Energy weapons (skill)

This article is about a skill. For a class of weapons, see Energy weapons (weapons).

Skill
Energy weapons
ID	energy

Skill "Energy weapons" determines your ability to handle different laser, plasma or pulse weapons and a flamethrower.

• Each invested skill point increases damage and accuracy of these weapons by 5%.
• Each skill level allows using more advanced weapons. Insufficient skill level will make you miss more often.

Usage

Even at point blank range, having insufficient skill makes it hard to hit targets.

In order to effectively use energy weapons, you must have a certain level of skill, displayed in the weapon's stats. Being 1 level below a weapon's skill level will give you a 20% chance to miss a shot, even at point blank range, and increases AP cost by 33%. Being 2 levels below will give you a 40% miss chance and increase AP cost by 100%. If you are even lower, you cannot use the weapon at all.

Example, the railgun is level 5, meaning you must be at least level 3 in energy weapons to use it, but you'll suffer a 40% miss chance. Being level 4 gives you a 20% miss chance. Being level 5 gives you no penalty.

If your skill level is higher then the requirement for a weapon, it gets an additional 10% damage bonus for every level you are above the requirement, capping at 50% damage bonus for level 0 weapons at skill level 5.

Energy weapons come in a large range of different damage types. Laser, plasma and fire are the main types, but lightning, EMP, freezing, bullet and stellar blaze type weapons also exist. Most energy weapons will not work underwater, with the exception of EMP, freezing, bullet and stellar blaze weapons.

For a list of energy weapons, see Energy Weapons.

Ammunition

Ammunition comes in very simple forms. Batteries for low power weapons, spark batteries for medium power weapons and crystal batteries for high power weapons. Fuel is used for all flamethrowers and the flare gun, energy cells are used for the star blaster and cryocells are used for the cryolator.

Some ammo types have enhanced versions, boosting the performance of the weapon.

Ammo type	Enhanced effects
Battery (enh)	Damage: x1.4 Armor piercing: 15 Weapon wear out: x2
Spark battery (enh)	Damage: x1.5 Armor piercing: 25 Weapon wear out: x2
Crystal battery (enh)	Damage: x1.5 Armor piercing: 40 Weapon wear out: x2
Fuel (opt)	Damage: x1.25 Target armor: x0.2

Perks

There are several perks associated with energy weapons.

• Fire resistance (Level 5, Energy weapons 2): Increases fire resistance by 25%, and reduces the chance to be affected by Burning.
• Laser show (Energy weapons 2): Increases all laser damage by 15%.
• Quick reload (Firearms 2 or Energy weapons 2): Halves the time it takes to reload weapons.
• Run 'n gun (Firearms 2 or Energy weapons 2): Halves the accuracy loss for running (-50% by default) and in a jump or from a ladder (-30% by default). Only affects shooting without using S.A.T.S.
• Cold-blooded (Level 6, Firearms 3 or Energy weapons 3): Accuracy bonus for standing still (+30% by default) is multiplied by 1.5, and accuracy loss for shooting behind your back (-40% by default) is halved. Only affects shooting without using S.A.T.S.
• Plasma greetings (Energy weapons 3): Plasma weapons have 25% more range and reach their target 50% faster.
• Pyromaniac (Energy weapons 3): Increases all fire damage by 25%.
• One shot (Firearms 4 or Energy weapons 4): Sniper weapons have an additional 20% chance to critically hit.
• Recycling (Energy weapons 4): All weapons that use batteries have a 25% chance to not use up ammo when fired.
• Disintegration (Energy weapons 5): All laser and plasma weapons get a 5% chance to instantly kill the target, as long as the target's health is less then 10 times the weapon's damage.

Energy Weapon Alternatives

While energy weapons cover a large variety of damage types, there are other ways of inflicting them.

• Melee weapons: Several melee weapons are enchanted, covering laser, plasma, fire and lightning damage.
• Firearms: Bullet damage is widely covered, however plasma damage can also be covered with (mag) ammunition. (inc) ammunition will inflict Burning for fire damage.
• Explosives: EMP, plasma, fire and freezing damage can be covered with various grenades and mines.
• Magic: Laser, plasma, fire, freezing, lightning and stellar blaze damage are covered by various offensive spells.