A Catapult is a type of heavy weapon mounted on various spelljamming ships in the Spelljammer campaign setting.[1].
Description[]
A catapult is a device designed to hurl a large rock or stone ball (known as stone shot) with great force, and is operated by a variety of systems, including torsion bars, springs, cranks and fly-wheels. Catapults are fixed in position once mounted and can only fire in one direction (unless mounted in a turret). A catapult may be loaded with smaller stone shot instead of a large rock, and will function similarly to a jettison. The smaller stone shot is most effective when used as an anti-personnel weapon, dealing the listed damage to all targets within a 10 foot (3 meter) radius, without damaging the ship.
Catapults are available for purchase in three size categories: light catapults, medium catapults and heavy catapults (also known as trebuchets). If a heavy catapult is mounted on a ship, it takes up the equivalent cargo space as two large weapons when it is installed.
Note that the listed ranges take into account the nature of wildspace and the phlogiston. In a normal atmosphere, under the effects of a planet's gravity, a catapult's range is reduced and its damage is halved.
Magical Catapults[]
As with standard weapons, a catapult may be enchanted with an enhancement bonus, ranging from +1 to +3. For most enchanted catapults, the enhancement affects both accuracy and damage, but in about a third, the enchantment enhances the weapon's range.[2]
Below is a list of enchanted catapults and their relative costs.
| Catapult[3][2] | +1 | +2 | +3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Light | 5,000 gp | 10,000 gp | 20,000 gp |
| Medium | 7,000 gp | 14,000 gp | 28,000 gp |
| Heavy | 10,000 gp | 20,000 gp | 40,000 gp |
Appendix[]
See Also[]
Gallery[]
References[]
- ↑ Jeff Grubb, Concordance of Arcane Space, 1989, (TSR Inc.), Armaments section, chapter 3: Ships of Wildspace, pages 40-41
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Dale "Slade" Henson, War Captain's Guide, 1992, (TSR Inc.), chapter 7: New Magical Items, page 78
- ↑ Dale "Slade" Henson, SJR2 Realmspace, 1991, (TSR Inc.), Magical Armaments section, New Magical Items chapter, page 72