A guide to magical firearms

A dwarf nestled between two rocks squints and exhales, squeezing the trigger on a rifle with a
rough-hewn emerald embedded in its stock; a burst of acid shoots forth, engulfing the two
orcs racing uphill toward him. A halfling laughs maniacally as she sprints down an alley with
a pistol in each hand, gobbets of fire spewing behind her as she shoots recklessly at pursuing
guards. Deep in a dungeon, a heavily armoured knight levels a burst-gun before him, a lapis
lazuli set behind its stout triple barrel, and fires a cone of ice and frost into the pair of
skeletons seeking his blood. They shatter, bones coated in a layer of ice…

DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, Wizards of the Coast, Forgotten Realms, the dragon ampersand, Player’s Handbook, Monster Manual, Dungeon Master’s Guide, D&D Adventurers League, all other
Wizards of the Coast product names, and their respective logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast in the USA and other countries. All characters and their distinctive likenesses are property of Wizards
of the Coast. This material is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Any reproduction or unauthorized use of the material or artwork contained herein is prohibited without the
express written permission of Wizards of the Coast. ©2016 Wizards of the Coast LLC, PO Box 707, Renton, WA 98057-0707, USA. Manufactured by Hasbro SA, Rue Emile-Boéchat 31, 2800 Delémont,
CH. Represented by Hasbro Europe, 4 The Square, Stockley Park, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UB11 1ET, UK.

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only . Cantrip Guns 1
CANTRIP GUNS
Version 3.0 May 2020

Credits
Writer Ian Green

Website www.ianthegreen.com ; www.thelostlighthouse.com

Email ian-green@hotmail.co.uk

Twitter @ianthegreen

Template Simple Microsoft Word Template by Laura Hirsbrunner

Interior art and maps All art from DMs Guild Creator Resources

Disclaimer: No magic-users were made obsolete by the creation of these weapons

DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, Wizards of the Coast, Forgotten Realms, Ravenloft, Eberron, the dragon
ampersand, Ravnica and all other Wizards of the Coast product names, and their respective logos are
trademarks of Wizards of the Coast in the USA and other countries. This work contains material that is
copyright Wizards of the Coast and/or other authors. Such material is used with permission under the
Community Content Agreement for Dungeon Masters Guild.

All other original material in this work is copyright 2016 by Ian Green and published under the Community
Content Agreement for Dungeon Masters Guild.

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CANTRIP GUNS
components. These gems have a certain number
of uses before they require recharging (detailed
“The development of the cantrip gun is the next
in the RECHARGING section).
step in warfare and personal protection. A
discrete pistol for self-defence; a burst-gun for
Cantrip guns are DEXTERITY based weapons.
cutting down groups of critters after your
Modifications to cantrips detailed below in the
livestock; a rifle to stop your enemy ever getting
Cantrips section.
close. Here at Vantaris, we make the very best
cantrip guns- what are you waiting for?”
Each cantrip gun has different weapon
properties as per the Player’s Handbook. In this
—Ebbo Riptune, President VCG (Vantaris
respect ‘Loading’ actually refers to the cool
Cantrip Guns) Industries
down period of the spell gem between shots.
Some special gems can be purchased that have
been refined to a point where they can forgo this
HISTORY property, but they are rarer and more expensive.
Cantrip guns come in three forms:
PISTOL: simple, light, loading. Range: 30/60ft
cantrip guns were developed by halfling wizard
Thrice Gullyweed and a gnomish engineer Bundo
Tipper. Thrice developed a reliable method of
storing basic cantrips within a variety of small
gems. Bundo created the mechanism: a stock, a
barrel, and a basic trigger linked to the spell gem.
BURST-GUN: simple, loading. Range: 10ft cone
After some experimentation they ended up with
three cantrip gun types: PISTOLS, BURST-GUNS,
and RIFLES. With the business investment and
savvy of the charismatic Ebbo Riptune, they have
set themselves up as a commercial force to be
reckoned with. The secrets of Thrice Gullyweed’s
rechargeable spell gems are fervently defended.
RIFLE: martial, loading, range: 80/200ft

GUN TYPES
PISTOLS are basic, with a short handle and
simple barrel. They work at short range, but are
light and easy to master and conceal.

