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Plasma Pistol Complete Weapon Guide Space Marine 2: Secondary Weapons
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2

Plasma Pistol Complete Weapon Guide Space Marine 2: Secondary Weapons

Learn about the Plasma Pistol in warhammer 40000 space marine 2, its stats, perks, and how to use charged shots effectively against powerful enemies.

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Learn about the Plasma Pistol in warhammer 40000 space marine 2, its stats, perks, and how to use charged shots effectively against powerful enemies.

Availability: You gain access to the Plasma Pistol early in the campaign. In Operations mode, only the Bulwark and Heavy classes can use it.

Walkthrough
  1. 1
    The Plasma Pistol competes with the Heavy Bolt Pistol for a spot on your hip. In campaign mode, the choice is not critical, but in Operations mode, it becomes more significant due to weapon limitations and upgrades.
  2. 2
    The Plasma Pistol boasts better damage, accuracy, and range than the Bolt Pistol, but has a slower rate of fire and lacks armor-piercing capabilities.
  3. 3
    At higher quality tiers, the Bolt Pistol can close the damage gap, but the Plasma Pistol's superior range may be a deciding factor for the Bulwark and Heavy classes, who otherwise lack weapons with greater reach.
  4. 4
    The Plasma Pistol is particularly useful for the Heavy and Bulwark classes to deal with distant threats like Zoanthropes, which can be difficult to hit with their primary weapons.
  5. 5
    To use charged shots, hold down the fire button. Two bars framing the aiming reticle will fill, and once fully blue, you can fire a charged shot for greatly increased damage.
  6. 6
    Charged shots consume significant ammo and generate substantial weapon heat.
  7. 7
    The Plasma Pistol does not require reloading; instead, it generates heat. Firing too consistently can cause it to overheat and become temporarily inoperable.
  8. 8
    You can manually shed heat by holding the designated button, but the overheat penalty is not severe. Alternatively, moderate your fire rate to prevent overheating.
  9. 9
    If one weapon overheats, you can switch between your primary and secondary weapons. By the time you need to switch back, the plasma weapon should have cooled down.
  10. 10
    When not aimed, the Plasma Pistol is inaccurate even at medium range, solidifying its role as a weapon best reserved for elite enemies rather than mobs.
  11. 11
    The Plasma Pistol is a deliberate sidearm with diminished ammo capacity but greater stopping power, surprisingly potent against singular powerful enemies but poor against groups.
  12. 12
    If you choose the Heavy Plasma Incinerator as a Heavy, you can select class perks that boost plasma weapon efficacy, which will also benefit your Plasma Pistol sidearm.

Stats and Variants:

  • Firepower: 3+
  • Accuracy: 5+
  • Rate of Fire: 3
  • Venting Speed: 4 (sheds heat faster than heavier plasma counterparts)
  • Range: 7
  • Magazine Capacity: 90 (diminishes quickly with charged shots)
Tips
  • The Plasma Pistol is ideal for picking off majoris or extremis enemies at a distance.
  • Avoid relying on the Plasma Pistol to deal with large groups of enemies due to its lack of Area of Effect (AoE) damage.
  • If you are playing as a Heavy with a Multi-Melta or a Bulwark, consider equipping the Plasma Pistol for its long-range threat capability.
  • If you are a Heavy using a Heavy Bolter or Heavy Plasma Incinerator, the extra range of the Plasma Pistol might be less crucial, though class perks can still synergize.
  • Manage your heat by either manually venting or moderating your fire rate to avoid prolonged downtime.
  • Utilize charged shots for high-priority targets, as two fully charged shots can defeat most majoris and even some extremis enemies, depending on weapon quality and difficulty.

Comparison to Bolt Pistol:

  • While the Plasma Pistol has better base damage, accuracy, and range, the Bolt Pistol can become competitive at higher quality tiers.
  • The Plasma Pistol's range advantage is significant for classes that lack long-range primary options.
  • Every class has access to the Bolt Pistol, meaning upgrades to it benefit the entire roster, unlike the Plasma Pistol which is class-restricted in Operations mode.

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