fire (from flaming) to everything the fireball hits?
    Last edited by dyslexicfaser; 2009-03-09 at 11:36 PM.
    People seemed to like this better, but only marginally so - the way one might prefer to be stabbed than shot. Optimally, one isn't stabbed or shot. Optimally, one eats some cake! But there are times when cake is not available, and instead we are destroyed. This is the deep poetry of the universe. -- Tycho Brahe

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    Default Re: Arsenals of Eberron: Ray Weapons

    Quote Originally Posted by dyslexicfaser View Post
    Clarification: so the wandgun, say you stick a wand of fireball in there. The wandgun is a +5 flaming weapon.

    Would it do an extra 5 damage (from enhancement) and +1d6 fire (from flaming) to everything the fireball hits?
    Wandgun only works with spells that require a ranged touch attack, so that example doesn't really work. But if you somehow found something that's an area attack with ranged touch attacks, then yes, it would work like that.
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    Default Re: Arsenals of Eberron: Ray Weapons

    Quote Originally Posted by flyingpoo22 View Post
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    Done. FOR SCIENCE!
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    Default Re: Arsenals of Eberron: Ray Weapons

    Nicely done, I like how you always step just a bit out of the rules to make things more awesome, when you don't just make your own mechanics.

    Might I suggest re-examining the Hand Trebuchet? The launch item cantrip in the Spell Compendium does the same thing for...a cantrip, which would usually mean that at will would only cost ~1,000gp. I think it's medium range, which means to hit 150' it actually would cost 5,000gp thanks to the CL multiplier. The move action to load could be compared to the move action to retrieve an item (though if you can have it on hand to load you should be able to just have it on hand) as well, but since you've listed mage hand as the prerequisite I'm guessing you didn't remember launch item.

    Also, since Freeze Ray is taken, I demand an Ice Beam. Bonus points if you make the rest of the Metroid series weapons.
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    Default Re: Arsenals of Eberron: Ray Weapons

    I think the Firewand is too powerful. It out-damages nearly any bow (not counting the insufferable Prismatic ability) and can be enhanced to do even more, versatile damage. I say drop the damage down to 3d6. It's still slightly above normal bow damage, but the elemental nature should balance that out.

    Also, personal question request: anything about a Gattling magic gun or something mounted? Also, I'd like to hear about other forumgoer's ideas on the sociological and historical ramifications of these weapons. How would they shape future warfare? (This is one of the things I love about Eberron: there is no way that a world in which D&D's flavor of magic exists would ever pass through feudalism. Wizards and magic in general have widespread consequences beyond "I conquer this area and then turn into a lich/die." Give me more magic trains, interplanar invasion forces, maginukes, telephones, great Wars, airships, magewrights, arcane genetic drift [dragonmarks], mysterious continents and a nation of not-evil undeadness, plz.)
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    Default Re: Arsenals of Eberron: Ray Weapons

    Quote Originally Posted by Fizban View Post
    Also, since Freeze Ray is taken, I demand an Ice Beam. Bonus points if you make the rest of the Metroid series weapons.
    It could be a Mr. Freeze Ray.
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    Default Re: Arsenals of Eberron: Ray Weapons

    Quote Originally Posted by The Demented One View Post
    Keep in mind that the charging/not-charging thing is already factored into the price.
    Oh, that wasn't my objection. It's just that the rayguns are a powerful spell-like attack, and I prefer the fluff of converting magical "charges" than something that just works. Exotic Weapon Proficiency doesn't seem like enough of a cost, character-build-wise. Then again, "balance" that works by boosting casters/artificers isn't balance at all, so maybe I'm just wrong.

    I suppose they could also run off of "cartridges" of Eberron Dragonshards, sorta like eternal wands.

    Now all we need is a Warforged component raygun, so the fantasy robots can have fantasy lasers! Pew pew pew!

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    Default Re: Arsenals of Eberron: Ray Weapons

    That last comment immediately reminded me of my friend making a Warforged who had his eyes enhanced with scorching ray...heh, robot with laser-eyes anyone?

    also, I second the idea of making versions of these that duplicate Metroid weapons. Bonus points if you make more than just the Prime ones...hell...I'll give you a cookie if you make Samus' arm gun.

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    Default Re: Arsenals of Eberron: Ray Weapons

    Metroid Weapons have been done on this forum, can't remember what they looked like. Might want to find that thread so you can pull what you like out of it, or, if it is good enough, just use it whole.
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    Default Re: Arsenals of Eberron: Ray Weapons

    I was there for that thread. It was pretty good, but since they were all statted as artifacts (and were actually pretty powerful), getting them as a PC is slightly more up to DM than usual. With D1's rayguns we get a price, and different mechanics for practically every gun!