BURST-GUNS have a flared triple barrel and can

hit multiple targets, shooting their effect in a 10ft
cone. Burst-guns impact a 10ft cone (cone as
per Player’s Handbook Magic rules).
RIFLES have exceptional range, but are trickier Pistols and rifles make dexterity based
to master- they usually include a fixed sight and ranged attacks whilst burst-guns impose
a scrupulously straight long barrel. a dexterity save (against
10+DEX+proficiency).
Each cantrip gun has an embedded spell gem
capable of repeatedly firing a basic cantrip,
modified from the spell list, without any

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 Integrating Cantrip guns into
combat
When integrating Cantrip guns to combat
situations, several factors are worth
considering.

Scarcity: Are cantrip guns widespread, an

accessory on every belt, or are they newly
unveiled and only held by elite military units
and the excessively rich?

Tactics: A group of bandits with pistols (whose

boss totes a burst-gun) might be more lightly
armoured than their sword wielding
equivalents. They are also more likely to take
cover rather than engaging in melee.

GEM TYPES Society: As with any new weapon, recourse

from the establishment is inevitable. Militarily,
There are nine basic gems provided by VCG some will see it as a boon, others an affront to
industries, each of which can be used in pistols, the classical methods of warfare. Some of the
burst-guns, or rifles. old guard may emphatically oppose the use of
these newfangled wizard’s toys, but others
Some more expensive models of Cantrip gun might gleefully bedeck their troops and city
have modular receivers, and gems can be guards. For adventurers, who could resist?
switched out or rotated. This takes one Action.
These VCG gems don’t work as spell gems
outside the confines of the cantrip guns:
Emerald, Bloodstone, Amethyst, Ruby, Quartz,
Obsidian, Lapis lazuli, Amber, Diamond.

RECHARGING
The spell gems of Thrice Gullyweed are notable
in their capacity to hold up to 20 cantrips. After
20 charges have been expended, an Action is
required to recharge the gem using VCG
Industries patented recharge dust.

This dust is applied to the crystal, and 20 charges

are added (up to a max of 20, unless the weapon
has been specially modified). VCG Recharge Dust
costs 2gp per single-use packet, and is available
dependent on the prevalence of Cantrip guns in
your setting- see sidebar Integrating Cantrip
Guns into your world.

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MODIFICATIONS AND
IMPROVEMENTS
Refined Gems- tooled and cut to provide extra
clarity, these gems are very expensive but
remove the ‘Loading’ property from the weapon
Iron sight- adds 5ft to the range of pistols or
burst-guns
Marksman’s stock- effective distance before
disadvantage is doubled (60ft, 20ft, 160ft for
pistols, burst-guns, and rifles respectively)

Runed Gems- inscribed with inscrutable runes, Modular receiver- allows spell gems to be
these gems have double charge capacity (40 swapped with one Action
instead of 20)

PRICING AND GEM DETAILS

This may vary dependent on setting and your decision on scarcity: these guide prices are based on cantrip
guns being prevalent and well established.

Cantrip gems and guns:

Gem Spell Gem Pistol + gem Burst-gun + gem Rifle + gem
(gp)
Emerald Acid Splash 70 110 120 130
Bloodstone Chill touch 40 80 90 100
Amethyst Eldritch Blast 50 90 100 110
Ruby Fire Bolt 70 110 120 130
Quartz Frostbite 30 70 80 90
Obsidian Poison spray 90 130 140 150
Lapis lazuli Ray of Frost 40 80 90 100
Amber Sacred flame 40 80 90 100
Diamond Shocking grasp 80 120 130 140

Modifications:
Item Description Cost
(gp)
Refined Tooled and cut to provide extra clarity, these gems are very expensive but 100%
gems remove the ‘Loading’ property from the weapon gem cost
Runed Inscribed with inscrutable runes, these gems have double charge capacity (40 75% gem
Gems instead of 20) cost
Iron Sight Adds 5ft to the range of pistols or burst-guns 20
Modular Allows spell gems to be changed in and out easily 60
receiver
Marksman’ Effective distance before disadvantage is doubled (60ft, 20ft, 160ft for pistols, 25
s stock burst-guns, and rifles respectively).

