Ranged weapons in The Old World RPG

 The Old World Roleplaying Game allows you to choose between 20 different options for engaging your enemies at range, 13 weapons for the shooting skill and 7 for the throwing skill.  In this article, I'll have a look at each of them, discuss how they might be useful and how they stack up against the other choices.

Disclaimer: Roleplay options should (usually) take precedence over slight rule-mechanical advantages in a roleplaying game. The differences discussed here aren't so great that they break the game in any way, even the ones I point out as Superior or Fails. I may think the game would be even better if some of these options were tweaked, but its not like the game doesn't work without such changes. It most certainly does!

Also, this is based on a tiny bit of playtesting and a whole lot of speculation.

Note: The Blunderbuss and Oil Flask entries initially had errors. They should be fixed now.

Tier ratings

In addition to the discussion, each weapon will be graded on an abbreviated Tier List scale: S, A, B, C and F.

• S tier weapons are a superior choice in almost all situations, and should be carried by all characters - if they are limited, they are so good when you can get them that almost any hurdle is worth it.
• A tier weapons are very good, and useful to a broad category of characters. It will be used often.
• B tier weapons are okay, useful in some scenarios, but most characters will find better weapons are available to them.
• C tier weapons are usually bad choices compared to others available, but some corner-case builds or situations can make use of them.
• F tier weapons should be avoided, their mechanics are fundamentally flawed or completely overshadowed by other options that are at least as available.

In a well-balanced game, there should be no S or F tier entries, so hopefully that is the case here.

Note: The Old World Roleplaying Game is abbreviated as TOWR in this text.

Social repercussions of low-tier weapons?

The game does say that there may be consequences of using equipment beneath your station, but it also says that most items can be had at higher tier than their listed value. So you can have a Gold tier warbow, it is simply exquisitely decorated and of the very best craftsmanship. I'm going to assume this means there is no real downside to using lower tier weapons, and that having a lower tier of availability is simply a (small) positive in the ratings.

There is one possible exception to this: The sling. But I'll assume that you can make a colorful sling embroidered with your coat of arms in gold thread that you might wear proudly as an armband when not in use, and that that would count as a gold tier sling.

Throwing vs Shooting weapons

The game differentiates between Ranged and Throwing weapons with regards to rules. As both types of weapons are used to attack at range and are as such ranged weapons, I will refer to what the rulebook calls Ranged weapons as Shooting weapons.

Shooting weapons have several advantages over throwing weapons as the rules are written: They do not run out of ammo (as long as the previous downtime was spent somewhere ammunition might be bought or made), and they can be used to shoot beyond their optimal range - albeit at a penalty. One-handed shooting weapons cannot be used beyond Long range.

Throwing weapons, on the other hand, can be used when charging into melee, but there is no real benefit to this (without a certain talent) compared to just attacking with your melee weapon when you arrive. They get an extra step of optimum range if your Strength is 4 or greater.

Shooting weapons (what the rules call "ranged weapons") cannot be used at close range unless that range is part of their optimum range (the range they can be used without penalty).  As the rules reference this as "ranged weapons", it may be the case that this applies to thrown weapons as well - especially as thrown weapons are stated to have "an optimum range like ranged weapons". Does that mean that rules like the one preventing ranged weapons from being used in close range also apply to thrown weapons? It could. I'm going to assume that thrown weapons can be used in close range regardless of whether they have close range as an optimum range or not. It just makes sense to me that you could whack someone with a throwing axe in a pinch. 

(As a GM, I would also house rule that if you do use a thrown weapon in close range, you do so with the Melee skill instead of the Throwing skill, and that you keep the weapon in hand. But that's not how the rules are written.)

Overall, I believe the fact that you only get one shot with a throwing weapon (well, most of them) before you have to go pick it up means shooting weapons are generally superior.

Shooting weapons

Sling: A-tier

The sling is a Shooting weapon with "Medium" as its optimal range, meaning it can't be used in close range and takes a penalty unless your target is exactly one zone away. 

