| Paradigm Concepts https://paradigmconcepts.com/forums/ |
|
| Flintlock as a viable weapon? thoughts and opinions wanted https://paradigmconcepts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=56&t=690 |
Page 1 of 1 |
| Author: | archangel [ Sat Feb 08, 2014 4:51 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Flintlock as a viable weapon? thoughts and opinions wanted |
So I've been going back through the books looking over the options I may not have gone that in depth with before. I've come to the flintlocks again. It seems like there is plenty to encourage players to use them, Altherian sharpshooter and Triggermage being the most obvious. So I'll go over what I see as good and bad about them. The good: They are flat out cool and a literal status symbol. They tend to have better range than their counterparts. Melee weapon included. Rifle is the highest damage weapon released. The bad: Expensive. Not only in initial cost of the weapon but the ammo is 100x more than the next most expensive ammo. Also requires additional accessories to be used. Susceptible to water/fire. These are implied under the shot pouch and bandoleer in the source book and laid out in detail in the Misfire sidebar in CoH. Speaking of Misfires they are an additional risk that no other weapon has. Portals of Anshar very few shots per person before a mishap. Painful reload speed. We are looking at a full cycle of the clock between shots. Bulk. The pistol and rifle have a pretty high Enc. value and you add on the the required accessories it gets worse. Over all I like flintlocks but it is really hard to justify attempting to use them in game. I think the only two items under bad that can't really be dealt with are Misfires and the ammo costs. I recall it being said before that flintlocks were intended to be used in game as alpha strike weapons and then the characters close to use other weapons, thus the cost of ammo keeps them from being primary weapons. I still think this is hurting anyone who may want to go down the paths that focus on flintlocks though. The Alth. Triggermage is a great concept, but I doubt I would ever be able to make one unless it was a home game that had money or shot tossed at us like its Mardi Gras (I live in the heart of Cajun country so Mardi Gras is a big deal). As for misfires I understand the point of having them, and the associated rules presented there, but it just seems to take a difficult weapon and make it even harder for someone to use in game. All of that said I do want to see how people have dealt with the issues in game or had experiences that say some of my thoughts are probably wrong. I'd love to be able to have a character be viable with flintlocks as a major component of the character even if the flintlock has to be used very sparingly. |
|
| Author: | Eric Hughes [ Sat Feb 08, 2014 5:12 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Flintlock as a viable weapon? thoughts and opinions want |
The cost is there to discourage the "Bandoleer of Flintlocks" mentality. Mathematically speaking the Flintlock Rifle is the best Damage weapon at Tier I. But I think you are looking at the weapon the wrong way. From the Social Basis: Flintlocks are highly political. You take one because you either are Richy Rich and want to live that way as a Val. Or, your Altherian. Lets focus on the Alterian's. Politically speaking, why would an Altherian use anything other than his national weapon? From a tactical basis of the Sharpshooter: The Rife SHOULD NOT be used as a softening up measure. It is better to use it to take down that one bad mob, when you really need to take him down. So hold off 12 or so ticks until you know which mob is in most serious need of being shot. Delay and be patient. Then interrupt the caster's be spell, or seriously punish the charging Nierite with a devastating attack. |
|
| Author: | val Holryn [ Sat Feb 08, 2014 6:22 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Flintlock as a viable weapon? thoughts and opinions want |
Tukufu usually runs around with three pistols (& a side sword), and having mastered the path of Sword Sage is turning to Altherian Triggermage. They are both excellent paths for someone who is blending the physical with the mental/arcane. Mechanically I feel the pinch of weight. To avoid encumbrance he needs to stay in light armor. Some early mods I also had to think about dumping his backpack. Less of a problem now that he owns a horse. Otherwise its been pretty good to me. Tukufu usually opens up with psionics and uses guns or swords while the strain bleeds off. Physical attacks are definitely his secondary combat mode. Occasionally there is an assault type situation where you have to kick in a door a go as hard and fast as possible. Blam blam blam. But if that doesn't take out the bad guys that messes up my clock management down the road. Shot is expensive ... But the way i play I find I only