Firearms (skill)

*This article is about a skill. For a class of weapons, see Firearms (weapons).*

Skill

## Firearms

### ID

`smallguns`

Skill "Firearms" determines your ability to handle pistols, rifles, shotguns and a minigun.

* Each invested skill point increases damage and accuracy of these weapons by 5%.
* Each skill level allows using more advanced weapons. Insufficient skill level will make you miss more often.

## Usage

In order to effectively use firearms, you must have a certain level of skill, displayed in the weapon's stats. Being 1 level below a weapon's skill level will give you a 20% chance to miss a shot and increases AP cost by 33%. Being 2 levels below will give you a 40% miss chance and increases AP cost by 100%. If you are even lower, you cannot use the weapon at all.

Example, the anti-machine rifle is level 5, meaning you must be at least level 3 in firearms to use it, but you'll suffer a 40% miss chance. Being level 4 gives you a 20% miss chance. Being level 5 gives you no penalty.

If your skill level is higher then the requirement for a weapon, it gets an additional 10% damage bonus for every level you are above the requirement, capping at 50% damage bonus for level 0 weapons at skill level 5.

All firearms only do one kind of damage, bullet. However some special ammo lets you deal plasma or fire damage.

For a list of firearms, see Firearms.

## Ammunition

Firearms use a wide range of different ammunition. Every gun will only fire one specific type of round (e.g. 10 mm round), requiring you to switch between several weapons when others run out of ammo. Most ammunition has several different "special" types, giving your gun varying abilities based on what ammunition you're using:

* Armor piercing: Slightly lower damage, but gains strong armor piercing.
* Expansive: Much higher damage, but target armor is much more effective at reducing damage.
* Magical: Changes damage type to plasma, and gains slight armor piercing.
* Incendiary: Inflicts Burning on the target.

For a list of what firearms use what rounds, see Firearms.

## Perks

There are several perks associated with firearms:

* Duelist (Firearms 1): Pistols have +25% range and consume 25% less action points in S.A.T.S.
* Armored hide (Level 10, Firearms 2): Increases your resistance to bullets by 15%.
* Crazy Farmer (Firearms 2): All shotguns gain 15 armor piercing and do +25% more knockback.
* Quick reload (Firearms 2 or Energy weapons 2): Halves the time it takes to reload weapons.
* Run 'n gun (Firearms 2 or Energy weapons 2): Halves the accuracy loss for running (-50% by default) and in a jump or from a ladder (-30% by default). Only affects shooting without using S.A.T.S.
* Commando (Firearms 3): All assault rifles do +3 damage.
* Cold-blooded (Level 6, Firearms 3 or Energy weapons 3): Accuracy bonus for standing still (+30% by default) is multiplied by 1.5, and accuracy loss for shooting behind your back (-40% by default) is halved. Only affects shooting without using S.A.T.S.
* Hard grip (Firearms 4, Telekinesis 3): Weapon recoil is reduced by 80%. Assault rifle range is increased by 15%.
* One shot (Firearms 4 or Energy weapons 4): Sniper weapons have an additional 20% chance to critically hit.
* Perforator (Firearms 5): All heavy machine guns gain 20 armor piercing, and their bullet spread is halved.

## Firearms alternatives

Bullet damage is almost entirely exclusive to firearms. In terms of doing damage at range however, there are options:

* Telekinesis: The Zero point magical field manipulator perk allows you to throw objects at enemies using telekinesis, or throw enemies directly. Dropping objects on their heads works too.
* Energy weapons: Has one bullet type weapon, the railgun. Also has many other weapons that can shoot at a distance.
* Explosives: Grenades can be thrown, and will even detonate on contact with an enemy if you have the Grenader perk. Launchers will shoot projectiles as well.
* Magic: Has a variety of offensive spells, similar to energy weapons.
* Repair: Several makeshift weapons inflict bullet damage. Most makeshift weapons shoot at a distance too.