Blaster

For other uses, see Blaster.

"Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid."

―Han Solo, to Luke Skywalker on the supposed advantages of a blaster over a lightsaber^[1]

Blasters-SWE — Blasters came in many shapes and sizes.

A blaster,^[2] also called a gun,^[3] was any type of ranged weapon that fired bolts of intense plasma or particle-based energy, often mistaken for lasers.

Description[]

"Oh, Anakin! Thank goodness. Are you alright?"
"Besides the fact you're waving a blaster around, Padmé, I'm fine."

―Padmé Amidala and Anakin Skywalker^[4]

Operating under the same principles as laser weaponry and firing at least partially by means of magnetic induction, blasters converted energy-rich gas,^[2] such as tibanna gas,^[5] to a glowing particle beam that could pierce and melt through targets.^[2] The gas was activated by a power cell and converted to plasma, released from a magnetic bottle effect which fired through collimating components as a coherent bolt of energy,^[6] called a "blaster bolt," which carried the shard of energy to the target.^[7] Blasters came in a variety of sizes and shapes, including stun blasters,^[8] blaster pistols, blaster rifles,^[9] reconfigurable blasters,^[10] scatterblasters,^[11] shock blasters,^[6] ion blasters,^[12] ion rifles,^[13] percussive cannons,^[14] heavy repeater cannons,^[15] repeating blasters,^[12] and blaster cannons.^[16] Blaster artillery could also be attached on droids^[17] and vehicles.^[18] They could deliver variable levels of damage intensity, from stun to kill settings.^[19] Several blasters like the Satine's Lament^[12] and the Glie-44 blaster pistol were named after individuals.^[20] Several blasters were also hybrids with melee weapons like the bo-rifle,^[21] the blaster spear,^[22] and Ketsu's staff.^[23]

Gar-Saxon-Shatterpoint — Mandalorian Gar Saxon using his Galar-90 rifle in combat

Blaster bolts could also deliver a variable degree of concussive force on impact, which could potentially cause additional damage around the impact area, depending on the hardness level and density of the target. As such, some blaster hits could cause bleeding instead of burning, or could do both, with the force of the impact being enough to rupture organs and break bone, especially if the target is armored in any way. Despite their blazing concussive blasts, those ranged energized particle weapons could be countered by magnetic seals and deflector shields. The blade of a lightsaber could also deflect incoming blaster bolts.^[19] In the Security Forces of Naboo, some blasters were equipped with ascension guns.^[24] Some blasters could fire low-powered training bolts characterized by their orange color.^[25]

Blaster bolts left marks on skin known as blaster burns.^[26] Dedlanite was a material used in the manufacture of blasters.^[27] BlasTech Industries was a major manufacturer of blasters.^[12] A Trandoshan doubler or tripler^[14] and an actuating module^[8] increased a blaster's firepower. Hair triggers allowed faster rates of fire.^[28] Blasters also had serial numbers on them.^[14]

Blaster components included a stock,^[14] scope,^[29] safety,^[14] cautionary pulser,^[30] blaster power pack,^[31] cooling unit,^[32] barrel,^[14] barrel-shroud,^[15] glowrod,^[33] and bayonet.^[28]

HernanCarracedo-NoEscape-Red — The red blaster bolts of Imperial blaster weaponry

Blaster bolts came in different colors. Red was the most common color, and was made from cheaper gas. This color was used by the Confederacy of Independent Systems, the Rebel Alliance, the Galactic Empire,^[34] and the First Order.^[35] Blue was used by the Galactic Republic, and the Resistance.^[36] Green was used by Naboo Security Forces,^[34] and the Umbarans, as well as the Starfighter Corps of the Galactic Empire. This was a more expensive and more powerful type of blaster gas.^[37] Yellow was used by Mandalorians.^[34] Purple was used by the Geonosian Starfighters^[38] and the Techno Union octuptarra tri-droid variant on the planet Skako Minor.^[39] Orange was used by the Marksman-H training remote and training droids on Kamino as a low power and non-lethal type of blaster bolt. Cyan was a low-powered version of the blue blaster bolt that was used by clone cadets in their training sessions against training droids.^[40]

Kyber crystals were normally used to power lightsabers, but could also be used to power other weapons. People had tried to make kyber bombs and kyber blasters, and there were a few weapons like a lightsaber rifle, of that kind in the Jedi Archives.^[41]

Slugthrowers differed from blasters by firing slugs, solid projectiles fired at high speed.^[12]