Wizards and Gunnes

[cupboardgnome]

As wizards are limited in melee weapons (which I like), are they also limited in gunnes, i.e. they can only cope with small, simple gunnes?

[zanshin]

2 dice!

It's a simple principle. Perhaps black powder is too likely to ignite early in close proximity to magic.

The simple elegant fix (the author of which I forget) is that wizards can use any weapon they like (and have the stats for) but only get to roll 2 combat dice, due to their lack of facility with the martial arts.

[ProfGremlin]

Imagine a wizard using a blunderbuss for their Deluxe Staff.

"As I lock eyes with my opponent, blunderbuss braced against my hip, I shout 'Take that You Fiend!' A gout of celestial hued flames erupt from the muzzle of the gunne and streak through the air at he who dares to hold my gaze."

[stefanj]

Once, on the old Trollhalla discussion board, Ken wrote up a combat wizard who had a couple of pistols. He included a strategy example. I don't recall the details, but the gunnes would be used when the wizard was running low on Wizardry points.

[cupboardgnome]

Thank you for that lore. My new party last night were a 1st-Level warrior, 2nd-Level rogue and an elf-modified TARO wizard with INT41 and WIZ42!
The wizard, with their WIZ cost reduction for level and a quick Hocus Focus, is now a veritable Death Machine from day one with the number of 42 damage TTYF's that they can throw about without breaking a sweat. We have gunnes in the setting too, hence the original question. The other players felt a little bit like spare parts that will sit on the shelf for a while.

[zanshin]

Oct 24, 2021 2:00:41 GMT -5 cupboardgnome said:

Thank you for that lore. My new party last night were a 1st-Level warrior, 2nd-Level rogue and an elf-modified TARO wizard with INT41 and WIZ42!
The wizard, with their WIZ cost reduction for level and a quick Hocus Focus, is now a veritable Death Machine from day one with the number of 42 damage TTYF's that they can throw about without breaking a sweat. We have gunnes in the setting too, hence the original question. The other players felt a little bit like spare parts that will sit on the shelf for a while.

Yes, that can be an issue with the unbalance of TARO.

Lots of low MR monsters make TTYF less impressive - you can only melt one at a time, whereas melee skills and stunts can take out more.

20 x MR 2 spiders are a lot more of a threat than an MR 40 monster in such a scenario.

Also, throw other challenges at teh other players best stats.

[ProfGremlin]

Don't forget the strategic use of meteoric iron, either (dT&T, Sec 4.3, pg 50). A ring here, a dagger there, a neck torc in another encounter. It's quite possible to introduce challenges for the wizard that won't affect the rest of the party without totally nerfing the wizard or discounting an amazing dice roll in character creation. Of course, there's nothing stopping the other players from taking such items as loot.  Which is where complications arise. It could be that such items nullify all spells up to 5th level in a 5' radius. Hope you have some way to dampen that field so the wizard can cast Poor Baby. Need the wizard to cast Knock Knock? Better step away by at least 5'.

Another approach is to level the playing field and gift the other members of the party with some magical items but that can seem a little heavy handed, depending on how it's done.  I'd consult the players and find out what they really wanted their character able to do and then - as a surprise - drop an item that helps with their character concept.

One has to wonder if there's a reason the wizard is so powerful just starting out.  Is there a prophecy?  Was he cursed by an imp to live in interesting times?  There's no doubt that he's on the Wizard's Guild radar.  Who is vying to have him join them as a research assistant (read magical battery) to handle the lower castings while they reserve their strength for higher level spells?  There could even be a small group of rivals all trying to 'acquire' the services of this young mage - by any means possible - each adding their own complication to the mix.  Such an approach offers a number of role play opportunities for bargaining and negotiation as well as outright "They're here!  Out the back window!" situations. Suddenly that magical talent can be dangerous to just toss around without though of consequence.

[d4caltrops]

Oct 23, 2021 18:18:29 GMT -5 ProfGremlin said:

Imagine a wizard using a blunderbuss for their Deluxe Staff.

"As I lock eyes with my opponent, blunderbuss braced against my hip, I shout 'Take that You Fiend!' A gout of celestial hued flames erupt from the muzzle of the gunne and streak through the air at he who dares to hold my gaze."

Han TTYF first.