Author Topic: Pistol System Tweaks  (Read 12231 times)

Maleficar

  • New to the Mists
  • *
  • Posts: 22
  • LANNISTER
Pistol System Tweaks
« on: June 22, 2014, 11:57:26 AM »
Being a relatively new player, forgive me if my request contradicts something hardcoded.

The pistols, upon first glance, seem like little short of a RP gimmick. Certainly, they have their moments of utility as a spur-of-the-moment weapon to bring down a fragile mage or rogue, but I think some tweaks would be excellent for those whom aspire to have their characters entirely revolved around these weapons, given the short range, slowness and inability to fight creatures en masse. I propose the following additions.


- (Concentration) For every 10th rank, you cumulatively gain +1 AB, this is particularly to negate the penalties of trying to shoot a moving target.

- (Heal skill) For every 10th rank, you cumulatively gain 1d4 damage to represent anatomical pin-pointing.

- (Assassin level) Pairing this with the heal skill, your summed up damage bonus is given a +10% damage boost/assassin level to a maxium of 100%. I am particularly fond of assassins situated around Dementlieu being given this strength.

- (Called shot & knockdown compatibility) This is trickier, given that it's impossible to allow the feats to be used on command with a pistol. But by using the custom feats, you could potentially jump in and out of modes where every shot you fire is an attempt to inflict the effect of knockdown/called shot at an AB penalty - granted that it's not too tedious to implement, that is.

Dread

  • Dark Power
  • ******
  • Posts: 9137
Re: Pistol System Tweaks
« Reply #1 on: June 22, 2014, 01:09:08 PM »
Actually, if you land a crit, your opponent is already knocked down. Also, crits with a gun HURT. Just ask some of our more veteran players who have had characters dispatched by them. These ideas are overall cool, though. I would love to see more pistoleer characters and people roll them up, and this would encourage that sort of thing.

Feronius

  • Dark Power
  • ******
  • Posts: 2082
Re: Pistol System Tweaks
« Reply #2 on: June 22, 2014, 01:20:44 PM »
What would help much more to encourage more pistoleers is having to use less items before getting to fire a round. It'd help if your pouch of gunpowder and bullets were simply combined into a single item or if it was just assumed the player put in gunpowder first (without a seperate pouch of gunpowder item), before loading up their bullets. Right now they're really tedious to use and take up a lot of slots in both your inventory and your actionbars if you try to make their use a little less bothersome.
« Last Edit: June 22, 2014, 01:22:59 PM by Feronius »

BahamutZ3RO

  • Master of Many Alts
  • Dark Power
  • ******
  • Posts: 2615
Re: Pistol System Tweaks
« Reply #3 on: June 22, 2014, 01:33:15 PM »
What would help much more to encourage more pistoleers is having to use less items before getting to fire a round. It'd help if your pouch of gunpowder and bullets were simply combined into a single item or if it was just assumed the player put in gunpowder first (without a seperate pouch of gunpowder item), before loading up their bullets. Right now they're really tedious to use and take up a lot of slots in both your inventory and your actionbars if you try to make their use a little less bothersome.

Just carry a brace of pistols like a normal human being!
: )




Dumas

  • Dark Power
  • ******
  • Posts: 1237
Re: Pistol System Tweaks
« Reply #4 on: June 22, 2014, 01:46:29 PM »
What is a critical hit with a pistol dependent on? Is it a random chance, or tied into dexterity or your attack bonus?

Legion XXI

  • Fraternity of Shadows
  • Dark Power
  • ******
  • Posts: 1724
  • Domn Clancy
Re: Pistol System Tweaks
« Reply #5 on: June 22, 2014, 01:50:48 PM »
Pistols work on the Ranged Touch Attack script, but I want to say the threat range was made 19-20.

As for them being useful, yes, they are.  But you have to invest in the higher quality (expensive) guns and carry more than one for it to be a viable strategy.  You won't be a famous gunslinger if you're just rocking one flintlock.


PS - for those who don't understand the crit mechanics or what a threat range is, here's a link for you.  http://nwn.wikia.com/wiki/Threat_range

Maleficar

  • New to the Mists
  • *
  • Posts: 22
  • LANNISTER
Re: Pistol System Tweaks
« Reply #6 on: June 22, 2014, 05:07:48 PM »
Ranged touch attacks only score crits on natural 20's, don't they? Which means a 5% chance of even scoring one.

With the aforementioned automated modes in mind, it'd be kinda cool to use disarm in the same sense; shooting the gun/weapon out of someone else's hand.

