Persona plasmasword

For the non-persona variant of this weapon, see Plasmasword.

The persona plasmasword is a melee weapon added by the Royalty DLC that does a decent amount of damage, has a relatively fast cooldown, and deals sharp damage with the bonus of very frequently setting the opponent on fire. It is the persona weapon variant of the plasmasword.

Acquisition

Persona plasmaswords cannot be crafted. Instead, they can be purchased from any combat supplier or war merchant, at Empire faction bases, or obtained as a quest reward.

They can also be found on the following raider kinds:

Raider Kind	Chance	Average Quality	Health
Imperial Citizen	?	?	100%
Stellic Warden	?	Excellent	100%
Knight/Dame	?	Excellent	100%
Praetor	?	Excellent	100%
Baron/Baroness	?	Excellent	100%
Count/Countess	?	Excellent	100%
Duke/Duchess	?	Excellent	100%
Consul	?	Excellent	100%
Stellarch	?	Excellent	100%

Summary

Persona weaponry

Main article: Persona weapon

The persona plasmasword is the persona weapon variant of the plasmasword. Persona weapons form a psychic bond with the first wielder that equips them. This grants or inflicts certain traits with a variety of effects listed below. This bond is also usually both exclusive of other persona weapons and permanent, lasting until either the wielder dies, at which point another pawn may bond with the weapon, or until the weapon is destroyed, at which point the wielder may bond with another persona weapon. The exception is weapons with the Freewielder trait, which form no permanent bond and do not prevent the use of other persona weapons. Additionally, the bond is broken at the moment of death rather than the state of being dead. The bond remains broken if the wielder is resurrected, though they can relink with the weapon if no-one else has.

When bonded, persona weapons have no value, both for trade and for the purposes of raid points.

Persona weapons also improve the combat capabilities of the weapons compared to the baseline versions.

Finally, each persona weapon is given a randomly generated custom name.

Flame damage

Persona plasmaswords perform largely the same as any other melee weapon, with one primary difference. When performing the Cut and Stab attacks, a successful strike has a 70% chance to do an extra 10 Flame damage. As with all Flame damage, this damage has no AP and, if it successfully damages the target, there is a chance to set them on fire based on the target's flammability. For most non-mechanoid enemies, this chance is 100% assuming the attack successfully deals Flame damage.

Despite being an incendiary weapon, pyromaniac pawns equipped with plasmaswords will not have the +5 Pyromaniac has incendiary weapon mood buff they receive from using molotov cocktails or incendiary launchers. It is currently unknown whether this is intended behavior, or a bug.

Analysis

Compared to the base plasmasword, persona plasmaswords boast a higher damage on their edge and point attacks, decreased attack cooldown on all attacks, and a 70% chance of dealing additional flame damage instead of only a 50% chance. This comes at the cost of only being used by a single pawn unless they have the Freewielder trait. As with all persona weapons, this makes the persona plasmasword a clear and significant improvement over its base variant, and increases its base DPS before Flame damage above that of a plasteel longsword of equivalent quality, though at a slight loss of AP. This overcomes a key issue with the base variant, which lacked versatility over the longsword when facing enemies with good heat armor or fire-immune mechanoids. It is significantly easier to farm for a high quality plasteel longsword however.

Additionally while the increased chance of flame damage nominally increases the DPS of a persona monosword of equivalent quality, the lower AP of the attacks, the lack of AP of Flame damage and the prevalence of mechanoids in the late-game when persona weapons become common mean that the monosword will outperform the plasmasword against most non-animal enemies.

As with the base plasmasword, it can set enemies on fire, this makes a powerful weapon against non-mechanoid enemies in the game. 1v1 fights generally tilt in favor of the plasmasword wielder since setting enemies on fire can prevent them from fighting back. When melee blocking against groups of enemies however, ignited enemies can ignore collision and occasionally path behind the blockers, negating their blocking and opening up the backline to attacks and the melee blockers themselves to encirclement. It should thus be avoided when melee blocking, unless facing mechanoids where the risk is negated by their fire immunity.

Attack table

Feature	Toggle
Attacks

Persona plasmasword			Handle (Blunt)					Point (Stab)					Edge (Cut)					Human: Left & rigth 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	8.12	24.2%	9.6	1.6s	14.4%	6	8.33%	18.4	2s	28%	9.2	37.5%	18.4	2s	28%	9.2	37.5%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 8.33%	100	1500
Poor	9.05	26.98%	10.8	1.6s	16.2%	6.75	8.33%	20.7	2s	31.5%	10.35	37.5%	20.7	2s	31.5%	10.35	37.5%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 8.33%	100	2250
Normal	9.97	29.75%	12	1.6s	18%	7.5	8.33%	23	2s	35%	11.5	37.5%	23	2s	35%	11.5	37.5%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 8.33%	100	3000
Good	10.9	32.53%	13.2	1.6s	19.8%	8.25	8.33%	25.3	2s	38.5%	12.65	37.5%	25.3	2s	38.5%	12.65	37.5%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 8.33%	100	3500
Excellent	12.79	36.9%	14.4	1.6s	21.6%	9	25%	27.6	2s	42%	13.8	37.5%	27.6	2s	42%	13.8	37.5%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 0%	100	4000
Masterwork	15.45	44.59%	17.4	1.6s	26.1%	10.88	25%	33.35	2s	50.75%	16.68	37.5%	33.35	2s	50.75%	16.68	37.5%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 0%	100	5000
Legendary	17.59	50.74%	19.8	1.6s	29.7%	12.38	25%	37.95	2s	57.75%	18.98	37.5%	37.95	2s	57.75%	18.98	37.5%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 0%	100	6000

^{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

Note that DPS does not take the chance of Flame damage into account.