Alone among the shooting weapons, it does Strength damage. It is also one-handed, meaning you could have a shield equipped while using one, and that it doesn't take up your two-handed weapon slot. (You can carry as many weapons as your Strength, but never more than one two-handed weapon.) Finally, it is brass tier and available to everyone.

The sling is a good option for any character with a high strength. At maximum strength (6 for most origins), it does as much damage as any other shooting weapon, and all but one throwing weapon. It also doesn't need reloading. Being one-handed means it can't attack beyond long range, but to my thinking that is going to be a pretty rare requirement anyway.

Brass tier characters who use a two-handed melee weapon will want a sling for ranged backup, as it is the only Brass weapon that is one-handed. High strength characters with low Initiative/Dexterity scores will also often prefer it, as it is the highest damage shooting weapon that does not require reloading (reloading requires Dexterity checks).

All in all, I think the Sling will be a very popular choice, especially as a backup ranged weapon for melee fighters - who will want good Strength scores. Easy A-tier, kept out of S-tier by the fact that it does require Strength, which means some character builds will have better options.

Shortbow: B-tier

The shortbow is a 2-handed Shooting weapon with Short-Medium optimal range, 3 damage and a +1d bonus to Shooting at short range.

Short range (the same zone) is a good place to be if you have melee characters holding the line, as you'll help them outnumber your enemies. Dedicated ranged combatants would perhaps prefer a bit more distance, but the combination of one zone of free movement and charging another zone - and yet another with a test - means that you aren't safe at medium range and sometimes not even at long range. So you might as well be at short range when shooting, making that +1d really, really nice. Indirectly it also means the damage of the Shortbow is on average slightly higher than the number "3" would indicate.

A dedicated melee fighter will probably not want a shortbow as his backup, as if he's in short range anyway he'll probably attack in melee. Instead, it seems more tailored to skirmishers who don't mind being around the fighting, but don't want to focus on melee. 

Note: For melee weapons, I thought extra dice to attack was amazing - but that was partially because in melee, if your attack fails, you will be staggered. That is not true for ranged attacks, which means the only effects of extra dice are higher chance to hit, and potentially higher damage. That is still great, but slightly less so than for a melee weapon.

The Shortbow has a niche with low-strength characters who want to be sure to hit in combat and don't mind being near the enemy. Brass characters in particular may have no better option if their Strength is lower than 4, and starting characters with low Ballistic Skill/Shooting will see a significant improvement to their hit chance from that extra die.

I'm finding it hard to decide if this is A or B-tier. In the end, I find it harder to see an "end game build" around this weapon than the Sling, even though it's a great option for some characters early on, and I think fewer characters will want it out of the gate. B-tier it is - a fine weapon, but not always star.

Warbow: C-tier

The Warbow is a 2-handed Shooting weapon with a Medium-Long optimal range, 3 damage and no special rules. As a brass tier weapon, it is available to everyone.

Brass tier, low strength melee characters who don't want another 2-handed weapon may want this as their backup ranged weapon, as it has no penalty at medium or long range - where there may be enemies they can't get at, and it can shoot at extreme range. If they can access silver tier weapons though, there are much better options available.

The low damage means dedicated ranged attackers have better options, however: The extra die of the shortbow, and much higher damage potential of the sling, are both more likely to make a difference in a battle as a main weapon.

It should be noted that characters in the high-elf-only Lothern Sea-Guard career get a slight bonus to this weapon, getting to use it with optimal range Short-Medium-Long. That is better, but the damage is still low. They also get a bonus to damage at short range - but that is with any shooting or melee attacks, meaning it actually synergizes better with the Shortbow. Too bad for the Warbow.

I'm putting this in C-tier as I think its niche is too narrow: Characters limited to brass equipment who need a long-range option and have a good alternative to deal more damage at short range. It's not F-tier, it will see occasional use, but most characters will choose something else.

