Fallout Wiki
Register
Advertisement
Fallout Wiki

The plasma caster is a heavy gun in Fallout 76, introduced in the Wastelanders update.

Characteristics[]

The plasma caster is a powerful energy weapon similar in fire rate and range to the ballistic Gatling gun. The plasma caster deals considerably more damage per-shot than other energy weapons, but suffers from a low ammo capacity and fire rate. It can be upgraded to drain the fusion cores of enemy targets clad in power armor with each hit.

Utilizing this weapon against targets at a lower elevation in V.A.T.S. produces strange arcs of plasma.

The plasma caster is affected by the Grounded mutation.

Crafting[]

Plasma casters are always crafted at the maximum level available to the player character. The weapon will be a one-star, two-star, or three-star legendary weapon with randomly determined effects. When crafted, plasma casters use legendary modules, becoming legendary weapons with randomly determined effects. As with other weapons only available after the main questline of Wastelanders, plasma casters cannot be traded, dropped, or sold to vendors.

Weapon modifications[]

Weapon mods can only be crafted if the corresponding plan is known. Mod plans for the plasma caster are bought from Regs for Gold Bullion gold bullion and cannot be learned from scrapping plasma casters.

Receiver
ModDescriptionEffectsDamage changeFire rate changeRange changeAccuracy changeAP cost changeRequirementsResources
Standard receiverStandard.
Adhesive x2
Aluminum x8
Copper x3
Gear x4
Screw x4
Calibrated capacitorSuperior critical shot damage.++Crit DMG
Science 1
Plan: Plasma caster calibrated capacitor to craft
?
Prime capacitor
(Prime)
Superior damage. Bonus damage to Scorchbeasts and Scorched.+19 Energy&Ballistic DMG
Science 1
Plan: Prime plasma caster capacitor to craft
Adhesive x1
Crystal x2
Nuclear material x4
Pure crimson flux x2
Pure violet flux x2
Screw x6
Steel x10
Ultracite x5
Pulse capacitorReduced damage. Drains enemy power armor fusion cores.-?
+5% fusion core drain

Science 1
Plan: Plasma caster pulse capacitor to craft
?
True capacitorSuperior hip-fire accuracy.+Hip-fire
Science 1
Plan: Plasma caster true capacitor to craft
?

Barrel
ModDescriptionRange changeAccuracy changeAP cost changeRequirementsResources
Standard barrelStandard.
Adhesive x1
Screw x2
Steel x11
Aligned sniper barrelSuperior range. Improved recoil and hip-fire accuracy.+108-5%
Science 1
Plan: Plasma caster aligned sniper barrel to craft
Adhesive x2
Circuitry x2
Crystal x3
Fiber optics x3
Screw x4
Silver x2
Steel x15
True long barrelImproved range, Superior hip-fire accuracy.+84
Science 1
Plan: Plasma caster true long barrel to craft
Aluminum x6
Circuitry x6
Copper x9
Gear x4
Nuclear material x5
Rubber x8
Steel x17

Sights
ModDescriptionAccuracy changeAP cost changeRequirementsResources
Standard sightStandard.
Adhesive x1
Steel x1

Location[]

Notes[]

  • It appears to be a similar model to the plasma caster in Fallout: New Vegas, which was identified as a Winchester P94.[1] However, its chassis is rounded, not boxy.
  • The plasma caster added to Fallout Shelter in 2022 uses this design.
  • AtomThe Industrial paint bears the H&H Tools Company logo.

Behind the scenes[]

  • Joon Choi drew concepts of the weapon, including two modifications for the barrel,[Non-game 1] taking inspiration from the Fallout and Fallout: New Vegas designs, as well as the Fallout 4 plasma gun.[Non-game 2]
  • This plasma caster is the original industrial tool used for cutting, repurposed as a weapon. As such, it has a yellow, rather than Army green color scheme, reflecting its purpose. It's also an older design than the Winchester P94, predating its adoption as a weapon.[Non-game 3]
  • The term Plasma Caster was first applied to this weapon in the Fallout Demo, but it was called the plasma rifle in the published game.[Non-game 4]

Gallery[]

References[]

  1. The Courier: "What kind of prototypes?"
    Arcade Gannon: "Plasma rifles. They were intended to replace the P94 plasma caster. There was some corporate espionage going on between Poseidon Energy's Project SEMELE and whatever was going on here."
    (Arcade Gannon's dialogue)

Non-game

  1. Joon Choi Plasma caster barrel variants
  2. Joon Choi Plasma caster recreation with references
  3. Tumblr, collected by JCB2077
  4. Fallout demo item description: "{1500}{}{Plasma Caster}"
    "{1501}{}{A Winchester Model P94 Plasma Rifle. An industrial-grade energy weapon, firing superheated bolts of plasmadown a superconducting barrel. Powered by Micro Fusion Cells.}"
Advertisement