As listed, I've always felt the firearms selection was both unbalanced and uninteresting. You typically have a weapon in each class that is better than the rest because of recoil compensation or some such, and the rest are just a bland mass that only vary on ammo count, cost, and accessories.

So what I've done is standardize all weapons so they basically have the same stats - but each weapon gets to choose a Feature that distinguishes it. I have a list of most weapons with the typically 1-2 variants they come in, though I'll mostly let players get a special variant with another Feature if they want it.

I really feel this adds both balance and flavor to weapon selection.

Weapon Features

Each weapon gets 1 Weapon Feature. Many weapons are available in different versions, letting players pick a Feature for their weapon. The GM may rule that certain weapons require a certain Feature, or that some Features are not available for certain weapons.

Low recoil: 1 point of recoil compensation
Accurate: Reduce modifiers for long and extreme range by 1
Variable gas vent: This weapon has internal gas vents on this weapon allows for the mounting of a silencer or suppressor. The weapon is only silenced if the gas vents are closed, which negates the recoil compensation. Opening or closing the gas vents takes a Simple Action (Free Action for smartlinked weapons).
Penetrator: -1 AP. Ammo only interchangable with other weapons of same class and Feature.
Massive: This weapon fires larger bullets at lower velocity. +1 DV, +1 AP, -33% clip size (suppression fire with a full clip is still possible even if it holds <20 rounds). Ammo only interchangable with other weapons of same class and Feature.
High Velocity: Per existing rules, apply qualities of Low Recoil, Extended Magazines, Gas Vent, no underbarrel accessories. Only available for High Velocity weapons.
Extended magazines: +50% magazine capacity.
Reliable: The weapon needs one more die roll of 1 than normal to glitch or critically glitch. It receives +/-3 dice when testing for maintenance or reliability.
Cheap: -50% cost.
Compact: Reduce Cumbersome Weapon Rating by 1. Only available for bullpup weapons.
Concealable: -1 die to Perception tests to notice the weapon. –25% magazine capacity.
Silent: When a silencer or suppressor is mounted, apply an additional –2 to Perception Tests to hear the weapon
Heavy Weapon: Heavy Weapons require the Heavy Weapon feature and fo not get additional features.
Sniper Rifle: Sniper Rifles require the Sniper Rifle feature and do no get additional features.
Special effect: Weapons with special effects (ceramic components, underwater firing, inconspicuous dissassembly, Burst Fire for Pistols or Shotguns, etc.) require the Special Effect and do not get additional features.


Ammo count and cost for all weapons are as follows. All accessories in description must be bought, unless the GM rules that versions without them are available. For Special Effect Weapon Feature weapons, use cost as listed in their description.
Light pistol: 18, 200Y
Heavy pistol: 12, 300Y
Machine pistol: 24, 600Y
SMG: 30, 600Y
Assault rifle: 24, 800Y
Shotgun: 8, 500Y (1,000Y for BF/FA fire mode)
Sniper/sporting rifle: 14 – DV. Cost as listed.
LMG: 100, 2,000Y

Built-in recoil compensation, like gas vents, chamber, other internal features, etc.: This gives 2 points of RC, no matter what the description says, and takes up a barrel mount. RC likes this means silencers can't be used. Alternatively, the GM can rule that a certain weapon has the Low Recoil Feature, opening up the barrel mount. No weapon can have any form of RC unless it comes from a Feature or an accessory.

Gas-vent 3 removed.

I've always thought of doing something like this, to keep weapons generalized and not to say 'this is a beretta, or this is an mp5' as its not actually relevant.

This system actually allows me to say that one weapon is different from another, in a significant way. And weapons are balanced, players have more choice, happy faces all around

While I'd love to impliment things like this, my group already gets on my case about gun nuttiness.

Only works, though, if you have problems at your table... I have no such problems at our table, and well, no body uses the optimal weapons from each class because such things as style and preference come into the balance more often than not...

But I do like the idea, it is very interesting...

Basically, this is what the weapons in the book are supposed to be. I dunno if a formal system is needed, but I agree with the problem statement. Each class has one (maybe two) best choices, and they're not really tradeoffs.

I like it!

I like to have different models, though. In some cases, there are more models than necessary, but I don't want to generalize *too* much.

Just to be clear, I do have different models. AKs are available in Cheap or Reliable variants, G12s in Penetrator and Accurate, FN HAR is Massive, etc.

Ditto. The rules seem well thought out and balanced, but I wouldn't use them because I have no problem with how things work right now. Still, thanks for sharing. I hope it works out for your group.

All gas vents already work that way by RAW.

They do. Yay for the Ingram Smartgun X!

Well, these are house rules. As written above, weapons that come with gas vents have it take up a barrel mount, just like if it was added as an accessory - so there's no mount free for adding a sound suppressor. You need the variable gas vent Feature for that.

It's an interesting idea. When you come right down to it most semiautomatic pistols, for example, are basically the same. Let me explain that before the gun nut crowd starts lighting torches and ordering pitchforks from amazon. While there are a great many different design minutia involved in a semiautomatic they pretty much all share the same basic operation. The only real differences are in small things like weight and magazine size. Especially as far as SR in concerned. When I make my Mako guns I basically take a gun from the book, fiddle with the minor details, add or subtract some bells, and give it a new picture and some spiel. Even if the weapons are basically the same from a mechanical standpoint, they are different from an aesthetic standpoint, which is what I like.

So, basically I like the house rule idea. I doubt I would use it, but I like it. As for the majority of my post I really don't know what point I am trying to make.

I think I get what you mean. I'll tell you what I like the least about it - when a player likes how a certain gun looks, and likes a certain Feature, and I say there's a variant that does that. Then we're back to the Features not really having anything to do with the guns. The other thing is the benefit of having a shitload of guns (an extended magazine for suppression, a silent for silent, a variable gas vent for flexibility, an accurate for range work, and something for when you just want to dish out damage - sigh). I tell players I hit them with a modifier for not being properly accustomed to all their weapons but one if they do this.

Sometimes I think it would be easier to just make all guns uniform.

But I just like the end effect - that people actually end up with different guns in terms of mechanics too.

I just wish that they'd give bullpup weapons their due.

Twice cost but one level higher on the weapon range table.
SMG->AR->Sport Rifle

Well, more like increased concealability with the *same* ranges.