[HR] Gear: Laser Guns & Force Shields

Something totally different - or perhaps not: tackling a somewhat difficult topic:
Laserguns & Laserswords

Power Source

A laser weapon operates on a replaceable power source with each power source having a set number of charges. Each time that a laser weapon is activated one or more of its power source’s charges are used. If a power source is depleted, the weapon can no longer be activated. In a fantasy setting, it is assumed that the power sources of laser weapons are rather old and somewhat depleted (thus the low number of charges on the table below). In pure science fiction settings, the game master may increase the number of dice used to determine a power source’s number of charges and / or can assign the maximum possible number of charges for a new and un-depleted, power source.
Power Effect

A laser weapon’s power output can be adjusted, so that the weapon is able to stun opponents or deal various amounts of damage. Adjusting a laser weapon’s power output to a different level of power requires an action. Adjusting to a higher power level that the power source can no longer produce, results in the weapon automatically switching to the next possible and lower power level.
Laser Guns

Each time the laser gun is fired, 1 charge is used if fired on low power, 2 charges if fired on medium power and 3 charges if fired on high power. If all charges are used the power source is depleted and the weapon can no longer be fired. A laser gun cannot be recharged, unless a character finds a power source of the same type used for the gun (i.e. a character cannot, for example, place the power source of a pistol into a rifle). Reloading a laser gun by replacing a power source takes a couple of rounds.
Laser guns can stun a living opponent (but not a construct, undead, or other unloving monster) when fired on low power level. The target of such an attack must make a saving throw vs. Paralysis. On a failed save, the target is paralyzed for a number of rounds give on the table below. On a successful save, the target is stunned instead.
A stunned target has a -1 penalty to all throws and to AC and moves at ½ its speed. A stunned target may not concentrate or cast spells.
Although damage from laser weapons is as devastating against structures as it is against creatures (see laser swords below), laser guns cannot actually damage structures, because of the ray being too small in diameter and focused. Your game master may make an exception for the laser canon.
Laser guns are light weighted and count as one item for the purpose of determining encumbrance, with the exception of the laser cannon which counts as a heavy item.
Laser Swords

Each time a laser sword is activated it uses 1 charge per round if operating on low power, 2 charges if operating at medium power and 3 charges if operating at high power. A laser sword remains active unless deactivated or its power source is depleted. Activating and deactivating the laser of a sword is an action. A laser sword cannot be recharged, unless a character finds a power source of the same type used for the sword (i.e. a character cannot, for example, place the power source of a long sword into a short sword). Reloading a laser sword by replacing a power source takes a couple of rounds.
A laser sword’s damage is not adjusted by its wielder’s Strength modifier. Laser damage is as effective against creatures as it is against structures.
Laser swords are light weighted and count as one item for the purpose of calculating encumbrance.
Laser Weapons
Power Range
Weapon Charges Low Medium High Short Medium Long Reload
Laser gun, pistol 1d8 Stun (1d8) 1d8+1 1d8+2 80 160 240 2
Laser gun, rifle (two-handed) 1d6 Stun (1d10) 1d10+2 1d10+4 90 180 360 2
Laser gun, canon (two-handed) 1d4 1d12 1d12+4 1d12+8 150 300 450 4
Laser sword, short 2d10 1d8 1d8+1 1d8+2 - - - 1
Laser sword, long 2d8 1d10 1d10+2 1d10+4 - - - 1
Laser sword, great (two-handed) 2d6 1d12 1d12+4 1d12+8 - - - 1
Force Shields

A force shield, when activated, is a nearly invisible shield of force energy.
Force Shield

A force shield operates on a replaceable power source with each power source having a set number of charges. When found, a force shield has 1d10 charges left. Each time that a force shields is activated it used 1charge per round. A force shield remains active unless deactivated or its power source is depleted. Activating and deactivating the force shield is an action. A force shield cannot be recharged, unless a character finds a power source of the same type used for the shield. Replacing a force shield’s power source takes one round.
A force shield requires the use of one hand and grants its wielder a +2 bonus to AC. Force shields are nearly weightless and thus count as a normal item for the purpose of determining encumbrance. In all other regards, the force shield is treated as a normal (mundane) shield (it does not protect a surprised character, a retreating character, etc.)
Backjet

