The Plasma Coil,[1][2] also known as the Tesla Coil,[3] is a weapon featured in Going Commando, Up Your Arsenal, and in Bros Before Foes. Manufactured by Megacorp, it is a long-range weapon which fires a bolt of plasma and electricity which damages both its target and nearby enemies.
The Plasma Coil can be upgraded to the Plasma Storm with use, which fires a plasma bolt that shocks enemies within its range as it travels through the air. In challenge mode, can be upgraded to the Mega Plasma Storm.
History[]
The Plasma Coil was manufactured by Megacorp, and first purchased by Ratchet during Going Commando.
In Up Your Arsenal, when Ratchet reached Koros, Slim contacted him to offer a mint condition Plasma Coil that was still in the box.[4] When he obtained the weapon for free, Slim Cognito questioned how that was possible.[5]
Artemis Zogg owned and wielded a Tesla Coil which he used in battle. During Bros Before Foes, he held Talwyn Apogee at gunpoint, the Tesla Coil pointing to her head, before she was released.[3] He later pointed the gun at Captain Qwark and Ratchet, but was unable to fire it.[6]
Characteristics[]
The Plasma Coil is a short, blue and silver pistol with three rotating holed claws on the end and a large electric nozzle. It fires blue blasts of searing plasma with limited auto-tracking[7] which shock enemies.
The Plasma Storm is a rifle, with the same color scheme, larger claws with three holes, an even larger nozzle and a left-hand grip to be held with. The balls of plasma it fires emit powerful tendrils of electricity to vaporize nearby enemies.[8]
Gameplay[]
Overview[]
The Plasma Coil fires a ball of plasma that damages targets upon contact and subsequently shocks up to three enemies in the vicinity of the impact. It deals significant damage, and its ability to shock nearby enemies makes it very powerful at defeating groups of larger enemies. Though it has limited ammunition, players can be efficient with it by aiming it against enemies clustered together, maximizing the damage dealt with it. Its very high range, strength, and ability to shock multiple targets make it extremely useful in any circumstance.
The Plasma Storm is even greater than the Plasma Coil in damaging multiple targets at once, for its lightning now arcs to all nearby enemies as the orb travels past them. It can clear rooms of small to medium enemies with only a couple of blasts, and its power makes it extremely useful against bosses if aimed directly at the target. The Plasma Storm is one of the most useful and strongest weapons both Going Commando and Up Your Arsenal.
Going Commando[]
The Plasma Coil is available for purchase from a Megacorp vendor upon reaching Joba for 150,000 bolts. It can be upgraded to the Plasma Storm with use. For 750,000 bolts, the Mega Plasma Storm upgrade could be purchased from any Megacorp vendor in challenge mode.
The Plasma Coil can be modified with the Acid Mod and the Lock On Mod. While the latter served little practical use, the former is very useful for the Plasma Coil and Plasma Storm due to their ability to spread their damage across multiple enemies, thereby applying the damage over time effect to multiple enemies. As the Plasma Storm is arguably the most useful and easily obtainable weapon of the high-tier weapons in Going Commando, the player should choose to prioritize this mod for it.
Up Your Arsenal[]
The Plasma Coil is available for 250,000 bolts (or for free if the player had a Going Commando save file) from Slim Cognito in Aquatos after Ratchet and Clank reached Koros. It has five levels total, with V5 being the Plasma Storm. In challenge mode, it can be upgraded to the Mega Plasma Storm for 820,000 bolts from any Gadgetron vendor, which can upgrade to the Omega Plasma Storm.
The Plasma Coil has four steps to its leveling, though these levels provide the same improvements as the modifications in Going Commando. It gains acid damage at V2, and lock-on at V3. At V4, it simply gains increased power. The weapon is an excellent choice to level up, as it is effective in all circumstances.
Citations[]
References[]
- Insomniac Games (2003). Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando [Game]. Sony Computer Entertainment. PlayStation 2.
- Insomniac Games (2004). Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal [Game]. PlayStation 2.
- Fixman, TJ (2011). Ratchet & Clank (Issue 6: Bros Before Foes) [Book]. Wild Storm.