Re: [HOE] Multifunction junker energy weapons

["Kai Tave" <kaitave@harborside.com>]

>Has anyone thought about rules for making junker energy weapons with
multiple
>fire modes, other than just building two (or more) different weapons and
putting
>them in the same frame? I'm thinking primarily of weapons that can be fired
>rapidly or charged for a single powerful shot, like the Tau cannon from
>Half-Life or the plasma pistol from Halo.


Construct an energy weapon using the highest possible damage AND the highest
possible ROF you wish it to have as the foundation for slot costs,
components, and drain.  So, if you want a weapon to have damage ratings of,
say, 3d8 uncharged and 4d10 charged, then build the weapon using 4d10 for
all associated costs.

Next, add in a selector switch.  Say that the switch allows the user to
choose between the two damage levels.  Calculate the drain for the "lower"
level according to its damage level, just like normal.  So now you have an
energy weapon capable of firing at two different damage/drain levels.

Finally, tack on a side-effect that states that the higher-powered damage
mode uses a lower ROF than the gun's natural ROF.  Which severity of
side-effect depends on how long you want the user to have to wait.

So you should have an energy weapon with a rapid-fire, low-power, low-drain
mode and a slow, high-power, high-drain mode.

--Kai Tave