Fantasy Core RPG Supplement: The Gnome Arcane Musketeer

FANTASY CORE RPG SUPPLEMENT

© Jerry Harris 2016

Published here as Open Game Content.

(This link will take you to the Fantasy Core Playtest Rules.)

Demi-Human Classes Index

Gnome Arcane Musketeer

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Spell Level Limit
1st	+1	+2	+0	+2	1
2nd	+2	+3	+0	+3	1
3rd	+2	+3	+1	+3	1
4th	+3	+4	+1	+4	2
5th	+3	+4	+1	+4	2
6th	+4	+5	+2	+5	2
7th	+4	+5	+2	+5	3
8th	+5	+6	+2	+6	3
9th	+5	+6	+3	+6	4
10th	+6	+7	+3	+7	4*

Description: While they appear to be a long-nosed, slender Dwarf, Gnomes are actually a Fey race.  Unlike Dwarves, Gnomes are spellcasters, more than warriors.  They are also male and female and reproduce normally.  The adventurer Gnome has left their warren to seek their fortune. 

Hit Die: d6.

Prime Ability: Int, Dex, Cha, and Con.

Subprime Abilities: Str.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Musketeers typically trained to use Daggers, Short Swords, Rapiers, and Crossbows (pistol, light, and mounted repeating crossbows).  They are restricted from long, heavy weapons because of their size.  The Musketeers are trained in all types of personal firearms (canons would require additional training).  (7^th Level Officers will usually wield dual pistols.) They are proficient with light armor, cut down to their size.  Musketeers won’t use shields.

Standard Gear: Rapier, Musket with bayonet, 50 shots (powder horn, wad, ball), Leather Armor, pack, 3 days rations, waterskin, 2 useful items.

Short: Gnomes receive a natural +1 to AC.

Immunities: Poisons, paralysis, and petrifaction.  Gnomes may also move freely between the Otherworld and the mortal world without suffering any adverse effects.

Infravision: Has the ability to see the in dark.

Underground Orienteering: A Gnome cannot become lost or misdirected by construction when underground, even when effected by a spell. If teleported underground, they will still have general sense of depth and direction.

Gnome Contacts: A Gnome has access to purchasing magic weapons and armor from the Gnomes. They might be willing to sell to humans and Dwarves with a Gnome vouching for them (of course at a more expensive price).  (Dwarves are loath to use “inferior” Gnomish weapons, but if in a pinch, or unwilling to pay exorbitant Dwarvish prices, they’ll swallow their pride.)

Spells

A Gnome Musketeer begins play with a spellbook containing all 0-level wizard spells plus one 1st-level spell of the player's choice. For each point of Int bonus the Gnome has, the spellbook holds one additional 1st-level spell of their choice. With each new level, Musketeers gain one new spell of their choice, up to the highest level they can cast, from their mentor.  New spells (including ones bought, bartered, found, and stolen) must be copied into their spellbook and practiced before being used in the field. Assume a day per spell.

Spellcasting

Gnome Musketeers may cast any spell they know by making a Spellcheck: Int bonus + ½ level vs. DC 12 + Spell Level. (Cantrips are DC 10.)  With 2 cumulative failures in a turn/encounter, all magic use is suspended pending 1 turn of rest. The Spell Level Limit is the highest spell level that they can cast.  (At 10^th level*, they gain the 5^th level spell Permanency.)  A spellcaster must roll to activate a spell, even if their Spell Check is greater than the spell’s DC.  A Natural 1 is a Botch, meaning all spellcasting is immediately suspended until the caster has had 1 turn of rest.  A Saving Throw against a spell has a DC of 12 + ½ caster level.

Spellcasting Restrictions (Optional Rule)

Gnomes are trained by their Gnomish mentors, but never reach their full potential as Wizards. Doing so inevitably pushes their Fey side into prominence and they can no longer live in the mortal world.  At 10^th level, they are not able to covert XP to improving their Spell Check and are unable to cast higher than 4^th level spells.  (If you’re allowing Gnomes to have guns, this rule should definitely be used.) 

Forbidden Spells (Optional Rule)

Some spells on the Spell List have been marked as Forbidden.  Gnomes will not cast spells that Summon Monsters or have anything to do with the undead.  They will also not cast any Ceremony-type spells.

Magic Item Crafting/Gunsmithing

A 10^th level Master Gnomish Craftsman is able to create magic weapons, magic items, and magic armor.  (They gain the 5^th level spell of Permanency at that level.)  The time would vary, but figure about a week per item.  Gnomes are willing to sell their magical goods to anyone that they are friendly with.  The same Craftsman is also able to make firearms and learn the secret of creating Gunpowder.  Neither of these items will ever be sold to any non-Gnome.  Figure a week to create a rifle, blunderbuss, or a pair of pistols, and a day to concoct a small horn of gunpowder.  It may take a month to forge a small cannon.

Gnome Firearms

These weapons are fairly primitive ball and musket affairs.  There are several special rules that apply to their usage. 