Longbow: B-tier

The Longbow is a Silver 2-handed Shooting weapon with a Medium-Long optimal range, 4 damage and no special rules.

Compared to the warbow, this is more expensive (silver tier) but does one more damage. No other differences. In the grand scheme of things, that's still not amazing, but it will be used for the same reasons as the Warbow. However, I'll say it is better in that role - most parties will, at least eventually, have access to silver tier weapons, which means this is strictly better.

4 damage is adequate, but not amazing, and it is hard to build a high level character around this for that reason. B-tier it is. A fine weapon.

Crossbow: B-tier

The Crossbow is a Silver 2-handed Shooting weapon with a Short-Long optimal range, 4 damage and two special rules: +1 damage against armored enemies, and 2 successes needed to reload.

The short-long range and bonus against armored enemies makes this a better weapon for a dedicated ranged character than the longbow, and it's still a good choice for a melee characters backup. However, the reload can be bad.

Reloading weapons take at least one action, during which you must make an Initiative/Dexterity test. Successes are accumulated, and you need to have two of them before the crossbow is reloaded. Then you have to wait until your next turn to shoot.

Even if your Initiative/Dexterity is very good, that means the rate of fire is half as high as that of the Longbow. Worst case it is a lot worse.

This is mitigated by the existence of the Rapid Reload feat. For 3xp (and requiring a reasonable BS4+), you can immediately aim or attack when you're done reloading. For a high Initiative/Dexterity character, that brings the attack rate almost up to that of the longbow (there's always going to be that one time you rolled tens on every single die), but only as long as you are not staggered and do not move.

You can build around the crossbow as a dedicated ranged character, but it'll require a lot of investment. Melee characters who don't mind a two-handed ranged option may like it more, especially if they happen to have good dexterity - but significantly they may not care if their dexterity is good. The ranged option is for starting the fight from range, or picking off a fleeing enemy - a single shot may be all they need.

There is a niche here, but not a very broad one. B-tier. A fine weapon, nothing less, nothing more.

Pistol: A-tier

The Pistol is a Silver 1-handed Shooting weapon with a Close-Short optimal range, 5 damage and two special rules: It ignores armor and requires 3 successes to reload. It is also a blackpowder weapon, requiring the Blackpowder lore to reload or fire.

Ignoring armor is obviously amazing. Damage 5 is pretty good.

Close-Short range is... not amazing. But low Strength characters may find this is a better weapon to use than melee weapons even in close combat. And it still has the option to attack at medium or long range, albeit with a penalty.

Reloading is bad (and it is even harder here than with the crossbow), but there is a mitigating factor here: As a one-handed weapon, you can carry several of these. With a strength of 3, you could carry two pistols and a melee weapon. Three of them with strength 4. And so on. With a reasonable GM, you could have more in saddle holsters if you're riding a horse. This means that you can get around the reloading, for a time, without even bothering with the Rapid Reload feat.

Mounted pistoliers are a staple in Warhammer, and this weapon profile makes sense for that: Go into combat, fire pistols every round until you run out, then use your superior speed to retreat to a safe distrance if you haven't won yet - reload for a few rounds, then attack again.

Another use for the pistol is as a backup weapon for a melee character using a two-handed weapon, who don't want to use a sling and doesn't mind the penalty at longer ranges. The ignores armor trait may make it worth it, and a melee character may not need more than a shot or two during a fight anyway.

There are downsides here. The Blackpowder lore isn't going to be available for everyone. It's a silver tier weapon. But the Pistol has several niches that it fills very well, and is exiting to build around. A-tier, easily.

Handgun: B-tier

The Handgun is a Silver 2-handed Blackpowder Shooting weapon with a Medium-Long optimal range, 5 damage and two special rules: It ignores armor and requires 3 successes to reload. 

As with the pistol, ignoring armor is amazing, damage 5 is pretty good, and requiring the blackpowder lore makes it a specialty weapon. Unlike the pistol, you can only have one, which means you have  the same rate-of-fire problems as the crossbow, just worse. 

