Of Magic and Muskets...

[Monte Carlo]

 

Bwahahahha.

 

Magic crossbows that are repeaters? Check.

 

Uber-fast bows that do humungous damage? Check.

 

Slings of awesomeness? Check.

 

A throwing axe with a neat boomerang feature? Check.

 

So, we've opened Pandora's Box and we have crude firearms... so my question is how magical should / could they be? Could there be an omni-barrelled Holy Avenging musket? Or is this the Road to Hell?

 

[Cultist]

Ratling gun!

[Hormalakh]

That looks like a cartoon image you'd see where the guy is smoking a whole bunch of cigarettes at the same time. Ridiculous.

 

Edited October 30, 2012 by Hormalakh

[Monte Carlo]

You know this one makes sense!

 

[jivex5k]

As long as we have weapons that don't reload but instead explode and magically reappear in your hands after you throw it.

[Hormalakh]

I loved how Arcanum kept magic and tech completely and absolutely separate.

 

Just like this game isn't going to have huge ridiculous Final-fantasy swords and the like, I doubt there will be cigratte-bunched guns.

 

It would make more sense to have a magically endued metal that the gun is made of, so it's less likely to misfire. Or maybe the gunpowder is more potent (magically) allowing longer ranges for these guns. Maybe the guns increase damage slightly. Something fairly subdued, just like their swords and other melee weapons.

 

Envenomed arquebus. Gun has a poison spell on it that makes bullets poisonous as they hit creatures. that sort of thing.

 

Inscribed with dwarven runes making the gun unbreakable, etc. Elven guns with a faster firing time.

Edited October 30, 2012 by Hormalakh

[Heresiarch]

Like a musket you can shoot without reloading, while draining your own health? That reminds me of something...

[Elerond]

I think this depends how über other magic weapons in the game are. So in my opinion magic should improve muskets and other gunpowder weapons with same amount as it improves other weapons.

Edited October 30, 2012 by Elerond

[Monte Carlo]

Note how this chap is toting a fantasy bazooka. I'd like one too, please.

 

[JFSOCC]

is that the vorpal panzerfaust?

 

I don't see why high-tech weapons couldn't be enchanted. If I could enchant a gun it'd be so it would never need more ammo. permanent summon bullets spell.

[Monte Carlo]

It looks more like a Vorpal Panzerschrek, but I'm being picky

[Keyrock]

I loved how Arcanum kept magic and tech completely and absolutely separate.

Along those lines, instead of superior firearms being 'magical', I'd rather they were simply technologically advanced. Made by a gunsmith with a superior alloy or with superior craftsmanship or a superior design. In practice it would still be amount to "Musket +1" or whatever, it would be purely a semantic difference.

 

Edit: Also, relevant:

 

Edited October 30, 2012 by Keyrock

[kabaliero]

i dunno, i don't like the idea of guns

i like crossbows better

[Aldereth]

Magic and guns together... I guess that would be like implementing the arsenal from Borderland. :D

[Tsuga C]

It might be nice to use magic to permanently illuminate the sites on a wheel lock for a small bonus "to hit". These days we use batteries or tritium, but magic would fit the bill quite well in P:E.

[Nonek]

Or a living eye mounted upon the musket that sees the hearts of its enemies, Xachariah style?

[Tsuga C]

Or a living eye mounted upon the musket that sees the hearts of its enemies, Xachariah style?

 

I'm not familiar with the reference, but that would be suitably bizarre. I can't imagine that the eye would appreciate the heat, embers, and smoke of blackpowder belching out the muzzle beneath it, though. Poor eye...

[Nonek]

It's Torment, a blind archer who saw the hearts of his foes, impossibly cool.

[SophosTheWise]

Since Obsidian said PE would be around a 16th century technology level I'd love to see historical muskets and generally everything associated with late medieval ages/early renaissance from those colourful Landsknechts clothes to codpieces :D (Make a special item slot for codpieces by the way!)

[Tsuga C]

It's Torment, a blind archer who saw the hearts of his foes, impossibly cool.

 

That'd come in handy, especially during archery season for white-tailed deer. The rascals are notoriously crepuscular and, during firearms season, outright nocturnal on public lands. Impossibly cool, indeed!

[Gfted1]

Update 5.

 

Black powder firearms are of the single-shot wheellock variety. Largely considered complex curiosities, these weapons are not employed extensively by military forces. Their long reload times are considered a liability in battles against foes that are too monstrous to drop with a single volley, foes that fly or move at high speed, and foes that have the power of invisibility. Despite this, some individuals do employ firearms for one specific purpose: close range penetration of the arcane veil, a standard magical defense employed by wizards. The arcane veil is powerful, but it does not react well to the high-velocity projectiles generated by arquebuses and handguns. As a result, more wizards who previously relied on the veil and similar abjurations have turned to traditional armor for additional defense.

[Dunedain]

I'd really rather there not be firearms in the game, just doesn't go well with medieval games, but oh well.. =)

[Chilloutman]

I'd really rather there not be firearms in the game, just doesn't go well with medieval games, but oh well.. =)

 

This

[Monte Carlo]

Too late, gun-haters.

 

We have them, and the dilemma now is what to do with them.

 

 

I'd really rather there not be firearms in the game, just doesn't go well with medieval games

 

LOL. Firearms were medieval. As medieval as chainmail and men wearing tights.

[FlintlockJazz]

I'd really rather there not be firearms in the game, just doesn't go well with medieval games, but oh well.. =)

 

You might want to do some research before you spread misconceptions around as valid reasons. Guns are as medieval as full plate, as both were developed and utilised concurrently, which is that they both arose in the late middle ages (mainly around 1400s).