Steambolt Rifle (3.5e Equipment)

The weight listed in the table above is the rifle's unloaded weight. A loaded steambolt rifle weighs a total of 17½ pounds.

A steambolt rifle is a heavy duty weapon that propels a projectile at high speeds with the use of gunpowder contained in the projectile casing. The name of the rifle is derived from the system of ventilating tubes with which each issue is constructed, which mainly uses the gas expansion from the chamber explosion to warm the rifle's mechanism. In the cold reaches of the high North where steambolt rifles are manufactured, this internal heating was important to the continued functioning of the weapon under situations of arctic warfare.

Ammunition: A steambolt rifle uses magazines that contain five cartridges. When firing a steambolt rifle, you have to cock the bolt (the handle), every time after a round leaves the chamber in order for the subsequent round to slide in. This is a move action. If you have the Rapid Reload feat, you may cock the bolt as a free action and fire the steambolt rifle up to a maximum of twice per round as a full-attack action, given that you have a base attack bonus of +6 or more. Further iterative attacks with a steambolt rifle are not possible. Replacing an empty magazine always takes a move action, even with Rapid Reload.

Special: Steambolt rifles function properly under any temperature condition within the boundaries of an endure elements spell.

Steambolt rifles are martial weapons to humans from the Northlands, or to any creature who treats pistols and rifles as martial weapons.

Additional Attacks: A steambolt rifle has a sturdy stock that can be used as a secondary weapon. Similarly, a blade is often mounted below the barrel that allows for thrusting stabs. The stock is an improvised club, dealing 1d6 damage with a crit of ×2, and the mounted blade is an improvised version of a punching dagger that deals 1d4 damage with a crit of ×3. Both of these attacks are standardly made at a -2 penalty. Weapon Focus in steambolt rifles removes these penalties.