need more every 4-5ish mods. That's not so bad. On the RP side it reinforces the idea of Tukufu being Altherian for me. His one "goofy" part of his back story is that he's not val'Abebi but instead the son of a Milandesian (Sir Ulrich val Holryn) who joined the Shining Patrol and a local woman in Semar. So to a certain extent he is perhaps a little insecure in his Altherianess. Then there is also the idea that guns are a great equalizer ... you pull the trigger you don't necessarily need to train with one for years. As someone who who supports the idea of elected rulers/republicanism the gun is potentially symbol of that. Paradoxically because of coyrse the adorn flintlock is the symbol of the social elite. So the guns are an important dimension or touchstone of his identity. |
|
| Author: | Nierite [ Sat Feb 08, 2014 6:27 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Flintlock as a viable weapon? thoughts and opinions want |
My (old) secondary Dyabe (not sure if I'll keep him with the val'Vasik coming up) had twin pistols and a warhammer. Pistols should be secondary weapons, used to soften up targets, knock out a Common or Elite in one shot, etc. After he shot one target, he'd then move in with the hammer and pistol whipping people. If you use Rifles as an opening volley, and then have another weapon, it is good. As a primary, use-every-fight weapon, it isn't economical unless someone else is paying for shot. |
|
| Author: | archangel [ Sat Feb 08, 2014 6:44 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Flintlock as a viable weapon? thoughts and opinions want |
I agree with the social and RP impacts of owning a flintlock, heck if those didn't have so much weight with me I probably would have disregarded them. I'm seeing a lot of what I kinda expected in that you just can't afford to fire the flintlock more than about once a fight, either in time or coin. My consideration has been to take advantage of the flintlock also being a melee weapon and used it as such, but I fear the day I run into the judge that would decide my weapon just broke for some reason. |
|
| Author: | Nierite [ Sat Feb 08, 2014 6:49 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Flintlock as a viable weapon? thoughts and opinions want |
If they do they're a dick since these things have melee as a quality. They're designed for pistol whipping so they shouldn't break any more often than a sword or other weapon |
|
| Author: | The Vault [ Thu Feb 13, 2014 12:06 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Flintlock as a viable weapon? thoughts and opinions want |
archangel wrote: I'm seeing a lot of what I kinda expected in that you just can't afford to fire the flintlock more than about once a fight, either in time or coin. Watching other players play a rifleman. I agree it's not very practical to rely on reloading a flintlock. The work around I have play with and made a few characters on is: Archetype: whatever Race: Val Background: Former Shining Patrol Soldier The Former Shining Patrol Soldier's starting gear has "any 3 Altherian weapons (may only choose firearms if a Val or of Altherian nationality). I just select 3 pistols or mix in a rifle or two depending on the build. With that Adorned Flintlock Pistol Val start with that's 4 guns at character creation. I would never reload, and just holster a gun after its fired and draw out a new one. Once you have used your 4 guns, go into melee with them, like you said. To change it up, I have selected various Val families. ei. the val'Abebi nationalist, the val'Mordane undead hunter, the val'Emman ssethric hunter. |
|
| Author: | ZCaslar [ Sat Feb 15, 2014 7:38 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Flintlock as a viable weapon? thoughts and opinions want |
D'Serrat Val'Mordane carries a pistol, and has marksmanship skill, but it's most sincere use is as a Murderous Precision prop. Opening combat with a single brainpan-evacuating bullet has a pleasant synergy to it, and helps the flintlock pistol feel as lethal as it's supposed to be. That I rarely ever fire a second shot in the same battle is acceptable. Tukufu and she swap guns around in combat once in a while. If memory serves we're tied in terms of training, if not total ability. |
|
| Author: | Southernskies [ Mon Feb 17, 2014 6:45 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Flintlock as a viable weapon? thoughts and opinions want |
Astra carries a pistol, yet has only fired it three times in 12 games. (hitting every time, blowing the head of a Cyclops Sorceress once...) I carry it as a status symbol and as a "I can't reach them in melee, so I'd better shoot them to save my companion" weapon. The Bulk of even a pistol is murderous to my carry capacity, so would be better off not carrying it, mechanically. |
|
| Page 1 of 1 | All times are UTC - 5 hours |
| Powered by phpBB © 2000, 2002, 2005, 2007 phpBB Group https://www.phpbb.com/ |
|