BAE: Guns, Glorious Guns!
Return to Savage Borderlands: BAE
What would Borderlands be without gobs and gobs of aggressively marketed, randomly generated firearms? To get started, pick or roll a d20 for the following:
Quality
If you want to include the possibility of White gear showing up, any odd number produces White gear and the chart below only matters for even numbers.
1-12 | Green |
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13‑17 | Blue |
18‑19 | Purple |
20 | Orange |
Type
Pistols are one-handed; all other guns require two hands.
1-2 |
Light Pistol Rng 8/16/32, Dmg 2d6+1, AP 0, RoF 1, Shots 18, Min Str d4, Wt 2, Notes: Quick-Swap. Roll d8: (1) Atlas AX-19, (2) COV Preecher, (3) Dahl Anaconda, (4) Jakobs Revolver, (5) Maliwan Aegis, (6) Tediore Aimshot, (7) Torgue Hole Puncher, (8) Vladof Assassin. |
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3-4 |
Heavy Pistol Rng 8/16/32, Dmg 2d8+1, AP 0, RoF 1, Shots 10, Min Str d6, Wt 4 Roll d8: (1) Atlas AX-7, (2) COV Holey-Man, (3) Dahl Peacemaker, (4) Jakobs Iron, (5) Maliwan Melter, (6) Tediore Powershot, (7) Torgue Slapper, (8) Vladof Fighter. |
5-6 |
SMG Rng 10/20/40, Dmg 2d6, AP 0, RoF 3, Shots 30, Min Str d4, Wt 8 Roll d4: (1) Dahl Falcon, (2) Hyperion Transmurdera, (3) Maliwan Pulsar, (4) Tediore Ace. |
7-8 |
Assault Rifle Rng 12/24/48, Dmg 2d8, AP 1, RoF 2, Shots 20, Min Str d6, Wt 10 Roll d6: (1) Atlas V-System, (2) COV Ratatater, (3) Dahl Defender, (4) Jakobs Scarab, (5) Torgue Root, (6) Vladof Renegade. |
9-10 |
Sniper Rifle Rng 15/30/60, Dmg 2d10, AP 1, RoF 1, Shots 6, Min Str d6, Wt 10, Notes: Scope, Snapfire. Roll d10: (1-2) Dahl Strike, (3-4) Hyperion Policy, (5-6) Jakobs Callipeen, (7-8) Maliwan Jericho, (9-10) Vladof Bratchny. |
11-12 |
Shotgun Rng 4/8/16, Dmg (1‑3)d6, AP 0, RoF 1, Shots 4, Min Str d6*, Wt 8. Special Rules: Extra barrels add +2 damage instead of +4. Shotguns do not get +2 to hit by default, but qualify for the Accurate Upgrade. Roll d10: (1-2) Hyperion Collaborator, (3-4) Jakobs Longrider, (5-6) Maliwan Cyclotron, (7-8) Tediore Sportsman, (9-10) Torgue Bangstick. * A quad-barreled shotgun has Min Str d8.
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13 |
Rocket Launcher Rng 8/16/32, Dmg 3d6+1, AP 0, RoF 1, Shots 4, Min Str d8, Wt 16, Notes: Evadable, HW, Reload 2, SBT, Snapfire, Swap 1. Special Rule: A rocket launcher's first Upgrade is always to Reload 1 or MBT (50/50 chance). Its second Upgrade adds the remaining option (MBT, Reload 1). Roll normally for Upgrades 3+. Roll d6: (1) Atlas Pattern Black, (2) COV Zooka, (3) Maliwan Prowler, (4) Tediore Dispatch, (5) Torgue Quickie, (6) Vladof Glory. |
14 |
Melee Weapon Switch to the Melee Weapons page and use the rules there to generate one. |
15-16 |
Grenade Mod Switch to the Grenade Mods page and use the rules there to generate one. |
17‑20 |
Shield Switch to the Shields page and use the rules there to generate one. |
Upgrades
A White gun for a Novice character has the stats above plus the Upgrade "Manufacturer 1" based on who made it. Rarer guns and/or more experienced characters get additional Upgrades:
Rarity | Upgrades | PC Rank | Upgrades | |
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Green | +1 | Seasoned | +1 | |
Blue | +2 | Veteran | +2 | |
Purple | +3 | Heroic | +3 | |
Orange | +5* | Legendary | +4 |
For each Upgrade, roll d20 on the following table. Most Upgrades have a limit; if you reach that limit and then roll that Upgrade again, reroll but using a d12 instead of a d20. (Exception: If the item already has an element, or is a Jakobs, roll a d10 instead.)
