Questions on the era of FC guns.

[MilitiaJim]

Except it isn't moving at light speed -- you'd never see it if it were.

Star Wars blasters are plasma guns, not laser guns.

I will check out Perceptive Shot later, but yes, I can see it being a trick and not a whole feat.  What would you add to make it a feat?

[Sletchman]

Except it isn't moving at light speed -- you'd never see it if it were.

It might work for star wars, where blaster beams move slower then the average toddler, but it won't work for a realistic laser weapon.

I will check out Perceptive Shot later, but yes, I can see it being a trick and not a whole feat.  What would you add to make it a feat?

Honestly I have no idea.  Maybe if it was an always on alteration the way Martial Arts is it might be more feat worthy.  Perhaps could require martial arts - letting you use your martial arts attribute for attacks with weapons [of course then you get strength based firearm attacks, which would be weird].  So I really got nothing.

[Mister Andersen]

"Realistic" laser weapons wouldn't even give someone an option for a Defence against them: it'd be literally if you see your opponent you hit them. Such simulationist approaches don't really belong in a cinematic environment.

[Sletchman]

"Realistic" laser weapons wouldn't even give someone an option for a Defence against them: it'd be literally if you see your opponent you hit them. Such simulationist approaches don't really belong in a cinematic environment.

I disagree completely.  It's still a rifle, and you still have to factor in hand eye coordination [attack bonus].  Not everyone can even hit a stationary target at 10 metres with a normal rifle, so why would a laser be flawlessly accurate?  Also if the target is aware you exist [not flat footed] they are doing everything to not be in front of your weapon when your brain manages to get your finger to press the button [that would be his defence] because lasers don't fire automatically when you see a target.  That's before we talk about things like cover.

By that logic, realistic guns wouldn't get someone an option for defence.  You can't dodge bullets.  Besides there's a line between "simulationist" and dodging a laser completely after it's already hit you, and it ain't a small one.

[Antilles]

I agree with Turnip here, until a laser weapon's fired it's just like any other weapon, and if you can dodge bullets (by not being in front of the barrel when the gun goes off), then you can dodge lasers. Although, if you wanted to simulate lasers being essentially hitscan weapons, how about reducing/denying dex bonus?

[MilitiaJim]

"Realistic" laser weapons wouldn't even give someone an option for a Defence against them: it'd be literally if you see your opponent you hit them. Such simulationist approaches don't really belong in a cinematic environment.

Sorry friend, but that is just not so.  At 50m, where the time it takes a 5.56mm is close enough to a laser to be functionally equal, you can still miss.  Protip:  Use the front sight post AND the rear sight reticule.

...  Although, if you wanted to simulate lasers being essentially hitscan weapons, how about reducing/denying dex bonus?

Because lasers are just as hitscan as short range bullets.

The only change I would make for lasers vs guns is to cut down the laser's damage at each range increment, not make it more difficult to hit someone.

[TheAuldGrump]

Heh - I have never been convinced that energy weapons will replace projectile weapons. I can see gunpowder (of all sorts) being replaced by either solid or two part chemical explosives much more easily.

Now lasers being used to precisely target delicate components or to cause blindness I can see being used for specific roles, but even high power lasers are poor in regards to energy expenditure and penetration.

That said, I would keep them as staples for space opera type games, but I would hesitate in regards to more realistic games.

The Auld Grump

[MilitiaJim]

That said, I would keep them [energy weapons] as staples for space opera type games, but I would hesitate in regards to more realistic games.

I think it has more to do with the cinematic effects of blaster bolts and the idea of lots of shots in a clip/powerpack/magazine eliminating the possibility that forgetting to have heroes and mooks reload never comes up.

David Drake has a nice handwave for the power guns in his "Hammer's Slammers" series, as well as the impellers, pistol/rifle sized railguns, in the RCN series.

Don't forget the possibility of weapons that are [urlhttp://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/AwesomeButImpractical]Awesome But Impractical[/url], like Desert Eagle pistols and automatic grenade launchers.  Plus any laser pistol that can burn a hundred holes in people is gonna give you an earth shattering kaboom when it gets broken.

[esoclectica]

Just found the thread, several thoughts.

Anyone remember Guardians of the Flames and dehydrated water pistols?  The wizards used high level magic to create dehydrated steam water weapons in competition with actual firearms.

Take a look at Daid Weber and Linda Evans' Hell series.  1910 Tech plus psionics vs magic and dragons.