    There's actually a pretty good Ice Beam spell in the SC, under the incredibly subtle name ray of frost. Deals a few d6's and reflex save or take it's own brand of immobilization, which is useful but weak enough to get it down to a cheap spell. Sadly I've only played the Prime games, and even then only finished Corruption, but here's what I've got: Plasma sets people on fire, so the SC's ray of fire, while weaker than ray of ice, would work just fine. Nova Beam is tricky, normally I'd say to just make it a touch attack but we're already doing that so maybe give it an expanded crit range. Light and Dark Beams would deal extra/reduced damage against good/light and evil/shadow subtypes. Hyper, Annihilator, and Phazon just deal ridiculously high damage.

    As for charging them up, normally I'd just go with a move action to charge, which you can then hold indefinitely (and your gun get's all glowy), but to get nifty effects without overpricing that's not going to work. D1 has already used the spell slot method, so I'd run with that, using 3-5th level slots and basically giving CLd6 damage with the appropriate side effect. Plasma sets them on fire uh...more, ice freezes longer, light turns into a napalm shotgun, and dark adds an entangling/immobilizing effect: basically the charge shots are all orbs and 5th level rays. And as usual, I've gone Metroid happy.

    I'd also like to make some more commentary on pricing comparisons, aside from the "this is right" method I think D1 uses. Any of them could be compared to at will and per day items easily to start with, that much is obvious. The guns that require a daily charge remind me of reserve feats, except that you pay ahead instead of holding in reserve. Feats usually cost somewhere between 20-60k depending on the level, so if you imagine them compared to reserve feats they seem quite reasonable.

    Finally, one last idea: while I like reserving awesomeness for spellcasters as much as anyone else, other characters are going to want to use their slot sacrificing abilities more often. Therefore, I suggest allowing one to slot in a Pearl of Power, which the gun can activate to reload with it's normal required action: meaning you now have self-replenishing multi-purpose power cells. Sadly, since cognizance crystals need to be recharged, they give no net benefit. If Pearls of Power are too cheap, mark them up to Memento Magica price, or just price up some magic batteries that cost around the same as a wand for the right level. The spell level of the magic battery wand is equivalent to the voltage, so it's fine that weaker batteries can't power big devices.

    ...And now I'm stuck between the image of a dude loading a Pearl of Power into a bolt action chamber so he can fire another Light Beam charged shot (wearing a suit of Mechanus Gear with a Wand Chambered Dorje of Vigor and Wand of Wings of Cover of course), and another dude slamming a gun on the table and demanding a three volt magic cell. Awesome.
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    Default Re: Arsenals of Eberron: Ray Weapons

    If you say that what we have in this thread serves as a better mechanical starting point for what you want than what was in the other thread, then I can buy that.

    Pearls of Power sound find. Not terribly familiar with the other things you mentioned.
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    Default Re: Arsenals of Eberron: Ray Weapons

    First off, a big note: I've gone through and redone charging pretty completely, in terms of which weapons get it and which don't. I've also standardized it down to weapons that require a spell slot to charge and weapons that don't–there aren't any more like the old disintegration ray, where you got one free shot and had to charge for the rest, or the old melting ray, which was just 3/day with no charging. Prices have been adjusted accordingly. Also added some new charging rules, which are in the intro, regarding the use of wands and other magic items to charge ray weapons.

    I think the Firewand is too powerful. It out-damages nearly any bow (not counting the insufferable Prismatic ability) and can be enhanced to do even more, versatile damage. I say drop the damage down to 3d6. It's still slightly above normal bow damage, but the elemental nature should balance that out.
    I think the pricing on it is pretty fair (actually, a normal item of scorching ray would have all the attacks at the highest BAB, which sort of evens out the ability to enhance it).

    Also, personal question request: anything about a Gattling magic gun or something mounted?
    I'm working on plans for giant mecha that'll have integrated ray weapons, and I might make a multi-ray cannon sort of thing.

    Also, I'd like to hear about other forumgoer's ideas on the sociological and historical ramifications of these weapons. How would they shape future warfare?
    Honestly, I think that at their price limit, they wouldn't have had that great an effect on warfare. I'd imagine most armies having, at most, a few specialist snipers with some of the long-range ray weapons, or artificers with maybe a disintegration ray, because they're too darn expensive to give every soldier a firewand. Now, were they to be cheaply manufactured somehow (eldritch machine?), I think the effect would be much like that of firearms in real life–armor would be discarded, mass combat would probably eventually evolve into trench warfare, stuff like that. It'd be a magical World War I type of thing.

    also, I second the idea of making versions of these that duplicate Metroid weapons. Bonus points if you make more than just the Prime ones...hell...I'll give you a cookie if you make Samus' arm gun.
    I honestly don't have much interest in this. I dislike the idea of an ice beam just on general principle–if I were going to do it, it'd be as an alchemical weapon, something that shoots out a stream of alchemist's frost, a la Bioshock (speaking of which, the odds of you guys seeing Arsenals of Eberron II: Alchemical Weapons? Pretty good).

