Renaissance Firearms Simplified

These rules for Renaissance firearms are for use with OD&D, Swords & Wizardry White Box, and my own Renaissance swashbuckling game based on both.

All handheld muzzle-loading firearms cause 2d6 points of damage.

Firearms with rifled barrels have the same range bonuses as other missile weapons in Swords & Wizardry White Box: +2 at short range (x 1), +1 at medium range (x 2), and 0 at long range (x 3).

Firearms with smoothbore barrels have the following range penalties: 0 at short range, -1 at medium range, and -2 at long range.

The rate of fire is 1/8 for rifles, 1/6 for muskets and pistols, and 1/4 for blunderbusses.

Base ranges are 30 ft. for pistols, 40 ft. for blunderbusses, 50 ft. for muskets, and 80 ft. for rifles.

Blunderbusses have variable damage potential depending on the range of their target: 3d6 at short range, 2d6 at medium rage, and 1d6 at long range. Unlike other firearms, they have their own range bonuses and penalties: +2 at short range, -2 at medium range, and -4 at long range.

Matchlock firearms have a 1 in 8 chance of misfiring in dry conditions, a 1 in 6 chance of misfiring in damp conditions, and a 1 in 4 chance of misfiring in wet conditions. Wheellock firearms have a flat 1 in 8 chance of misfiring regardless of conditions. Flintlock firearms have a flat 1 in 10 chance of misfiring regardless of conditions. A misfire means the weapon failed to discharge.

Renaissance Firearms Revised

My previous rules modifications for Renaissance firearms are, in hindsight, unnecessarily complicated, so here is a revision.

All handheld firearms cause 2d6 points of damage.

Firearms with rifled barrels have the same range bonuses and penalties as other missile weapons in Basic/Expert D&D and Labyrinth Lord: +1 at short range, 0 at medium range, -1 at long range.

Firearms with unrifled barrels have the following range penalties: -1 at short range, -2 at medium range, -4 at long range.

Blunderbusses are an exception in both damage potential and range penalties. Their damage is 3d6 at short range, 2d6 at medium range, and 1d6 at long range. Their range penalties are 0 at short range, -4 at medium range, -8 at long range.

For the purposes of my game, all firearms requiring two hands will have the same effective range as a crossbow, and all pistols will have the same effective range as a sling.

Reloading requires 8 rounds (6 for fighters), modified by one's dexterity bonus or penalty.

Weapon costs and chances of misfiring are as stated in Lamentations of the Flame Princess.

Renaissance Firearms

Instead of designing new rules for early firearms in my Old School Renaissance swashbuckling game set in the Renaissance, I'm just using the firearms rules from Lamentations of the Flame Princess with the following alterations:

All damage caused by handheld firearms (pistols, arquebuses, muskets) is designated as special, which, in this case, means 2d8, drop the lower die; doubles are added. For example, if you roll a 2 and a 6, the damage is 6. If you roll a 5 and a 5, the damage is 10. Firearms reliably cause significant damage, but there is still a chance of only being grazed.

Since I'm using the range bonuses and penalties from Basic/Expert D&D and Labyrinth Lord (+1 at short range, 0 at medium range, -1 at long range), I'm extending it to firearms with rifled barrels as well. Firearms with unrifled barrels retain their usual penalties of 0 at short range, -4 at medium range, -8 at long range against specific targets. Against general targets (such as enemy troops in close formation), the penalties are 0 at short range, -2 at medium range, -4 at long range.

Firearms do not "ignore 5 points of Armor" at short range or any other range.

[Edit: See Renaissance Firearms Revised.]