Variant Ammunition

The following are descriptions for the various types of ammunition variations. These are not so much special ammo types on their own fitted to particular ranged weapons than they are descriptions of traits munitions can take on when made.

Bean Bag Slug: Bean bag slugs are used as shotgun ammunition in situations where the attacker doesn't want to kill their target, but needs to cause enough damage to knock them out.

* Cost Modifier: 90 percent of base ammo cost
* Effect: -1d6 damage, half Health damage

Birdshot: Birdshot covers a longer spread than buckshot, but lacks the power of buckshot or slugs.

* Cost Modifier: 90 percent of base ammo cost
* Effect: -1d6 damage, attack becomes a 1 meter wide, 36 meter long line Area of Effect attack

Blunt Arrow: Bows are typically made for piercing attacks, but their ends can be blunted to deal less damage or inflict blunt-force trauma.

* Cost Modifier: None
* Effect: -2d6 damage, damage type changes to Bludgeoning.

Bodkin Arrow: Bodkin points are the most typical heads for arrows and crossbow bolts, being plain, pointed ends meant to deal piercing damage.

* Cost Modifier: None
* Effect: Normal bow damage

Broadhead Arrow: Broadhead arrows are meant more to cut an opponent and make them bleed; piercing the skin is more a consequence of cutting through flesh than concentrating on a single point like a bodkin arrow.

* Cost Modifier: None
* Effect: Damage type changes to Slashing

Buckshot: Buckshot is the standard form of shotgun ammo. It won't pierce defenses like a slug, but it will cover a wide area and making hitting the target as easy as pointing in the right direction.

* Cost Modifier: None
* Effect: Standard damage, attack becomes a 1 meter wide, 32 meter long Area of Effect attack.

Full Metal Jacket: A full metal jacket, which a lead bullet coated in copper and nickle, is the standard type of ammunition for modern firearms.

* Cost Modifier: None
* Effect: Normal weapon damage.

Halite Shell: Halite, or rock salt, is the least damaging type of shotgun round. These shells are unlikely to kill anyone, but they will still hurt like hell on impact.

* Cost Modifier: 75 percent of base ammo cost.
* Effect: -2d6 damage, attack becomes a 1 meter wide, 16 meter long Area of Effect attack, and the attack only deals 25 percent Health damage.

High Velocity Round: High velocity rounds are a type of modern ammo meant to cut through body armor. These bullets are expensive, but will cut through anything except modern armor and Impervious Armor Powers.

* Cost Modifier: Double base ammo cost
* Effect: Attack gains the Armor Piercing special effect. When used with a weapon that already has the Armor Piercing special effect, the attack bypasses body armor with the Hardened special effect, as well as Impervious Armor Powers.

Hollow Point Ammo: Hollow point bullets don't just pass through the body like full metal jackets are supposed to. They compress on impact and get lodged in the body, making their wounds more difficult to heal.

* Cost Modifier: 50 percent higher than the base ammo cost
* Effect: The attack loses its Armor Piercing special effect if it has one, but the bullet shatters on impact and makes the wound more difficult to heal. Unless the character receives a successful First Aid check, Difficulty 15 plus the weapon's Health damage dealt, the character cannot recover Health damage caused by the attack.

Rocks: There's nothing simpler than putting a rock in a sling and tossing it. Stones aren't optimized for combat, but they can be found pretty much anywhere in the wild.

* Cost Modifier: If the character is in the wilderness with plenty of access to small stones, the ammo is free.
* Effect: -2 on Accuracy checks made to attack with the rock.

Rubber Bullets: Rubber bullets are made as a non-lethal alternative to live ammo, meant to stun targets rather than kill them.

* Cost Modifier: 75 percent of base ammo cost
* Effect: Attack loses its Armor Piercing special effect if it has one, and the attack deals half Health damage.

Safety Arrows: Safety arrows are meant less as actual weapons and more as props for role-playing.

* Cost Modifier: Half of base ammo cost
* Effect: -4d6 damage, no Health damage.

Shotgun Slugs: Slugs require more precision to attack targets than birdshot or buckshot, but they will punch through most defenses.

* Cost Modifier: None
* Effect: The shotgun requires an Accuracy check to hit targets, like any other ranged weapon, and the attack gains the Armor Piercing special effect.

Steel Ball: Steel balls for slings are little more than marbles sized appropriately for throwing.

* Cost Modifier: None
* Effect: Normal Weapon damage

Tracer Round: Tracer rounds are commonly included in clips for automatic weapons to help the user adjust their aim while engaging in automatic fire.

* Cost Modifier: 25 more than the base ammo cost
* Effect: When making an Automatic Fire attack and the first or second round is a tracer, the penalties for making an Automatic Fire attack are reduced by 2 on each subsequent shot.