Blasters are ranged weapons which
fire cohesive bolts of agitated particulate matter. For thousands of years,
blaster technology has formed the basis of the galaxy’s most common, and
deadliest, forms of armament. Blasters range from small personal defense
weapons to massive battle munitions and even world shattering superlasers.
Blasters and lasers are terms
that are often used interchangeably and in fact are functionally identical. They
utilize a power source to activate and launch high-energy gases in the form of a
short and brightly colored beam of force. These bolts displace matter on impact
and the resulting friction generates heat causing some solids to melt and
liquids to vaporize. Unshielded surfaces show blast points and other stress
marks when subjected to blaster fire.
Common Blaster and Laser Descriptors:
beam, bolt, concussive, energy, explosive, force, friction, gas, gear, heat,
kinetic, particle beam, piercing, plasma, stun, vehicle
Note: Most blaster weapons will be purchased by characters as equipment or as part of a vehicle and will have all of the associated drawbacks. Only droid or cyborg characters would be likely to have ranks in any blaster based effect.
Blaster Pistol
◊Descriptors
– bolt, energy, force
◊Effect – Inaccurate
Extended Ranged Damage • 2 points per rank
Blaster Pistol (ranged Damage)
◊Modifiers – ranged: +1/rank
◊Action – standard
◊Range – S/M/L 50/100/200 feet per rank
◊Duration – instant
◊Results – Damage
◊Resist – Toughness
Description
Blaster
pistols are one of the most ubiquitous weapons in the galaxy and are commonly
used by civilians and military personnel alike.
Blaster Pistols fire cohesive bursts of energy and can be found in a
variety of sizes and styles. Some blasters are capable of firing a non-lethal
force effect, while others can switch between a lethal setting and a stun
setting (firing a beam of energy which disrupts the nervous system and may
cause paralysis and nausea). A blaster equipped with a stun setting will have
additional descriptors and usually include an Affliction as an alternate
effect, while blasters that are simply non-lethal replace the heat descriptor
with force and cannot cause a character to become dying (except in rare
circumstances or if the user continues to blast an incapacitated target).
A typical Blaster Pistol has an effect rank of 4-6 with no special effect
modifiers. Some versions are clumsier than others and apply 1 rank of the
inaccurate modifier. More unusual or specially modified versions can have a
variety of modifiers affecting range and accuracy. A few have an increased
critical threat range. Other varieties of blasters may have additional or
alternate descriptors.
Blaster Rifle
◊Descriptors – bolt, energy, force
◊Effect – Ranged Damage • 2 points per rank +1
Blaster Rifle (ranged Damage)
◊Modifiers – alternate effect: 1 flat point, ranged: +1/rank
◊Action – standard
◊Range – S/M/L 50/100/200 feet per rank
◊Duration – instant
◊Results – Damage
◊Resist – Toughness
Description
Blaster
rifles are larger and more powerful than other types of personal use energy
weapons and are found in the hands of military units all across the galaxy.
Blaster Rifles have longer range, greater stopping power, and carry
larger energy cells making them capable of extended use. These weapons are the
standard personal energy weapon of countless modern and historical military
forces. An alternate stun setting is standard with most models and some have a
sting setting which launches a non-lethal force effect.
A typical Blaster Rifle has an effect rank of 8-10 with no special effect
modifiers and an incapacitating Affliction alternate effect. If the
effect hits, the target must make a Dodge check (DC 10 + the effect rank) or
become dazed (one degree), stunned (two degrees), or incapacitated (three or
more degrees). The target makes a Fortitude resistance check at the end of each
of his turns to overcome the first two conditions. The stun effect is usually
simple a ranged Affliction with the same effect rank that the
Blaster Rifle damage effect, however some varieties have a diminished range or
may be a close attack with the reach extra. Many stun settings include the
cumulative extra.
