Aether Pistols

```
"Is...Is that smoke coming off her paper?" -Barbarian Gildart Redcross watching Varinna quickly writing down a sudden inspiration.

```

While gunpowder has existed in the Untamed Wilds in some form for the past thousand or so years, there's always room for improvement. The famed dwarven Artificer Varinna Ishani, Master Engineer of the Aerosteamer Guild, has developed a prototype that requires no powder or ammunition, but instead draws ammo from its surroundings, without using magic.

## Physical Traits

The Aether Pistols are a pair of standard pistols designed for use by someone with strong or dextrous hands. They weigh 2.5lbs/1.13kg and appear to be normal pistols at the grip and trigger assembly. The powder chamber extends an extra inch on either side, and where the barrel should be is a hole with clasps, where a barrel can be quickly added or removed. If the user is Proficient with Pistols, the weapon gains the Finesse Trait. They have a maximum range of 30 feet and deal no damage if further out, as they were designed for Gunslingers or those that like to be up close and personal. There is no penalty for using them within 5 feet of an enemy. The Aether Pistols are not affected by an Anti-Magic effect. Can be dual wielded or you may use one pistol at a time.

### Ammoless Reload

The Aether Pistols require no physical ammo, instead drawing power from the world around them. As an action, one or both pistols may be reloaded and hold only five rounds each. When reloading, you move at half speed, as the reload takes a full turn. When reloading within 10 feet of an enemy, the pistols become **Empowered** and deal an additional 1d8 damage. After 5 shots or five rounds, whichever comes first, the pistols lose their **Empowered** trait. This trait overrides reload feats, as this weapon cannot be reloaded any faster.

### Barrel Swap

Requiring a full turn, you can swap the barrel of your pistols out for different ones to change the damage type. Shots from the barrel do 1d8 of the damage type, plus your Strength modifier, unless the pistols have the Finesse trait:

* Acid
* Fire
* Force
* Ice
* Lightning
* Radiant

### Ballistic Chamber

As an action, you can make a ranged attack with both pistols at the same time that deals 1d10 damage, based on the barrel. The target must make a saving throw or be afflicted by a status effect, determined by the barrels. When the chamber is **Empowered**, the attack causes an area of effect, dealing an additional 1d10 damage to both the target and to every enemy within 10 feet of the target and requiring all affected to make a saving throw or be afflicted by the status effect. If the save is successful, the target/s only take damage, not the effects. The range of Ballistic Chamber is 60 feet. Using Ballistic Chamber consumes a round in each pistol. This feature may only be used if the pistols are equipped with the same barrel type.

The chambers have to cool down after each use (one long rest).

If a Nat1 is rolled on a normal Ballistic Chamber, the weapons must cool down for 1d4 rounds. Ballistic Chamber cannot be used again until the chamber repaired. If **Empowered**, the same applies, except the equipped barrels must be swapped out until repaired.

## Trivia

* The Aether Pistols may also have a Rifle Variant with increased range and damage.
* Lunar Cycle can be used with the Aether Pistols
* The Aether Pistols are inspired by the Aether Repeaters of the game Dauntless.

## See More

* Lunar Cycle
* Firearms
* Dusk Noir