Don't apply the Upgrades as you roll them, just note them down and apply them all at the very end. Always add the Manufacturer Upgrade last. Then see the final section for some optional but recommended "clean-up" steps.
Remember: A rocket launcher's first two Upgrades are predetermined. Only roll here for Upgrades 3+. (Why?)
1 |
Accurate (Limit: 4) Improves the odds of attacking successfully. This applies in all modes (e.g., throwing Tediore grenades or using a Vladof AF). Effect depends on final Accurate Upgrade level:
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2 |
Critical Damage (Limit: 5) Improves the extra damage this weapon does on a Raise, based on Critical Damage Upgrade level:
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3-4 |
Damage (No Limit) Each level adds +1 Damage for most guns, or +2 Damage for rocket launchers. |
5-6 |
Manufacturer (Limit: 4) Every manufacturer adds a little something special to their weapons. The gun automatically starts with Manufacturer Upgrade 1, and can add up to three more levels via this result. See "Manufacturer Upgrades", below, for the actual effects. |
7 |
Range (Limit: 4) Improve the base Range of the weapon using this progression. For example, an SMG (Range 10/20/40) with Range Upgrade 2 would have Range 15/30/60. Note that weapon Ranges in Borderlands are intentionally lower than in most other settings.
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8-10 |
Weapon Specific (No Limit) Consult the type of gun you're generating and roll a d4 if prompted to. If the rolled option is at its limit, move to the next option (4 wraps back to 1). If you hit all limits, this result gives Damage Upgrade. Pistol. Roll d4: (1-2) RoF +1, to max RoF 4, (3) Critical Damage Upgrade, (4) Damage Upgrade.
SMG. RoF +1, to max RoF 5.
Assault Rifle. Roll d4: (1-2) RoF +1, to max RoF 4, (3-4) Damage Upgrade.
Sniper Rifle. Roll d4: (1) Accuracy Upgrade, (2) remove Snapfire (limit 1), (3-4) Critical Damage Upgrade.
Shotgun. Roll d4: (1) Range Upgrade, (2-4) +1 Barrel, Limit 3.
Rocket Launcher. By the time a rocket launcher is rolling on this table, it has MBT and Reload 1 from its first two Upgrades. It may add two additional levels:
* Or +1 to manufacturer-specific ammo consumption.
|
11‑13 |
Elemental (Limit: 1, or 0 for Jakobs or Maliwan) Reduce gun Damage by -1 and roll a d6 to add an element to the gun: (1) Corrosive, (2) Cryo, (3) Explosive*, (4) Incendiary, (5) Radiation, (6) Shock. * Torgue guns and rocket launchers are already explosive, so reroll this result.
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14 |
Bayonet (Limit: 2) One level of this upgrade allows the gun to be used as a melee weapon for Str+d6 damage, at no penalty to Fighting as it is no longer considered an improvised weapon. Add +1 to its weight. Two levels means it's a true hybrid weapon! Roll up a separate melee weapon with half as many Upgrades (round up), none of which are "Special" (result 20). Add half of the melee weapon's weight (round down) to the gun's weight. The required number of hands for each mode of use doesn't change; e.g., a SMG/Hatchet can use either mode if held in two hands, but when held one-handed can only be a hatchet. Treat switching grips as readying the gun. (Optionally, just treat the second level as adding a long bayonet: Str+d8, Parry +1, +1 lb.) In both cases, the Min Str is based on the gun, not the bayonet. |
15 |
Heavy (Limit: 1, or 0 for rocket launchers) Add the HW (Heavy Weapon) keyword; this weapon does full damage to vehicles and fortifications. Also add +2 AP. |
16 |
Compact (Limit: 1, or 0 for light pistols) The gun is light and ergonomic. Halve its weight (but not the weight of any Bayonet Upgrade). If it's a rocket launcher, remove the Swap keyword; otherwise, add the Quick-Swap keyword. |
17 |
Scope (Limit: 1, or 0 for sniper rifles) Aiming with this weapon eliminates an additional 2 points of Range, Cover, Called Shot, Scale, or Speed penalties. So the shooter can either ignore 6 points of these penalties or ignore 2 points and get +2 to hit. Setting Rule: Because Marksman is like a "half Aim", a Scope gives half its benefits when used with Marksman (or similarly phrased abilities), eliminating an additional 1 point of the penalties above. |
18‑19 |
Shots (Limit: 1 for light pistols, 3 for shotguns and rocket launchers, 2 otherwise) One level doubles the weapon's Shots. Two levels triples them. Three levels quadruples them. |
20 |
Special (Limit: 1 Red Text (if Blue+) and 1 Anointment) First, some ground rules: Weapons of any quality can have an Anointment. But only Blue weapons or better can have Red Text (and Orange weapons have this automatically, as a bonus Upgrade). If the weapon qualifies for both and has neither, roll d4: (1-2) Add an Anointment, (3-4) Add Red Text. Otherwise, give it whichever it qualifies for. |
Manufacturer Upgrades
Always apply the Manufacturer Upgrade last. As with all level-based Upgrades, the effects are not cumulative; only a single benefit line will ever apply.