Dread

  • Dark Power
  • ******
  • Posts: 9137
Re: Pistol System Tweaks
« Reply #7 on: June 22, 2014, 05:46:46 PM »
I have to recommend buying the top-tier guns, and buying a lot of them. Reloading them is a pain, so the best thing to do is to have at least three guns already loaded with powder and shot - that way, you're ready to let loose when you need to.

Until you can actually afford the more expensive pistols, it's generally a good idea to secure yourself something to give you fire resistance, or a spell that might help you with that. Pistols are awesome and deadly in the right hands, though. With my sorceress, my favorite thing was to cast True Strike before firing (that totally works).

xXCrystal_Rose

  • Outlander
  • **
  • Posts: 64
Re: Pistol System Tweaks
« Reply #8 on: June 22, 2014, 08:29:17 PM »
I am totally going to be doing that with my sorceress. "Heresy." *Blam* And plenty of fire spells.

ThePwush

  • Sigilian Outlander
  • Dark Power
  • ******
  • Posts: 1773
  • The mad Red Mink, eh, I mean, Monk ;)
Re: Pistol System Tweaks
« Reply #9 on: June 22, 2014, 09:15:47 PM »
Crank up your AC boys and girls. Going to get shot-y all up in here. LOL
The "Anti-Monk". Crazy is your friend.

Rhetra'Bushion aka Rhetra, Sunshine, Petal, Spazz, "Damn, she's fast," and Her Giddiness.

-Semi-Retired-

Bluebomber4evr

  • Head DM, Developer and Ravenloft Trivia Guru/Community Council
  • Administrator
  • Dark Power
  • *
  • Posts: 20622
    • http://www.nwnravenloft.com
Re: Pistol System Tweaks
« Reply #10 on: June 22, 2014, 10:25:02 PM »
I have to recommend buying the top-tier guns, and buying a lot of them. Reloading them is a pain, so the best thing to do is to have at least three guns already loaded with powder and shot - that way, you're ready to let loose when you need to.
Which is what some people did back in the days of flintlocks, because they were a pain to reload in real life as well.

Bluebomber4evr: The Justice, not you, since 2002

Feronius

  • Dark Power
  • ******
  • Posts: 2082
Re: Pistol System Tweaks
« Reply #11 on: June 22, 2014, 10:43:13 PM »
I have to recommend buying the top-tier guns, and buying a lot of them. Reloading them is a pain, so the best thing to do is to have at least three guns already loaded with powder and shot - that way, you're ready to let loose when you need to.
Which is what some people did back in the days of flintlocks, because they were a pain to reload in real life as well.

Swordfighting was a pain to. But do we really have to represent pistols with three different items, each with an individual on use mechanics?
Two on use items seems sufficient enough to make using and reloading pistols in combat highly impractical, with three it is just getting tedious.

I'm using them on my Dementlieuse character regardless though, even if only for the sheer image of a character waving flintlockes around.
« Last Edit: June 22, 2014, 10:48:39 PM by Feronius »

Cursed Ink

  • Dark Lord
  • *****
  • Posts: 522
  • 1# Highest Bounty Winner
Re: Pistol System Tweaks
« Reply #12 on: June 22, 2014, 11:59:05 PM »
Actually originally planned to have Hunter use pistols but I found the mechanics abit stuff and decided against them, it does make sense to a degree how they work though and I like them. Some of the suggestions like called shot would be cool.

ladylena

  • Gundie Mom
  • Dark Power
  • ******
  • Posts: 3259
  • Meow!
Re: Pistol System Tweaks
« Reply #13 on: June 23, 2014, 09:46:09 AM »
Pistols do hurt. Tess took out a darkling swordmaster in one shot with a pistol that critted.  But yeah, if you are going to use them, carry many. Since Tess was a pirate, at one point she had 3 or 4 pistols, all loaded and ready to go at a time. Fun fact, historically pirates would carry between 2-6 pistols at a time, giving them 2-6 shots.

I'd love to see a clockwork gnomish revolver made in game, that would be cool
Currently playing:
                          Narcissa Bogdan

Troukk

  • Dark Power
  • ******
  • Posts: 1470
Re: Pistol System Tweaks
« Reply #14 on: June 23, 2014, 10:12:30 AM »
Also, crits with a gun HURT. Just ask some of our more veteran players who have had characters dispatched by them.



Good times  8)
Not all who wander are lost.

