Star Trek Codexery

Phaser

Starfleet's adjustable energy weapon, from stun to vaporise.

Phasers are versatile directed-energy weapons, first seen in the original Star Trek series and in nearly every film and spin-off since. They range from small arms to starship-mounted weapons and can fire either bolts or continuous beams.

Quick Facts

Type
Directed-energy weapon
First seen
Star Trek (original series)

Lore & Background

A hand phaser can be set merely to stun a living being; higher settings burn, disintegrate or vaporise. The same versatility lets phasers serve as welding torches or cutting tools, or heat a rock to make a heat source.

The beam can be spread across several targets or aimed at one with precision. A phaser can also be set to overload, building up energy without releasing it until it explodes.

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