5e: Hacking the Game—Fallout, Part VI

Thanks for joining me again for the latest in a series of articles hacking D&D 5e for play in the Fallout setting! For a little while now we’ve been going through the large subject of equipment, and we’ve reached the half-way point. Last week we wrapped up ranged weapons. This week, we’re looking at melee weapons, explosives, and traps.

If you’re new to this series, you can find an index of all previous entries in this series here.

Mister Handy Buzzblade (3D Model from Fallout 4 © Bethesda Softworks)

Melee Weapons

Weapon / Item	Cost	Damage	Weight	Properties	Modifications
Simple Melee Weapons
Hammer	6 caps	1d4 bludgeoning	1 lb.	Finesse, Light	Spiked
Hand Axe/Machete	20 caps	1d6 slashing	2 lb.	Light	Serrated Blade
Baseball Bat/Mallet	15 caps	1d6 bludgeoning	3 lb.	Light	Heavy, Spiked, Rocket
Switchblade	10 caps	1d4 piercing	1 lb.	Finesse, Light	Serrated Blade
Throwing Knife	4 caps	1d4 piercing	0.4 lb.	Finesse, Light, Thrown (range 20/60)	—
Martial Melee Weapons
Assaultron Blade	50 caps	1d8 slashing	3 lb.	Versatile (d10)	Electrified
Baton	15 caps	1d6 bludgeoning	2 lb.	Finesse, Light	Electrified, Stun Pack
Chinese Officer’s Sword/Revolutionary Sword	50 caps	1d8 piercing	3 lb.	Finesse	Electrified, Electrified Serrated Blade, Serrated Blade
Combat Knife	35 caps	1d6 piercing	1 lb.	Finesse, Light	Serrated Blade
Deathclaw Gauntlet	75 caps	1d12 slashing	10 lb.	—	—
Lead Pipe/Tire Iron/Pipe Wrench	25 caps	1d8 bludgeoning	3 lb.	Versatile (d10)	Heavy, Hooked, Spiked
Mr. Handy Buzz Blade	130 caps	2d8 slashing	10 lb.	Two-handed	Electrified
Pole Hook	30 caps	1d12 piercing	7 lb.	Two-handed	Electrified
Power Fist	100 caps	3d4 bludgeoning	4 lb.	—	Heating Coil, Spiked
Ripper	50 caps	2d6 slashing	6 lb.	—	Electrified
Shishkebab	200 caps	1d6 slashing, 1d6 fire	3 lb.	—	Flame Jets
Sledgehammer	50 caps	2d4 bludgeoning	12 lb.	Two-handed	Heavy, Rocket, Spiked
Super Sledge	180 caps	4d4 bludgeoning	20 lb.	Two-handed	Stun Pack

Ripper (3D Model from Fallout 4 © Bethesda Softworks)

Melee Modifications

Item	Cost	Weight
Electrified	40 caps	+0.5 lb.
Electrified Serrated Blade	120 caps	+0.5 lb.
Heating Coil	180 caps	+0.5 lb.
Heavy	30 caps	+4 lb.
Hooked	30 caps	+0.4 lb.
Rocket	100 caps	+8 lb.
Serrated Blade	40 caps	+0 lb.
Spiked	30 caps	+0.5 lb.
Stun Pack	160 caps	+0.5 lb.

Shishkebab (3D Model from Fallout 4 © Bethesda Softworks)

Modification Properties

Electrified (Melee Modification).This modification adapts a weapon so it gives off an electrical discharge. The weapon deals an additional 1d4 lightning damage.

Electrified Serrated Blade (Melee Modification).This modification incorporates the properties of both the Electrified and Serrated Blade modifications.

Flame Jets (Melee Modification).This modification increases the fire damage of a shishkebab to 2d4.

Heating Coil (Melee Modification).This modification converts half of the weapon’s damage dice to energy damage. If the weapon has an odd number of damage dice, the majority of its damage dice retain its original damage type (for instance, a power fist with a heating coil deals 2d4 bludgeoning and 1d4 energy damage).

Heavy (Melee Modification).This modification adapts a bludgeoning melee weapon by adding bulk, wrapping it with sturdy chain, or similar. The damage dice of the weapon are increased to the next highest size (for instance 1d6 becomes 1d8, or 2d6 becomes 2d8).

Hooked (Melee Modification).This modification adds a hook to the weapon, granting the wielder advantage on attempts to disarm an opponent.