But unlike the crossbow, damage 5 and ignoring armor completely makes it much more likely that your shots will count. Rapid reload is a must, unless you're a melee character using this for a backup and being happy with the low rate of fire.

Requiring the blackpowder lore is what keeps this at B-tier, otherwise the damage output is high enough (especially against armored targets) that it just might be A. The way damage and resilience works in TOWR means that high enough damage is more important than high rate-of-fire.

Blunderbuss: B-tier

The Blunderbuss is a Silver 2-handed Blackpowder Shooting weapon with a Short optimal range, 4 damage and several special rules:

• Maximum range is medium
• +2d to attack targets in short range
• Creatures within close range of a hit target are Staggered
• 3 successes to reload

Hitting a bunch of guys that are in close range of each other can be absolutely amazing. But realistically, the amount of people in close range of each other and within medium range of you will be low, unless you have really good timing. If your GM lets that happen regularily, you want two (or three for reliability) in the party, and opening the fight at medium range. Two hits, and a tight-knit group of characters are staggered twice and therefore wounded. Bye-bye minion groups. Excellent for ambushes. If your GM groups enemies up tightly.

Close range grouped enemies will be rare, unless they're all fighting the party tank... which might be a good strategy if his resilience is awesome and he isn't staggered already.

But hitting one or two? That'll be fairly easy, and at close range +2d is a significant bonus. If you have two groups fighting each other and want them both gone... goodbye. I guess that is why this is what innkeeper have under the counter.

Considering you can usually move a zone before firing this, getting the short range bonus is quite achievable. Good stats overall. B-tier.

Hochland Long Rifle: B-tier

The HLR is a Gold 2-handed Blackpowder Shooting weapon with a Medium-to-Extreme optimal range, 6 damage and four special rules: Must aim before firing, Ignores armor, +1d on wounds table AND 4 successes needed to reload.

First of all - between those 4 successes needed to reload and the "must aim" requirement, this weapon is going to have a very poor rate of fire even with the Rapid Reload talent and good Initiative/Dexterity. But having extreme range as optimal range is very good in the right situation. And 6 damage along with ignores armor and +1d on wounds table (meaning you can put serious hurt on even many brutes and monstrosities with a single shot) means that those shots are going to count.

In the right hands - gold tier, rapid reload feat, blackpowder lore, very high Ballistic Skill/Shooting to make the shots count and good Initiative/Dexterity to reload - this is going to do some serious work. But you have to build for it, and I think it will be a fairly rare sight in most campaigns. It is a great representation of a legendary weapon, has a very strong niche, countered by a lot of drawbacks. Kudos to C7 for great weapon design, I'm landing this in the perfectly balanced B-tier.

Repeater Handbow: C-tier

The Repeater Handbow is a Gold 1-handed Shooting weapon with a Close-to-Short optimum range, 4 damage and one special rule: You can add +1d to a shooting test, but afterwards you need 3 successes to reload.

This is a strange one. Its damage is okay, especially at close or short range if you use the special rule. You can use the same trick as with the Pistol to avoid the reloading for a time, as the one-handed trait means you can carry several. Being able to fire without having to reload by just not taking the bonus means it can also be an okay backup weapon for a melee character using a two-handed weapon, though the gold requirement and short range means a Sling is probably better.

It is a "rich but stupid mans pistol" (gold tier vs silver, but no blackpowder lore required), and may see some play, but to my mind there are almost always better options for most builds - and I can't really see the build that makes this shine. Might see use and good enough if you like the idea, but not great. C-tier.

Repeater Crossbow: C-tier

Signature weapon of the dark elves, the Repeater Crossbow is a Gold 2-handed Shooting weapon with a Short-Medium optimal range, 4 damage and one special rule: You can add +1d to a shooting test, but afterwards you need 3 successes to reload.