    I'd also like to make some more commentary on pricing comparisons, aside from the "this is right" method I think D1 uses. Any of them could be compared to at will and per day items easily to start with, that much is obvious. The guns that require a daily charge remind me of reserve feats, except that you pay ahead instead of holding in reserve. Feats usually cost somewhere between 20-60k depending on the level, so if you imagine them compared to reserve feats they seem quite reasonable.
    The way I've been pricing them is doing them up by the standard command-word triggered magic item formula, and for the ones that are charged, subtracting the cost of a magic item that would allow one daily use of a spell of that level, at the lowest possible caster level. I think it works out pretty well.

    Finally, one last idea: while I like reserving awesomeness for spellcasters as much as anyone else, other characters are going to want to use their slot sacrificing abilities more often. Therefore, I suggest allowing one to slot in a Pearl of Power, which the gun can activate to reload with it's normal required action: meaning you now have self-replenishing multi-purpose power cells.
    This has been done.
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    Default Re: Arsenals of Eberron: Ray Weapons

    Quote Originally Posted by The Demented One View Post
    Honestly, I think that at their price limit, they wouldn't have had that great an effect on warfare. I'd imagine most armies having, at most, a few specialist snipers with some of the long-range ray weapons, or artificers with maybe a disintegration ray, because they're too darn expensive to give every soldier a firewand. Now, were they to be cheaply manufactured somehow (eldritch machine?), I think the effect would be much like that of firearms in real life–armor would be discarded, mass combat would probably eventually evolve into trench warfare, stuff like that. It'd be a magical World War I type of thing.
    Well, yes, a lot of that is true, but what grabs my attention are the disintegration and implosion beams. One of those in a siege means one less siege-engine/wall, which is huge. An entire offensive/defensive strategy opens up around the presence of one of those monsters.

    (speaking of which, the odds of you guys seeing Arsenals of Eberron II: Alchemical Weapons? Pretty good).
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    Default Re: Arsenals of Eberron: Ray Weapons

    Quote Originally Posted by The Demented One View Post
    First off, a big note: I've gone through and redone charging pretty completely, in terms of which weapons get it and which don't. I've also standardized it down to weapons that require a spell slot to charge and weapons that don't–there aren't any more like the old disintegration ray, where you got one free shot and had to charge for the rest, or the old melting ray, which was just 3/day with no charging. Prices have been adjusted accordingly. Also added some new charging rules, which are in the intro, regarding the use of wands and other magic items to charge ray weapons.
    Ah, now you've invalidated the "new mechanic in every box" feel. Oh well, it's more conductive to actual use I suppose. In any case, the ball lightning gun seems to have lost it's spell slot requirement for charging.

    I honestly don't have much interest in this. I dislike the idea of an ice beam just on general principle
    To each his own I guess.

    –if I were going to do it, it'd be as an alchemical weapon, something that shoots out a stream of alchemist's frost, a la Bioshock (speaking of which, the odds of you guys seeing Arsenals of Eberron II: Alchemical Weapons? Pretty good).
    As said above, sweet.

    The way I've been pricing them is doing them up by the standard command-word triggered magic item formula, and for the ones that are charged, subtracting the cost of a magic item that would allow one daily use of a spell of that level, at the lowest possible caster level. I think it works out pretty well.
    This just reminded me of relics, and sure enough, that's the exact same price break you get for a relic.

    Of course, you're also supposed to get something equivalent to the spell sacrificed, but that doesn't make any sense when you just got a price break for it. The only way I can see that work is if the True Believer feat is being counted as roughly equivalent a spell appropriate to your level, but again you're getting a price break so it doesn't make sense. Blarg, relics (IMO) are just a bad idea overall. /tangent.

    This has been done.
    Woohoo! Someone used my idea!

    *Ahem*

    You've kept the requirement of being able to cast the appropriate level of spells however, which was what I meant to get rid of. Since you're pricing them the same as one would for use by everyone, I'd expect them to be usable by everyone. I'm guessing that in addition to the "raw cost" of the spell slot you're counting it as a sort of opportunity cost in having to be a caster?
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    Default Re: Arsenals of Eberron: Ray Weapons

    Ah, now you've invalidated the "new mechanic in every box" feel.
    It just felt sloppy having three different mechanic for charging around.

    In any case, the ball lightning gun seems to have lost it's spell slot requirement for charging.
    It has, and its price has increased commensurately. I decided to only give charging requirements to rays based on spells of 5th level or higher.

    You've kept the requirement of being able to cast the appropriate level of spells however, which was what I meant to get rid of. Since you're pricing them the same as one would for use by everyone, I'd expect them to be usable by everyone. I'm guessing that in addition to the "raw cost" of the spell slot you're counting it as a sort of opportunity cost in having to be a caster?
    You know, I think I'm going to switch over PoP's to being usable by everyone. Just a sec here...
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