APorg

  • Dark Power
  • ******
  • Posts: 5336
  • Fanatic Xenophile
Re: Pistol System Tweaks
« Reply #15 on: June 23, 2014, 10:21:58 AM »
Note that being a touch attack, they ignore armour AC...
“Moral wounds have this peculiarity - they may be hidden, but they never close; always painful, always ready to bleed when touched, they remain fresh and open in the heart.”
― Alexandre Dumas, The Count of Monte Cristo

Feronius

  • Dark Power
  • ******
  • Posts: 2082
Re: Pistol System Tweaks
« Reply #16 on: June 23, 2014, 05:19:49 PM »
By the way, muskets have equally clumsy mechanics to reload the weapon. Carrying multiple muskets doesn't seem like a viable option though, nor very realistic.

ladylena

  • Gundie Mom
  • Dark Power
  • ******
  • Posts: 3259
  • Meow!
Re: Pistol System Tweaks
« Reply #17 on: June 23, 2014, 05:26:28 PM »
By the way, muskets have equally clumsy mechanics to reload the weapon. Carrying multiple muskets doesn't seem like a viable option though, nor very realistic.

Muskets were very slow to load. Most could average around 2-3 shots per minute, that's people who have been trained it in.
Currently playing:
                          Narcissa Bogdan

Bluebomber4evr

  • Head DM, Developer and Ravenloft Trivia Guru/Community Council
  • Administrator
  • Dark Power
  • *
  • Posts: 20622
    • http://www.nwnravenloft.com
Re: Pistol System Tweaks
« Reply #18 on: June 23, 2014, 05:45:00 PM »
By the way, muskets have equally clumsy mechanics to reload the weapon. Carrying multiple muskets doesn't seem like a viable option though, nor very realistic.
The trade off is that they also function as a melee weapon

Bluebomber4evr: The Justice, not you, since 2002

emptyanima

  • Making & Breaking Characters Since May 2013
  • Church of Ezra - Refuge of Fifth Light
  • Dark Power
  • ******
  • Posts: 3785
  • She Who Slays Dragons
    • Emptyanima Portrait Pack
Re: Pistol System Tweaks
« Reply #19 on: June 23, 2014, 05:51:18 PM »
By the way, muskets have equally clumsy mechanics to reload the weapon. Carrying multiple muskets doesn't seem like a viable option though, nor very realistic.
The trade off is that they also function as a melee weapon

o.O I never knew this.

Feronius

  • Dark Power
  • ******
  • Posts: 2082
Re: Pistol System Tweaks
« Reply #20 on: June 23, 2014, 05:51:35 PM »
By the way, muskets have equally clumsy mechanics to reload the weapon. Carrying multiple muskets doesn't seem like a viable option though, nor very realistic.

Muskets were very slow to load. Most could average around 2-3 shots per minute, that's people who have been trained it in.

That's about how long it takes with the clumsy mechanics then, if we go by the real life time and not the in-game passage of time.

If there is only the one type of basic musket though with no additional bonuses (not like some of the pistols have), does that mean a musket would deal less damage than most pistols?
I like how they double as a melee weapon, are they viable to use though? Their melee damage also seems low compared to other two-handed weapons and they have no supporting feats.


I still think easier to use reload mechanics would be good, so it doesn't take up so many actionbar quickslots and so much inventory space.
Is it not possible to combine / integrate the gunpowder into the bullets, giving that item a delayed "cast time" on use instead? Like with crafting.
« Last Edit: June 23, 2014, 06:02:04 PM by Feronius »

Bluebomber4evr

  • Head DM, Developer and Ravenloft Trivia Guru/Community Council
  • Administrator
  • Dark Power
  • *
  • Posts: 20622
    • http://www.nwnravenloft.com
Re: Pistol System Tweaks
« Reply #21 on: June 23, 2014, 06:48:11 PM »
the musket model is based off of the 2-handed version of the spear. Same basic damage as a spear.

Bluebomber4evr: The Justice, not you, since 2002

APorg

  • Dark Power
  • ******
  • Posts: 5336
  • Fanatic Xenophile
Re: Pistol System Tweaks
« Reply #22 on: June 23, 2014, 06:53:11 PM »
Since you can't get the improved versions for muskets, they're actually rather prone to blowing up on you. They're a fun RP weapon but definitely far less effective for PCs.
“Moral wounds have this peculiarity - they may be hidden, but they never close; always painful, always ready to bleed when touched, they remain fresh and open in the heart.”
― Alexandre Dumas, The Count of Monte Cristo

Feronius

  • Dark Power
  • ******
  • Posts: 2082
Re: Pistol System Tweaks
« Reply #23 on: June 23, 2014, 07:05:26 PM »
the musket model is based off of the 2-handed version of the spear. Same basic damage as a spear.

Does that mean you can use muskets as a one-handed weapon? Guessing it's not possible, because that'd be kind of strange.

Dumas

  • Dark Power
  • ******
  • Posts: 1237
Re: Pistol System Tweaks
« Reply #24 on: June 23, 2014, 09:03:44 PM »
Will improved muskets be added? Less misfire chances and enhancement bonus bayonets or some such?