 | For an overview of plasma rifles in the various Fallout games, see Plasma rifle. |
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The plasma rifle is a weapon in Fallout: New Vegas.
Background
Edit
Plasma rifles or plasma casters are high-tech weapons which find numerous applications in military and industrial fields. They fire superheated bolts of plasma powered by either microfusion cells, heavy energy cells or plasma cartridges. The bolt forms in a special chamber, which is then sent down a superconducting barrel,[1][2] propelled by, and in some models stabilized by electromagnetic claws upon exiting it.[3]
The plasma bolt is a toroid of superheated hydrogen gas that delivers high levels of both thermal and kinetic energy damage to the target, melting through most types of armors and causing massive 3rd-degree and 4th-degree burns.
Initially, these weapons were bulky, industrial plasma casters designed to be an industrial welding tool rather than a weapon, manufactured by Winchester Arms; while it performed admirably as a welding tool, it was expensive and required specialized training to use. However, later developments for the US Army would lead to more compact and smaller designs, such as the plasma pistol and plasma rifle, that were cheaper to produce and easier to train for, perfectly suited for urban warfare.[4]
Regardless, all types of plasma weapons have a common feature: when a Critical Hit is delivered, they can literally melt down enemies. While most industrial casters aren't powerful enough to dissolve bones too, subsequent models have no problem converting the target into a puddle of goo.
This plasma rifle is a lightweight urban warfare weapon[4] created by REPCONN Aerospace for the US Army based on engine parts from the failed Z43-521P - "Green Bean" plasma-powered rocket. Like the AER9 laser rifle, it uses a microfusion cell as its power supply. It taps into the cell, essentially a small fusion reactor, to produce a toroid of plasma that is ejected down a superconducting barrel.[2] In contrast to the Winchester P94, it does not have the electromagnetic claws.
As of 2277, these plasma rifles can usually be found in use by Enclave soldiers on the East Coast. By 2281, they can be found less commonly throughout the Mojave Wasteland.
CharacteristicsEdit
Compared to its Fallout 3 counterpart, this plasma rifle has a much lower damage-per-second rating with only a slight improvement in damage. Factoring in the transition from the Damage Resistance system to the Damage Threshold system, the plasma rifle is vastly underpowered compared to its Fallout 3 iteration.
Unlike the plasma rifle in Fallout 3, this plasma rifle uses 2 microfusion cells per shot.
DurabilityEdit
The plasma rifle can fire a total of about 370 times using standard cells, the equivalent of 31 reloads, from full condition before breaking.
| Ammunition type | Durability | |
|---|---|---|
| Shots | Reloads | |
| Standard | 370 | 31 |
| Bulk | 437 | 37 |
| Optimized | 336 | 28 |
| Over charge | 245 | 21 |
| Max charge | 145 | 13 |
ModificationsEdit
- Plasma rifle mag. accelerator - increase the speed of the plasma bolt by 200%.
VariantsEdit
- Van Graff plasma rifle - A special variant given by the Van Graffs.
- Q-35 matter modulator - A unique variant of the plasma rifle.
 | The following is based on developer test content cut from Fallout: New Vegas and has not been confirmed by canon sources. |
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| End of information based on developer test content cut from Fallout: New Vegas. |
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ComparisonEdit
| Legend | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | - Weapon name (melee or unarmed) |  | - Attacks in V.A.T.S. | |
 | - Weapon name (gun, energy or explosive) |  | - Action point cost | |
 | - Damage per attack (damage per projectile) |  | - Damage per action point | |
 | - Damage per second |  | - Weapon spread | |
 | - Area of effect damage |  | - Magazine capacity (shots per reload) | |
 | - Effect damage & duration |  | - Durability (number of attacks before breaking) | |
 | - Bonus effects |  | - Weight | |
 | - Attacks per second |  | - Value in caps | |
 | - Critical chance % multiplier |  | - Value to weight ratio | |
 | - Critical damage |  | - Skill required | |
 | - Critical effect damage & duration |  | - Strength required | |
 | - With all mods attached | |||
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plasma rifle | 47 | 65.8 | 1.4 | x2 | 47 | 30 | 1.6 | 0.2 | 24(12) | 370 | 8 | 1300 | 162.5 | 25 | 3 |
| Q-35 matter modulator | 40 | 96 | 2.4 | x2 | 62 | 28 | 1.4 | 0.2 | 12 | 1245 | 7 | 3000 | 428.6 | 25 | 2 |
| Van Graff plasma rifle | 32 | 44.8 | 1.4 | x2 | 32 | 30 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 24(12) | 370 | 8 | 1300 | 162.5 | 0 | 3 |
| Multiplas rifle | 105 (35x3) | 105 | 1 | x1 | 34 | 35 | 3 | 1.5 | 30(10) | 245 | 7 | 2500 | 357.1 | 50 | 4 |
LocationsEdit
- Durable Dunn's sacked caravan - two of the thugs' bodies have plasma rifles.
- Fiends sometimes carry this weapon.
- Hidden Valley bunker - one can be stolen from a room near the command center.
- Horowitz farmstead - one can be found simply lying on the ground southwest at the Griffin Wares sacked caravan.
- Jacobstown - during the quest Unfriendly Persuasion, some of the mercenaries carry this weapon.
- Nipton - one may be found in the Town Hall, in a gun cabinet in the room (locked - average) behind the Mayor's desk.
- Novac - one can be bought from Cliff Briscoe.
- Powder Ganger members in the various farmsteads south of Vegas and near Vault 19 may carry plasma rifles or laser rifles.
- REPCONN headquarters - one can be found on the northeastern side of the building, behind a couple of average locked doors, and in a small room with a lot of microfusion cells and three ammunition boxes.
- Silver Rush - Gloria Van Graff sells one from time to time.
- Several Van Graff thugs have plasma rifles if the player chooses to exterminate the Van Graffs during the quest Heartache by the Number.
- The Fort - one can be found in the underground bunker, leaning up against the wall by the ammunition boxes.
- Yangtze Memorial - A plasma rifle sometimes spawns in one of the graves nearby the memorial.
- Dead Bright Brotherhood members scattered across the wasteland can sometimes be found with one.
NotesEdit
- A slight humming sound can be heard when it is equipped.
- It has a slower rate of fire and is less durable than its Capital Wasteland counterpart.
- An unmodified plasma rifle's bolts travels at 7500 units per second, which is about 117 yards (~107 meters) per second or 240 mph (386 km/h). This is much slower than typical bullet muzzle velocities.
- It is described by Simon to be "as slow as a mule but with a kick to match."
SoundsEdit
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GalleryEdit