Heavy Blaster Pistol
◊Descriptors – bolt, energy, explosive, force
◊Effect – Inaccurate Ranged Damage • 2 points per rank
Heavy Blaster Pistol (inaccurate diminished range dangerous Damage)
◊Modifiers – dangerous: 1 flat point, diminished range: -1 flat point, inaccurate:
-1 flat point, ranged: +1/rank
◊Action – standard
◊Range – S/M/L 10/25/50 feet per rank
◊Duration – instant
◊Results – Damage
◊Resist – Toughness
Description
Blaster
pistols are one of the most ubiquitous weapons in the galaxy and are commonly
used by civilians and military personnel alike.
Heavy Blaster Pistols provide the firepower of a blaster rifle in with
reduced range, size and weight. Most of these weapons feature a stun setting with
additional descriptors and an Affliction alternate effect capable of incapacitating
a target. The dangerous modifier increases the critical threat range of these
weapons by 1.
Heavy Blaster Pistols have an effect rank of 6-8. These weapons are often
modified to have additional ranks in one or more of the modifying extras and
flaws. Dangerous can be increased up to 4 ranks (for a critical threat range of
16-20) and diminished range can have up to 3 ranks. Some variations are more or
less accurate and occasionally generate a close area effect (instead of the usual
ranged effect or as an alternate effect) for models with a short range and especially
wide beam.
These weapons may include a built-in or retractable stock (usually losing
the inaccurate flaw and possibly allowing a close range alternate damage effect)
and a few have the multiattack extra.
Hold-out Blaster
◊Descriptors – bolt, energy, force
◊Effect – Unreliable Ranged Damage • 1 point per rank -2
Hold-Out Blaster (diminished range unreliable Damage)
◊Modifiers – diminished range: -2 flat point, ranged: +1/rank, unreliable:
-1/rank
◊Action – standard
◊Range – S/M/L 5/10/25 feet per rank
◊Duration – instant
◊Results – Damage
◊Resist – Toughness
Description
This small
personal defense blaster fits easily in the palm of a humanoid hand.
Hold-out Blasters are small, low-yield blaster pistols capable of firing 5
or 6 shots before depleting its energy cell. They are favored by civilians
interested in personal defense in restrictive territories as well as by
governmental or military agents interested in maintaining a low-profile or as
backup weapon. Smugglers and other criminal types also keep these weapons on
hand, sometimes quite literally.
A typical Hold-Out Blaster has an effect rank of 2-4 with the 2 ranks of
the diminished range modifier and the unreliable flaw (allowing 5 shots before
requiring that the energy cell be replaced. This effect is often modified with
one or more ranks in the accurate extra (adding +2 to attack checks per rank),
the concealable extra (providing a +10 circumstance bonus to Sleight of Hand checks
to conceal the weapon) and occasionally it does not have the unreliable flaw,
representing an unusually efficient model. Any of these additional features usually
results in the weapon being considered illegal for civilian use.
Laser Cannon
◊Descriptors – concussive, energy, force, vehicle
◊Effect – Inaccurate Extended Ranged Damage • 2 points per rank
Laser Cannon (extended ranged inaccurate Damage)
◊Modifiers – extended range: 1 flat point, inaccurate 1: -1 flat point,
increased range: +1/rank
◊Action – standard
◊Range – S/M/L 50/100/200 feet per rank
◊Duration – instant
◊Results – Damage
◊Resist – Toughness
Description
Laser
cannons are one of the most common types of artillery in the history of
galactic warfare. They are found mounted on vehicles of all sizes. Smaller
versions are carried by heavy weapons units and deployed with collapsible
turrets or may occasionally by found on durable wardroids. Larger versions are
used as point defense weapons on capital ships and as the primary offensive
weaponry of starfighters.
Laser Cannons fill a variety of roles including area fire, counterbattery
fire, covering fire, and point defense. A typical Laser Cannon has an effect
rank of 8-9, although batteries of these weapons often have higher ranks.
Most examples have extended range, but are designed to fire at larger
targets making them inaccurate. Gunners suffer a -2 penalty on attack checks.
Some versions have explosive force and add a burst Area while batteries
include a Multiattack effect.
