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The plasma caster, formally the Winchester P94 plasma caster,[Non-game 1][1] is a weapon in Fallout: New Vegas.

Background[]

This section is transcluded from Plasma rifle. To change it, please edit the transcluded page.

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,[2][3][4] propelled by, and in some models stabilized by, electromagnetic claws upon exiting it.[5] However, the plasma bolt chamber can be hotwired in order to accelerate the bolt formation process, effectively turbocharging the rifle.[6] 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.

Bulky, industrial plasma casters manufactured by Winchester Arms were once popular. While they performed admirably, they were expensive and required specialized training to use. Later developments by the United States Army would lead to a more compact design that was cheaper to produce and easier to train for, suitable for urban warfare.[7]

Characteristics[]

A powerful plasma-based energy weapon with a rather low AP cost and a high rate of fire. Compared to its rifle-based counterpart, it outclasses it in both damage and fire rate as well as ammunition consumption, using only one microfusion cell instead of two per shot. Finally, it is slightly more durable. It pays for these advantages however in weight and accuracy: its far larger base spread is compounded by the high skill and Strength requirements to handle this weapon.

At 20 pounds, it is the heaviest energy weapon in the base game, only surpassed by Cleansing Flame from Gun Runners' Arsenal. It is rare to find at even a moderate level, very expensive, and not very durable, so repairing it may be difficult without ready access to weapon repair kits or the caps to use a repair vendor.

Durability[]

The plasma caster can fire a total of 395 times using standard cells, the equivalent of 40 reloads, from full condition before breaking.

Ammunition typeDurability
ShotsReloads
Standard39540
Bulk46647
Optimized35936
Over charge26227
Max charge15516

Modifications[]

Variants[]

Comparison[]

Legend 
Weapon name (current weapon is highlighted)- Weapon name (melee or unarmed)Attacks in V.A.T.S.- Attacks in V.A.T.S.
Weapon name (current weapon is highlighted)- Weapon name (gun, energy or explosive)Action point cost- Action point cost
Damage per attack (damage per projectile)- Damage per attack (damage per projectile)Damage per action point- Damage per action point
Damage per second- Damage per secondWeapon spread- Weapon spread
Area of effect damage- Area of effect damageMagazine capacity (shots per reload)- Magazine capacity (shots per reload)
Effect damage & duration- Effect damage & durationDurability (number of attacks before breaking)- Durability (number of attacks before breaking)
Bonus effects- Bonus effectsWeight- Weight
Attacks per second- Attacks per secondValue in caps- Value in caps
Critical chance % multiplier- Critical chance % multiplierValue to weight ratio- Value to weight ratio
Critical damage- Critical damageSkill required- Skill required
Critical effect damage & duration- Critical effect damage & durationStrength required- Strength required
With all mods attached- With all mods attached
Weapon name (current weapon is highlighted)Damage per attack (damage per projectile)Damage per secondAttacks per secondCritical Chance % multiplierCritical damageAttacks in V.A.T.S.Action Point costDamage per action pointWeapon spreadMagazine capacity (shots per reload)Durability (number of attacks before breaking)WeightValue in capsValue to weight ratioSkill requiredStrength required
Plasma caster 65
1953x1651252.60.7103952070003501008
Plasma caster With all weapon mods attached 65
243.83.75x1651252.60.7103952095004751008
The Smitty Special Gun Runners' Arsenal35
2457x0.1353303.51.3201095202000010001008

Locations[]

Notes[]

  • Without any add-ons, the one sold by Gloria Van Graff is the only instance of the weapon in a fixed location.
  • The plasma caster in Fallout: New Vegas is ostensibly the same weapon as the plasma rifle found in Fallout and Fallout 2. Their design and functionality are nearly identical.
    • Despite its name, the original plasma rifle was a heavy two-handed weapon.
    • When the plasma caster is outfitted with the HS electrode, it effectively becomes the turbo plasma rifle from Fallout and Fallout 2.
    • The Winchester P94 is explicitly identified as a plasma caster by Arcade Gannon.[1]
    • In Fallout 3, Elder Lyons mentions the P94 when lamenting the Brotherhood's callousness towards humanity.[8]
  • In Fallout 76, an earlier model of plasma caster can be acquired,[Non-game 2] and the iconic three-pronged appearance is available by modifying the barrel.
    • This model was originally an industrial tool, modified for use as a weapon.[Non-game 2]
    • Atomic Shop A paintjob for the plasma caster in Fallout 76 bears the H&H Tools logo. An Army skin also exists.
    • A plasma caster based on the basic Fallout 76 model was added to Fallout Shelter in a 2022 update.
  • In Fallout 4, the Sentinel's Plasmacaster is a legendary plasma rifle with a name alluding to this weapon.
  • When the plasma caster jams, the player character will adjust a non-existent dial, due to reusing the Gatling laser's animations.
  • When viewed in third-person, depending on what armor is worn, the plasma caster may not be visible on the player character when holstered. Halfway through the holstering animation, the weapon model simply disappears, similar to the incinerator and heavy incinerator. If visible, the player character holds it in one hand with the pronged tip clipping through the ground.