A lot like the repeater handbow, but without the ability to carry more than one. Better range, but can't be used at melee range. It's like a weird mixture of shortbow, longbow and ordinary crossbow.

If you are a gold tier character with very good Initiative/Dexterity and the rapid reload talent, this may be a straight upgrade for the shortbow (but if you lack any of these things, the shortbow is probably superior).  If you want the damage of a longbow but are more interrested in short than long range, use this without using the special rule - but that probably makes you a dedicated ranged fighter (not a melee fighter looking for a backup weapon) so different target group - and to my mind the ordinary Crossbow is superior for that target group: Easier reload, better range, cheaper and bonus damage against armour is a package I think will beat the shenanigans of the Repeater nine out of ten times.

But sure, usable. C-tier.

Repeater Pistol: S-tier

For when you absolutely have to hold a gatling gun in each hand (only firing one at a time though), the Repeater Pistol is a Gold 1-handed Blackpowder Shooting weapon with a Close-Short optimum range, 5 damage, Ignores armor, and the ability to add +2d to a shooting test against reloading for 3 successes.

Five damage and ignores armor is a great combination, and if you don't use the special rule you never have to reload? Attack as normal in close and short range, and at a penalty at medium and long range? Ability to have a spare, in case I need that +2d rule and don't want to reload? Ability to use it as a backup ranged weapon for a two-handed melee fighter?

This is S-tier despite being a gold tier weapon that requires the blackpowder lore. A strength 6 fighter with a sling can do more damage, but "ignores armor" more than makes up for it. They have different optimal ranges though, so that strength 6 two-handed melee fighter might prefer the sling. But probably won't, as this is too cool. The other guns can't match it for rate of fire. And if they do, like perhaps the blunderbuss or hochland long rifle - get one of each, as this is one-handed and you can carry both. 

If you can afford this, you're getting it as soon as you can afford gunpowder lore. It should probably have some chance of jamming even when not using the extra dice - possibly requiring a reload when you roll all 10s on the attack test?

In reality, few enough people are going to have this that it won't really break the game (until very late in a very long campaign). But its boring. There just aren't any downsides or tradeoffs at all - once you have it, there's little reason to use anything else, except our next weapon...

Repeater Handgun: S-tier

If you like the repeater pistol but think that bigger is better, this is for you. A Gold 2-handed Blackpowder Shooting weapon with a Short-Long optimal range, 5 damage, ignores armor and the ability to add +3 dice on a ashooting test against reloading for 5 successes.

Yeah, 5 successes is a lot. But so is three extra dice when you really need to hit. And really, just ignore that rule and enjoy your no-reloading armour piercing good-at-any-range-outside-melee death machine. Get a repeater pistol as well for the melee.

This overshadows just about any other weapon, despite requiring a gold tier expense and the blackpowder lore. As with the repeater pistol, it should probably have some chance of jamming or something to keep it a little bit more in line with the other options. "Ignore armor with very good damage every single round" is just a little too good in my opinion.

As with the previous weapon, few enough characters will have this that it is probably not problematic despite being S-tier. But it is boring - there's no real alternatives (especially as you can carry both this and the pistol variant) that are worth using once you qualify. And that means I think it isn't really a well designed weapon, despite probably not being gamebreaking.

Throwing weapons

Rock: C-tier

The rock is to ranged attacks what unarmed is to melee attacks: The most basic option, cheap and readily available. It has an optimum range of Short to Medium and cannot wound - any hit will stagger your opponent instead. (Which may of course wound them if they are already wounded and cannot give ground or fall prone.) 

As a thrown weapon, someone with Strength 4 or better could throw it up to long range.

This is... not really any good. It would be F-tier except that I don't really want thrown rocks to be something you build a character around. This is better than doing nothing if there's nothing else you can do, without being great. That is fine for what it is. So I'm putting it in C-tier, which is where it ought to be. Good work, Cubicle 7.

Throwing Spear: B-tier

A brass 1-handed throwing weapon with Close-Medium optimal range and Strength damage, no special rules. You can carry several of these, but not that many given the "as many weapons as your strength score" requirement.

