Firearm Rules
Firearms are a relatively new invention to the magical worlds’ inhabitants, but are very well known to more technological societies. They are powerful, dangerous, and highly combustible weapons wielded by the most daring adventurers. These weapons can be used in certain settings to replace traditional bows and arrows, or can be used to provide a dash of swashbuckling and highway robbery to a campaign. Firearms use the same rules as ranged weapons, but have additional properties that dictate how they can be used.
Firearm Ages
Technology moves forward, the rate of which varies from culture to culture. With this advancement, new weapons of war are formed, none more powerful than that of lead, steel, and powder. In addition to the delineation between simple and martial weapons, these firearms are organized into three distinct ages; Early, Modern, and Advanced. If a feature or trait grants proficiency with firearms, it will specify which age of firearms the character gains proficiency with. If you are running a game in a modern or sci-fi setting, where these weapons are more prevalent, consider allowing players that gain proficiency with at least one martial ranged weapon proficiency with all firearms.
Early-Age Firearms
Early-Age firearms include weapons such as the Pistol, Musket, and Blunderbuss. These weapons are similar to weapons from our own world during the Renaissance era through the 18th century. With small changes to allow for a reasonable rate of loading, these weapons can easily fit into a fantasy setting, without evoking modern or futuristic elements.
Details on these weapons are found in the Weapons Table with the rest of the standard equipment.
Modern-Age Firearms
Modern-Age firearms include weapons such as the Revolver, Hunting Rifle, and Shotgun. These weapons are the favored tool of the Unmagik’d, used to defend themselves in a dangerous world of magic and arcana. These firearms have taken steps to become modifiable, allowing for enhancements to be added or changed to suit the wielder’s needs. They are more representative of weapons we see today, and can fit easily into more modern fantasy or sci-fi settings. These weapons are also the favored weapons of the Earth Humans in the League of Magics Setting.
Creatures must have proficiency with Modern, Advanced, or “All” firearms to have proficiency with these types of firearms.
Details on these weapons are found in the Modern-Age Firearms table.
Advanced-Age Firearms
Advanced-Age Firearms are on the cutting-edge of technology, either unearthed by ingenuity or recovered from alien encounters. These weapons include the Laser Rifle, Ray Gun, and Phaser. These weapons have begun to utilize more advanced forms of ammunition like the Fuel Cell, or have become capable of regaining its charges through other means of artifice or technology. Weapons like these are ideal for sci-fi or planar-themed campaigns.
Creatures must have proficiency with Advanced, or “All” firearms to have proficiency with these types of firearms.
Details on these weapons are found in the Advanced-Age Firearms table.
Firearm Types
Every Modern and Advanced-Age firearm has a special tag that identifies what type of firearm it is. There are three types of Modern-Age firearms; Pistol, Rifle, and Shotgun. Most types don’t have rules themselves, but some rules in the game affect firearms of certain types in different ways.
Firearm Ammunition
Ammunition is required by a weapon that has the Ammunition property. A weapon’s description specifies the type of ammunition used by the weapon. The Ammunition table lists the different types and the amount you get when you buy them. The table also lists the item that is typically used to store each type; storage must be bought separately.
Firearm ammunition is destroyed upon use.
