== 4. Weapons & Techniques:

Explore Super Metroid's arsenal! Learn about Beam Weapons like Power, Charge, Spazer, Wave, Ice, and Plasma, plus Missiles, Super Missiles, and Power Bombs. Discover special techniques like Beam Shields and Wraparound Shots.

Your weapons are central to combat in Super Metroid. You can fire regular beam-based weapons, energy-based concussive weapons, and enhance your Bomb-based weapons.

Beam Weapons

The Beam System uses a stacking system: acquiring a new Beam includes the effects of previous ones unless disabled in the inventory. Damage ratios are listed for normal, uncharged combinations, and charged versions. Plasma has a variation for Ice, as it's not always equipped in speed runs.

• POWER BEAM — 20 dmg. Your default, slow-firing beam. Up to three shots on screen.
• CHARGE BEAM — Adds +80 damage to normal beam shots. Allows storing energy for a powerful burst.
• SPAZER — Normal: 40 dmg | Charge: 120. Fires a tri-beam spread. Cannot be equipped with Plasma Beam.
• WAVE BEAM — Normal: 50 dmg | Charged: 130 | w/ Spazer: 70 | Charge w/Spazer: 200. Adds electrical disruption and allows shots to travel through walls.
• ICE BEAM — Normal: 30 dmg | Charged: 110 | w/ Wave+Spazer: 100 | Charge w/ Wave+Spazer: 300. Freezes enemies or creates platforms.
• PLASMA BEAM — Normal: 150 dmg | Charged: 230 | w/ Wave: 250 | Charge w/ Wave: 750 | w/ Wave+Ice: 300 | Charge w/ Wave+Ice: 900. A powerful laser that cuts through armored enemies. Cannot be equipped with Spazer.
• HYPER BEAM — 1000 dmg; cannot be charged. Acquired from Baby Metroid. Replaces all other Beams.

Other Weapons

• MISSILE — 100 damage. Fires small energy-based projectiles. 5 Missiles or 1 Super Missile open Red Doors.
• SUPER MISSILE — 300 damage. Worth three Missiles. Opens Green Doors or bypasses Super Missile obstructions.
• POWER BOMB — 200 damage x2 for enemies (no damage to bosses except Ridley). Strongest Morph Ball weapon. Destroys structures, harms enemies, and opens yellow doors.

Special Techniques

• BEAM SHIELDS / CHARGE COMBOS — Requires the corresponding Beam plus Charge Beam. Equip Power Bombs, then select only Charge Beam and one other Beam in inventory. Charge and release to activate. Each consumes a Power Bomb and inflicts 1000 dmg per hit.
  • SPAZER SHIELD: Fires two tri-shaped projectiles upwards that rain down sparks.
  • ICE SHIELD: Four large ice snowflakes rotate around you, disappearing after striking a target.
  • WAVE SHIELD: Four small balls oscillate in an X-shaped pattern when still, or a wave pattern when moving.
  • PLASMA SHIELD: Four large green plasma orbs spin clockwise, rotating out, then in, then flying off in a circular attack.
• WRAPAROUND SHOT — A specific shooting trick.