Plasma gun/Doom 3

"Energy based weapon developed in the Mars weapon facility. Unit is powered by plasma canisters manufactured in the EnPro facility."

- PDA Description

The Series 3 Plasma Gun in Doom 3 is slightly different from its earlier counterpart. The weapon model is based off of a futuristic carbine that fires small blue bursts of superheated plasma. The weapon is first found in a hidden location in Sector 3 of the Alpha Labs, although it is much more abundant within the Enpro Plant.

Weapon Schematics
The Plasma Gun fires large blue plasma bursts, which while it lacks the impact power compared to the bullets fired from most conventional firearms like the Chain Gun, can still nonetheless burn or fry targets with great effect. The wide dispersal bursts can also act as a deterrent to neutralize larger projectiles such as rockets fired from Revenants.

Ammunition comes in the form of Plasma Cells, which appear to be bulky bottles that glow a luminescent blue and possess a blue-colored tip. Each cell allows the Plasma Gun to hold 50 shots. The weapon itself has a bullpup design, meaning the cells are ejected and inserted through the compartment located on the back of the trigger guard. Individual Plasma Cells hold 25 units of projectile, whereas a box of 2 Cells holds double the amount. Ammunition for this weapon are generally easier to locate throughout the entire game relative to Rockets, Ammo Belts, and BFG Cells, and are particularly abundant in the EnPro facility.

Similar to the Chaingun, BFG 9000, and newcomer Machine Gun, the Plasma Gun discards the game ammo HUD because it has its own ammunition counter in a small monitor located at the rear upper end of the weapon itself.

Tactical Use
The Plasma Gun is a very powerful medium to long range weapon; making it comparable to the higher-end weapons such as the Chaingun and the Rocket Launcher. It has a high firepower, a good rate of fire, and superb accuracy. Even stronger enemies like the Mancubi, Revenant, and the Hell Knight can instantly be incinerated by the plasma bursts in a matter of seconds, provided if the shots all connect. The Plasma Gun is also effective at destroying enemy projectiles as each shots create a "flak zone" to eliminate the Revenant's and Mancubi projectiles in-flight.

The weapon's primary weakness is the slow speed of the projectiles, traveling slower than the shots fired by both the Chaingun and the Machine Gun. The slow speed of the plasma projectiles means that certain monsters such as Arch-vile and the Revenant can sidestep to avoid fire, thus wasting your shots. Make sure you pay attention to where the enemy moves so you can connect your shots accordingly when facing them.

While the wide bursts can ensure most shots hit the target, it can also be inconvenient when stray obstacles are scattered around. This can especially hold true if explosive barrels are on the way, as even one indirect shot next to a barrel may potentially ignite it. It is best to be mindful of your aiming, especially when fighting in levels like the Enpro Plant or the Recycling Sector where barrels are abundant.

Video Disk - Series 3 Plasma Gun Briefing
This video disk can be picked up in the Combat Prep room in Mars City.

Note: The video disk cannot be picked up after returning from the old comm facility.

Date: 07/28/44
 * Creator: UAC Advanced Weapons
 * Informational Video on the Series 3 Plasma Gun
 * Representing yet another great accomplishment of the UAC, the Series 3 Plasma Gun is an extremely versatile, medium range combat weapon. Harnessing the exhaustive resources of synthetic plasma, the plasma gun meets the critical requirement of low cost, abundant ammunition for today's highly mobile military.
 * Capable of sustained firepower due to the latest advancements in plasma injector technology, this weapon's light weight and high yield make it desirable for most combat scenarios.
 * Always on the forefront of technology, the UAC is making safer worlds through superior firepower.