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Laser Weaponry

Laser weapons tend to be heavier and bulkier than projectile weapons. However, they more than make up for this with increased precision and vast ammunition. They are also extremely expensive and prone to overheating except in a vacuum.

Changes from Equivalent Firearm:

  1.   1d4 base damage die (from 1d6), but increase the damage bonus by +1
  2.   Base cost is equal to the calibre's recoil (as if it were a firearm) times $1,000 instead of $100.
  3.   Use the base recoil as the weapon‚s mass. Any modifications that affect recoil instead affect the weapon‚s mass. If a modification increases the recoil and the mass, use only the higher of the two increases.
  4.   the recoil becomes zero
  5.   Laser weapons can shoot out to five range increments instead of four (doubling the maximum range)
  6.   Heat damage rather than Piercing
  7.   The Blast modification, instead of adding a spherical explosion, adds a Line attack one square of the gun‚s scale wide and four long, originating on the first target hit.
  8.   Semi rate of fire modification for free
  9.   Cannot take the following modifications:
  10.   Smoothbore
  11.   Any magazine modification
  12.   Shotgun
  13.   Overheating: If a 1 is rolled to attack when firing on auto, reroll the die. Another 1 results in an overheat. An overheated laser weapon takes 1d10 rounds without firing to cool down. Firing an overheated laser before it cools destroys the weapon, and deals the weapon‚s damage -3 to the wielder.
  14.   Power: Laser weapons do not require any ammunition, but instead draw power from a compact internal battery. The battery is roughly half the weapon‚s weight, and takes a full-round action to remove. The battery supplies enough power virtually forever. A laser weapon without a power pack must be connected to a larger power source (such as a vehicle at least 3 scales larger than the weapon) to operate.

Laser Modifications:

  1.   Charge Circuit: With this modification, the weapon  can deliberately overcharge at low risk. This takes a 1s action to activate, but the gun takes 5s to charge. You can take other actions in this time. Once charged, the weapon can remain charged for 1 minute + 1d6 rounds (rolled secretly) before overheating. The first shot fired while charged deals +2 damage and, if the weapon has a blast area, it boosts the area by +1 scale. Charge circuits can be added to laser and plasma weapons, and increase the cost and weight by +50%. Plasma weapons take quadruple the ammunition to fire a charge shot. Charge shots cannot be fired on automatic or burst, or with double-tap or similar ability to increase rate of fire. The bonus from Charge Circuit does not stack with any bonus from overcharge or hypercharge.

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