Rocket (Melee Modification).This modification enhances a melee weapon with rocket propulsion, turning it into a weapon similar to a super sledge. A rocket-propelled melee weapon deals an additional die of damage.

Serrated Blade (Melee Modification).This modification adapts a bladed weapon. In addition to taking damage, the target must succeed at a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or take 1d4 damage of the same type as the weapon at the beginning of each of their turns. The target can repeat their saving throw at the end of every turn.

Spiked (Melee Modification).This modification adapts a bludgeoning melee weapon with nail studs, blades, or similar. The weapon deals an additional d4 piercing damage.

Stun Pack (Melee Modification). This modification has all the properties of the Electrified modification (above). In addition, the target must make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or be restrained until the end of their next turn.

Baseball Grenade (3D Model from Fallout 4 © Bethesda Softworks)

Explosives

Item	Cost	Weight
Grenades
Baseball Grenade	40 caps	1 lb.
Cryogenic Grenade	50 caps	0.5 lb.
Fragmentation Grenade	50 caps	0.5 lb.
Hallucigenic Gas Grenade	35 caps	1 lb.
Molotov Cocktail	20 caps	0.5 lb.
Nuka Grenade	100 caps	0.5 lb.
Plasma Grenade	100 caps	0.5 lb.
Pulse Grenade	100 caps	0.5 lb.
Smoke Grenade	20 caps	0.5 lb.
Mines
Bottlecap Mine	75 caps	0.5 lb.
Cryo Mine	50 caps	0.5 lb.
Fragmentation Mine	50 caps	0.5 lb.
Nuke Mine	100 caps	0.5 lb.
Plasma Mine	100 caps	0.5 lb.
Pulse Mine	100 caps	0.5 lb.

HalluciGen Gas Grenade (3D Model from Fallout 4 © Bethesda Softworks)

Explosive Special Properties

Grenade, Baseball. A hollowed out ball filled with oil and fertiliser, these improvised explosives are relatively easy to make. The grenade can be thrown at a point up to 60 feet away. Each creature within 10 feet of the target point must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 4d6 fire damage on a failed save, or half as much in damage if successful.

Grenade, Cryogenic Grenade. A variant grenade that releases freezing energy. Each creature within 10 feet of the target point must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw, taking 3d6 cold damage on a failed save, or half as much in damage if successful. In addition, a creature that fails its saving throw has its movement speeds halved. It can make a DC 12 Strength saving throw at the end of each of its turns to end this effect.

Grenade, Fragmentation. The grenade can be thrown at a point up to 60 feet away. Each creature within 20 feet of the target point must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 2d6 piercing damage and 3d6 fire damage on a failed save, or half as much in damage if successful.

Grenade, Hallucigenic Gas. The grenade can be thrown at a point up to 60 feet away. Each living creature within 10 feet of the target point must make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or have their mind be bombarded with delusions. The gas disperses at the beginning of your next turn. Anyone that enters the affected area before it disperses must also make a saving throw or be affected. An affected target must roll a d12 at the start of each of its turns to determine its behaviour for that turn.

1. The creature uses all its movement to move in a random direction. To determine the direction, roll a d8 and assign a direction to each die face. The creature doesn’t take an action this turn.
2-6. The creature uses all its movement to move in a random direction. To determine the direction, roll a d8 and assign a direction to each die face. The creature doesn’t take an action this turn.
7-8. The creature is dazed until the beginning of its next turn, suffering disadvantage on its attack rolls and ability checks.
9-10. The creature uses its action to make a melee attack against a randomly determined creature within its reach. If there is no creature within its reach, the creature instead makes a ranged attack against a randomly determined creature within range and line of sight. If there is no viable target, the creature does nothing this turn.
11-12.The creature can act and move normally.

An affected target may repeat the saving throw at the end of each of their turns.

Grenade, Molotov Cocktail. A homemade grenade comprised of a glass bottle containing a flammable liquid and an alcohol soaked rag for a wick. The grenade can be thrown at a point up to 60 feet away. Each creature within 5 feet of the target point must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 4d4 fire damage on a failed save, or half as much in damage if successful. On a failed saving throw the target is also set alight, taking 1d4 fire damage at the beginning of each of its turns. A creature can end this damage by using its action to make a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw to extinguish the flames.

Grenade, Nuka. The nuka grenade is a very rare grenade capable of a nuclear detonation similar to a mini nuke. The grenade can be thrown at a point up to 60 feet away. Each creature within 20 feet of the target point must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 5d6 fire damage and 5d6 radiation damage on a failed save, or half as much in damage if successful.