This backback-like item allows its wearer to fly as per the fly spell when activated. The maximum attainable height is 150’ feet. A backjet operates on a replaceable power source having a set number of charges. When found, a backjet has 1d12 charges left. The heavier the creature is, the more power is depleted. Each time that a backjet is activated it uses 1 charge per round if used by small creatures, 2 charges if used by a medium creature or 3 charges if used by a large creature. A backjet remains active unless deactivated or its power source is depleted. Activating and deactivating a backjet is an action that can be combined with movement. If the power source is depleted while flying, the wearer falls to the ground, taking falling damage.
The backjet can be used to make a charge attack with any melee weapon, not just weapons with the charge property. Doing this, however, requires precise handling of the item. At the end of the jump-move used to close in onto the target, the wearer must make a saving throw vs. wands or lands prone right before its intended target. The wearer can then decide to follow with his intended attack, although the attack is now treated as a normal attack and not a charge attack.
Any suggestions?

Automatic Slide

These doors automatically open whenever a corporeal creature approaches within 10’. If no creatures are within range, the door automatically closes. Some doors are erratic. If a creature passes the opening of such a door, there is a 10 in 20 chance, that the door will close. The creature may make a saving throw vs. Wands. If the save is failed, the doors will crush the creature for 1d6 points of damage and the creature steps back and remains on the site from where it came. Especially heavy or strong doors will crush for 2d6 or 3d6 points of damage. If the save succeeds, the creature manages to get through to the other site without suffering harm.
Stasis Chamber

This tube-like container is used to hold a living creature in temporal stasis. A creature in stasis does not age and does not need to breathe, eat, or drink. Stasis chambers are powered by a power source with 1d100 charges left. When activated, one charge is used per 1 year of activation. A stasis chamber can only be activated from the outside or can be programmed to automatically deactivate after a predetermined amount of time has passed.
Some stasis chambers are able to heal hit points of damage at a rate of 1 hp per turn or day which will drain one additional charge per hit point healed. The healing process is activated automatically after the chamber is closed and stops when the device runs out of power or the creature contained in the chamber is fully healed or the stasis chamber is deactivated.
The powers ource of a stasis chamber can be replaced with another one of the same type. This takes 1 turn or work.
A creature contained within a stasis chamber must make a saving throw vs. Death of be stunned. This save is repeated every round until the creature is no longer stunned on a successful save.

Giant Spacehamster

=================
Type Animal (giant)
% in Lair 75%
Dungeon Enc. 1
Wilderness Enc. 2d6
Alignment Neutral
Movement 40’ (10’) (burrow)
AC 2
HD 4*
Attacks 1 bite + swallow
Damage 2d4
Save As Fighter 2
Morale +0
Treasure B
XP 135
This out of control creature is the result of failed mutagenic experiments, usually conducted in medical laboratories on space ships. Giant space hamsters are highly aggressive and large creatures, but are otherwise like normal hamsters. Giant space hamsters are to swallow whole creatures of up to medium size on an unmodified attack throw of 19 or 20. A creature that is swallowed whole suffers 1d8 points of damage every round until it dies or the space hamster is killed. Attacking a giant space hamster from inside its belly is difficult, so the swallowed creature suffers a -4 penalty to its attack throw. Should a swallowed creature die and remain in the monster’s belly for 6 turns, it is irrecoverably digested. A giant space hamster has its treasure 50% in its lair or within its mouth bags.

