S̶w̶o̶r̶d̶&̶S̶o̶r̶c̶e̶r̶y̶ Guns

[CarburetorThompson]

What are your thoughts on Fantasy stories that have guns instead of being largely focused on medieval melee weapons?

Do you think guns can be as cool as swords in fantasy?

What do you think is the best period of firearms for a fantasy story?

Personally I find like anything after 1900 to be a little boring. I feel beyond that point it becomes hard to create a believable environment where the two weapons are balanced, and I just don’t think hand held automatic weapons are very interesting in a fantasy story.

 

[Deleted member 84247]

Guns are cool in fantasy. Any time period works. Only reason I started watching the assassin isekai was guns in fantasy. I want a pirate fantasy with guns and magic though. And before someone says, no I won't write it. I don't want it that bad.

 

[RiaCorvidiva]

One thing I am always curious about is how well it makes sense or useful guns are in any high-magic setting. Yes, guns might have their advantages (ease of use, etc.), but if people are constantly shooting fireballs at each other, carrying a bunch of gunpowder and other such incendiary and explosive compounds might be as much liability as blessing.

Though, magical guns, say, using magical electromagnetism to propel objects railgun style could be neat.

 

[RepresentingDesire]

What are your thoughts on Fantasy stories that have guns instead of being largely focused on medieval melee weapons?

Do you think guns can be as cool as swords in fantasy?

What do you think is the best period of firearms for a fantasy story?

Personally I find like anything after 1900 to be a little boring. I feel beyond that point it becomes hard to create a believable environment where the two weapons are balanced, and I just don’t think hand held automatic weapons are very interesting in a fantasy story.

I think Monster hunter did a good job balancing that, but there is no magic in Monster hunter so it's arguable. I guess, Terraria too did a good job implementing firearms. I think as long as you make logic firearms for that universe and somewhat balance them by resources and prices you can make few mistakes.

 

[RepresentingWrath]

Guns are cool. The only thing I can think of is that guns and swords shouldn't be mutually exclusive. More than that, magic guns and non-magic guns shouldn't be mutually exclusive. I don't know about the best period, but I do find automatic guns a bit boring in general, and I love jezails and their aesthetic the most. So, yeah, older guns I guess? With a very few automatic or semi-auto types.

 

[Deleted member 146224]

I'm not a fan, but I have seen cases where guns and magic worked well together. It just requires more thought put to it than just melee weapons. Imho, if magic exists and everyone can use it then it makes no sense for guns to be invented in the first place.

Also swords are cooler. Sorry not sorry.

 

[Deleted member 84247]

One thing I am always curious about is how well or useful guns are in any high-magic setting. Yes, guns might have their advantages (ease of use, etc.), but if people are constantly shooting fireballs at each other, carrying a bunch of gunpowder and other such incendiary and explosive compounds might be as much liability as blessing.

Though, magical guns, say, using magical electromagnetism to propel objects railgun style could be neat.

That is why you have to think out of the box. In most settings, magic can be cumbersome, too. Depending on the magic system, you must carry grimoires, staves, or other tools. Not only that, but you have a limited amount of mana.

If that is not part of the magic setting, then the solution for guns is that you magicize the parts that make guns inconvenient. Make a spell that creates the gunpowder or something.

 

[CarburetorThompson]

Guns are cool. The only thing I can think of is that guns and swords shouldn't be mutually exclusive. More than that, magic guns and non-magic guns shouldn't be mutually exclusive. I don't know about the best period, but I do find automatic guns a bit boring in general, and I love jezails and their aesthetic the most. So, yeah, older guns I guess? With a very few automatic or semi-auto types.

Yeah, cavalry with swords coexisted with guns for hundreds of years. Plate armor was still used up until the late 1600s, even when guns had taken over most of the battlefield.

 

[Deleted member 54065]

My story, the Saint Series, has this trope as one of its main aspects.

Basically, their weaponries went from this:
(Volume 1)

and this...
(Volume 2)

to these...
(Volume 9)

(Volume 13)

(Volume 17)

Of course, I took creative liberties to remind my readers they are (the characters) in another world, and Earth physics may not apply.

 

[RepresentingWrath]

One thing I am always curious about is how well it makes sense or useful guns are in any high-magic setting. Yes, guns might have their advantages (ease of use, etc.), but if people are constantly shooting fireballs at each other, carrying a bunch of gunpowder and other such incendiary and explosive compounds might be as much liability as blessing.

Though, magical guns, say, using magical electromagnetism to propel objects railgun style could be neat.