Atlas
Atlas guns can toggle between two modes ("tracking" and "regular") as a Simple Action. The tracking mode has RoF 1 and its darts/grenades use no ammo and do no damage; instead, the affected target(s) are "tagged" for the next 5 rounds. In regular mode, the Atlas gun ignores 4 points of Shooting penalties when firing at any tagged target; the negated penalties can be from any circumstance except Called Shots (homing bullets are hard to direct).
Tracking grenades cannot be evaded, as they emit a subtle pulse of energy rather than a true attack.
- Level 1: Tracking Dart
- Level 2: Small Tracking Grenade (SBT)
- Level 3: Medium Tracking Grenade (MBT)
- Level 4: Large Tracking Grenade (LBT)
COV
COV weapons draw directly from the wielder's ammo capacity instead of from the gun's magazine. This lets them fire for much longer times, but makes them susceptible to overheating.
Keep track of how many rounds are fired from the gun (similar to tracking ammo for any other gun). Whenever the wielder goes a full round without firing the gun, the "shots fired" count resets to zero. If this count ever exceeds the gun's Shots, finish the current attack and then the gun overheats.
An overheated gun stops working until the user fixes it. This takes one action for most weapons (no roll required), but weapons with a Reload time require (Reload + 1) actions instead. Fixing it resets the "shots fired" count to zero.
Notes: If a RoF Upgrade would take RoF past 4, add +1 Damage instead. Each Shots Upgrade works the same as the general Upgrade above, but with a higher limit: four levels give 5× ammo and five levels give 6× ammo.
COV Pistols and Assault Rifles
- Level 1: COV Ammo Draw. RoF +1.
- Level 2: COV Ammo Draw. RoF +1. Shots Upgrade +1.
- Level 3: COV Ammo Draw. RoF +2. Shots Upgrade +1.
- Level 4: COV Ammo Draw. RoF +2. Shots Upgrade +2.
COV Rocket Launchers
- Level 1: COV Ammo Draw. Shots Upgrade +1.
- Level 2: COV Ammo Draw. Shots Upgrade +2.
- Level 3: COV Ammo Draw. Shots Upgrade +2. Rapid-Firing (-1 to Evade).
- Level 4: COV Ammo Draw. Shots Upgrade +2. Turbo-Firing (-2 to Evade).
(Optional Rule: The wielder may choose to make a Repair test at -2 to fix the gun. Each success and raise reduces the number of required actions by 1, but failure increases it by 1.)
Dahl
Dahl guns come in a variety of burst-fire and automatic fire. Maximum RoF is 5 for SMGs, 2 for sniper rifles, or 4 for all other guns. Convert any "leftover RoF" to the following Upgrades in order: Scope, Accurate, Critical Damage.
- Level 1: Add 3RB.
- Level 2: RoF +1. Add 3RB.
- Level 3: RoF +2. Add 3RB.
- Level 4: RoF +3. Add 3RB.
For a sniper rifle with RoF 2, optionally change name from "Strike" to "Rattler".
Hyperion
These guns generate a small force-field while wielded. This field is front-facing only, but because Savage Worlds assumes fighters are constantly turning to engage threats, its benefits apply against any attack that the wielder is aware of. Multiple Hyperion force-fields do not stack; always use the highest-leveled one of all wielded Hyperion weapons.
- Level 1: +1 Armor
- Level 2: +1 Toughness
- Level 3: +2 Armor
- Level 4: +2 Toughness
Jakobs
These guns cannot normally be elemental (though the GM, Red Text, and Anointments can make exceptions) and have fewer Shots than other manufacturers' weapons, but do exceptional damage.
