are guns in Skyrim realistic?

[ARavingLooony]

so as someone who is none too fond of putting in modern day weapons in Skyrim did I however find this mod: https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/60183?tab=description which has guns in Skyrim and the designs actually look pretty good and not too over the top. My question is would guns in Tamriel/Skyrim be actually feasible or crossbow's logistically being the most advanced ranged weapons in Tamriel?

 

I am assuming cannons exist in TES lore just unsure about personal firearm's.

[scorrp10]

Heh, check out Fort Knox...

https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/63771

[scorrp10]

..oops, double post

[anjenthedog]

To me, it *feels* like they shouldn't be, at least outside some mage's lab, although the Maslea expansion adds muskets, with and without bayonets.

 

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"A few days later"

 

Ironically enough, I just watched a video about the Vikings having firearms of a sort (where I'd think the Viking age is close to where we are in skyrim technologically) . Apparently there *were* some form of "gun", although more a hand-cannon on a pole, rather than what we think of guns we'd use today.

 

See "With Surtr's Dust": The Viking Discovery of Gunpowder

[StDrake]

From what I've seen in TES so far gun might have a place, but it's likely still too early of an era for them, cause what niche or need would they fill?

If you need to blast something hard and don't care if it's loud and flashy - there's magic for that. Magic in any universe tends to undermine technological advancement in general, cause why spend lots of resources and time on research when you can do stuff with spells.

If you'd rather hit it hard from afar, but not necessarily draw all the attention to it - there's crossbows. They hit hard, are accurate, and require little training, though the last part might be better for many to pick up bows and gain more mobility with your firepower.

Early guns present about the same capability as crossbows, while being louder, flashier, less accurate and more resource-consuming.

Also note how little in the means of siege machinery we see anywhere, and if we do - it's not very complex. I don't even see the stuff on ships, though I didn't look how things are in ESO

 

However there are many points working in the Guns favor

- there were dwemer, digging into tech without having an issue with magic providing what they do

- alchemy is a thing, popular and quite capable of going into firearm applications

- especially in Skyrim magic is not very trusted, thus providing incentive to go the technical route after all

add it together and it's quite viable to put effort into making things go boom through technical means

 

Thus I'd say realistic - perhaps, but so far only as a curio and not very usable. Yet.

[steamteck]

Just feels too genre changing for me to want them regardless. Most of the advantages early guns had wouldn't really carry over very well to the game I feel like anyway.

[nyawapos5only]

probably not, but you can justify that is super-duper elder secret development of dwemer weapons, in any case. lol

[commandermerik]

In Skyrim... probably no. Most people there prefer traditional arms and would be unlikely to experiment with something radically different than what they already have (in my opinion). Most mages seem to prefer traditional spellcasting rather than combining spellcraft with any form of engineering. Alchemists focus on potions and poisons and I can't say what chance there is for them to discover something like gunpowder and try to apply it outside of what their craft usually does. Keep in mind that the nords LOST technology as time went on, and don't seem to have any newer technology that couldn't be found/carried from other parts of the Empire.

 

Presuming cannons are a canon technology, I could see personal firearms being developed over the years in Hammerfell as magic is probably just as if not more magic-averse as Skyrim, but there isn't as much modern lore to make it seem unlikely. If the rest of the Empire uses firearms, they probably would have some presence among the Imperial Legion, but bows and spells seem to be their standard for ranged combat. Considering Hammerfell broke from the Empire, it could be said that firearms were developed there, but did not spread into the rest of the Empire before that point. Maybe they are getting there in the Clockwork City, but they're a bit isolated.

 

Otherwise, I don't quite know about the rest of Tamriel. Like I said, the Imperials didn't bring firearms with them into Skyrim so Cyrodiil is out. Summerset and Morrowind are too steeped in their magical traditions (and the Thalmor are shown to prefer magic over conventional weapons); Elsweyr maybe, but I doubt the Aldmeri would appreciate the khajiit developing new weapons that could be used against them (making Valenwood unlikely too). High Rock and the bretons have so little lore I can't say one way or another. The argonians in Black Marsh aren't exactly known for being innovative craftsmen but it's hard to say anything about modern argonian society right now. Same with the orcs.

 

Overall, I wouldn't consider anything but the most early and experimental of firearms being utilized anywhere in Tamriel, except maybe Hammerfell, and practically none in Skyrim unless done by someone not aligned with typical nord culture, and they haven't been widely adopted by either the Empire or the Dominion.

[Shezza2022]

Loony:

 

This is Shezza. Greetings from Canada!

 

I'm right with you on this one. Modern day weaponry has no place in a game like Skyrim. If one wants modern day weaponry, play GTA. Where ever Skyrim is on history's timeline, sticking to sword, shield and armour should be plenty enough protection. That, and one's wits.

 

Leave the guns out of Skyrim, people, and keep it pure! We have no need for that type of tomfoolery.

 

FYI: Don't get me started on the "porn" and high heel mods!

 

Thank you kindly for your time. I remain,

 

Sincerely yours always,

 

Shezza.