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For an overview of plasma rifles, see Plasma rifle. |
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The plasma rifle is a weapon in Fallout: New Vegas.
Contents
Background
Plasma rifles or plasma casters are high tech weapons firing superheated bolts of plasma, powered by either microfusion cells, heavy energy cells, plasma cartridges, or plasma cores which find numerous applications in military and industrial fields. The bolts form into toroids in the plasma chamber, which are then sent down a superconducting barrel,[1][2][3] propelled by, and in some models stabilized by, electromagnetic claws upon exiting it.[4] However, the plasma bolt chamber can be hotwired in order to accelerate the bolt formation process, effectively turbocharging the rifle.[5] The primary damage mechanism of plasma rifles is thermal transfer, causing serious burns to soft targets and melting hard ones. In extreme cases, the plasma can cause spontaneous dissolution of the target, including separation of soft tissues from hard ones or wholesale molecular destabilization that turns the target into a viscous green fluid.
Initially, the weapon was a bulky, industrial plasma caster, manufactured by Winchester Arms; while it performed admirably, it was expensive and required specialized training to use. However, later developments for the United States Army would lead to a more compact design that was cheaper to produce and easier to train for, perfectly suited for urban warfare.[6] An additional model known as the Gatling plasma, made in a similar fashion to the Gatling laser, would also come into use.
This plasma rifle is a lightweight urban warfare weapon created as part of a desire to replace the aging Winchester P94 "Plasma Caster" design.[6] This design was produced and fielded in number prior to the Great War of October 23, 2077. This however was not the end of the design nor manufacture[7] of this weapon platform. Prior to the nuclear Armageddon, REPCONN Aerospace (as a subsidiary of RobCo Industries) would successfully develop an improvement from their spaceflight research, with significantly advanced factions tinkering with the design post Armageddon.[8]
Characteristics
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.
Durability
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 |
Modifications
- Plasma rifle mag. accelerator - Increase the speed of the plasma bolt by 200%.
Variants
- 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 from the Fallout: New Vegas files. |
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| End of information based on developer test content from the Fallout: New Vegas files. |
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Comparison
| 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 |
Locations
- 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 with an Average lock, behind the mayor's desk.
- Novac - One can be bought from Cliff Briscoe.
- Powder Gangers in the various farmsteads south of Vegas and near Vault 19 may carry plasma 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 - Purchased from Gloria Van Graff.
- Several Van Graff thugs have plasma rifles if one chooses to exterminate them.
- 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 followers scattered across the wasteland can sometimes be found with them.
- Greasy Johnny occasionally carries one.
Can be found on Y-17 trauma override harnesses.
Notes
- A slight humming sound can be heard when it is equipped.
- It has a slower rate of fire and is less durable than its counterpart in the Capital Wasteland.
- An unmodified plasma rifle's bolts travel 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."
Sounds
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Gallery
References
- ↑ Fallout and Fallout 2 item description: "{1500}{}{Plasma Rifle}"
"{1501}{}{A Winchester Model P94 Plasma Rifle. An industrial-grade energy weapon, firing superheated bolts of plasma down a superconducting barrel. Powered by Micro Fusion Cells. Min ST: 6.}"
Fallout Tactics: Brotherhood of Steel item description: "name_plasmaRifle = {Plasma Rifle}"
"desc_plasmaRifle = {A Winchester Model P94 Plasma Rifle. An industrial-grade energy weapon, firing superheated bolts of ionised gas down a superconducting barrel. Powered by Micro Fusion Cells.}"
(PRO ITEM.MSG (Fallout), PRO ITEM.MSG (Fallout 2) and Items.txt) - ↑ Fort Independence terminal entries; research terminal, research log - plasma rifle
- ↑ Research note - plasma rifle
- ↑ Chris Taylor interview for Vault13.net
- ↑ Fallout and Fallout 2 item description: "{23300}{}{Turbo Plasma Rifle}"
"{23301}{}{A modified Winchester P94 plasma rifle. The plasma bolt chamber has been hotwired to accelerate the bolt formation process. Min ST: 6.}"
(PRO ITEM.MSG (Fallout), PRO ITEM.MSG (Fallout 2) and Items.txt) - ↑ 6.0 6.1 The cover of the Future Weapons Today periodical as seen in Fallout: New Vegas has a section prominently promoted entitled "Urban Plasma Rifles."
- ↑ Energy weapon forge
- ↑ In Fallout 3 and Fallout 4 both the Institute and the Brotherhood of Steel are origins of such designs acquirable by the player character. See the variations list on the overview article.
