Electric Stun Weapons

Electric Stun Weapons (TL7-8)

Electric stun weapons deliver a high-voltage, low-amperage electric current on contact. A hit means the victim must make a HT-3 roll or be stunned. On a failure, he's incapacitated for as long as the device remains in contact and for (20 - HT) seconds afterward, minimum one second. After that time, he may roll at HT-3 each second to recover. Note that the electric current may start a fire if the target is covered in flammable liquid such as alcohol, gasoline, or many pepper sprays! For other important details, see Nonlethal Electrical Damage.

Cattle Prod (TL7). A cattle prod is 3' long and delivers an electric jolt through contacts on the tip. This is sufficient to burn skin; a successful thrusting attack to an unprotected location does 1d-3 burning damage. While cattle prods aren't legal antipersonnel weapons in most places, they're easily acquired across the U.S. and elsewhere. A prod requires 6×S batteries, which last for thousands of "zaps." LC4.

Stun Gun (TL8). A "stun gun" isn't a gun at all, but a handheld contact device that uses an electric current to disorganize nerve function. Relatively small – just a handgrip with protruding contacts (Holdout -1) – it's sometimes concealed in such everyday items as cell phones. A stun gun requires 2×S batteries, which last for thousands of stuns. Legality is a touchy issue: stun guns are legal defensive weapons (LC4) in many jurisdictions, including most of the U.S., but illegal (LC2) in numerous others, such as in the states of New York, New Jersey, and Hawaii, and in Australia, Canada, India, Japan, and the U.K.

Stun Baton (TL8). A stun baton is a stun gun built into a light baton – mainly to increase reach. It has contacts running along the sides, which allows swung attacks as well as thrusts. A stun baton requires 2×S batteries, which last for thousands of stuns. For LC, see the discussion for stun guns (above).

Electric Stun Wands (TL9)

Also called shock clubs or stun sticks, these batons use low-powered electric currents to disorganize nerve function – an effect called electromuscular disruption. They are often carried by police officers. Some are jointed, to prevent a victim taking damage even when struck by an adrenaline-charged riot policeman; others do damage as a baton.

The victim gets a HT-5 roll to resist. Nonmetallic armor gives a bonus equal to its DR, and the stun effect has a (0.5) armor divisor: add +2 to HT for every DR 1. On a failure, the victim's voluntary muscles convulse, and he is knocked down and paralyzed. He may roll vs. HT-5 each second to recover; however, the user may take a Concentrate maneuver to hold the baton in contact. This prevents recovery until it is removed, but drains a charge each second. DR does not add to HT on recovery rolls. Stun wands are wielded using Shortsword skill. They use a B cell and strike 20 times before losing power. $100, 1 lb. LC4.

Zap Glove (TL9)

A zap glove looks like a heavy glove, but it contains electrical insulation (for the wearer) and a high-voltage generator. A person can attack with a zap glove by touching the victim. Boxing, Brawling or Karate allow the zap and normal damage simultaneously; Judo, Wrestling or a normal grapple apply the zap before any other effect. No attack roll is needed in social situations such as shaking hands.

A zap glove has two settings: "stun" and "kill." Changing settings takes a Ready maneuver. On "stun," the effect is the same as an electric stun wand. On "kill," the zap glove does 2d burning damage and uses the rules for lethal electrical damage.

A B cell in the lining of the glove provides sufficient power for 10 zaps (each zap on "kill" setting counts as two). The glove protects the hand with DR 5. It can also be built into existing armor or vacc suit gauntlets. This increases the armor's cost and weight by $400 and one pound. A zap glove is LC3.

Stun Weapons Table

BOXING, BRAWLING, KARATE, or DX

TL	Weapon	Damage	Reach	Parry	Cost	Weight	ST	Notes
9	Zap Glove	HT-6(2) aff	C	No	$400	1	2	See above
	or "kill"	2d burn	C	No	-	-	2

BRAWLING or DX

TL	Weapon	Damage	Reach	Parry	Cost	Weight	ST	Notes
8	Stun Gun	HT-3(0.5) aff	C	No	$25	0.5	2	[2]

SHORTSWORD (DX-5, Broadsword-2, Force Sword-4, Jitte/Sai-3, Knife-4, Saber-4, Smallsword-4, or Tonfa-3)

TL	Weapon	Damage	Reach	Parry	Cost	Weight	ST	Notes
7	Cattle Prod	1d-3 burn	1	0	$50	2	3
	linked	HT-3(0.5) aff	-	-	-	-	-	[2]
8	Stun Baton	sw-1 cr	C, 1	0	$60	2	6
	or	thr-1 cr	C, 1	0	-	-	6
	linked	HT-3(0.5) aff	-	-	-	-	-	[2]
9	Electric Stun Wand	sw cr	1	0	$100	1	5	See above
	linked	HT-5(2) aff	–	–	–	–
	or	thr cr	1	0	–	–	5
	linked	HT-5(2) aff	–	–	–	–

Notes:

[2] On a failed HT roll, victim is stunned for as long as weapon is in contact plus (20 - HT) seconds longer, and can then roll vs. HT-3 to recover.