For a character with Strength 4 or better who don't mind only having a shot or two, this is better than a Sling due to a wider optimal range band. Note that it even goes into close, so you can use it in melee. But running out of shots is a serious drawback.

I really wish the throwing weapons and melee rules were clearer. If you could keep this in your hand while attacking in close range (by using Melee), it would be a pretty great weapon. As it is, it seems you're throwing it at point blank range, which I can't really see with a spear. Ah well, at least you can use it at that range.

It's not going to be a common thing, but remember that someone with the Faith talent dedicated to Myrmidia gets +1 damage with throwing spears.

The severely limited ammunition (6 spears if you max your strength and carry no other weapons, more likely one or two) is what keeps this from A-tier for me, despite otherwise being better than the sling except not being able to fire at extreme range. For that high-strength character who wants a shot or two at range though - it is a fine weapon, nothing wrong with it. B-tier.

Throwing Axe: B-tier

A brass 1-handed throwing weapon with Short optimal range and Strength+1 damage, as well as +1 damage against enemies wearing armour. 

The damage here is pretty good with decent Strength, and short-to-medium range with Strength 4+ isn't bad. For a brass tier character with access to no better weapons, it may actually be sensible to use throwing axes until you run out, then close with a melee weapon - as S+1 damage with extra damage vs armor is better than most brass weapons. But it does mean putting your points into throwing, and it's unclear if you can use this in close range - I'm assuming so, but it doesn't say.

I'm thinking this is a weapon you might build around with the Quick Throw talent. For a stiff 4xp, WS4+ and BS4+, that would allow you to make an attack with this  and then a melee attack when charging. Two attacks in a round is very good, and this deals the best damage of the throwing weapons for that purpose. You could have two or three axes for that and a throwing spear in case you need to hit someone further away.

In the end though, while there isn't anything wrong with this weapon, the limited ammunition scares me -  especially if you end up retreating, or wanting to attack someone somewhere you cant retrieve your axes. That means you at least want to be Silver tier, so the expense isn't noticeable, but that's another requirement. B-tier, despite the excellent damage.

Weighted Net: F-tier

A brass 2-handed throwing weapon with Close-Short range and no damage - hits instead inflict the Burdened condition. 

The Burdened condition means that you cannot use the Manoeuvre action. That means no charging, no hiding, no moving carefully across difficult terrain, no moving extra zones beyond the one free one. Removing it requires a Brawn test, which must be done with the Recover action.

You're only going to have one of these, due to the 2-handed requirement, which is the real limitation. If your GM is kind and allows you to throw this and then equip both a weapon (reasonable) and a shield (less reasonable) in the same round, it would be interesting for a tank character with the Quick Throw talent, to charge, throw the net to prevent the enemy from moving away and into combat with someone else and then fight. Of course, doing damage with a throwing axe is likely to be better in most cases.

So maybe it's more for a throwing knife user to prevent an enemy from charging them? Feels like trading your action for theirs, and they can still move and attack.

I think the Burdened condition might be the problem here, not the net itself. It really ought to have a bit more bite, maybe preventing a character from Giving Ground in addition to the current rules. If not the burdened condition, then at least the weighted net. As it is, it's just not worth giving up your 2-handed slot for a single chance at preventing someone from charging in most situations. It might be useful in some contrived scenario, and I really like the concept, but I feel it should have a bit more bite to be an attractive option.

Throwing Knives: B-tier

A Silver 1-handed Throwing weapon with Short optimal range and Strength damage, that specifically has enough ammunition for a fight. 

Really, if you can carry arrows and sling bullets enough for an adventure, why can't you carry enough throwing knives for more than a fight? That will be my FIRST house rule. As it is, you'll have to use a few weapon slots to be certain to always have throwing knives, even after retreating or attacking in another situation where you can't pick up your weapons again (such as fighting a sea monster).

