Peeking over the berm of the earth mound she was using as cover, the Artificer’s day of battle was bloody and long. Her Eldric cannons fell silent a few moments ago, destroyed by the fey horde that was rapidly approaching.
‘It's going to be one of those nights.’ She sighed
While her thoughts were racing on what to do next, her sidearm leaped from its holster, chiming excitedly, and pointed towards something behind her. Instinctively she pushed herself off the mound, dodging a tiny arrow as she grabbed the weapon from the air, and allowed it to discharge. The Sprite took the full force of the blast to the chest, knocking it out of the sky.
Catching her breath she yells “Say hello to my little friend!” moments before a fireball erupted from her sidearm, into the overwhelming swarming horde.
I have always liked the idea of a ”smart gun” in movies, and other media, and I always thought the the artificers Eldric Cannon were the closest thing that we could get in DnD. However, we might have a better version with the homunculus servant.
Now I don’t think that this will be replacing turrets on the damaging side, however, nothing says that it does not have other benefits as a sidearm when the Eldric cannons are not deployed. Here are some benefits I believe would work with rules as written. For inspiration, think of “Gun’ from the Reboot cartoon.
It’s a tiny object just like the Eldric cannons, so the form could be made so that it can be hand carried. My HS would be shaped like a gun, it could still fly, and armed with arms it would still have a land speed. No rules need to be changed.
Since it can move on its own, and cling to the character (and shoot while clinging), it could deploy on its own when threatened. With a perception of 2 times the character PB it could be on constant overwatch. Even it if the character needs to use his hands he can just let go of the gun and it will float in place.
It does use your bonus action, which conflicts with the cannon attacks. Not a benefit. But it does act, even attack, on its own when you are downed, which the cannons do not.
Damage is similar to a dart or the sling; not the greatest, however, it does use your Spell-casting modifier for attacks and your PB for damage, which is Int, not Dex (no MAD).
As it is an infusion, while it is in your hand, it can be your spell-casting focus for artificer spells. It's no Arcane Firearm… however, it could use a wand on its own. Think of this as an under-barrel grenade launcher. Or it could be an under-barrel to a small Eldric cannon. An under-under-barrel?
For RP it could be an interesting tool. Why does the HSSG always want to target Orcs? Why is the character talking to his gun? Who shot first?
Technically you could dual wield (Two-Weapon Fighting) as it is the HS that attacks, not you.
So basically, if someone wanted to use the HS in this manner, there should be no conflict of rules. I think it would be an interesting way to play with the HS instead of the classic “familiar-lite” role. Just some fun ideas that I wanted to share.
What are your thoughts? Any additional ideas or obvious rules I missed?
Most of what you think should work, I see only a few problems. It is a creature - not an object. Most problems I see come from this fact:
It can be attacked and isn't being protected from any area of effect spells or effects. - So with its small amount of HP and low AC it can get killed quite easily
It can't be used to "dual wield" with the normal "dual wield" rules, it's not a weapon. But I get what you're saying, you can bonus action attack with it. That works of course.
You could argue once it gets to be a creature, it's not an object anymore and therefor doesn't qualify to be used as a focus. Now I know that is a pretty "Um, actually!" argument and it doesn't matter in most cases since any artificer worth their salt should never be without any tools or other infusions, but a strict DM might go there.
But other than tose, I think it's not a bad Idea, I'll consider it for my current Armorer/Rogue artificer, the Homunculus might be more than a tiny spy for overwatch purposes.
The big thing you are missing is magic stone -as long as you can cast it before a fight it's a big damage buff -This brings its damage up to a 1d6+int -Brings the range to 60ft instead of 30 -HS can take "any other action" which should inculde throwing a stone considering the offical art of HS with hands, and that it already shoots something -Magic stone is touch so it can be cast through HS to "reload"
Go battlesmith so you can use use ranged weapons to go with the theme. Without using your bonus action steel defender will still dodge, and can still move and use it's reaction to impose disadvantage.
Peeking over the berm of the earth mound she was using as cover, the Artificer’s day of battle was bloody and long. Her Eldric cannons fell silent a few moments ago, destroyed by the fey horde that was rapidly approaching.
‘It's going to be one of those nights.’ She sighed
While her thoughts were racing on what to do next, her sidearm leaped from its holster, chiming excitedly, and pointed towards something behind her. Instinctively she pushed herself off the mound, dodging a tiny arrow as she grabbed the weapon from the air, and allowed it to discharge. The Sprite took the full force of the blast to the chest, knocking it out of the sky.
Catching her breath she yells “Say hello to my little friend!” moments before a fireball erupted from her sidearm, into the overwhelming swarming horde.
I have always liked the idea of a ”smart gun” in movies, and other media, and I always thought the the artificers Eldric Cannon were the closest thing that we could get in DnD. However, we might have a better version with the homunculus servant.
Now I don’t think that this will be replacing turrets on the damaging side, however, nothing says that it does not have other benefits as a sidearm when the Eldric cannons are not deployed. Here are some benefits I believe would work with rules as written. For inspiration, think of “Gun’ from the Reboot cartoon.
So basically, if someone wanted to use the HS in this manner, there should be no conflict of rules. I think it would be an interesting way to play with the HS instead of the classic “familiar-lite” role. Just some fun ideas that I wanted to share.
What are your thoughts? Any additional ideas or obvious rules I missed?
Most of what you think should work, I see only a few problems. It is a creature - not an object. Most problems I see come from this fact:
But other than tose, I think it's not a bad Idea, I'll consider it for my current Armorer/Rogue artificer, the Homunculus might be more than a tiny spy for overwatch purposes.
The big thing you are missing is magic stone
-as long as you can cast it before a fight it's a big damage buff
-This brings its damage up to a 1d6+int
-Brings the range to 60ft instead of 30
-HS can take "any other action" which should inculde throwing a stone considering the offical art of HS with hands, and that it already shoots something
-Magic stone is touch so it can be cast through HS to "reload"
Go battlesmith so you can use use ranged weapons to go with the theme. Without using your bonus action steel defender will still dodge, and can still move and use it's reaction to impose disadvantage.
Yeap... totally agree with you about magic stone. The reload idea is interesting.
Yeah, don't forget channel magic, it's actually super useful with guidance on an ally, cure wounds, in combat revivify.
HS can also be given the spell storing item at level 11 and be a 2nd concentration for you while staying out of range of enemies.