Pump-Action Shotgun (3.5e Equipment)



The sight of this daulting weapon is nothing compared the damage it can wreak when applied at close range, a single shot will result in a cloud of shrapnel capable of causing unspeakable damage to the unprotected body. The pump-action shotgun also has other practical uses, the stock is capable of delivering a powerful blow equivalent to that a club (1d6 bludgeoning damage for medium, 1d4 for small) which may be enchanted as per a regular weapon, although enhancements applied to the stock do not affect the shotgun's projectiles. The shotgun is not limited to a single form of projectile either, allowing a myriad of bloody results:

Shot: Containing a large number of small pellets, when used the shotgun will have it's range cut in half, however for every 10 feet closer to the target than 40ft. the shotgun will gain +2 damage (+2 at 30ft.,+4 at 20ft., +6 at 10ft. and +8 at point blank) up to a maximum total of +8. This additional bonus will stack with the bonus granted from any feat or weapon enhancement however it cannot be multiplied, so add this additional bonus after totalling damage rolls.

Slug: A solid body of metal, a slug may not have the same spread as a shot but over distance it is more accurate and carries a lot more momentum, giving it superior penetration and range. All slug shots count as touch attacks and replaces the shotgun's previous damage type with piercing damage.

Sabot: Containing a small number of thin needles, a sabot shot may be constructed using poison at the tips of these pins in order to deliver a potent contact or inflict poison. Unlike conventional poisoned weapons, the user does not suffer the usual 5% chance to poison himself if he rolls a natural 1 on an attack roll whilst using a poison sabot.

Rocksalt: Filled with a measure of rocksalt this shot is designed to repel and even blind the target temporarily so that the wielder may escape unscathed. Like shot when used the shotgun will have it's range cut in half. In addition the shotgun's damage will be nonlethal and the subject will have to make a DC 15 Fortitude saving throw or be stunned for 1 round.

Incindiary: Instead of being filled with a solid core which focuses on penetration, an incindiary round is filled with a volatile chemical which upon being stuck unleashes a stream of flame along the shotgun's barrel, not unlike that of a dragon's breath. When fired an incindiary round will spurt out a 30 foot cone of fire, dealing damage as if the shotgun were one size category larger (2d6 becomes 3d6, 1d10 becomes 2d6 etc). This will change the weapon's damage type to fire and count as magical for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

The disadvantage of the pump-action mechanism is that each cartidge has to be manually loaded and spent shell ejected by means of a pump slide but this is a relatively fast process nonetheless. Loading up a new shell and/or ejecting a used shot at the same time is a swift action.

Loading up the shotgun must be done shot by shot and the shell types may be mixed and matched as you wish but it is important to note the order in which the shell types are loaded as the last shell chambered (to a maximum of 8 shots, 9 shots if a shell is chambered) is the first shell to be shot. Reloading shell by shell can be a tedious process if done bit by bit, so the shotgun may be reloaded fully by using a full-round action or may be reloaded two shells at a time a move action (this allows the character to move and reload at the same time or execute another action whilst reloading). These actions cannot be reduced by the Rapid Reload feat as the mechanism is set and cannot be accelerated.