Neo-Tokyo Neo-Weaponry

God Eaters & Gunblades: New Weapon Types and Mods

A personal obsession with conversion or combination weapons has grown since Squall first pulled the trigger on his gunblade back in FF8 and recently my gaming has turned back to God Eater, which is a bad ass game featuring anime-style characters wielding ridiculously over-sized weaponry that can change attack mode from range to melee to defense. 

The Neo-Tokyo weapon vaults have been sitting on a stockpile of balance-devastating gear for some time now. Most of the presented weapon types here are meant to be rare and unusual, not the equipment of the rank and file soldier or street thug. 

Cost factor presents a multiplier for the cost of the weapon. The costs involved are meant to be a balancing element, but obviously completely optional for anyone using these mods. Upkeep is a system that indicates that a weapon requires special attention and maintenance between sessions.

Edit: All costs assume the gold standard for the setting, which is yen in Neo-Tokyo.

Note: the weapon types presented are non-magical, as presented. A DM can change that according to their own discretion.

Dangerous Weapons 

(Originally presented in the +Barovania character generation document by +Reynaldo Madriñan, I've swiped the original concept for Neo-Tokyo weaponry. This was actually one of the inspirations for this post.)

• Deals powerful or wild attacks.
• Requires a power source of some type - magic spells, petrol, electricity, semi-sentient, etc.

Cost factor: x2

Benefit: the weapon will deal the next higher die of damage; a dangerous short sword will deal d8 instead of d6.

Drawback: the weapon will harm the wielder on a fumble of 1, a result of a misfire or misuse of the weapon; ongoing upkeep and maintenance (between sessions, if the weapon is used) is equal to half the base cost - ammunition cost for ranged weapons is multiplied as normal. Try to establish a good reason for this upkeep cost: fuels, special cleaning, recharging.

Brutal Weapons

• Spiked, double-bladed, or sinister in design.
• Savagely designed to deal additional damage.

Cost factor: x2

Benefit: Roll an additional die for damage and drop the lowest result.

Drawback: can not deal subdual damage; can not be concealed.

Over-sized Weapons

• Initially designed for mechs to wield, have been repurposed by crazed adventurers.
• Huge! Deal more damage!
• These weapons are considered their normal weapon type for proficiency purposes, but one size level larger.

Cost factor: x2.5

Benefit: +2 damage.

Drawback: heavy, unwieldy and difficult to use, -1 to hit with the weapon (no penalty for large sized users).

Note: additionally large weapons increase in die type (and cost) as dangerous weapons. However, they likely become completely un-wieldable by small or medium creatures.

Since weapons may change damage dice as they grow, the following scale can be used for reference with additionally over-sized weapons. 

Damage Dice scale: d4>d6>d8>d10>d12>2d6>2d8>3d6>2d10>3d8

Convertible Weapons

• Changes a melee weapon to a ranged weapon to a shield. Wielder requires proficiency with both weapon forms.
• Requires 1d4 rounds to convert forms safely. Weapon can be converted quickly by making a Dexterity or Intelligence check. Each point of success reduces the time required by 1 round; if reduced to 0 rounds, the weapon can be converted and used in the same round. Each point of failure indicates a misfire or glitch in the conversion that causes 1 point of damage.

Cost factor: Add weapon costs together and multiply by x1.5

Benefit: Conversion weapons are highly versatile. When using the shield form, AC and all saves improve by 1.

Drawback: Conversion process is slow and usually dangerous.

Note: these weapons are usually also combined with the oversized weapon type and dangerous weapon type.

God Eater is a badass game with loopy fucking weaponry.

Here are some example weapons, including the Chainsaws promised ever-so long ago.

The Chattersword is a chainsaw short sword with the brutal and dangerous types. It can be wielded one handed, uses petrol as a power source and deals ridiculous amounts of damage.

• Cost: 40 (Long sword 10 x4), upkeep 5: fuel and cleaning.
• 2d8 (drop lowest)
• harm self on 1 (fumble); kickback slashes wielder.

The Buzzblade is an oversized two handed sword chainsaw, as a Chattersword.

• Cost: 150 (Twohanded sword 15 x10), upkeep 8: fuel and cleaning.
• 2d12+2 (drop lowest),
• harm self on 1 (fumble); kickback slashes wielder.  
• -1 to hit; very big!

The N.O.S. Plasma Cannon is a two handed ranged weapon with the over-sized and dangerous types. It deals an intense blast of heat damage and uses an energy cell as a power source.

• Cost: 500 (Rifle 100x5), upkeep 60: requires cleaning and recharging.
• 1d10+4
• harm self on 1 (fumble); weapon misfire.
• -1 to hit; strains strength to lift and aim.

The Oni shock troops favour a brutal thrown weapon colloquially called the "Thunderang". It has the over-sized and brutal types. Some deal thunder damage and have the dangerous type, also.

• Cost: 20 (2 x10), upkeep 1: needs to be rubbed with special oils, common among the Oni.
• 1d8+2
• harm self on 1 (fumble); strangely aerodynamic return, missed the catch.
• -1 to hit; awkward aiming the device.

The Pachidama is a two handed ranged weapon with the over-sized and dangerous types. It launches a barrage of small ball bearings and uses a clockwork drive with magnetic cells to amplify velocity. Due to the extremely high rate of fire, this weapon can only fire in bursts. This weapon has a large ammunition canister worn on the back. It is extremely heavy.

• Cost: 650 (Heavy Rifle 150x5), upkeep 50 per refill or 150 per canister.
• 1d10+4*
• Attack rolls made to determine crit or fumble, harm self on 1 (fumble); weapon misfire.
• -1 to hit; strains strength to lift and aim.
• One Canister holds 10 bursts.
• Requires 13 Strength, 13 Constitution to be carried for any length of time.

The Charge Spear God Arc

The God Arc is a rare weapon composite of 2 or more weapons. This God Arc is a Heavy Rifle, Spear and Shield composite: the Charge Spear. It is over-sized, brutal and dangerous. It is powered by biological components of an unknown nature.

• Cost: 1148 (Chatterblade Spear 3 + Heavy Rifle 150 x7.5), upkeep 75: requires cleaning and recharging.
• Chatterblade Spear 2d10+2 (drop lowest), Heavy Rifle 2d10+4* (drop lowest)
• Conversion, as per above. Shield form provides AC and saves bonus of +1, can not attack with this weapon in shield form.
• Attack rolls made to determine crit or fumble, harm self on 1 (fumble); weapon misfire.
• -1 to hit; strains strength to lift, swing or aim.
• One clip holds 30 shots or 3 bursts.
• Requires 10 Strength, 10 Constitution to be carried for any length of time. (Not a lot, but school girls can swing these with training.)