Quad Laser Cannon
◊Descriptors – concussive, energy, force, vehicle
◊Effect – Inaccurate Extended Ranged Damage • 2 points per rank -1
Quad Laser Cannon (extended ranged inaccurate Damage)
◊Modifiers – extended range: 1 flat point, inaccurate 2: -2 flat points,
increased range: +1/rank
◊Action – standard
◊Range – S/M/L 50/100/200 feet per rank
◊Duration – instant
◊Results – Damage
◊Resist – Toughness
Description
Quad laser
cannons, or quadlasers, utilize four individual cannons which can be fired
alternately, or in pairs, in rapid succession. These weapons are regularly
mounted on starships of all sizes as point defense weapons.
A Quad Laser Cannon is a linked battery of four laser cannons operated by
a single gunner and usually mounted on a turret. The four cannons alternate
fire in an attempt to overload the target’s shields. A typical Quad Laser
Cannon has an effect rank of 10.
Most examples have extended range, but are designed to fire at larger
targets making them inaccurate. Gunners suffer a -4 penalty on attack checks.
Some versions may have a faster firing cycle and add either a burst Area
or Multiattack effect.
Surface Defense Blaster Cannon
◊Descriptors – autofire, bolt, energy, force, kinetic
◊Effect – Ranged Multiattack Damage • 3 points per rank
Surface Defense Blaster Cannon (ranged multiattack Damage)
◊Modifiers – increased range: +1/rank, multiattack: +1/rank
◊Action – standard
◊Range – S/M/L 25/50/100 feet per rank
◊Duration – instant
◊Results – Damage
◊Resist – Toughness
Description
This
anti-personnel cannon offers considerable defense against hostile targets
entering the area.
A Surface Defense Blaster Cannon is an anti-personnel weapon equipped on
some vehicles as well as starships capable of entering planetary atmosphere. A typical
example usually has 5-7 ranks of this power, usually enough to decimate ground
troops but largely ineffective against shielded targets, armored vehicles and
installations.
The autofire capability of this power allows the following options to be
used by the gunner:
•If an attack against a
single target is successful, increase the Damage resistance check DC by +2 for
two degrees of success, and +5 for three or more. This circumstance bonus does
not count against power level limits.
•The gunner can “spray”
this Damage effect across an arc, rolling one attack check per target in the
arc. The gunner suffers a penalty to each check equal to the total number of
targets.
•The gunner can provide cover
for an ally, by taking a standard action and choosing one ally within line of
sight and not engaged in close combat. The ally receives the benefit of total
cover (attacks against the ally are made at -5) in your line of sight and in
range of the effect. An opponent can choose
to ignore the cover provided by your covering attack at the cost of being
automatically attacked by it; make a normal attack check to hit that opponent.
Some versions have the diminished range modifier and function only to
slow boarding actions while the vehicle is immobile or grounded. Specialized
mounting systems may provide extra stability and 1 rank of accurate modifier.
Turbolaser
◊Descriptors – concussive, energy, force, vehicle
◊Effect – Ranged Damage • 2 points per rank
Turbolaser (extended ranged inaccurate Damage)
◊Modifiers – extended range: 3 flat points, inaccurate 3: -3 flat points,
increased range: +1/rank
◊Action – standard
◊Range – S/M/L 200/400/800 feet per rank
◊Duration – instant
◊Results – Damage
◊Resist – Toughness
Description
An
incredibly powerful and massively scaled up laser cannon.
Turbolasers are commonly employed on capital ships and space stations.
Depending on the effect rank, this ability can represent a single long-range
weapon, or batteries of multiple cannons, turrets or defense towers. A powerful
capital ship turbolaser battery usually has 12 ranks of this power.
Although they have an extended range, they are notoriously inaccurate
when targeting mobile units. Gunners suffer a -6 penalty on attack checks.
Some turbolasers may have a greater or smaller extended range value and
massive cannons targeting opposed ground forces or installations may have a
burst Area as well and perhaps additional direct hit damage. Larger versions
may have additional ranks of the inaccurate modifier as well
