Plasma rifle (Fallout)

The Winchester P94 plasma rifle is an energy weapon in Fallout and Fallout 2.

Background
The P94 is a bulky, industrial-grade energy caster powered by microfusion cells. The superheated plasma bolt forms in a special chamber, then sent down a superconducting barrel and stabilized by electromagnetic claws upon exiting it.

Fallout
The Winchester P94 is a powerful single-shot energy weapon, roughly doubling the damage per shot of even the best conventional rifles available in the game, and capable of taking out nearly any bipedal enemy with a single critical to the eyes. At 25 hexes, however, its range is only about half that of many other higher-end single-shot weapons.

Fallout 2
With its stats unchanged from the predecessor, the Winchester P94 remains a potent energy weapon in Fallout 2, with the same old drawback of a relatively short range. It averages 47.5 hitpoints per non-critical attack on unarmored targets, and 21.5 hitpoints on medium-armored targets, sometimes exceeding 200 hitpoints in a good critical hit.

Fallout: New Vegas
Since its in-game name was appropriated for another model of plasma weapon in Fallout 3, the Winchester P94 was renamed for inclusion in Fallout: New Vegas. See main article.

Variants
A superior version of this weapon exists, with a hotwired plasma bolt chamber, called the turbo plasma rifle.

Locations
Unlike the laser rifle, the plasma rifle is rare in Fallout. They are mostly found in the Military Base and Cathedral. Certain super mutants can be looted for these or bought from the Gun Runners. One example also exists in the secure testing labs of The Glow.

Behind the scenes

 * Elder Owyn Lyons mentions the P94 plasma rifle when in dialogue in Fallout 3, but it is not in the actual game, being replaced by the urban plasma rifle.
 * According to the Fallout demo, the plasma rifle was originally going to be called "Plasma Caster".
 * Indeed, the weapon makes a return appearance in Fallout: New Vegas under the name plasma caster.