A Piccone .50 Plasma Rifle
A Plama Rifle is a shoulder-fired weapon that fires balls or streams of high-energy charged plasma at its target. The burning/scorching damage of the plasma makes it especially useful against supernatural creatures such as Vampires and Werecreatures, many of which are resistant to mere physical damage. It is also favored as a weapon against the Arachnids for similar reasons.
Plasma Rifles may fire clips of the same sort of self-contained plasma cartridges as Plasma Revolvers, or they may operate off a tank of reactant chemicals and a power cell. The former option allows for quick and easy reloading, and the ability to use larger cartridges coupled with a longer barrel makes for longer range and greater hitting power than pistol-sized weapons. The latter option allows for variable levels of damage, adjustable range, and often a larger number of shots between reloads. Some models of Power Armor have built-in plasma rifles in the arms, attached to backpack-mounted tanks of reactants and coolant for sustained fire. Compared to laser or Gauss weaponry, range is relatively short, about 600 feet. The best Plasma Rifles are made by the Piccone arms company of Phoenix.
Behind the Scenes[]
The Piccone name for rifles comes from the middle name of Frank Piccone D'Antuono, a good friend of the original players of the game and himself a player in Season 4.3 as Alistar Dimiye. Believe it or not, the name "Piccone" is Italian for "pickaxe," so Frank thought it oddly appropriate. The name was first used as a Plasma weapon manufacturer in the Fatebane stories by Marcus Johnston, one of the original players and a frequent Storyteller in the online seasons.