Martians

Type Humanoid (medium)
% in Lair 15%
Dungeon Enc. 3d10
Wilderness Enc. 3d100
Alignment Any
Movement 30’
AC 0 or by armor
HD 1-2 (1d6 hp)
Attacks 1 fist or by weapon
Damage 1d3 subdual or by weapon
Save As Fighter 1
Morale +2
Treasure A
XP 5
These man-sized humanoids have hairless bodies and a wiry build and their hands and feet only have four limbs. Martians have large, black eyes without pupils. Noses are longitudinal slits entered in face midway between mouth and ear slits. Skin color ranges from nearly translucent grey to silvery black. A subspecies of martians are the green-skinned and four-armed thark. All martians consider themselves superior to all other races (which shows in their high morale). Martians can be of the thief or psion class and advance up to level 12 in each of those classes. Psions among the martians can be treated as mages, although there is no need for spellbooks, nor do the psionic spells require the martian to use gestures, words or materials.
Thark

Type Humanoid (large)
% in Lair 30%
Dungeon Enc. 1d8
Wilderness Enc. 1d8
Alignment Neutral
Movement 40’
AC 6 or by armor
HD 10
Attacks 4 fists or by weapon
Damage 1d6 subdual or by weapon
Save As Fighter 5
Morale +2
Treasure C
XP 850
Thark look like large martians with green skin and four arms. Their eyes are all white instead of black. Thusk are named for their pair of tusks extending from the lower jaws upwards and curving towards the face, so that they cannot use them effectively as weapons. All martians consider themselves superior to all other races (which shows in their high morale). Tharks can be of the fighter or barbarian class and advance up to level 8 in each of those classes.

This is good stuff.
I found a nice way to get rid of the upkeep involved in tracking charges: every time a pistol/rifle/whatever is fired, roll 1d12 (1d8 for rifles, 1d4 for bazookas), on a roll of 1 the charge level degrades from High → Medium → Low → Dead.
Laserswords are similar: roll 1d10 every time the sword hits something. On a 1 the charge degrades from High → Medium → Low → Dead.

For laser weapons - I roll a lower die type each time the weapon is used, if a ‘1’ is rolled, it’s out of charge. Like Ataraxzy I use a different starting die type for pistols/rifles/cannon. When the die is down to d4 it can get tense, 25% chance of the next shot being the last really hits home -‘do I really need to fire ?’
Now, I really need to hit my players with Nordanbjörn with laser mounts…

You know what would fit Nordanbjörn as mounts?
T-Rexes. With lasers.
Bears riding dinos is awesome.
Another thing I think I’m stealing for Zharillia.

Ha…
Hydraulic T-Rex-Leg-Enhancers:
Low power: increase speed by 10’ (1 charge per turn), Medium power: increase speed by 20’ (2 charges per turn), High power: increase speed by 30’ (3 charges per turn). Replace power source: 1 turn but beware: power source cell compartment is located in front of the chest harness and thus in the rex’s toothy moth…gulp :wink:

Stunnerstaff
(two-handed)
Damage: low: stun (1d4)/ medium: stun (-2;1d4)/ high: stun (-4; 1d4)
charges: 1d6 when found. expands charges when activated as part of the attack roll if so desired); reload of power source: 3
(1, 2 or 3 charge): The target of such an attack must make a saving throw vs. Paralysis with a penalty given in parenthesis. On a failed save, the target is paralyzed for a number of rounds give on the table below. On a successful save, the target is stunned instead.

Anti-Grav Mace
This mace can emit a wave like, anti-gravitational field that look like nearly invisibly ripples in the air. The mace can be used as a club and the user can opt to activate the anti-grav field upon a successful hit. Each time the anti-grav mace is activated (as part of the attack roll), 1 charge is used if on low power, 2 charges if on medium power and 3 charges if on high power. If all charges are used the power source is depleted and the weapon can no longer be activated. An anti-grav mace cannot be recharged, unless a character finds a new power source. Anti-grav maces use alpha power sources. Reloading an anti-grav mace by replacing a power source takes 2 rounds.
Anti-grav maces deal damage as a club and (when activated) can also knock back a living creature (but not a non-living creature or item) on a successful hit. The target of such an attack takes damage and also must make a saving throw vs. Paralysis. On a failed save, the target is knocked back 10’ on low power, 20’ on medium power and 30’ on high power. On a successful save, nothing happens target is stunned instead. Double the distance for small opponents and half the distance for large opponents.
If a target is knocked back into an obstacle or hazard, a saving throw vs. Paralysis is made. If the save fails, the target and a soft obstacle (such as a creature) each take one half of 1d6 points of damage per 10’ of knock back (use the power level for distance, not the actual distance knocked back). If the obstacle is a hard obstacle (such as a wall), the target takes all damage and the obstacle none. In case of a hazard (such as a chasm), a successful save indicates, that the target has thrown itself onto the ground just in time to not be affected by the hazard. The target falls prone right in front of the hazard.
Notes on power sources:

