Flintlock Firearms Fumble table

While writing a steampunk/fantasy one shot I suddenly got the urge to make a table of possible mishaps involving flintlock weapons... because what more diabolic pleasure does the GM have than tables upon tables for anything that can go wrong for his/her hapless players. :D I love them, really.

Flintlock Firearms Fumble table

The character first makes a to-hit roll. If the shot misses, the GM rolls 1D2 to see if the shot simply goes wide, or if a fumble occurs. In case of the latter, a roll against the character’s Firearms skill is made (D%). A to-hit roll of 1 always either results in a fumble or the shot hits an adjacent ally, whichever is more appropriate to the situation.

 

* The Firearms skill check succeeds: This results in a misfire. The shot missed, and reloading will take one extra round. Possible causes:

 

            - an excess of powder leaves burning embers in the barrel, which first must be extinguished

            - the barrel has become fouled, making it more time consuming to seat the round

            - during reloading the firearm goes off at half-cock, necessitating loading to start anew

 

* The Firearms skill check fails by less than 25%: This results in a simple failure to fire: the character has to spend three rounds examining the firearm to rectify the cause of the failure, before an attempt at rearming can be made. Possible causes:

 

- a dulled or improperly cut flint fails to strike a spark in the pan

- the hammer fails to strike the frizzen, becomes stuck in half-cock

- the primer in the flash pan fails to ignite, due to a damp, insufficient or inferior charge

- neglect or poor craftsmanship has caused the frizzen to become jammed

 

* The Firearms skill check fails by more than 25% but less than 50%: This results in a mechanical failure: the character has to spend an hour clearing or repairing the firearm and make a successful Firearms check. Possible causes:

 

            - the sulfur in the black powder has eroded the lock mechanism

            - the lead shot and wadding have become caught in the barrel

            - the half-cock notch breaks, removing the safety mechanism

- fouled by accumulated black powder discharge, the touchhole clogs

 

* The Firearms skill check fails by more than 50%: This results in a structural failure: the character has to spend 4 hours repairing the firearm and make a successful Firearms check. Possible causes:

           

            - sulfuric acid or weak integrity has corroded the inside of the barrel

            - the trigger mechanism jams

            - a faulty powder charge ignition destroys the combustion chamber

            - the breech of the firearm becomes obstructed

 

* The Firearms skill check fails with a roll of 100: This results in a critical failure:

 

- improper loading has left air between the powder and lead shot, causing the firearm to start short and the barrel to explode. The firearm is destroyed and the character takes 1D8 damage

- during reloading the powder charge ignites as the powder is being poured down the muzzle. The character is caught in the blast, takes 1D6 damage and is stunned for 1D4 rounds

- during reloading the frizzen is struck by accident before the pan is primed. The main charge ignites and the firearm discharges. The firearm is dropped and damaged: 8 hours of repair need to be spent. The character is caught unaware by the blast and stunned for 2D4 rounds