Launching a new game next month. Eberron setting. New player I don’t know we’ll created a Warforged Barbarian with a laser pistol. I’ve never run Eberron before and am still prepping. That said are there laser weapons in Eberron? It looks way overpowered for that.
It's worth noting that hi-tech weaponry, such as the Laser Pistol are not things that are available during character generation, unless the DM specifically grants it.
Honestly, if you don't find the stats problematic then most would just treat it as a weirdly shaped wand.
If you're a reader check out L.E. Modesitt Jr.'s Magi'i of Cyador and Scion of Cyador. The entire book is written in the vein of fantasy with the empire of Cyador having "Firelances" and other such wondrous equipment. But as you read it becomes very apparent that this is a crashed space faring people and while much of their tech has survived by a hundred generations the people have stopped seeing it as tech and blended it into the local magic system.
I'd argue such a weapon does damage similar to a spell so no bonus damage from a high stat.
Average damage would be 10.5 or 11.
Average for a barbarian with Greatsword and 16 str would be 12.
Average for a longsword fighter with duelist is 9.5.
Seems alright if on the high end.
You can rule that way if you want, but it would be a house rule. A laser pistol is just like any other ranged weapon and adds the attacker's dexterity modifier to its damage. That makes its average damage 13.5, which is higher than the maximum damage of any other ranged weapon.
Comparing a ranged weapon to a melee weapon isn't the best idea; ranged damage is balanced on the idea of the combatant being less vulnerable. The average damage of the next highest-damage ranged weapon is 8.5, and heavy crossbows come with other drawbacks that the laser pistol doesn't suffer from. The difference between 8.5 and 13.5 is massive at 1st level.
A laser pistol is very unbalanced at 1st level, and if only one character has it, that character is going to dramatically out-perform the other party members, probably to the detriment of those others' enjoyment of the game.
I’ve thought of that as with one good shot he can take out most first level monsters. I kind of see 3 options.
Option 1: Let him have it, reskin it as some sort of siege staff but make him roll with disadvantage as he stumbled upon this overpowered weapon and doesn’t really know how to use it effectively. ALso, once the 50 shots are gone he’d have no idea how to recharge it.
Option 2: He read somewhere that Warforged used unique weapons so let him reskin a long bow or something more balanced.
Option 3: tell him unique can be a net, whip or boomerang
I’ve thought of that as with one good shot he can take out most first level monsters. I kind of see 3 options.
Option 1: Let him have it, reskin it as some sort of siege staff but make him roll with disadvantage as he stumbled upon this overpowered weapon and doesn’t really know how to use it effectively. ALso, once the 50 shots are gone he’d have no idea how to recharge it.
Option 2: He read somewhere that Warforged used unique weapons so let him reskin a long bow or something more balanced.
Option 3: tell him unique can be a net, whip or boomerang
What I would do is give them a wand that lets them cast an offensive cantrip of their choice at-will (Fire Bolt or Ray of Frost would be a good choice). A free cantrip as long as they're holding the item is fun without being overpowered, and it's very in line with Eberron's themes and aesthetic.
Launching a new game next month. Eberron setting. New player I don’t know we’ll created a Warforged Barbarian with a laser pistol. I’ve never run Eberron before and am still prepping. That said are there laser weapons in Eberron? It looks way overpowered for that.
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D&D Beyond FoundersYou should check with the DM of the game with regards to what they allow in their gameEvery DM has their own interpretation of the game world, but as standard, there are no guns in Eberron.
http://keith-baker.com/firearms-in-eberron/
It's worth noting that hi-tech weaponry, such as the Laser Pistol are not things that are available during character generation, unless the DM specifically grants it.
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I may have a setting wrong in my campaign set up.
thanks
Honestly, if you don't find the stats problematic then most would just treat it as a weirdly shaped wand.
If you're a reader check out L.E. Modesitt Jr.'s Magi'i of Cyador and Scion of Cyador. The entire book is written in the vein of fantasy with the empire of Cyador having "Firelances" and other such wondrous equipment. But as you read it becomes very apparent that this is a crashed space faring people and while much of their tech has survived by a hundred generations the people have stopped seeing it as tech and blended it into the local magic system.
I haven’t DM’d in a while but 3d6 damage at Level 1 seems like a lot.
Not necessarily.
I'd argue such a weapon does damage similar to a spell so no bonus damage from a high stat.
Average damage would be 10.5 or 11.
Average for a barbarian with Greatsword and 16 str would be 12.
Average for a longsword fighter with duelist is 9.5.
Seems alright if on the high end.
You can rule that way if you want, but it would be a house rule. A laser pistol is just like any other ranged weapon and adds the attacker's dexterity modifier to its damage. That makes its average damage 13.5, which is higher than the maximum damage of any other ranged weapon.
Comparing a ranged weapon to a melee weapon isn't the best idea; ranged damage is balanced on the idea of the combatant being less vulnerable. The average damage of the next highest-damage ranged weapon is 8.5, and heavy crossbows come with other drawbacks that the laser pistol doesn't suffer from. The difference between 8.5 and 13.5 is massive at 1st level.
A laser pistol is very unbalanced at 1st level, and if only one character has it, that character is going to dramatically out-perform the other party members, probably to the detriment of those others' enjoyment of the game.
Allowing it at all would be a house rule. :-)
The DM has every right to veto, I'm just looking at ways to work with it.
I’ve thought of that as with one good shot he can take out most first level monsters. I kind of see 3 options.
Option 1: Let him have it, reskin it as some sort of siege staff but make him roll with disadvantage as he stumbled upon this overpowered weapon and doesn’t really know how to use it effectively. ALso, once the 50 shots are gone he’d have no idea how to recharge it.
Option 2: He read somewhere that Warforged used unique weapons so let him reskin a long bow or something more balanced.
Option 3: tell him unique can be a net, whip or boomerang
What I would do is give them a wand that lets them cast an offensive cantrip of their choice at-will (Fire Bolt or Ray of Frost would be a good choice). A free cantrip as long as they're holding the item is fun without being overpowered, and it's very in line with Eberron's themes and aesthetic.
I like that idea. Thanks!