If we ignore that, throwing knives - assuming Strength 4+ for a range bonus) are better than a sling at short range, but lacks the ability to attack at long range. Same damage. I think high strength characters are likely to want to use melee weapons at short range, but it is a fair enough tradeoff - and someone using throwing weapons could have a throwing spear or two for that long range.

The knives are fine. They need a house rule for the ammunition rule to be reasonable, but can be used even as is. The lack of long range though, means I think slings and other shooting weapons are superior in most cases, and throwing axes beat it for damage on short range. Being Silver tier also limits its use a bit. B-tier.

Oil flask: B-tier

A Silver throwing weapon with Short to Medium optimal range. No damage, but on a hit both the target and anyone within close range get the Ablaze condition. With Strength 4+, that's long range, which is awesome. And affecting several targets at once is even better - though you have to be careful not to hit allies.

The Ablaze condition means testing Toughness/Endurance every round against a fire-based Hazard(2). Removing it requires either dousing yourself with water, or the Recover action with an Athletics test - meaning that unless there is a source of water nearby, this could cost several enemies an action - excellent.

So what does a "Fire based Hazard(2)" actually do? The rules say: If you are exposed to a Hazard, you must test to avoid suffering its effects. If you fail, you suffer a Wound and/or a relevant condition determined by the GM. The rating of the hazard (2 in this case) determines the number of successes needed to avoid it.

So it is going to depend on the endurance of your enemies. A tight-knit of peasants might die from this in a single round. While unlikely, even monstrosities could potentially burn to death while rolling around on the ground trying to put themselves out. Did I mention that fire-based attacks shuts down regeneration on some enemies?

And you can carry several of these.

I'm keeping this out of A-tier because of the limited supply - you're not going to pick these up again after use, so it's one use per silver expense. Also, you're unlikely to have several enemies in close range of each other that often. A gold tier character though, will want to hand as many of these as possible out to his party. Another limitation is the endurance test, some creatures will easily pass it. But in general, it is great. Use oil flasks!

Blasting Charge: C-tier

A Gold throwing weapon with Short to Medium optimal range. No damage, but a successful attack applies an immediate Hazard 3 on all creatures in the affected zone (resisted by Endurance). Unsuccessful attacks explode in the attackers zone instead.

Worse than the oil flask because it'll only do damage once, but a lot better because it hits the entire zone. And Hazard 3 instead of Hazard 2 is great, and it is harder to counter. A one-use gold tier weapon is not something you'll use every day even as a gold-tier character though, and then there's the fact that you might blow up yourself and your party. Interestingly enough, it does not require Blackpowder to use - so I guess you get a +1 bonus to the attack if you do have that lore?

This is fun, and dangerous. I love that its in the game, and I don't believe it needs too much changing. It might just be too expensive, the "blow yourself up" risk is high enough that no-one will spend the gold to get it. As a silver expense it would see more play, but the risk wouldn't make it more than a B-tier weapon.

Summary

I have to give it to C7, most of the ranged weapons are good. Fun rules, well balanced. I do think the repeater guns need a slight nerf, and the weighted net some love, and a few other minor tweaks here and there - but mostly it is fine. The rules should make it clear how often you're supposed to be able to recover your throwing weapons, and I really wish the "throwing weapons in melee" rules were clearer. And it _really_ annoys me that throwing knives are limited in number. But overall, I like the ranged weapons very much!

Here is the full tier list:

S: Repeater Pistol, Repeater Handgun

A: Sling, Pistol

B: Shortbow, Longbow, Crossbow, Handgun, Blunderbuss, Hochland Long Rifle, Throwing  spear, Throwing axe, Throwing Knives, Oil flask

C: Warbow, Repeater Handbow, Repeater Crossbow, Rock, Blasting Charge

F: Weighted Net

What do you think? Am I being too lenient on thrown weapons? Do you see downsides to the repeater guns that I've missed? Are there talents I haven't discussed that change everything? Let me know in a comment!