Cannon + Magic = Win!

Let’s not let this opportunity slip by! Yesterday I showed how I plan to make a player’s wish come true and give his character a truly distinctive load-out, with a cannon and a war-donkey. But if he’s willing to shell out the coin for a cool weapon like that, and he’s got more coin to be stripped from him… let’s look into how we can make this idea even cooler.

Magic!

So, what can we do to make the cannon cooler? Here is some brainstorming. I figure any of these additional effects would cost 600 gold pieces each. I’ll whip up 5 here so you could randomize which one is available, perhaps.

• Ammo Pocket. Give the cannon an interdimensional pocket with up to 5 cannonballs loaded into it, and the cannon drops the cannonball in all by itself at the appropriate stage of the process. Saves carrying ammo (the advantage is mainly encumbrance), but does not shorten load time.
• Carve the cannon surface with weird constellations and astrogation charts, as it is connected to the outer void; the cannon is always chilling to the touch.
• Vampiric Explosives. Allow the cannon to hold up to 5 wounds bled on it, and it can use each wound as a charge, instead of gunpowder. Pouring blood down the barrel counts as a focus action, and the blood must be from a living creature just wounded.
• Make it a fanged cannon of shiny black chitinous metal, with a carved pattern like wing leather. When the wind blows across the mouth, it growls.
• Transformer. The cannon can change shape twice per day, between a cannon and very heavy armor! The transformation takes a focus action. Must shout the command word to transform: “Ahtobaht-rolhout!”
• When it serves as armor, whether it covers the face or not, it makes the wearer sound like a mechanical voice filter is in place. It is shiny red and blue.
• Airgun. The cannon only counts as a heavy weapon and 1 heavy load, and if it is empty it can be turned so the mouth points down, and it can levitate for up to 1 minute per Awesome Point, able to carry up to 4 loads and move vertically and horizontally 1 arena each per round. Activating takes a focus action, deactivating is free.
• Sky blue steel, always reflects moonlight even if underground in the dark; glows faintly, just enough to supply low-light vision.
• Roaring Fire. Every time it shoots, it sounds like a mighty shout of some monster; all minions in a 90 degree arc in front of the gun for 2 arenas must flee or surrender, and tougher foes must test Commitment difficulty 9 or they will flee or surrender.
• The gun is intricately carved as the open mouth of a terrifying dragon, with a coppery hue.

Concerned about giving something so delicious to a player character, even for a metric ton of cash? Well, it could be complicated up a bit, at maybe a 200 gold piece discount (so 400 gold for the enchantment.) These can be randomized too!

• Shoot At Joe’s! The echo after each fire is a distinct name of the manufacturer, and perhaps a tag-line if the echo rolls on far enough. Each shot is an advertisement.
• Stars Without Number. Each time the weapon fires, a star winks out in the sky. Who will notice? I mean, there’s LOTS of stars. The manufacturers have no idea why this happens, or what it means; it was a surprise to them too. Probably no big deal.
• Itch Powder. The gun wants to be loaded all the time, and it wants to fire as often as possible. Any time the DM wants to toss 2 Awesome Points in the bowl, the gun opposes its Commitment (+1) against the bearer’s Commitment; if it ties or wins, it gets to shoot in the next round possible!
• Clingy. Any time the DM wants to put 2 Awesome Points in the bowl, the gun’s chain melds itself to the one nearest it (in reach). The gun wants to be with its bearer all the time, and it gets… anxious when it is left alone. It starts by rocking, then keening, then the bowl is fed 3 Awesome Points and the gun is somehow loaded, then 3 more and it shoots…
• Frail Ego. The gun requires petting and soothing, encouraging talking to it from its master, at least once a day for at least ten minutes. It gets jealous of other weapons, especially firearms. If it does not get enough emotional maintenance, it will only fire if the user beats its Commitment with a Charm roll (as a focus action.)

This could go on and on, but I figured five cool enchantments and five hilarious drawbacks would be a good start.

The long and the short of it is, if your players are going after something cool, give them room to work! Sweeten the deal! Make this character the very best gaming story they have in their repertoire to impress their buddies with how cool your game table is.