Difference between revisions of "Psychic shock lance"

Revision as of 10:43, 18 September 2021

A psychic shock lance is a two-use artifact that can be equipped by pawns in the Utility slot and manually activated to inflict psychic shock on a target, rendering them unconscious.

Acquisition

Psychic shock lances can be found in ancient shrines or purchased from Exotic Goods traders or faction bases.

Summary

Worn in "Waist" utility slot, the psychic shock lance can be equipped by pawns. Pawns that are incapable of violence can equip, but not use, the lance. Once the wearer is drafted, it can be manually activated by the player to target a pawn within 35 tiles and within line of sight. Pawns with 0% psychic sensitivity, such as those with the Psychically deaf trait, cannot be targeted by the lance however sensitivity does not otherwise affect the effect.

After a 0.5s warm-up, the target will immediately be affected by psychic shock, setting their Consciousness to a maximum of 10% and rendering them unconscious. This shock lasts for 7,500 ticks (2.08 mins). There is also a 30% chance that the target will be set alight and given brain damage in the form of a burn scar. When targeting colonists, this 30% chance is multiplied by the Friendly Fire Chance in the Difficulty settings.

If used on a non-hostile faction's pawn, it will decrease Goodwill with that faction by 200 points.

The lance cannot be recharged - when both charges are expended the item is completely destroyed.

Analysis

As it has a significantly smaller warmup time (just 0.5s vs 4.5s) and comparable range (35 vs 36), it can be useful for downing pesky triple rocket launcher and doomsday rocket launcher raiders before they can fire.

Psychic shock lances bypass the game's "auto-death on down" chance, meaning they almost always leave the target alive. This makes them good for capturing specific enemies, however the chance of brain damage can ruin previously good potential colonists unless bioregeneration , healer mech serum, or luciferium is used to heal them.

It can also be useful in acquiring equipment for use or sale - the lance downs pawns without killing them, and thus avoids tainting any apparel, and only damages apparel if it causes burning and even then only by a small amount. As each charge effectively costs 275 , good target selection can give a value return significantly exceeding the cost. Raiders wearing marine armor worth 2,035 are ideal targets, as are Imperial Cataphracts .

Gallery

Shock lance victim burning

Version history

0.12.906 - Added
1.2.2719 - changed from a single-use artifact that occupied the pawn's weapon slot, and had to be activated by selecting a colonist, then right-clicking the artifact and selecting 'Activate' manually. It now also has a limited range and no longer works through walls.

Utility

Utility: Firefoam pop pack • Orbital bombardment targeter • Orbital power beam targeter • Psychic shock lance • Psychic insanity lance • Shield belt • Smokepop pack • Tornado generator • Low-shield pack • Jump pack • Orbital mech cluster targeter • Bandwidth pack • Control pack • Tox pack • Biomutation lance • Biomutation pulser • Deadlife pack • Disruptor flare pack • Shard animal pulser • Shard insanity lance • Shard shock lance • Turret pack

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 == Analysis ==
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-As it has a significantly smaller warmup time (just 0.5s vs 4.5s) and comparable range (35 vs 36), it can be useful for downing pesky [[triple rocket launcher]] and [[doomsday rocket launcher]] raiders before they can fire. These almost always down hostiles rather than killing them outright, making it good for capturing specific enemies, though the brain damage can ruin previously good potential colonists before you can find [[healer mech serum]]s or [[luciferium]] to heal them.
+As it has a significantly smaller warmup time (just 0.5s vs 4.5s) and comparable range (35 vs 36), it can be useful for downing pesky [[triple rocket launcher]] and [[doomsday rocket launcher]] raiders before they can fire.
+Psychic shock lances bypass the game's "auto-death on down" chance, meaning they almost always leave the target alive.  This makes them good for capturing specific enemies, however the chance of brain damage can ruin previously good potential colonists unless [[biosculpter pod|bioregeneration]] {{IdeologyIcon}}, [[healer mech serum]], or [[luciferium]] is used to heal them.
 It can also be useful in acquiring equipment for use or sale - the lance downs pawns without killing them, and thus avoids [[Tainted|tainting]] any [[apparel]], and only damages apparel if it causes burning and even then only by a small amount. As each charge effectively costs {{#expr:{{P|Market Value Base}}/2}} {{Icon small|silver}}, good target selection can give a value return significantly exceeding the cost. [[Raiders]] wearing [[marine armor]] worth {{Q|Marine armor|Market Value Base}} {{Icon small|silver}} are ideal targets, as are [[Empire#Pawns|Imperial Cataphracts]] {{RoyaltyIcon}}.