As you may already have read, the mace uses a small power source. To avoid a thousand different power sources for a thousand different items i now assume that there a three types of power sources: alpha, beta, gamme, and teta.
The shortsword, mace, staff, and pistol use alpha power sources. The rifle, longsword, shield, backjet use beta power sources. The canon, greatsword use gamma power sources and the chamber uses teta power sources.

This thread is full of what we call “Win.”
Your stuff is awesome beastman. I’m yoinking it all.

thanks ataraxzy.
Laer Canon Option:
Sentry Gun

This laser canon is mounted on a rotating tripod or build into a wall. Canon and tripod are powered by two seperate power sources: one gamma source for the canon and one teta source for the tripod. The device is synchronized with one or more voice patterns used to activate or deactivate it. Commands must be issued within 300’ of the device.
While the gamma power source is used for shooting, the teta source “detects movement”, and “is on alert” and rotates the gun. When active, the 1 charge is used for each years of activity with 1d100 charges left.
Any corporeal, living and visible creature coming within 300 feet of an active canon will automatically be targeted. The creature then has 1 round to deactivate the weapon. or be shot with a low, medium, or high powered laser beam, depending on how the canon’s power was set. If the gun’s power source is depleted or if there are too few charges left for a shot, nothing will happen. If there is enough power left for a shot the targeted creature must make a saving throw vs. breath or take damage according to the power level the canon was set. If more than one creature is coming to or is within 300’ of an active, the canon targets the nearest one. The sentry gun will not react to items that are thrown into its range of fire.
Synchronizing and/or setting the power level and/or replacing the power sources takes 1 turn.
Some sentry guns (25%) have infravision sensors and can detect invisible creatures.

Think its time to make a pdf out of this. in a couple of weeksi will send my players and their fantasy characters into the “metal egg”. Until then i have to think about some more future nastyness…

By teta, do you mean theta? It’s nit-picky, I know…

@Asaris: yesyes. theta…already corrected in the upcoming pdf…

You mean I’ve been transcribing this in vain!?
Awesome!

Ataraxy: i feel your pain. i even considered for a few seconds to withhold the pdf :wink:
it’s on its way to alex and the webmasters…

MSDT (Mobile Short Distance Teleporter)

This bracelet is powered by an alpha power source. When found, the MSDT has 1d6 charges left. Activating the bracelet is an action, generating a disassemby/assembly field that will disassemble the wearer’s form and immediately reassemble it within 240’ in a location of the wearer’s choice (but not inside an object or creature in which case the re-assembling will fail and kill the wearer). Activating the bracelet uses 1 charge for small creatures, 2 charges for medium creatures and 3 charges for large creatures. Replacing the powersoruce takes 1 round.
Some bracelets are malfuntioning. Each time the bracelet is activated, roll a d6. On a 1 or 2, nothing happens. Others are even worse: on a 1 the wearer is transported 3d8x10 feet in a radnom diraction (which may lead to diseaster by teleporting the wearer into an object or creature) and on a 2 nothing happens.
Some more powerful versions are able to teleport 480’ feet, but distances over 240’ disorient the wearer who must make a saving throw vs. paralysis or be stunned for 1 round.

Powercord

This wand like device fires a ray of energy that wraps around a target and is maintained by the power source as long as the weapon is activated. The range of the ray is 60’. The target of a ray must make a saving throw vs. wands of be hit and entangled. Entangled victims cannot move, attack or cast spells and have a -4 penalty to their AC, but can make a saving throw vs. paralysis each round to break free (-2 if small, +2 if large). Each round the powercord is activated uses 1 charge from its beta power source. when found, the weapon has 1d12 charges left. Replacing the power source takes 2 rounds. At the attacker’s option, he can deaktivate the powercord and release its victim. He can also shorten the ray by 10’ per round by regulating the energy influx, force-moving the victim nearer to him.