Nothing gets you out of a pickle quicker than a ray gun. Charge it up, aim it… and hope it works!
If you want a classic, cool, B-movie type weapon, then you will love the ray gun. Ray guns shoot a wide variety of substances and energies creating a wide variety of effects. When you pick up a ray gun you can never be too sure what exactly it will do, how charged up it might be, or how well it is even going to work. Talk about narrative fun!
Types of Ray Guns
- pistol, handgun, crossbow, gat,
- rifle, musket, long gun,
- hand cannon, arquebus,
- phazer, blaster, disruptor, double-barreled eliminator, Bug Zapper (for really big bugs),
- tripod gattling ray gun,
- repeater, Tommy,
- fuse gun, flintlock,
- Sunday-night special,
- Ogre Eliminator, Troll Disrupter, Faerie Fryer,
- the “Peace Maker” (with the “Peace Breaker” optional attachment)
- magnum, uzi, pepper gun, potato gun,
- pump action, lever action, crank action, muzzle-loader,
Ray Gun Effects
- zap, electrify, buzz, electrocute, shock,
- stun, confuse, faze, daze,
- kill, annihilate, destroy, harm,
- explode, implode,
- melt, dissolve,
- enfeeble, weaken, decay, age,
- sterilize, purify, nullify, cancel, reverse, “undo”, heal,
- disintegrate, eliminate, vaporize,
- mutate, phase, shift, alter, mousify (turn into a mouse), turn to blob,
- disrupt, vibrate molecules,
- fry, fricasse, combust, ignite,
- freeze, petrify, turn to stone,
- teleport, shrink, enlarge,
- read mind, truth-maker, confession,
- mind shrink, mind blast, ego melt,
- emotional disruption, enrage, confuse, cause madness,
- induce panic, rage, anger, hatred, wretched self-loathing, regret, anxiety, itchiness, irritability,
- nausea, vertigo, imbalance, fainting, double-vision,
- fear, phobia, fright, shock, horror, abject terror,
Things Ray Guns Might Shoot
- blast, cone, needle, array, spray, ball, arc,
- ooze, goo, phlegm, ectoplasm,
- radiation,
- fire, water,
- solar waves, cosmic rays,
- sonic energy, seismic waves,
- lightning, bolts, electricity,
- ions, electrons, protons, neutrons, atomic particles,
- energy ball,
- x-rays, gamma rays, stingrays (yikes!),
- microwaves,
- gravity,
- magnetic energy,
- time, temporal particles
- photons,
- chemicals, acids, toxins, venoms, poisons,
- rainbows, light array, solar beam,
- insanity ray,
- illusions, mirages, false images, forcefields, protective fields,
- bubbles, confetti, tinsel (sometimes this setting is installed as a safety feature)
Ray Gun Features
- bulb, nozzle, tube, nodule, globe, sphere,
- hoses, couplers, fasteners, clips,
- breach, opening, orifice, sphincter,
- knob, nub, proboscis,
- gear, cog, crank, coil,
- trigger, switch, toggle,
- horn, bell,
- handle, stock, barrel,
- sensor, detector, register, scanner, reader,
- suppressor, condenser, metabolizer, discombobulator, metastasizing unit, penetrator
- warp driver, energy propulsion module,
- turbocharger
- panel, face, interface, keypad,
- ray adjustment knob (coarse & fine),
- scope, sights, the liner-upper, targetting computer,
- cooling system (air, water, sub-zero gel)
- battery, power pack, solar panel, power array, energy unit, fuel cell, extra fuel cell, capacitor,
- magazine, chamber,
- impression, depression, dimples,
- insignia, maker’s mark, brand stamp, serial number, issue code, UPC,
- systems analysis, CPU, automator, regulator,
- user uplink, cyber link, brain link,
- connecting rods, brackets, support braces, stablizer bars, ballast, balancing unit, steadying compensator, recoil adjuster, kick-back inhibitor,
- vorpal capacitor, seismic penetrator,
- telemetry unit, transmitter, receiver, transponder, transducer,
- shielding, armor, protective shell, exoskeleton, forcefield,
- fuel: particulate, gel, tonic, good ‘ol gasoline, solid fuel brick, goop, ooze, water, serum, toxin, poison, potion,
- repair kit,
- safety switch,
- lock and key, trigger lock,
Characters
- intergalactic smugglers, bandits, highwaymen (or skywaymen as fliers are called), rogue pilots,
- time travelers, scientists, explorers, world jumpers, wormhole adventurers,
- spies, agents,
- minions, guards, sentries, security, bodyguards, heavies,
- alchemists, warlocks,
- inventors, tinkerers, small arms mechanics,
- cyborgs, “artificials”, mech-humans, constructs,
- gnomes, tech-faeries, tinker-fey,
- collectors, archivists, curators, chronicler,
- pawn brokers, hawkers, auctioneers,
- bounty hunters, bookies, blackmarketeers,
- drug dealers, criminals,
- special forces, advance teams, recon units, space rangers,
Environments
- secret hideouts, lairs, fortresses,
- bizarre shops, emporiums, pawnshops, trading posts, black market, the underground,
- laboratory, scientific facility, compound,
- space ships, port cities, customs facilities, landing ports and pads, landing pod, humvee,
- army barracks, outpost, camp, headquarters, field command tent,
- collector’s home, gun safe, vault,
- underground, tunnel system, subterranean network,
Stuff
- holster, holder, mount, sheath, helmet mount,
- tripod, unipod, telepod, bipod,
- strap, clip, cord,
- magazine,
- extra fuel cells, batteries,
- scope, sight,
- sensor unit,
- trigger lock, safe, storage unit, storgae rack,
- mantlet, guard, shield, deflector panel,
- cleaning kit, repair kit,
- extra hoses, couplers, parts,
- shotgun rack,
Notes and Ideas about Ray Guns
- Ray guns may require fuel that runs out, so play around with a finite number of uses before having to recharge. This forces characters to make critical decisions with this cool weapon.
- Ray guns are a great example of where using the dice can be lots of fun. Roll 3d6 to see how well the ray gun works when you fire it. Consider some side effects that could result with a bad roll.
- Some advanced ray guns may have switches or dials that allow the user to select a number of possible “ray” effects… these are worth a lot of money and can be very useful.
- A ray gun may be a precious instrument perhaps in a post-apocalyptic setting. Think of the lengths to which someone will go to protect it and preserve it for that one critical shot.
Developments
- A mad scientist has developed a ray gun of immense size and aimed it at an entire city… can you save the day?
- A ray gun has a lot of cool parts… parts that can break down… you could need a ray gun mechanic to help fix ‘er up. Better go find one!
- A bounty hunter has collected hundreds of villains by sucking them into his ray gun. What happens when the gun is stolen, reversed, and all the villains are freed?