This large ballista is a ship, either ship or sky based, mounted device made of a strange purple toned wood. It can swivel 360°, tilt up or down in an 80° arc (40° up and 40° down from level horizontal) and is imbued with magic. It requires no ammunition and doesn’t need to be loaded. It looks like a standard siege ballistae, with a seat mounted just behind the vertical arms of the structure with a single lever to either side. There are two colored buttons on the left handle, one intensely blue, the other a vivid red. The right handle has the trigger. Both handles are adjusted in conjunction to aim. DC 13 INT check to successfully figure out both aiming, and firing the mechanism when first attempting to use it. DC13 Arcana (INT) check to decipher the effect either colored button will produce. It takes one action to aim the cannon and one action to fire it. After the cannon has fired, it must recharge for 6 seconds before it can be fired again. The cannon shoots either a small bead of blue or a small bead of red depending on which colored button is pushed last before the trigger is pulled (If not changed since last used, will continue to fire the same small bead). Both kinds of small beads then expand to form a 20-foot-radius sphere centered on the point aimed at. Blue is lightning, red is fire.
Armor Class: 18 Charges: 15 (Charges reset after one hour of being idle) Hit Points: 75 (Hit points are reset after one hour of being idle)
If the Arcanum Ballista hit points drop to zero it explodes and each creature in a 10-foot-radius sphere, centered on ballista itself, must make a DC 15 DEX saving throw. Each creature takes 16 (3d10) force damage on a failed save and half as much damage on a successful one. The ballista is ruined and can no longer be used.
Lightning Shot (Intense Blue Button): Ranged Weapon Attack +6 to hit, range 200/800 ft. Each creature in a 20-foot-radius sphere, centered on target point must make a DC 15 DEX saving throw. Each creature takes 33 (6d10) lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Creatures wearing metal armor have disadvantage on the save.
Fire Shot (Vivid Red Button): Ranged Weapon Attack +6 to hit, range 200/800 ft. Each creature in a 20-foot-radius sphere, centered on target point, must make a DC 15 DEX saving throw. Each creature takes 33 (10d6) fire damage on a failed save or half as much damage on a successful one. The fire spreads around corners. It ignites flammable objects in the area that aren’t being worn or carried.
IGNORE THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION
Firearms are a new and volatile technology, and as such bring their own unique set of weapon properties. Some properties are followed by a number, and this number signifies an element of that property (outlined below). These properties replace the optional ones presented in the Dungeon Master’s Guide. Firearms are ranged weapons.
Reload. The weapon can be fired a number of times equal to its Reload score before you must spend 1 attack or 1 action to reload. You must have one free hand to reload a firearm.
Misfire. Whenever you make an attack roll with a firearm, and the dice roll is equal to or lower than the weapon’s Misfire score, the weapon misfires. The attack misses, and the weapon cannot be used again until you spend an action to try and repair it. To repair your firearm, you must make a successful Tinker’s Tools check (DC equal to 8 + misfire score). If your check fails, the weapon is broken and must be mended out of combat at a quarter of the cost of the firearm. Creatures who use a firearm without being proficient increase the weapon’s misfire score by 1.
Explosive. Upon a hit, everything within 5 ft of the target must make a Dexterity saving throw (DC equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Dexterity modifier) or suffer 1d8 fire damage. If the weapon misses, the ammunition fails to detonate, or bounces away harmlessly before doing so.
Ammunition
All firearms require ammunition to make an attack, and due to their rare nature, ammunition may be near impossible to find or purchase. However, if materials are gathered, you can craft ammunition yourself using your Tinker’s Tools at half the cost. Each firearm uses its own unique ammunition and is generally sold or crafted in batches listed below next to the price.
THIS IS UNOFFICIAL MATERIAL
These game mechanics are usable in your campaign if your DM allows them but not refined by final game design and editing. They aren’t officially part of the Dungeons & Dragons game and aren’t permitted in D&D Adventurers League events unless otherwise stated.
Notes: Ranged Weapon Attack: Fire, Ranged Weapon Attack: Lightning, Damage: Fire, Damage: Lightning, Ignore Weapon Property: Heavy, Replace Damage Type: Fire, Replace Damage Type: Lightning, Damage, Combat, Two-Handed, Reload, Misfire
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