Why aren't Caster Guns or other equivalent technology not a more common element in fantasy settings?
I mean surely, if you're a ruler in a world that has magic that only a limited number of people can use, you'd look into finding a way to make magic more easy and widespread for your armies to use, and having pre-prepared spells that any jackoff can use would be the best way, so why does nobody ever seem to try it?
Are the any major settings that have caster guns in them normally?
Flavour mostly. People want to be a fireball mage or a shooty gunguy.
Not a problem in classless systems.
>>46434272
>having pre-prepared spells that any jackoff can use would be the best way, so why does nobody ever seem to try it?
What are wands?
What are Scrolls?
What are enchanted items?
Lots of fantasy settings have stuff like that. It's as common as dirt.
>>46434304
Wands and scrolls still generally require the user to have some skill with magic, and enchanted items are almost exclusively passive effects applied to the wearer.
>>46434345
if magic was so cheap and easy that anyone can use it that would fundamentally change the nature of most settings in a way that most authors don't want.
and if an author wanted magic to be so cheap and easy that everyone can use it they could skip the gun and just give everyone magic.
Iron Kingdoms/Warmachine has a whole class of mage who care magic runes into bullets and shoot motherfuckers with magic. Like, a rune of seeking to make the bullet track a target.
It's pretty great.
>>46434345
>generally require the user to have some skill with magic
It depends on the setting, but most I'm familiar with, the entire point of buying a Scroll of [Magic] is so you can do it yourself if you're not a caster.
>enchanted items are almost exclusively passive effects applied to the wearer.
That's not even remotely true. Enchanted Swords of Fire and Lightening are an ancient staple of fantasy settings. Magic weapons that let people throw around spell effects are everywhere.
>>46434304
Wands are generally Wizard tools. Scrolls require specific knowledge to read. But enchanted items are quite common.
>>46434408
Non-casters often can, but you have to invest significantly into a skill so heavily that Joe McSoldier couldn't reliably do it, not to mention the scroll for something useful would probably be about as expensive as the rest of his gear.
Magic in DnD type games/settings is prohibitively expensive for people not living that PC life.
>>46434393
Arcane Tempest Gunmages are indeed probably the best example of the OPs comment.
Because most designers/authors fear it would kill swordsfights even though there are tons of examples that swordsfights can be made relevant even when there's guns around. Also, some fantasy setting lack technology and few have magic that is not like technology (ie. ritualistic and spiritual magic), so using it like that is impossible.
Certainly there's no explanation why things like Elder Scrolls, Forgotten Realms and Eberron don't have them though.
>>46434272
What I want to know is, why it's not common in Sci-Fi settings for peoples spaceships to have grappler arms.
>>46436591
That's actually a good question. After all, docking with the ISS relies heavily on the Canadarm, and most smaller sci-fi ships are too small to have a docking bay, so it'd make sense they'd have a robot arm at least for docking purposes
>>46436650
and your ship can now wield a battle axe. So bonus.
>>46436591
>why it's not common in Sci-Fi settings for peoples spaceships to have grappler arms
Well when it happens, they also tend to gain Legs as well...
>>46436732
>I can't believe my cute little space ship is a magical girl!
I'd watch it
>>46436698
Not to mention gigantic pistols. Though I'm not sure why they're better than mounted cannons, but they are.
>>46436797
>I'd watch it
Let's face it, we'd all watch the fuck out of it.
Nanoha Beamspam and Punchmagic are already taken from Mecha genre, might as well re-introduce Giant Robots...
>>46434272
>>46436827
It's a turret you can still use when you run out of ammo.
>>46434378
>and if an author wanted magic to be so cheap and easy that everyone can use it they could skip the gun and just give everyone magic.
Why not both? I want to do both. Varying degrees of magical aptitude among everyone; magical guns, grenades etc. for uniformity and ease-of-use; automated magic used extensively in industry to manufacture more magitech weapons and every day appliances, and mass produce enchanted objects like swords and rings.
Speaking of magitech...
>>46434272
Magitek Armors from FF6 were literally this + walking tanks. Magitech settings are my favorite kind of settings.
>>46437040
You know, I'd love to see actual magitechcyberpunk or even modern age setting in some RPG, but goddamn those settings are rare. I know only few books that have such stuff. Although I guess you could count FF7 by a strecth, but FF6 isn't modern enough for what I mean. Chrono Trigger also got pretty close in it's skyatlantis era.
>>46434304
Primitive tools unable to match the finesse of a gun made by master Magic Craftsman.
>>46437277
the next final fantasy takes place in a pretty much modern day setting
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IiI7SMQA59Q
Are all mages researchers? Who makes all the enchanted tools? Is there are a crafting profession dedicated to making staffs and scrolls or do you have to be a full mage to do it?
>>46436827
Legal loopholes about not having mounted weapons most likely
>>46437387
...Artificer?
>>46437724
Can we have a guild of artificer making magic guns?
>>46434272
Because magitek is weebshit.
>>46437838
Why not? It just doesn't seem to never happen. Extra ironic when the setting actually has normal guns (in forms of arquebus/musket which definitely should inspire people to make magical alternatives since you could have repeating arms much easier that way) like many fantasy settings do these days.
>>46434272
I use them extensively in my setting.
Its basically loaded with spell munitions. Sizes ranges from pistols to field artillery.
>>46437838
If they already make magic bows and arrows, it doesn't seem all that strange.
Also, magic cannons.
>>46434272
Because most high fantasy settings that could be using these are written by manic monkeys on crack, so there is close to zero consistency.
Because it is often mixed with Steam-Punk. Steam-Punk is all about Steam and Brass and no Punk.
>>46434272
Wildstar has these, effectively.
>>46437358
This and FFXII are my ideal blends of modern asthetics and typical fantasy tropes.
I really wish D&D would do something similar where you see a setting advance in a reasonable way based on the way magic and technology works together rather then forcibly keeping it in some kind of kitchen sink medievel times.
>The Magic Missile spell is a surprisingly vital if low-level evocation thanks to its ability to guide itself to a target regardless of the caster's aim or skill, instead tracking the caster's intended target as part of the invocation merely through their thoughts. Wands of Magic Missile are extremely potent, if a bit pricey, due to the ability to be sustain their own power without drawing on the user's. However, without training or talent in magic, they cannot be used at all.
>Thus, we have invented a way to use them that works perfectly for those accustomed to crossbows. When the trigger is pulled, charged focus crystals cast the wand directly ahead, in such a way that it is perfectly aligned with the sights. There are also variations wherein the crystals detect a target, allowing the user to 'lock on' to a target by following it with the device briefly before firing, tracking like a standard Magic Missile. Further alterations allow for the wand, or at least its power source, to be replaced, allowing multiple units to recharge and be used daily.
>>46437602
The only reason to have a mounted weapon is to attack and kill. Spaceports don't want vessels like that coming into their docking bays. Space insurers don't want to invest in vessels that are expecting to get diced up.
But there are plenty of reasons to be carrying weapons. And if the heavy weaponry you're towing just happens to be wieldable by your external grappler, then you've now got a completely legal and insureable weaponized platform.