Firearm Attachments
Title | Amount | Storage | Weight | Cost |
---|---|---|---|---|
Fuel Cell | 1 | Pouch | 1/2 lb. | Uncommon |
Specialized Ammunition | 10 | Pouch | 1 lb. | 10 GP |
Shells | 10 | Pouch | 1 lb. | 5 GP |
Bullets | 10 | Pouch | 2 lb. | 3 GP |
Name | Property / Type | Cost |
---|---|---|
Barrel (Rifle, Mounted) | ||
Stabilizer | This weapon gains a +1 bonus to ranged attack rolls. | 500 GP |
Suppressor | This weapon’s normal and long range is reduced by 5 and 10 feet respectively. This weapon can only be heard from up to 200 feet away, instead of the normal distance a firearm can be heard. | 500 GP |
Choke (Shotgun) | ||
Basic | The Cone for this weapon’s Spray weapon mastery is increased by 5 feet. | 500 GP |
Narrow | The Cone for this weapon’s Spray weapon mastery is replaced with a 20-foot long, 5-foot wide Line. | 500 GP |
Precision | The Cone for this weapon’s Spray weapon mastery can either be its normal Cone or a 20-foot long, 5-foot wide Line (your choice on an attack). | 500 GP |
Choke (Shotgun) | ||
Auto-Feeder | After 5 shells have been expended from this firearm, one shell is added into the weapon’s magazine from a container you are carrying with proper ammunition. | 500 GP |
Extended | This weapon’s Reload property increases by an amount depending on the weapon’s type: Pistol +5, Rifle +10, Mounted +15. | 500 GP |
Quick Load | The first time you reload this weapon after you finish a Short or Long Rest, you may do so at the start of your turn without requiring an action. | 500 GP |
Optics (Any) | ||
Enhanced | This weapon gains a +1 bonus to ranged attack rolls. | 500 GP |
Thermal | While in Dim Light or Darkness, you have Thermalvision out to a range of 30 feet when you make a ranged attack with this weapon. | 500 GP |
Long-Range | Attacking at long range doesn’t impose Disadvantage on your attack rolls with this weapon. | 500 GP |
Night-Vision | You ignore the effects of Dim Light and nonmagical Darkness when making ranged attack rolls with this weapon. | 500 GP |

Early Age Firearms
Weapon | Cost | Damage | Weight | Properties |
---|---|---|---|---|
Blunderbuss | 500 GP | 2d6 Piercing | 18 lb. | Ammunition,(Range 20/60; Bullet), Heavy, Loading, Two-Handed |
Long Rifle | 500 GP | 1d12 Piercing | 15 lb. | Ammunition (range 120/360), heavy, loading, misfire, two-handed |
Pocket Pistol | 150 GP | 1d8 Piercing | 1 lb. | Ammunition (range 20/60), concealed, light, loading, misfire |
Modern Age Firearms
Modern Firearm | Cost | Firearm Type | Suggested Rarity | Damage | Weight | Properties |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Revolver | 350 GP | Pistol | Sap | 2d8 piercing | 8 lb. | Ammunition (Range 60/180; Shell), Reload (6 shots), |
Automatic Rifle | 250 GP | Rifle | Automatic | 2d10 piercing | 13 lb. | Ammunition (Range 80/240; Shell), Attachment, Heavy Fire, Reload (30), Two-Handed |
Automatic Pistol | 150 GP | Pistol | Automatic | 1d12 piercing | 1 lb. | Ammunition (Range 50/150; Shell), Attachment,
Reload (15), Light |
Shotgun | 500 GP | Shotgun | Spray | 2d8 piercing | 7 lb. | Ammunition (Range 30/90; Shell), Attachment, Heavy, Spray, Reload (6), Two-Handed |
Hunting Rifle | 500 GP | Rifle | Slow | 2d10 piercing | 15 lb. | Ammunition (Range 100/300; Shell), Attachment,
Reload (10), Two-Handed |
Light Machine Gun | 500 GP | Mounted | Pierce | 4d6 piercing | 20 lb. | Ammunition (Range 60/ 200; Shell), Attachment, Heavy, Heavy Fire, Mounted, Reload (50), Two-Handed |
Modern Pistol | 500 GP | Pistol | Vex | 1d12 piercing | 3 lb. | Ammunition (Range 50/150; Shell), Attachment,
Reload (15), Light |
Sniper Rifle | 1,500 GP | Rifle | Pierce | 6d6 piercing | 30 lb. | Ammunition (Range 300/900; Shell), Attachment, Heavy, Reload (1), Two-Handed |
Advanced Age Firearms
Advanced Age Firearm | Damage | Properties | Firearm Type | Mastery Property | Weight | Cost |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ray Gun | 6d6 Piercing | Ammunition (Range 40/120; Fuel Cell), Reload (50) | Pistol | Automatic | 7 lb | Very Rare |
Hopper | 1d8 Force | Ammunition (Range 30/100; Fuel Cell), Attachment, Light, Reload (20) | Pistol | Push | 4 lb. | Uncommon |
Laser Rifle | 3d8 Radiant | Ammunition (Range 100/300; Fuel Cell), Attachment,Reload (30), Two-Handed | Rifle | Slow | 8 lb. | Very Rare |
Laser Pistol | 3d6 Radiant | Ammunition (Range 40/120; Fuel Cell), Attachment, Reload (50) | Pistol | Vex | 3 lb | Rare |
Light Repeater | 2d6 Piercing | Ammunition (Range 30/100; Fuel Cell), Attachment, Reload (20), Two-Handed | Rifle | Automatic | 5 lb | Uncommon |
Antimatter Rifle | 6d8 Necrotic | Ammunition (range 80/240; Fuel Cell), Attachment, Reload (5), Two-Handed | Rifle | Sap | 8 lb. | Legendary |
Properties
Here are definitions of the properties in the Properties column of the Weapons table.
