Charge lance

For the unique variant of this weapon added by the Odyssey DLC, see Unique charge lance.

The charge lance is a heavy, single-shot ranged weapon which deals a high amount of damage per shot with commensurately high AP, a longer time between shots, an above-average range, and high overall accuracy.

Acquisition[edit]

Charge lances can be crafted at a fabrication bench once the Pulse charged munitions research project has been completed. Each requires 60 Plasteel, 3 Advanced components, 60,000 ticks (16.67 mins) of work modified by the general labor speed of the crafter, and a crafting skill of 9.

Charge lances can also be found in ancient shrines or purchased from outlander and orbital combat suppliers, as well as outlander faction bases.

Charge lances also spawn on all lancers, including those gestated by a colony. However, it is not possible to obtain one from them as they will not drop it on death, downing, or complete loss of manipulation like other weapons.

As lancers are the only enemy in the Core to use them, there is no way to acquire charge lances from raiders in those conditions. With the Royalty DLC enabled, however, janissaries, cataphracts, and stellic defenders from the Empire have a possibility to spawn with a charge lance equipped.

Analysis[edit]

The charge lance deals the highest damage per shot and AP of all non-explosive ranged weapons, making it a remarkably dangerous weapon in enemy hands. It also has a large range, between assault rifles and bolt-action rifles, and can stagger humans and slightly larger targets like megaspiders. However, its overall DPS is middling - it is beaten by the industrial assault rifle against unarmored and lightly armored targets (see below table), and the charge rifle against all practical targets. Therefore, it is not an effective choice unless a decent or high quality lance is obtained early.

Assault rifles are much easier to acquire from raiders/buy/craft, outdamage charge lances up to their max range except against armor, and only have 2 tiles less range, making them a more practical option for a colony. While charge lances can outrange a few enemies ARs can't, namely centipede gunners, the assault rifle's shorter firing time makes it a better option for kiting. Also, quality can make a difference - it is easier to farm quality on assault rifles, and a higher quality rifle is definitely better. Once charge lances are affordable, charge rifles are a generally better alternatives due to having much better damage in all conditions for only 5 tiles less range.

Charge lance's medium-range DPS divided by Assault rifle's DPS
Quality	Against
Quality	Armorless	Spelopede	Flak jacket	Centipede	Recon armor	Marine Armor	Cataphract Armor
Normal	82%	83.2%	100%	112.7%	123.4%	136.8%	149.4%
Good	82%	83.2%	100%	112.7%	123.4%	136.8%	149.4%
Excellent	80.4%	81.6%	98%	110.5%	121%	134.1%	146.5%
Masterwork	71.4%	71.4%	84%	103.3%	113.7%	126.1%	149.1%
Legendary	64.3%	64.3%	73.1%	97.1%	107.1%	118.8%	139.2%

If obtained before being craftable, they should be compared to other weapons including their quality. For reference, a normal quality charge lance is similar to a masterwork greatbow against unarmored targets.

The high damage per shot is liable for dismembering pawns. This is not very useful for the colony, as having a higher average DPS to cause pain shock faster is more effective, but this trait is very dangerous in enemy hands. As a result, lance-wielding enemies should be priority targets, especially before you have easy access to artificial body parts. This also results in a noticeable uptick in survivability once a pawn's armor rating reaches 145% as it guarantees that the damage will at least be mitigated, halving the damage, and preventing the majority of one shot kills from lances.

Stats[edit]

Against a human target with 45% or lower armor on all layers, a normal-quality charge lance can kill with 2 hits to the torso, 1-2 hits to the head, or 1 hit to the neck or brain; cripple or destroy limbs with a single hit; and destroy eyes and digits with a single hit. It'll generally take around 3 hits (~14.9 seconds average) to incapacitate that human from pain shock. A legendary-quality charge lance can destroy any body part or organ in a human pawn's body with a single shot, and with an armor penetration of 67.5%, can do so against even quite heavily armored targets.

A charge lance is best paired with a trigger-happy pawn at shorter ranges and a careful shooter at longer ranges. The exact range transition depends on shooting level, being as low as 4 cells at Shooting level 5 and as high as 24 cells at Shooting level 20. At its maximum range of 33 cells, a charge lance is always better in the hands of a careful shooter than a trigger-happy pawn, or one without either trait, regardless of Shooting level.

