Steam Rifle (3.5e Equipment)

Steam rifles are primitive single-shot rifles with wide barrels and complex tubes and gears. They drive their projectile via a pressurized blast which is held when the gun is cocked. It uses sling ammunition for bullets, making finding ammo easier but the shots are large, heavy, and clumsy to use. Rocks and other improvised ammunition can be used, but at a -2 penalty to attack rolls and on a natural 1 the gun is damaged, taking its normal weapon damage and bypassing its own hardness. Since the gun is projecting it and it is not being thrown as a sling would, you do not add your strength modifier to damage.

Steam rifles are the standard easy-to-use steamgun weapon of choice. Loading a steam rifle is a move action that provokes attacks of opportunity. Normally, operating a steam rifle requires two hands. However, you can shoot, but not load, a steam rifle with one hand at a -2 penalty on attack rolls. You can shoot a steam rifle with each hand, but you take a penalty on attack rolls as if attacking with two light weapons. This penalty is cumulative with the penalty for one-handed firing.