Grenade, Plasma An advanced grenade that requires a great deal of technical know-how to construct, on explosion the plasma grenade releases super-heated plasma energy. The grenade can be thrown at a point up to 60 feet away. Each creature within 20 feet of the target point must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 2d6 piercing damage and 8d6 fire damage on a failed save, or half as much in damage if successful.

Grenade, Pulse. This advanced grenade releases a powerful burst of energy. The grenade can be thrown at a point up to 60 feet away. Each creature within 20 feet of the target point must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 10d6 energy damage on a failed save, or half as much in damage if successful.

Grenade, Smoke. A smoke grenade can be thrown at a point up to 60 feet away. At the beginning of your next turn, the smoke grenade lands, it releases a cloud smoke that creates a heavily obscured area in a 20-foot radius around the target point. A moderate wind (at least 10 miles per hour) disperses the smoke in 4 rounds or a strong wind (20 or more miles per hour) disperses it in 1 round. Otherwise, the smoke disperses after 10 rounds.

Bottlecap Mine (3D Model from Fallout 4 © Bethesda Softworks)

Mine, Any Grenade Variant. A mine is a type of grenade that is triggered by proximity or pressure. It can be placed in a location of your choosing as an action. Without appropriate tools, it cannot be attached to a vertical surface. The trigger distance of the mine is determined at the time of its construction, and be any interval of 5 feet from 0 feet (a pressure-based mine) up to the maximum radius of the grenade the mine is based on. When a small or larger creature or object enters into the radius of the mine’s trigger distance the mine explodes. The radius, damage, and saving throw DC of a mine is equal to that of the grenade upon which it is based.

The DC to spot a mine depends on how well it has been concealed.

Mine, Bottlecap. A bottlecap mine is a powerful device constructed from low-tech components, such as Vault-Tech lunchboxes. The bottlecaps it contains are propelled outward with great force. The bottlecap mine is triggered by proximity or pressure. It can be placed in a location of your choosing as an action. Without appropriate tools, it cannot be attached to a vertical surface. The trigger distance of the mine is determined at the time of its construction, and be any interval of 5 feet from 0 feet (a pressure-based mine) to 20 feet. When a small or larger creature or object enters into the radius of the mine’s trigger distance the mine explodes. All creatures within a 20-foot radius from the mine’s placement point must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 6d6 piercing damage and 4d6 fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage if successful.

The DC to spot a mine depends on how well it has been concealed.

When constructing a bottlecap mine it is impossible to pay for all of its cost with salvage, because the mine itself requires caps in its construction. Fifty caps worth of a bottlecap mine’s value must therefore be paid with caps.

Traps

Item	Cost	Weight
Bear Trap	20 caps	15 lb.
Caltrops	10 caps	2 lb.
Poisoned Caltrops	30 caps	2 lb.

Bear Trap (3D Model from Fallout 4 © Bethesda Softworks)

Trap Special Properties

Bear Trap. When you use your action to set it, this trap forms a saw-toothed steel ring that snaps shut when a creature steps on a pressure plate in the center. A creature that steps on the plate must succeed on a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw or take 1d4 piercing damage and stop moving. Thereafter, until the creature breaks free of the trap, its movement is limited by the length of the chain (typically 3 feet long). A creature can use its action to make a DC 13 Strength check, freeing itself or another creature within its reach on a success. Each failed check deals 1 piercing damage to the trapped creature.

The DC to spot a bear trap depends on how well it has been concealed.

Caltrops. As an action, you can spread a bag of caltrops to cover a square area that is 5 feet on a side. Any creature that enters the area must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or stop moving this turn and take 1 piercing damage. Taking this damage reduces the creature’s walking speed by 10 feet until the creature regains at least 1 hit point. A creature moving through the area at half speed doesn’t need to make the save.

The DC to spot caltrops depends on how well they has been concealed.

Poisoned Caltrops. As caltrops (above), except that a creature that fails its saving throw takes 1d4 poisoning damage, and takes the same amount at the beginning of each of its subsequent turns. At the end of the creature’s turn it may make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw to end the effect of the poison.

The DC to spot caltrops depends on how well they has been concealed.

Next Time

We’re just about done listing all the ways a Fallout character has to kill or maim somebody. Next week—ways to protect yourself from being killed or maimed! In other words: armour.