Weapons

Ships have weapon categories based on their determined function. Most snubfighters use laser cannons, while gunships have both railguns and lasers. Specialized ships often carry torpedoes or missile batteries, or even a bomb deployer. In order to install a weapon, your ship must have a vacant fixed or turret hardpoint modification.

Ship weapons are divided into four categories: Primary, Secondary, Tertiary, and Quaternary. Properties vary based on the weapon's category.

In order to install a weapon onto a starship, the ship must have a vacant hardpoint modification onto which the weapon is installed. The hardpoint modification may be upgraded with a mounting type which can add new firing arcs (turret mounting, or broadside mounting modifications) or add a new way of firing (fire-linked mounting) to the weapon installed onto that hardpoint, as described in Chapter 4: Modifications.

Weapon Installation: Start to Finish

If your ship already has a vacant hardpoint, then you can simply install a weapon onto the hardpoint per the equipment installation rules described in this chapter and the process is complete. If your ship does not have any vacant hardpoints, then you must first purchase and install a hardpoint. If you want your weapon to have an unlimited firing arc, e.g., you purchase and install a hardpoint modification and a turret mounting modification (which has, as a prerequisite, the hardpoint modification). After installing the hardpoint per the modification installation rules in Chapter 4, you can now install the new weapon onto the hardpoint.

Ships have weapon categories based on their function. Most snubfighters use laser cannons, while gunships have both railguns and lasers. Specialized ships often carry torpedoes or missile batteries, or even a bomb deployer.

Primary Weapons

Primary weapons are the most common type that smaller ships carry: laser cannons. If a medium or smaller ship has any weapons, it has laser cannons. Laser cannons vary in effective range, rate of fire, damage, and damage type.

In a Huge or larger ship, primary weapons are de-ployed in arrays called point-defense systems. Rather than being Fired, point-defense systems are activated via their zone keyword and call for Dexterity saving throws to avoid the weapon's effects which apply to all ships entering or beginning their turn in range of the point-defense system. If the target fails the saving throw, they take the weapon's normal damage. On a successful save, they take half of the weapon's normal damage. A ship can not have more than one of each type of point-defense weapon in any firing arc.

Range. The first number is the primary weapon's normal range in feet, and the second number indicates the primary weapon's long range. When attacking a target with a primary weapon beyond normal range, you have disadvantage on the attack roll.

In a Huge or larger ship, when attacking a target with a primary weapon beyond normal range, they have advantage on the saving throw. You can't attack a target beyond the weapon's long range.

Secondary Weapons

Secondary weapons are typically railguns or a small turbolaser on Large or smaller ships. On Huge and larger ships, secondary weapons are the most common type of weapon, and typically take the form of turbolaser batteries. These weapons deal more damage and have a longer range than primary weapons, but they are more cumbersome. They are a common addition to gunships.

In a Huge or larger ship, you have disadvantage to hit Large and Medium ships and cannot target Small or Tiny ships with secondary weapons.

Range. The first number is the secondary weapon's close range in feet, and the second number indicates the secondary weapon's normal range. When attacking a target within close range, you have disadvantage on the attack roll. If you would already have disadvantage because a Huge or larger ship is firing at a Large or Medium ship, you roll the higher die a second time. When attacking a target beyond close range, but within normal range, you make the attack roll unaltered. You can't attack a target beyond the secondary weapon's normal range.

Tertiary Weapons

Tertiary weapons are limited-use weapons in the form of missiles, rockets or torpedoes. These weapons often have a long range, high accuracy, and massive damage potential but they are limited use and expensive to obtain. X-Wings are typically outfitted with proton torpedoes, for example.

Rather than attack rolls, tertiary weapons call for Dexterity saving throws to avoid the weapon's effects. If the target fails the saving throw, they take the weapon's normal damage. On a successful save, they take half of the weapon's normal damage. On a die result of "1" they treat the weapon's damage as if it had rolled the maximum.

Ships two or more sizes smaller than you have advantage on the saving throw. Ships two or more sizes large than you have disadvantage on the saving throw.

Range. The first number is the tertiary weapon's normal range in feet, and the second number indicates the tertiary weapon's long range. When attacking a target with a tertiary weapon beyond normal range, they have advantage on the saving throw. You can't attack a target beyond the tertiary weapon's long range.

Quaternary Weapons

Quaternary weapons are limited-use weapons in the form of bombs, charges, and mines. These weapons deal massive damage, but travel at slow speeds, and are costly to acquire. Y-Wings are typically outfitted with proton bombs.

Rather than attack rolls, quaternary weapons call for saving throws to avoid the weapon's effects. If the target fails the saving throw, they take the weapon's normal damage. On a successful save, they take half of the weapon's normal damage.

When released, quaternary weapons travel in a straight line at a rate of 100 feet per round, moving at the start of the firing gunner's turn. Quaternary weapons detonate when they physically connect with an object, when the firing gunner detonates them remotely using their reaction, or 1 minute after they are deployed.

