Plasma Pistol

General information

Plasma Pistol

Plasma pistols are a lethal alien weapon based on accelerating particles from within a minute anti-gravity field

Source: X-COM UFO Defense/Enemy Unknown Ufopaedia

Plasma Pistol
Size (h x w)	2 x 1
Weight	3
D. Threshold	45
Grip	1 Handed
	TU Cost	Accuracy
Auto	30%	50%
Snapshot	30%	65%
Aimed	60%	85%
Sale Price	$84,000
Research	Plasma Pistol
Manufacture Cost $56,000 Technician Hours 600 Workspace 3 Materials Alien Alloys 1

The Plasma Pistol is the first in the alien's plasma weapon line. It is the most powerful, accurate and lightest pistol-class weapon available. While not as fast as its laser counterpart, it has the fastest auto shot in the plasma weapon line. As a pistol it fits on the belt and makes a respectable sidearm for any number of squad roles.

The Plasma Pistol's biggest drawback is its limited availability as it is soon replaced by the later generation plasma weapons as the primary alien firearm. Scarcity will vary depending on game difficulty. It remains longer on easier levels, but will disappear quickly on harder levels.

This weapon appears in UFO: Enemy Unknown. For the Terror from the Deep equivalent, refer to the Sonic Pistol.

Key Features
Plasma Damage Small and One-Handed
Pros		Cons
Moderate Power Moderate Accuracy Fast Auto Shot Recoverable		Limited availability Elerium for ammo manufacture

Plasma Pistol Clip

Plasma Pistol Clip

Power source for the small alien plasma pistol. Contains Elerium - the source of all alien power

Source: X-COM UFO Defense/Enemy Unknown Ufopaedia

Plasma Pistol Clip
Size (h x w)	1 × 1
Weight	3
D. Threshold	20
Damage	60 Plasma Beam
Capacity	26
Sale Price	$4,440
Research	Plasma Pistol Clip
Manufacture Cost $2,000 Technician Hours 60 Workspace 4 Materials 1 Elerium

The plasma pistol clip is rare and requires elerium for manufacture. As the aliens will stop carrying the Plasma Pistol as a regular firearm, X-Com will not have a reliable supply of free clips and must manufacture them for more. This requires Elerium.

It is notable that of the various elerium based ammunition clips the plasma pistol clip is the most efficient to produce. It provides the best amount of potential damage per unit of elerium spent.

Recommendations

Like the Laser Pistol, the Plasma Pistol excels mainly with its auto shot attack, as it is one of its primary distinguishing features.

The Plasma Pistol's single mode attacks are unfortunately easily bested by the Plasma Rifle and Heavy Plasma as they are equally as fast but have better damage and accuracy. The plasma pistol's accuracy is still the highest of the three pistols.

Thanks to its high strength, Plasma Pistols can be used as a primary weapon for scouts and any other role that may require a side arm. The higher accuracy helps new soldiers hit their mark better, and it is a remarkably powerful weapon in the hand of veteran soldiers. It is also a good close range weapon.

Usage notes

The following lists how many times a soldier can fire the gun by shot type continuously in any given round and the remaining percentage of any left over TUs that cannot be spent as a shot.

• Aimed: 1 Shot, 40% Remaining TUs (enough for 1 Snap shot or 1 Auto burst)
• Snap: 3 Shots, 10% Remaining TUs
• Auto: 3 Bursts (9 Shots), 10% Remaining TUs

Tips

• The TUs needed for a Snapshot and the time needed for an Autofire burst are the same; this means that the only time you should NOT spray the enemy with autofire is when accuracy or ammo are a concern. The Plasma Pistol has a reasonably large ammo count.
• This weapon will often disappear by April; if you haven't captured one by then, you won't ever get the chance.
• If you don't intend to use the weapon, leave it unresearched so that you can continue to receive the bonus points received for unresearched artefacts.

General pistol warning

This note covers the regulation Pistol, Laser Pistol and the Plasma Pistol.

Pistol-class weapons are prioritized so that they will always be the last weapons to be selected by your soldiers.

In addition to that, the Collectors Edition introduces a further anomaly where pistols will be armed:

1. Normally. Or;
2. Armed on only one person, with all available slots filled with clips