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CANTRIP MODIFICATIONS
These cantrips work as per their description in
the Players Handbook with the important
exceptions below:
No components are required
Range is based on the weapon, not the spell
All pistol and rifle attacks are DEXTERITY
based ranged weapon attacks against AC
All burst-gun attacks are DEX saves within a
10ft cone form the shooter: target must
succeed against 10 + DEX + PROFICIENCY
ACID SPLASH- Emerald: a bolt of acid shoots
out and two targets within 5ft (or all within
burst-gun’s 10ft cone) take 1d6 damage
CHILL TOUCH- Bloodstone: a burst of necrotic
energy shoots out and the target takes 1d8
necrotic damage, and can’t regain hit points
until the start of your next turn- if target is
undead it has disadvantage on attack rolls
against you until you’re the end of your next
turn
ELDRITCH BLAST- amethyst: a beam of
crackling energy shoots out, doing 1d10 force
damage to your enemy
FIRE BOLT- ruby: a mote of fire shoots out-
target takes 1d10 fire damage. Flammable
Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only .
object hit by this spell that isn’t being carried or
worn ignites
FROSTBITE- quartz: a bolt of numbing frost
shoots forth- they take 1d6 cold damage, and
has disadvantage on their next weapon attack
roll it makes before the end of its next turn
POISON SPRAY- obsidian: a pellet of magical
poison gas shoots forth- on a successful hit the
target take 1d12 poison damage
RAY OF FROST- lapis lazuli: a beam of blue-
white light streaks out- it does 1d8 cold damage,
and the targets speed is reduced by 10ft until
the start of your next turn
SACRED FLAME- amber: a burst of flame-like
radiance shoots forth causing 1d8 radiant
damage; the target gains no benefit from cover
against this attack
SHOCKING GRASP- diamond: lightning shoots
forth from your gun- you have an advantage on
the attack if the target is wearing metal armour.
ON a hit the target takes 1d8 lightning damage
and can’t take reactions until the start of its
next turn
Cantrip Guns 6
CANTRIP GUN LEVELLING
At levels 5, 7, and 11 casters can level up their
cantrips; normally this increases spell damage
or the number of creatures targeted. For
balance, it is suggested that higher level cantrip
guns are kept as rarities. The bandit chief your
players fight at level 5 may drop a rifle with
runes carved into the barrel, levelling up the
cantrip it fire. Similarly at higher levels you can
integrate this cantrip levelling as a reward for a
quest to find a wizard/engineer who is wise
enough to help develop their weapons into VCG spell gems: misuse and
something more powerful. voided warranty
AUGMENTING YOUR There have been scattered reports of
unsanctioned experimentation with VCG spell
MECHANICALS gems. Please note all such violators will be
Is your warforged lacking tactical power and pursued to the fullest extent of the courts of
pizzaz? Does your mechanical guardian lack the Waterdeep.
range to protect you the way you deserve?
Please speak to a VCG representative about our For adventurers and travelers, please report
military augmentations. # any violations of our terms of service (e.g. the
use of ruby cantrip gun gems as eye
replacements in the magically empowered
mech-dogs of Tobias Nullgrat) and you will be
rewarded with a 10% discount on your next
VCG purchase.

The world with Cantrip guns

How has the world reacted to cheap, readily
available cantrips? Imagine blacksmith’s forges
with a hundred fire bolt rubies pulsing beneath
the braziers, street lights in upper-class
neighbourhoods powered by circuits of light-
emitting minor gems.

In the Forgotten Realms they are a rarity, but in

Eberron how quickly might they become
commonplace? The kinds of settings where
AUGMENTING YOUR Cantrip guns are prevalent are likely to feature
BIOLOGICALS many constructs as everyday features of life. Of
course, in your setting you may be the only
If you have recently lost an arm or leg, please
person in the world with a gun like this…it’s up
contact VCG industries for an exciting
to you!
opportunity as a test subject for our new
prosthetic line.

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