I created this homebrew hand crossbow for a low-level character who wanted something with the feel of a laser pistol. This should work with DND 5e or 5.5.
It is a +1 magical item that does radiant damage, does not use physical ammo, and can push creatures on a hit. It also has a fun (well I think it’s fun) potentially inconvenient effect if the last charge is fired.
I placed it in the Sunless Citadel, and there is some flavor text explaining the background on the item. The art was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Feel free to reskin to fit your campaign. Hope this is helpful!
Homebrewery Link: https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/YxgLI7pNtd4f
Give it a shot! (Pew pew!) Might be fun!