Azure: Gunner

Now let’s talk briefly about even-numbered Tiers, though you won’t be seeing a new one of those for a while – assuming you’re paying attention to your instructors and manage not to fuck things up and die young. Don’t do that, I already really hate to think about how many of you are not reading this book. Thinking about you reading it and still dying young is even more depressing.

Even numbered Tiers are more exciting than the odd ones, because instead of merely getting a new modifier slot you get a whole new Class item! The System will give you a few options to choose from after you’ve decided on your new Class. The new Class item is a big fucking deal, especially for hybrid Classes.

The canonical example is Ranger. If you picked a bow at Tier 0, you want to take a melee weapon at Tier 2, and vice versa. Spellsword is another good one – grab yourself a staff or scepter for enhanced Spell power, then switch back to your sword once you can see the whites of their eyes. Assuming they have eyes, obviously.

- Delver’s Guild Handbook, Section 2.8 – “Tiers”

[Your weapon has been upgraded to reflect your new Tier and Class, CQS Zimmerman! Is it not beautiful?!]

“NO! It's hideous! Change it back!"

[No can do, Citizen! Class weapon upgrades are permanent! Your weapon will evolve again when you reach Tier 2!]

I groaned in frustration as Mason patted me awkwardly on the shoulder. My beautiful shotgun! Now it's all short and stubby and… fat? It looks like it's been corrupted!

It took me a few moments to pull myself together and attempt to objectively categorize the changes. Virtually everything about the weapon was different. It was much shorter, for one thing, and wider. The grip had changed to a pistol-like vertical one.

The various switches had been relocated, but I'd figure those out later. What I wanted to know right now was why it was so… fat. I looked at the front and realized to my shock that there were now two tubes, side-by-side under the barrel.

How in the Wastes does this work?! And the ejection port is missing!

I found the loading port on the bottom, double the width of my old one. With no other options, I assumed it must also be where the shells were ejected. The port was nearly to the back of the gun, integrated into the stock instead of being in front of it. Overall, I was less than impressed.

My old shotgun had been sleek, beautifully deadly, like a longsword. What I now held was more like a short, ugly mace in comparison. I sighed, resolving to make the best of the situation. There was nothing I could do now, about either my Class or my gun. I had to make the best of the situation.

Besides, a mace still fucking hurts if you get hit with it, even if it doesn’t look as cool as a longsword… or my cutlass.

I reminded myself that Gunner hadn't been my first choice either. I would never have picked it if there'd been an acceptable alternative, but now I loved it. Maybe the same thing would happen with CQS! It was theoretically possible, at least… I Inspected my shotgun, wanting to see the changes.