When a crewmember takes the Fire action with a quaternary weapon, they can release a single loaded piece of ammunition.

Range. Quaternary weapons do not have a range. Instead, when Firing a quaternary weapon, the crewmember chooses whether to drop the ammunition in place or to launch the ammunition. If launched, the ammunition travels in a straight line at a rate of 100 feet per round.

Weapon Properties

Many weapons have special properties related to their use, as shown in the Weapons table.

Ammunition

You can use a weapon that has the ammunition property to make a ranged attack only if you have ammunition to fire from the weapon. Each time you attack with the weapon, you expend one piece of ammunition.

Weapons with the ammunition property come with a range in parentheses after the property. The range property varies based on the weapon type.

Auto

Automatic weapons only fire in burst or rapid mode.

Burst

A weapon that has the burst property can spray a 150-foot-cube area within range with shots. Each ship in the area must make a Dexterity saving throw (DC = 8 + your bonus to ranged ship attacks). On a failure, the ship takes the weapon's normal damage. The ship takes no damage on a success. This produces an amount of heat or consumes an amount of ammunition as indicated by the burst number. If the ranged ship attack would have disadvantage, affected targets instead have advantage.

Constitution

A weapon with this special property requires more hull structure to securely hold and use and more cooling capacity to safely operate. While firing it, you have disadvantage on attack rolls unless you meet the Constitution requirement.

Dire

Before you make an attack with a weapon with the dire property, you can choose to suffer a penalty to the attack roll up to the dire number. If you do so and you hit with it, you gain the same bonus to the damage roll.

Explosive

When a ship is dealt damage by a weapon with the explosive property, creatures inside are forced to make a Constitution saving throw to maintain concentration. The DC for the check equals 10 or half the damage taken by the ship, whichever number is higher.

Heavy

When you hit with an attack roll with this weapon, you deal additional damage equal to half your Strength modifier (rounded up, minimum of +1). Heavy is incompatible with saturate.

Hidden

You have advantage on Charisma (Swindle) checks made to conceal a hidden weapon.

Homing

A weapon with the homing property gives disadvantage on saving throws made within normal range. Targets are not granted advantage on their saving throws for being at long range.

Ionizing

On a hit, the target must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or it is ionized for 1 minute. As an action by a crewmember on their turn, the ship can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect early on a success. Ships larger than you have advantage on the saving throw.

Keen

When you make a weapon attack with a weapon with the keen property, the critical hit range increases by an amount equal to the keen number.

Melt

You may choose to forgo your proficiency bonus to your attack roll or suffer a penalty to the saving throw DC of the weapon equal to your proficiency bonus. If you do so, on a hit, you may add your proficiency bonus to the damage result.

Overheat

A limited number of shots can be made with a weapon that has the overheat property. A character must then cool the weapon using an action or a bonus action (the character's choice). A weapon will naturally cool over a period of ten minutes of non-use.

Piercing

Before you make a weapon attack with a weapon with the piercing property, you can choose to gain a bonus to the attack roll up to the piercing number. If you do so, and you hit with it, you suffer an equivalent penalty to the damage roll.

Power

You can use a weapon that has this property to make a ranged attack without the use of ammunition. The weapon draws directly from the ship's power source.

Weapons with the power property come with a range in parentheses after the property. The range lists two numbers. The effect of these two numbers varies based on the weapon type.

Range

A weapon that can be used to make a ranged attack has a range shown in parentheses after the ammunition or thrown property. The range lists two numbers. The first is the weapon's normal range in feet, and the second indicates the weapon's maximum range. When attacking a target beyond normal range, you have disadvantage on the attack roll. You can't attack a target beyond the weapon's long range.

Rapid

A weapon that has the rapid property can unload on a single target. The target must make a Dexterity saving throw (DC = 8 + your bonus to ranged ship attacks). On a failed save, the target takes normal weapon damage, plus an additional amount equal to the weapon's damage dice. On a success, the target takes no damage. This produces an amount of heat or consumes an amount of ammunition as indicated by the rapid number. If the ranged ship attack would have disadvantage, the target instead has advantage.

Reload

A limited number of shots can be made with a weapon that has the reload property. A crewmember must then reload it. Reloading a weapon takes 1 minute per ammunition

SATURATE

When making an attack with a weapon with saturate, you use your choice of your Strength or Wisdom modifier for the attack roll or save DC. Saturate is incompatible with heavy.

Special

A weapon with the special property has unusual rules governing its use, explained in the weapon's description (see "Special Weapons" later in this section).

Vicious

Whenever you deal damage with a weapon with the vicious property and roll the maximum on a weapon damage die, you gain a bonus to damage equal to the vicious number.

Zone

Weapons with the zone property are activated with an action and persist until deactivated (no action required). The weapon creates a zone of difficult terrain within the firing arc and normal range of the weapon. Additionally, your ship has advantage on dexterity saving throws against tertiary weapons launched outside normal range of the weapon.