● The user must be specifically trained to use them.  An untrained user will must roll a 1d10 every time they attempt to use it.  1-5 misfire, 6-9 firearm explodes, user takes full damage, 10 fires correctly (no BAB added to attack).

● For a trained user, a Natural 1 when firing is a misfire.  The firearm will require 1 rd to clear, before it can be reloaded. 

● Two pistols may be fired a single target, but only at Point Blank range.  The shooter will invariably miss beyond that range.  Of course at Close range, the shooter is wide open to melee attacks.  Roll two separate attacks.

● All gunpowder weapons require a full, stationary, concentrating rd to load.  Melee combat or any other successful attack will interrupt the loading.  Cannons require a full crew of three to fire that quickly.  Less than that will take 2 rds. 

● Gunpowder weapons cause impressive damage, but even more than that, they negate armor bonuses, reducing most targets to AC 10.  Dex and magical enchantment still apply.  So, +1 Chain Mail only gives a +1 to AC against a firearm.  A creature’s natural AC is also likely negated, unless its AC is mostly due to its dex or it is armored and enchanted, like a dragon.  Creatures that require magic to hit while still be immune to gunfire, unless the firearm or its ammunition are enchanted.

● Ammo 50 shot (powder horn, wad, ball) or scatter shot ammo (comes in 10 shot wads) 25 gp

● Pistol 2d6, S, Officers will often be armed with a pair. 100 gp Masterwork pair (these are usually a prestige item for officers, they do not misfire in the hands of a trained user), 25 gp for a single, common-make pistol

● Blunderbuss 2d6 to everyone in 10’ spray, S.  Uses scatter shot ammo.  1d6 as a club, but weapon is damaged on any time max damage is scored.  75 gp

● Musket 2d8, M.  1d4 used as club, but weapon is damaged on any time max damage is scored.  50 gp (3’ long weapon, this is why the range is a bit low)

● Bayonet added to Musket 1d6, reach weapon.  10 gp

● Small Cannon 3d6 Solid shot (usually used against large or far objects), L; 2d6 Grapeshot, sprays all in 20’ spray, M (Gnome warrens may be guarded by hidden cannons.  Gnomes seldom engage in offensive operations, but Cannons would be devastating siege weapons.) Not for sale to Characters, would have to barter for rental use.   

Gnome History

Gnomes live in the Otherworld, but maintain underground colonies (warrens) in enchanted places in the Mortal world.  The race is part of the Elvish Seelie Court of the Light Fey.  It is said that the Gnomes were once Dwarves who defected to the Elvish side during their war.  The Dwarves are dubious of such claims, and are generally ambivalent towards Gnomes.  (Dwarves look down upon their crafts and find Gnomes somewhat irritating, but not so much that they won’t trade with them.)  They say that Gnomes came about because of the currently forbidden practice of crafting female Dwarves.  The male Dwarves still could not breed with them, but various magical Fey creatures could, thus begetting a new race.  Gnomes maintain that any similarities between their two races are just a coincidence.  But, Gnomes are exactly what you’d expect a Dwarf with a touch of Fey to look like, so who can say? 

One benefit of their Dwarf-like nature, is that Gnomes are hearty and resilient enough to survive in the Mortal world, though they can only reproduce themselves (sexually) in enchanted places, which is why they settle in such places.  This keeps their populations way down in the real world, as enchanted places are generally not spacious.  As they age, Gnomes eventually retreat into the Otherworld to delay their passing. 

While Gnomes are proficient at magic, their unique genius is in alchemy and mechanics.  It is these two abilities that allows their small population to be unusually productive and rather secure from invasion, as they are simply not natural warriors.  Particularly, they have discovered a mostly safe formula for gunpowder.  Emplaced hidden cannons, guarded by magic, watch over their settlements.  Their mines are particularly efficient thanks to their use of steam-driven machinery (much to the irritation of the Dwarves).  Their agriculture and textiles industries are also very productive. 

It is only their very small numbers and remoteness of their dwellings that keeps them from being a major force in the world.  The Gnome people are generally friendly and welcome trade with other friendly races.  Gnome trading caravans are a regular scheduled event with their nearest neighbors and a happy rare occurrence to those in distant lands.  They like to travel, being fairly gregarious and to escape the tight confines of their warrens.  A Gnome must typically make their fortune outside of their own lands if they hope to accumulate enough funds to attract a potential mate and start a family.  

[The good news is that I finally found a use for the Gnome race.  The bad news is that they’re kind of pointless without the guns.  Even with guns, magic, and several enhanced stats, this would not be my first choice to wade into combat with.  I’d probably use their spellcasting for support purposes, like defensive spells, Magic Weapon, and True Strike.  PC Gnomes may find themselves constantly worried about powder and shot supplies for their guns.  Even with the considerable restraints on firearms, other Players will likely obsess over them.  Consider this an extremely optional playable race.  Sorry that the gun rules are a bit “hand-wavy.”  Just put most normal, average opponents at AC 10 and adjust special ones from there.]