Ammunition
You can use a weapon that has the Ammunition property to make a ranged attack only if you have ammunition to fire from it. The type of ammunition required is specified with the weapon’s range. Each attack expends one piece of ammunition. Drawing the ammunition is part of the attack (you need a free hand to load a one-handed weapon). After a fight, you can spend 1 minute to recover half the ammunition you used in the fight; the rest is lost.
Attachment
This weapon is capable of receiving attachments from the Attachments section above. An attachment can be placed on a weapon, or removed, with a Utilize action. A list of available attachments, what firearm types they can be equipped to, and their effects, can be found in the Firearm Rules section.
Concealed
This weapon can be wielded while not in view, or without suspicion of other creatures. A creature must succeed a DC 15 Perception check or have a passive perception of 15 or higher to notice your weapon.
Heavy
You have Disadvantage on attack rolls with a Heavy weapon if it’s a Melee weapon and your Strength score isn’t at least 13 or if it’s a Ranged weapon and your Dexterity score isn’t at least 13.
Heavy Fire
A weapon with this property can make a normal single-target attack, or it can cover a 10 foot-Cube area, or 20 foot Line horizontally to you within its normal range, with a hail of bullets. Each creature in the area must succeed on a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw or take the weapon’s normal damage. This action uses 10 pieces of ammunition. After using a firearm’s Heavy Fire property, that creature must succeed a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or have the Deafened condition until the start of their next turn.
Light
When you take the Attack action on your turn and attack with a Light weapon, you can make one extra attack as a Bonus Action later on the same turn. That extra attack must be made with a different Light weapon, and you don’t add your ability modifier to the extra attack’s damage unless that modifier is negative. For example, you can attack with a Shortsword in one hand and a Dagger in the other using the Attack action and a Bonus Action, but you don’t add your Strength or Dexterity modifier to the damage roll of the Bonus Action unless that modifier is negative.
Loading
You can fire only one piece of ammunition from a Loading weapon when you use an action, a Bonus Action, or a Reaction to fire it, regardless of the number of attacks you can normally make.
Mounted
Mounted firearm types must be affixed to a Weapon Mount (see Armor and Equipment) or a creature needs a Strength score of 15 or higher to wield it. Additionally, your Speed is halved while wielding a Mounted weapon.
Reload
This weapon can be used to make a number of attacks before it must be reloaded. If you are proficient with the weapon, reloading it takes an action or a Bonus Action; otherwise, reloading it takes an action.
Range
A Range weapon has a range in parentheses after the Ammunition or Thrown property. The range lists two numbers. The first is the weapon’s normal range in feet, and the second is the weapon’s long range. When attacking a target beyond normal range, you have Disadvantage on the attack roll. You can’t attack a target beyond the long range.
Two-Handed
A Two-Handed weapon requires two hands when you attack with it.
Mastery Properties
Each weapon has a mastery property, which is usable only by a character who has a feature, such as Weapon Mastery, that unlocks the property for the character. The properties are defined below.
Automatic
When you take the Attack action and make a ranged weapon attack with this firearm, you may instead make two weapon attacks at Disadvantage. This Disadvantage cannot be negated by any means.
Pierce
If you hit a creature with a ranged attack roll using this weapon, you can make a ranged attack roll with the weapon against a second creature. The creature must be within 5 feet of the first target, on its opposite side from where you made the attack, and also within your range. On a hit, the second creature takes the weapon’s damage, but don’t add your ability modifier to that damage unless that modifier is negative. You can make this extra attack only once per turn.
Push
If you hit a creature with this weapon, you can push the creature up to 10 feet straight away from yourself if it is Large or smaller.
Sap
If you hit a creature with this weapon, that creature has Disadvantage on its next attack roll before the start of your next turn.
Slow
If you hit a creature with this weapon and deal damage to it, you can reduce its Speed by 10 feet until the start of your next turn. If the creature is hit more than once by weapons that have this property, the Speed reduction doesn’t exceed 10 feet.
Spray
Once per turn, you can spray this weapon’s ammunition in a 15-foot Cone. Each creature in the Cone must make a Dexterity saving throw (DC 8 plus your Proficiency Bonus and Dexterity modifier). On a failed save, the creature takes the weapon’s normal damage, or half as much on a success.
Vex
If you hit a creature with this weapon and deal damage to the creature, you have Advantage on your next attack roll against that creature before the end of your next turn.