Behind the scenes[]

  • Joshua Sawyer was also responsible for the inclusion of the weapon. It was implemented by model artist Paul Fish.[Non-game 1]
    • Sawyer identified the plasma caster as "just the P94 Plasma Rifle from the original Fallout."[Non-game 1]
    • Joshua Sawyer mentioned that it was renamed because Fallout 3 had introduced a different plasma rifle, and the weapon didn't look like a rifle in the first place.[Non-game 3]
    • When discussing another weapon, Sawyer noted that some New Vegas designs were adjusted from classic designs to fit existing animations. This accounts for minor design discrepancies between this model and the plasma rifle in Fallout.[Non-game 5]
  • In the G.E.C.K., there is a cut critical effect for the plasma caster. In the projectiles window, the explosion effect is already set up, but is unchecked.

Bugs[]

  • PCPC Playstation 3Playstation 3Playstation 3 Xbox 360Xbox 360 The weapon fails to fire a projectile properly when used in third-person view. After equipping it in third-person view, it may not work, even when switching to first-person view. Re-equipping it while in first-person view may solve this.[verified]
  • PCPC Sometimes, after quick loading, the weapon is held in one hand by the handle and moves with the player character's arm movement when holstered, or appears next to the player character's arm. This can be fixed by un-equipping and then re-equipping the plasma caster.[verified]
  • Xbox 360Xbox 360 When using the weapon in V.A.T.S., the projectile will often not fire unless very close to the target, and if standing under a roof, the projectile may collide with the structure.[verified]
  • Xbox 360Xbox 360 While equipped, the weapon may become stuck to the player character's hand when changing outfits. To fix this, simply un-equip it, then re-equip.[verified]
  • Xbox 360Xbox 360 If one has more than one plasma caster stored in the same container, they may stack on top of each other. They can be separated but if the second one is placed back into the container, they will still stack on top of each other.[verified]

Sounds[]

SingleShotVB

Gallery[]

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 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)
  2. 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)
  3. Fort Independence terminal entries; research terminal, research log - plasma rifle
  4. Research note - plasma rifle
  5. Chris Taylor interview for Vault13.net
  6. 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)
  7. The cover of the Future Weapons Today periodical as seen in Fallout: New Vegas has a section prominently promoted entitled "Urban Plasma Rifles."
  8. The Lone Wanderer: "I thought the protection of humanity was a part of the Brotherhood's oaths."
    Owyn Lyons: "Only in a very broad sense. The Brotherhood's oaths are to protect humanity's progress, but not necessarily every human. The Outcasts - and members of the Brotherhood in other places - consider it a waste to protect most people. 'After all,' they say, 'everyone knows how to make another human, but the secrets to making a P94 Plasma Rifle are all but lost.'"
    (Owyn Lyons' dialogue)

Non-game

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Anonymous: "whose idea was it to include the plasma caster its awesome!"
    Joshua Sawyer: "Mine, but it's just the P94 Plasma Rifle from the original Fallout, so I can't take any real credit for it. Paul Fish modeled and textured it."
    (J.E. Sawyer on Formspring March 3, 2011)
  2. 2.0 2.1 Tumblr, collected by JCB2077, retrieved 2/4/2024
  3. Anonymous: "Why did you guys change the Winchester Plasma Rifle to Plasma Caster? Was it because of F3's PR to not repeat the name or because you didn't agree with the 'rifle' classification? I understand why you removed the Winchester but not why the rifle part."
    Joshua Sawyer: "Fallout 3 already had a Plasma Rifle. Additionally, it doesn't really look like a rifle, but it was mostly because of the existing name."
    (J.E. Sawyer on Formspring September 3, 2011)
  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.}"
  5. J.E. Sawyer on Formspring 2013-01-11. When asked about the visual differences between the Fallout 2 Avenger and the Fallout: New Vegas CZ57 Avenger: "Yes. They look different because the CZ57 Avenger in F:NV has to work with existing F3/F:NV grip, firing, and reload animations."
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