Persona traits

Persona weapons have individual traits to reflect their individual personalities. Each weapon will have one or two traits. Some traits are good, some are bad, some are just different. Traits affect the weapon's market value, so a weapon with a negative trait will be cheaper. The traits are:

Trait name	Description	Effects	Value	Exclusivity	Commonality
Psychic hypersensitizer	This weapon amplifies the wielder's psychic sensitivity by 40%. This only applies while the weapon is held.	+40% Psychic Sensitivity	0	Other Psychic Sensitivity Modifiers	0.75
Psychic sensitizer	This weapon amplifies the wielder's psychic sensitivity by 20%. This only applies while the weapon is held.	+20% Psychic Sensitivity	0	Other Psychic Sensitivity Modifiers	0.75
Psychic quiet	This weapon suppresses the wielder's psychic sensitivity by 15%. This only applies while the weapon is held.	-15% Psychic Sensitivity	0	Other Psychic Sensitivity Modifiers	0.75
Psychic fog	This weapon suppresses the wielder's psychic sensitivity by 30%. This only applies while the weapon is held.	-30% Psychic Sensitivity	0	Other Psychic Sensitivity Modifiers	0.75
Kind thoughts	This weapon's persona is kind and supportive. It whispers kind thoughts to whoever it is bonded with, increasing their mood.	+6 <NAME>'s kind thoughts mood^{[When equipped?]}	+500	Other Bonded Thought Traits Freewielder	1
Calm thoughts	This weapon's persona is relaxed and steady. It whispers calming thoughts to whoever it is bonded with, increasing their mood.	+3 <NAME>'s calm thoughts mood^{[When equipped?]}	+300	Other Bonded Thought Traits Freewielder	1
Mad muttering	This weapon's persona is neurotic and unstable. It mutters mad thoughts to whoever it is bonded with, reducing their mood.	−3 <NAME>'s muttering mood^{[When equipped?]}	-500	Other Bonded Thought Traits Freewielder	1
Mad wailing	This weapon's persona is highly disturbed and won't shut up about it. It wails mad notions to whoever it is bonded with, suppressing their mood.	−6 <NAME>'s wailing mood^{[When equipped?]}	-1000	Other Bonded Thought Traits Freewielder	1
Kill-focused	This weapon's persona focuses on deaths. If the weapon kills someone, the wielder will instantly gain 20% psyfocus.	Instantly gain +20% psyfocus on killing another pawn, including humans, animals, and mechanoids.	+500	Kill Thought Traits	1
Kill-happy	This weapon's persona loves to kill. If this weapon kills someone, its joy will transmit psychically to the wielder, making them happier for a few days.	+6 <NAME>'s kill happiness mood for 3 days after killing a pawn.^[Details]	+500	Other Kill Thought Traits	1
Kill-sorrow	This weapon's persona hates killing. If this weapon kills someone, its sorrow will transmit psychically to the wielder, reducing their mood for a few days.	−3 <NAME>'s kill sorrow mood for 3 days after killing a pawn.^[Details]	-500	Other Kill Thought Traits	1
Kill thirst	This weapon's persona find purpose in bloodshed. If it does not kill for 20 days, it will become angry and psychically complain to whoever is bonded to it.	−3 <NAME>'s kill thirst mood after 20 days without killing a pawn.^[Details]	-700	Kill Thought Traits Traits Freewielder	1
Psy-meditative	This weapon's persona is naturally meditative and helps its wielder focus in psychic meditation. The wielder gains an extra 10% psyfocus per day of meditation, as long as the weapon is held.	+10% psyfocus gain rate	+500	None	1
Painless	This weapon's persona has some method of psychically disabling pain. The one holding the weapon will feel no pain of any kind.	Psychic Painlessness: Pain is disabled by the psychic influence of a wielded weapon. 0x Pain multiplier	+400	None	1
Fast mover	This weapon's persona has a sense of motion. It confers this onto the wielder, making them move 15% faster as long as the weapon is held.	Psychic Speed: Movement is sped up by the psychic influence of a wielded weapon. +15% Moving	+600	None	1
Hunger pangs	This weapon's persona loves food, and transmits that onto whoever bonds with it. The bonded person's hunger rate will be 50% higher.	Psychic Hunger: Hunger is increased by the psychic influence of a bonded weapon. +50% Hunger Rate Factor	-600	None	1
Neural cooling	This weapon's persona has the ability to help dissipate the wielder's neural heat. The wielder's neural heat dissipation is improved by 0.15 per second.	Assisted neural cooling: Neural heat dissipation is improved by the psychic influence of a bonded weapon. +0.15/s Neural Heat Recovery Rate	+500	None	1
Freewielder	This weapon's persona does not form bonds in the normal way. Anyone can pick it up and use it.	Does not bond	0		1
Jealous	This weapon's persona becomes angry when the bonded individual uses another weapon, thus reducing their mood.	−15 <NAME>'s jealousy mood when a weapon other than the bonded weapon is equipped.	-600	Freewielder	1

Version history

Royalty DLC Release - Added as Linked plasmasword.
1.1.2570 - Can now be detected as intended.
1.1.2647 - Linked plasmaswords no longer damaged relations with the Empire without the necessary titles. Previously, a title of Knight or Dame was required.
1.2.2719 - Persona plasmasword damage increased from 20 to 22. Persona plasmasword extra flame damage chance increased from 50% to 70%.

Weapons