Attack table

Ranged

Charge lance			Accuracy (Touch)	Accuracy (Short)	Accuracy (Medium)	Accuracy (Long)	DPS (Optimal)	DPS (Touch)	DPS (Short)	DPS (Medium)	DPS (Long)	Market value
Quality	Dam.	AP	Accuracy (Touch)	Accuracy (Short)	Accuracy (Medium)	Accuracy (Long)	DPS (Optimal)	DPS (Touch)	DPS (Short)	DPS (Medium)	DPS (Long)	Market value
Awful	27	40.5%	52%	68%	68%	60%	6.14	3.19	4.17	4.17	3.68	675
Poor	30	45%	58.5%	76.5%	76.5%	67.5%	6.82	4.02	5.25	5.25	4.64	1,015
Normal	30	45%	65%	85%	85%	75%	6.82	4.43	5.8	5.8	5.12	1,355
Good	30	45%	71.5%	93.5%	93.5%	82.5%	6.82	4.91	6.41	6.41	5.66	1,695
Excellent	30	45%	78%	100%	100%	90%	6.82	5.32	6.82	6.82	6.14	2,030
Masterwork	37.5	56.25%	87.75%	100%	100%	100%	8.53	7.5	8.53	8.53	8.53	3,355
Legendary	45	67.5%	97.5%	100%	100%	100%	10.23	10.03	10.23	10.23	10.23	4,355

^{For the full effects of qualities, see Quality. Values shown in Red indicate the weapon is out of range at the reference point for this range band.
The value is provided due to the interpolated nature of accuracy between range points.}

Melee

Feature	Toggle
Attacks

Charge lance			Stock (Blunt)					Barrel (Blunt)					Barrel (Poke)					Human: Left & right fist (Blunt)					HP	Value
Quality	DPS^[1]	AP^[1]	Dam.	Cool.	AP	DPS	Chance^[2]	Dam.	Cool.	AP	DPS	Chance^[2]	Dam.	Cool.	AP	DPS	Chance^[2]	Dam.	Cool.	AP	DPS	Chance^[2]	HP	Value
Awful	3.98	11.6%	7.2	2s	10.4%	3.6	8.33%	7.2	2s	10.4%	3.6	8.33%	7.2	2s	10.4%	3.6	8.33%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 37.5%	100	675
Poor	4.07	11.82%	8.1	2s	11.7%	4.05	20%	8.1	2s	11.7%	4.05	20%	8.1	2s	11.7%	4.05	20%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 20%	100	1,015
Normal	4.4	12.75%	9	2s	13%	4.5	25%	9	2s	13%	4.5	25%	9	2s	13%	4.5	25%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 12.5%	100	1,355
Good	4.74	13.73%	9.9	2s	14.3%	4.95	25%	9.9	2s	14.3%	4.95	25%	9.9	2s	14.3%	4.95	25%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 12.5%	100	1,695
Excellent	5.08	14.7%	10.8	2s	15.6%	5.4	25%	10.8	2s	15.6%	5.4	25%	10.8	2s	15.6%	5.4	25%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 12.5%	100	2,030
Masterwork	5.92	17.14%	13.05	2s	18.85%	6.53	25%	13.05	2s	18.85%	6.53	25%	13.05	2s	18.85%	6.53	25%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 12.5%	100	3,355
Legendary	6.59	19.09%	14.85	2s	21.45%	7.43	25%	14.85	2s	21.45%	7.43	25%	14.85	2s	21.45%	7.43	25%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 12.5%	100	4,355

^{For the full effects of qualities, see Quality.}

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 Note: This is the actual base average derived from the melee verb system updated in 1.1.2610, it may sometimes disagree with the listed value in the in-game infobox.
It may also change depending on the stats and the melee verbs available to the wielder if the weapon is wielded by some other than a baseline human.
↑ Chance for attack to be selected, assuming the weapon is wielded by a baseline human. It may change depending on the melee verbs available to the wielder

Version history[edit]

Beta 19 - received a slight damage buff (27 --> 30), a slight reduction in time to aim and increase in attack cooldown, leaving fire rate more or less the same. It also received a crafting recipe, allowing humans to use them.
1.1 - range and long range accuracy was nerfed (37 --> 30; 80% --> 75%).
1.5 - Received a new sprite.
1.6.4518 - Range increased from 30 to 33.
Odyssey DLC release - Added unique version.