Most uniquely, whenever a Jakobs weapon hits with a Raise, there's a chance of the bullet ricocheting and hitting the nearest enemy (GM's call if multiple choices). Roll the gun's single Ricochet die (which can Ace) as if it were Shooting skill, with all usual modifiers.
- Level 1: Damage +1. Halve Shots. Ricochet d6.
- Level 2: Damage +1. Halve Shots. Ricochet d8.
- Level 3: Damage +1. Halve Shots. Ricochet d10.
- Level 4: Damage +1. Halve Shots. Ricochet d12.
Maliwan
These have two modes, each with a different element. Switching between them is a Simple Action. Roll d20 twice, rerolling duplicates: (1-4) Corrosive, (5-8) Cryo, (9-12) Incendiary, (13-16) Radiation, (17-20) Shock.
Some Maliwan guns do "splash damage", affecting an SBT instead of a single target. Or if they already did area-effect damage, an SBT becomes an MBT, an MBT becomes an LBT, and an LBT gets +2 damage.
- Level 1: Two elements. Damage -1.
- Level 2: Two elements.
- Level 3: Two elements. Splash damage. Consumes 2 ammo per shot.
- Level 4: Two elements. Splash damage.
Tediore
These guns are reloaded by throwing them at the enemy while a new one digistructs in the owner's hands. The gun must need to be reloaded (you can't "reload" a full gun) and any Tediore effects happen at most once per turn no matter how many times (or different guns) the wielder reloads. Unlike a normal reload, any Shots remaining in the gun stay in the thrown copy, and are lost.
Most Tediores are mini-grenades. The wielder rolls Athletics to throw it, as part of the reload action. The grenade does the gun's normal Damage in an SBT (or MBT if the gun gained the Explosive element) as a Heavy Weapon (HW). Any excess ammo remaining in the thrown gun adds +1 damage to the mini-grenade for every full 10 bullets or 2 rockets (maximum +4).
A few are turrets. The user rolls Athletics to have the gun land in the right place, after which it attaches to the surface it hit and shoots (using its owner's Shooting die but no Wild Die) at random enemies. Its Shots are reset to full (for free) as it lands, which means the wielder effectively wastes any ammo left in the thrown gun. The turret continues to attack once per round, acting on its owner's Initiative, until it runs out of Shots and explodes (as for a mini-grenade, above). It always uses the highest RoF possible and never makes Called Shots; other decisions are up to the GM.
- Level 1: Tediore Grenade, Range 4/8/16.
- Level 2: Bouncing Grenade, Range 6/12/24. Can target without line of sight, but at -4.
- Level 3: Roll d4: (1-2) Homing Grenade (flies), (3-4) Seeker Grenade (sprouts legs and runs). Either way, Range 6/12/24 and +1 to hit or can target without line of sight at just -2.
- Level 4 (rocket launchers): Rocket Grenade, Fills an MBT, Range 8/16/32.
- Level 4 (all other guns): Tediore Turret, Range 6/12/24.
Torgue
ALL TORGUE GUNS ARE %$!@ING EXPLOSIVE! AND IF THEY ROLL ANOTHER ELEMENT, NO SWEAT, JUST ADD THAT RIGHT ON! YEEEEAH!
Also, the wielder can switch between firing normal rounds and firing "sticky rounds" as a Simple Action. Sticky rounds do no damage, but the shooter can later detonate them as a Simple Action, or as a Free Action while reloading. Detonation happens automatically when stowing the gun or switching it back to normal firing mode.
Detonated sticky rounds do normal gun damage (two dice for shotguns), +2 damage for each round past the first (max +8). For rocket launchers, this becomes +3 damage per additional round (max +12). Note that sticky rounds can be fired at floors or walls to set up booby traps; targets get a Notice roll to spot them, or do so automatically if they saw the shooter setting it up.
Most Torgue Guns
- Level 1: Explosive. Sticky Bombs. Consumes 3 ammo per shot.
- Level 2: Explosive. Sticky Bombs. Consumes 2 ammo per shot.
- Level 3: Explosive. Sticky Bombs.
- Level 4: Damage +1. Explosive. Sticky Bombs.
Torgue Rocket Launchers
- Level 1: Explosive. Sticky Bombs. Consumes 2 ammo per shot. +1 Reload time.
- Level 2: Explosive. Sticky Bombs. +1 Reload time.
- Level 3: Explosive. Sticky Bombs.
- Level 4: Damage +2. Explosive. Sticky Bombs.
