Blunderbuss (3.5e Equipment)



This sleek looking weapon carries an unsuspecting punch; small, round projectiles are being propelled through its dilated barrel through a potent, energetic substance known as gunpowder. Gunpowder comes in small pellets, which can be bought from certain merchants; 5 gunpowder pellets for 1 gp, and must be tucked carefully. The weapon uses small, handcarved projectiles either of stone or metal and can be bought the 50 for 1 gp. Fashioning rounds for the blunderbuss can be done with a DC 10 Craft (sculpting) or Craft (metalworking) check.

There is the one-handed variant (like a pistol, with a range of 20 feet) that complements the two-handed blunderbuss (like a shotgun, with an elongated barrel). For all its power however, the shot may err greatly when firing over larger distances. Any type of blunderbuss requires a move action reloading time.

Circumstances of misfire: A blunderbuss is far from a perfect weapon. Its firepower is crudely harnessed, and when submerged in water, the gunpowder becomes soggy and will no longer detonate. To once again ready a blunderbuss for combat requires the shooter to change the ammunition and wait 1d4 minutes without further exposing the weapon to water.

Untrained use: If an untrained person attempts to use the Blunderbuss (without the necessary Exotic Weapon Proficiency feat), he not only incurs the -4 penalty for using the weapon, but also gains a 20 % chance of igniting the gunpowder while stoking the weapon. On the event of gunpowder exploding while stoking, the nominal damage is dealt to the weapon instead. If the weapon is destroyed, the damage over the weapon's remaining hit points is dealt to the shooter.