Futuristic Weapons

Adapting Futuristic Weapons

While supplements have outlined rules for futuristic weaponry, they can greatly unbalance the core rules the game is designed for. For example, increased damage can make encounters unreasonably deadly and alternative energy-based damage types devalue certain physical classes like barbarians, whose rage resistance best repels physical damage.

As a result, Gms are recommended to keep weapons statistics in the Cosmos unchanged compared to their traditional counterparts in the core rulebook with some exceptions. They can retain the same damage dice and properties, only reflavored in an appropriate futuristic way. The design intent is to avoid drastically altering the game balance while maintaining the futuristic element of a cosmic setting. Rationally described, both a traditional and futuristic weapon can be equally deadly in the right hands, pinpointing even the smallest crack in any armor.

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Reflavored Weapons

With this option, weapons in the Cosmos are kept simple and use the same statistics as their traditional counterparts. Ranged weapons also use the same statistics as their traditional counterparts, but with minor changes to their properties. If a class or background feature grants you traditional weapons as starting equipment, you can choose to obtain these futuristic weapons instead.

The Futuristic Counterparts table lists some traditional weapons and their suggested futuristic counterparts, as well as any additional properties the counterparts have. Not every traditional weapon has a counterpart, like the lance or net, but some can use improved ammunition such as the blowgun or sling.

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Weapon Categories

The following categories provide broad descriptions for a reflavored futuristic weapon.

Auto Weapons. These weapons have a smart targeting system that adjusts their flight trajectory. They typically replace thrown weapons.

Chain Weapons. These weapons use a mechanical chain to increase their sawing power. They typically replace weapons that deal slashing damage.

Coilguns. These weapons use a lightning coil to launch projectiles. They typically replace shortbows.

Coil Rife. These weapons are similar to coilguns but use a longer barrel to extend projectile range. They typically replace longbows.

Power Weapons. These weapons have propelled heads that increase their strike force. They typically replace weapons that deal bludgeoning damage.

Railbows. These weapons utilize a magnetic guide rail to launch projectiles instead of a traditional crossbow stock. They typically replace crossbows.

Turbo Weapons. These weapons are similar to power weapons but utilize a greater burst of energy to destroy targets. They typically replace great weapons.

Vibro Weapons. These weapons use a vibrating edge, whose microscopic vibrations assist the wielder in slicing through materials. They typically replace weapons that deal piercing or slashing damage.

Power Consumption

Futuristic weapons consume power, but their energy costs are negligible over the course of an adventuring day through a combination of kinetic recharging, solar charging, and downtime charging. Ammunition clips are also fitted with small arcane batteries to provide additional firing power.

Properties

Certain weapons have new or altered properties as described in this section.

Ammunition. A futuristic weapon with this property uses energy to efficiently launch tiny physical projectiles. Such ammunition cannot be recovered once fired.

Loading. A futuristic weapon with this property requires a creature to reset its guide rail after each shot, similar to a traditional crossbow.

Reload. A weapon with this property can make a limited number of shots before it runs out of ammunition (listed in parentheses). You can reload the weapon using an action or a bonus action.

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Futuristic Weapon Counterparts

Simple Melee Weapons

Traditional Weapon	Futuristic Counterpart	Additional Properties
Club	Power-club
Dagger	Vibro-dagger
Great Club	Turbo-club
Handaxe	Vibro-axe
Javelin	Auto-javelin
Light Hammer	Auto-hammer
Mace	Power-mace
Quarterstaff	Power-staff
Spear	Vibro-spear

Simple Ranged Weapons

Traditional Weapon	Futuristic Counterpart	Additional Properties
Crossbow, Light	Railbow, Light	Reload 20
Dart	Auto-dart
Shortbow	Coilgun	Reload 12

Martial Melee Weapons

Traditional Weapon	Futuristic Counterpart	Additional Properties
Battleaxe	Chain-axe
Flail	Power-flail
Glaive	Vibro-glaive
Greataxe	Turbo-axe
Greatsword	Turbo-sword
Longsword	Chain-sword
Maul	Power-maul
Morningstar	Power-star
Pike	Vibro-pike
Rapier	Vibro-rapier
Scimitar	Chain-blade
Shortsword	Vibro-sword
War Pick	Vibro-pick
Warhammer	Power-hammer
Whip	Vibro-whip

Martial Ranged Weapons

Traditional Weapon	Futuristic Counterpart	Additional Properties
Crossbow, Hand	Railbow, Hand	Reload 10
Crossbow, Heavy	Railbow, Heavy	Reload 30
Longbow	Coil Rifle	Reload 24

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Collapsible Weapons

This version of a weapon can conveniently halve its average size when not being used. While holding such a weapon, you can trigger a mechanism to change it between its retracted and extended states (no action required). If the weapon does not have sufficient room to change its size, its state does not change.

Collapsible weapons are not magical by nature and appear in certain merchant stock that specialize in tinkering. They always cost 20 more Credits than their standard counterparts.

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Modifying Statistics

The optional rules in this section provide additional ways for GMs to modify futuristic weaponry to make them feel more powerful.

Primitive Weapons

This option allows players to use traditional weapons provided in the core rulebook as normal with minimal changes. These basic weapons are often found in civilizations that have not reached the Age of Technomancy, such as the typical fantasy setting. This change represents their difficulty in breaching advanced armor. You can apply this property to appropriate weapons.

Primitive. This weapon's damage die decreases by one size, down to a minimum of d2. For example, a weapon whose damage die is d8 becomes a d6.

Potent Weapons

This option increases the potency of futuristic weapons to increase their effectiveness compared to traditional weapons proved in the core rulebook. Because technology in parts of the Cosmos develops in different ways, some wielders may not benefit from deadlier weapons unless they are familiar with their operation. The GM determines if a character is proficient with such weapons.

Melee weapons gain the deadly property. Ranged weapons gain the fatal property and replace any loading properties with the reload property. You can choose to apply them to only some or all futuristic weapons. The properties are described as follows.

Deadly. A weapon with this property deals extra 1d8 damage on a hit. Blades with this property may bear an ultra-fine point or high-frequency vibration. Blunt weapons with this property may be crafted from high-density materials or fitted with a specially propelled weapon head.

Fatal. A weapon with this property rolls one additional weapon damage die when it scores a critical hit. These weapons are especially dangerous in the hands of a well-trained warrior.

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