Vladof
Vladof weapons tend to have very high RoF. If a pistol or assault rifle already has RoF 4 (the maximum), treat any further Rof increase as a Damage Upgrade.
Several Upgrades include Alternative Fire Modes, noted as “AF”. Switching between standard and AF mode is a Simple Action. The AF mode has the weapon's normal stats (including any Snapfire penalty) unless stated otherwise. All AFs use the weapon's standard ammo (e.g., a sniper rifle in “shotgun” mode uses sniper rifle ammo, not shotgun ammo).
Vladof Pistols
- Level 1: RoF +1.
- Level 2: RoF +1 and AF (Taser): Add Shock*. SBT. RoF 1. Consumes 2 ammo per shot.
- Level 3: RoF +1 and AF (Zip Rockets): Damage +2. HW, SBT. Consumes 2 ammo per shot. (No RoF limit.)
- Level 4: RoF +2 and AF (Zip Rockets) as above.
Vladof Assault Rifles
- Level 1: RoF +1.
- Level 2: If gun has RoF 2, raise RoF to 4. Otherwise, RoF +1 and AF (Bipod): Snapfire and +1 to hit.
- Level 3: RoF +1 and AF (Shotgun): Change Damage to (1-3) dice; e.g., 2d8+1 becomes (1-3)d8+1. Range 4/8/16, RoF 1, +2 to hit. Consumes 2 ammo per shot.
- Level 4: RoF +1 and AF (Grenade Launcher): Damage does three dice (e.g., 2d8+1 becomes 3d8+1) in an MBT. RoF 1. Evadable, HW. Consumes 4 ammo per shot.
Vladof Sniper Rifles
- Level 1: AF (Bipod): Snapfire and +1 to hit. (Since the sniper rifle retains its own Snapfire penalty, if any, both apply in bipod mode!)
- Level 2: Roll d4: (1-2) RoF +1 and Damage +1, (3-4) RoF +1 and AF (Bipod), as above. Optionally, change name from "Bratchny" to "Droog".
- Level 3: AF (Shotgun): Change Damage to (1-3) dice; e.g., 2d10+1 becomes (1-3)d10+1. Range 4/8/16, RoF 1, +2 to hit. Consumes 2 ammo per shot.
- Level 4: AF (Rocket Launcher): Damage does three dice (e.g., 2d10+1 becomes 3d10+1) in an MBT. RoF 1. Evadable, HW. Consumes 3 ammo per shot.
Vladof Rocket Launchers
- Level 1: AF (Mortar): Ignores 2 points of Cover, but cannot fire past Medium range.
- Level 2: AF (Micro-Rockets): Fires a swarm of fast rockets. -4 to evasion rolls. Consumes 2 ammo per shot.
- Level 3: RoF +1. This uses 2 ammo (not 5) but otherwise follows the Rapid Fire rules.
- Level 4: AF (Big-Boy): Add an extra Damage die (e.g., 3d6+1 becomes 4d6+1). Consumes 3 ammo per shot.
Final Steps
You can skip these steps, but doing them produces more playable and fun weapons.
1. Normalize Damage.
If the damage bonus (e.g., the "+2" in "2d8+2") is +2 or higher — or +3 or higher for shotguns and rocket launchers — it's more fun to convert that into higher damage dice.
For most guns, reduce the damage bonus by +2 to raise the die type by one. For shotguns and rocket launchers, reduce the bonus by +3 to raise the die type by one. For example, a pistol with 2d6+3 becomes 2d8+1, while a shotgun with (1‑3)d8+3 becomes (1‑3)d10.
Keep doing this until either (a) the damage bonus is less than the threshold or (b) the gun is using d12s.
2. Minimum Shots.
If the weapon's Shots are lower than the ammo required to fire it once at full RoF, raise the Shots so it can. For Vladofs, make sure this is also true for the AF (if any).
Remember RoF 2 = 5 shots, RoF 3 = 10 shots, RoF 4 = 20 shots, and RoF 5 = 40 shots.
For weapons which consume 2+ ammo per shot, round Shots to the nearest multiple of ammo consumption; e.g., a shotgun that consumes 3 ammo per shot and has Shots 8 should actually be adjusted to Shots 9. With Vladofs, use the highest ammo consumption value.
3. Prefix.
Consider adding a descriptive prefix to the gun; e.g., if a Dahl Strike rolled extra Damage and Critical Damage, you could call it a Dahl Deadly Strike. The gear generator app does this for you, but even then feel free to replace it with something more unique.
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