Blunderbuss (Action)

This is a weapon data page for Action.

Heroic Action Role-Play

Shotgun

Two-handed clockwork ranged weapon

Hands: 2H
Size: Large
Tech: Clockwork
Type: Ranged
Range: Medium
Damage: +6 Piercing
Properties: Loud, reload, scatter, stun

A primitive precursor of the shotgun, a blunderbuss is a short, high-caliber musket firing shot; in an emergency it can be loaded with gravel, or whatever junk is available when loading it. The trademark flared muzzle assists in loading, but was not generally very pronounced. It is mainly a weapon for city fighting and shipboard defense. Shotguns are weapons firing bursts of shot, smaller projectiles that come out together and slowly spread out in a cone. Depending on the choke of the weapon and the length of the barrel, this cone can be wide and short or long and narrow. Shotguns are smoothbore, which makes them easy to make, but limits their range. An advantage of this is that there is no barrel signature for forensics to analyze; shot and even slugs cannot be linked to any one particular weapon. Another advantage is that it is easy to make custom ammunition. Shotguns can fire slugs (a single large mass) instead of pellets, this replaces Scatter and Armor Exploiting with Armor Defeating. They are also suitable for firing nonlethal loads, such as salt or rubber loads, replacing Scatter with Stun. High-tech shotguns might fire flechettes or explosive rounds instead of shot with no change in rules.