I'm not sure about high-magic. To me, the most obvious reason for a gun is that it will be able to penterate maigc defense with ease. You have a magic shield that protects you from magic. Magic enchantments that protects you from magic. But a very small round ball made of iron, steel, or whatever it is made of can easily penetrate it, since it's not magical. And it is a lot faster than an arrow or a crossbow bolt. A magician can make a physical barrier, but it might hinder the view. What if a bullet is made of some kind of anti-magical metal? That way you can at least use it to snipe magic casters. Anyway, it all depends on the balance.

Yeah, cavalry with swords coexisted with guns for hundreds of years. Plate armor was still used up until the late 1600s, even when guns had taken over most of the battlefield.

I think it's a cool idea to have some kind of mass-produced, normal flintlocks, and at the same time, some kind of a magical revolver, that is tailored to fight undead or something, with unusual, magic bullets. Something similar to Hellboy's gun.

 

[Deleted member 84247]

My story, the Saint Series, has this trope as one of its main aspects.

Basically, their weaponries went from this:
(Volume 1)
View attachment 24276
and this...
(Volume 2)
View attachment 24277

to these...
(Volume 9)
View attachment 24278
(Volume 13)
View attachment 24279
(Volume 17)
View attachment 24280

Of course, I took creative liberties to remind my readers they are (the characters) in another world, and Earth physics may not apply.

Based. Vampires driving tanks would be cool.

 

[RepresentingWrath]

Based. Vampires driving tanks would be cool.

???

 

[Deleted member 54065]

Based. Vampires driving tanks would be cool.

I actually have vampires in my story as well, though they go by the term 'Usarved'. And they are militaristic, inspired by the Prussian state of the 18th and 19th centuries.

The illustrations I have are elves riding steam-propelled tanks on their way to assault beachheads ala Normandy Invasion, though instead of enemy soldiers, they got undead shooting arrows and biting them instead.

 

[Deleted member 84247]

I actually have vampires in my story as well, though they go by the term 'Usarved'. And they are militaristic, inspired by the Prussian state of the 18th and 19th centuries.

The illustrations I have are elves riding steam-propelled tanks on their way to assault beachheads ala Normandy Invasion, though instead of enemy soldiers, they got undead shooting arrows and biting them instead.

That's cool, but I won't read because of harem.

 

[RepresentingWrath]

That's cool, but I won't read because of harem.

I read it as "because of humans" at first.

 

[Deleted member 54065]

@SailusGebel @RepresentingEnvy Another creative liberty I took is the invention of what my characters call the 'bolt-heater' system. Basically, since they can't find the materials needed for smokeless powder, and my MC doesn't have an idea of its composition, they had to rely on blackpowder instead. Mithril was fashioned as a firing pin, heated each time the shooter uses the gun, and removes spent bullet case thru the bolt-action system.

I have to emphasize that in my stories, mithril is only malleable once. Successive heats don't affect it anymore.

 

[Deleted member 84247]

I read it as "because of humans" at first.

We all have reader preferences.

 

[Deleted member 54065]

Based. Vampires driving tanks would be cool.

I'll have you know that some guy in HoneyFeed discord tried to argue with me due to my use of 'airborne tactics' in a medieval/primeval setting.

Though, in my defense, my MC used the abilities of the each beastmen tribe to form his military tactics and strategy. Like Eagle beastmen became 'bombers', dropping barrel bombs magically-activated to explode without the need for slowmatches, and the Falcons became the 'fighters' and 'transports', landing soldiers behind enemy lines.

 

[NotaNuffian]

I think guns with magic is always a hardsell.

Because if you put it as a "physical weapon" like arrows, it can either be made obsolete by magic or becomes an OP storybreaker because apparently mages can't factor in a high velocity pebble.

Also, mahouka style magic gun is more cooler, to cast spells with magic instead of be like Knights and Magic's cast fireball to "shoot".

Would I like guns in magical fantasy? Yes. Will most writers suck at doing it properly? Dammit yes.

 

[RepresentingWrath]

@SailusGebel @RepresentingEnvy Another creative liberty I took is the invention of what my characters call the 'bolt-heater' system. Basically, since they can't find the materials needed for smokeless powder, and my MC doesn't have an idea of its composition, they had to rely on blackpowder instead. Mithril was fashioned as a firing pin, heated each time the shooter uses the gun, and removes spent bullet case thru the bolt-action system.

I have to emphasize that in my stories, mithril is only malleable once. Successive heats don't affect it anymore.

Spoilers. Jokes aside, very interesting. It's nice to see the combination of science and magic, and how one thing get substituted with another. Most of all, it's nice that MC isn't a know-it-all, and has to improvise.

my MC used the abilities of the each beastmen tribe to form his military tactics and strategy.

Based.