star trek type 2 phaser

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Type 2 phaser

The crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701 used hand phasers [1] during an attempt to rescue Captain Christopher Pike from the Talosians in 2254 . Phasers could be set to overload, causing an explosion. [2] In the 2260s, Type 1 phasers (sometimes called "Phaser 1") could be attached to a larger mounting frame that increased its capabilities, turning the unit into a Type 2 phaser (aka "Phaser 2"). On Stardate 1672.1 , Lieutenant Sulu used a phaser to heat rocks in order to provide warmth in the subzero temperatures of planet Alfa 177 . [3]

Image Gallery

Hand Phaser ( 2254 ) ( TOS 01 )

Hand Phaser ( TOS 06 )

Type 2 Hand Phaser ( SD   1207.3 ) ( DSC 01 )

Type 2 Hand Phaser ( SD   1207.3 ) ( DSC 02 )

Type 2 Hand Phaser ( SD   1672.1 ) ( TOS 05 )

Type 2 Hand Phaser ( SD   1513.1 ) ( TOS 06 )

Type 2 Hand Phaser ( TOS 07 )

Type 2 Hand Phaser ( TOS 15 )

Notes and References

• ↑ Although the script and dialogue for "The Cage" referred to the energy weapons as "lasers," this was changed retroactively to "phasers" when the series went into production, as the properties of lasers were already a known quantity in the real world, and the writers and production team did not want to restrict future stories. The design of the "lasers" from The Cage was echoed in Star Trek: Discovery , where the weapons were referred to as phasers, reinforcing this retcon .
• ↑ Roddenberry, Gene (Executive Producer). "The Cage" . Star Trek , season 0, episode 0 (Production number 01). Directed by Robert Butler . Written by Gene Roddenberry . Released 1986 . Desilu Productions . 1965 .
• ↑ Roddenberry, Gene (Executive Producer). "The Enemy Within" . Star Trek , season 1, episode 5 (Production number 05). Directed by Leo Penn . Written by Richard Matheson . Desilu Productions . 6 October 1966 .
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10 Star Trek Phasers, Ranked

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This forgotten targaryen warrior is game of thrones' most important legend, the beloved sci-fi series that only has one season (& deserves more).

Star Wars may have lightsabers, but Star Trek has unquestionably cornered the marker on cool ray guns. Like so many other parts of the franchise, phasers have developed a lexicon and terminology all their own. In addition, timeline changes and the need to make each new Star Trek series distinctive have resulted in numerous versions of the same basic gizmo.

Phasers are divided into three basic categories. Type I phasers are about the size of a garage door opener and are designed for concealment. Type IIs are larger and have a pistol grip, with more power and a longer range. Type IIIs are rifles, used only in times of war or when facing a serious threat. Below is a loose list of the 10 best in the franchise.

RELATED: 10 Sci-Fi Tropes That Aged Poorly

10 Star Trek: Picard Assault Phaser Rifle

Star Trek: Picard moved the franchise's timeline to the very end of the 24th century, about 20 years after the final Next Generation movie ended. That meant new updates to the weapons, most notably the phasers.

Season 1, Episode 5, "Stardust City Rag," revealed an "assault phaser rifle." It was blockier than the Type IIIs it replaced, with a sighting array further down the barrel. It benefited from a wild introduction, as Seven of Nine took one in each hand to ruthlessly cut down a squad of attacking minions.

9 Star Trek: Discovery 32nd Century Type II Phaser Pistol

Season 3 of Star Trek: Discovery launched the crew into the 32nd Century to find the Federation shattered and Starfleet all but nonexistent. Weaponry of the time had changed, of course. Sleeker and simpler than earlier phasers, it emphasized the firing port more than the controls, stressing just how much damage it could cause.

It also acknowledged that there were limits to how the basic design could be improved. While Discovery made innovative technical leaps for things like transporters and starship shields, the phasers still looked more or less like they always had. The ray-gun notion could never be entirely vanquished.

RELATED: 10 Best Television Universes, Ranked

8 Star Trek: First Contact Type II Phaser Pistol

The Next Generation went through a series of designs for their phasers, which often looked difficult to hold. It eventually resulted in the "boomerang" phaser, first introduced in Star Trek: First Contact. The curved handle matched the aesthetic of the phasers used in The Next Generation while making it a little more stylish.

The design proved durable and was used throughout the remainder of The Next Generation 's feature-length films. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Voyager also used it. That makes it emblematic of the franchise's "renaissance" period in the mid-to-late 1990s.

7 Star Trek: Enterprise MACO Pulse Pistol

Star Trek: Enterprise took place in Starfleet's infancy, and as such, the protocols were much different. MACOs -- Military Assault Command Operations -- served as de facto marines onboard ship. They were beholden to a different chain of command and used more effective weapons than their colleagues in Starfleet.

That included the pulse pistol: a precursor to the phaser based on the slightly friendlier versions used by Captain Archer and his crew. They had a mechanical look that spoke to new technology. More importantly, they looked dangerous, something that rarely comes to mind with other phaser designs.

6 'The Cage' Type II Phaser Pistol

The original Star Trek pilot "The Cage" drew heavily on previous space opera epics for its aesthetics, including the likes of Forbidden Planet and the Flash Gordon serials of the 1930s. The franchise's very first phasers retained a larger-than-life look but were also clearly human in design, avoiding excessively outlandish touches.

It made for a strong opening statement on the issue and helped pave the way for the classic phaser design of The Original Series . More importantly, it looked cool, and its stylish design helped it hold up in the ensuing decades.

RELATED: 10 Controversial Star Trek: TOS Episodes That Wouldn't Fly Today

5 Star Trek III Type II Phaser Pistol

Phasers didn't really appear in Star Trek: The Motion Picture, while Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan went with an updated look that felt more of a kind with its predecessor. For Star Trek III: The Search for Spock , the saga went back to the phasers from The Original Series , with a slight update and redesign.

The new versions worked for the next three movies before more or less retiring with the original crew. And like Picard 's phaser rifles, they benefited from a memorable introduction. In their case, it was Commander Uhura, suddenly turning on her overconfident coworker.

4 Star Trek Enterprise MACO Pulse Rifle

Even more than the pistols, the MACO's pulse rifles spoke to how dangerous the Final Frontier could be. They resembled modern assault rifles rather than sleek laser emitters, with a two-handed grip reminiscent of the far less endearing Type III rifles of The Next Generation .

Over and above their immediate purpose as deadly weapons, the pulse rifles helped draw a sharp distinction between the MACOs and the Starfleet officers around them. That paid narrative dividends when the two sides came to loggerheads. It also stressed how far humanity still had to go before the utopia of The Original Series.

3 The Original Series Type III Phaser Rifle

Nowhere can Star Trek 's space opera roots be more clearly seen than in its Type III phaser rifle. It became a part of the series very early: the second pilot, "Where No Man Has Gone Before." And while it was rarely used, it was invariably a lot of fun.

The phaser rifles of The Original Series had recognizable technology -- the coils powering it, for example -- to give the notion of a viable piece of machinery. But the long barrel and radar-style tip added the right sense of retro style.

RELATED: 10 Best Star Trek Spinoffs, Ranked

2 Star Trek: First Contact Type III Phaser Rifle

While the boomerang design for the Type II phasers in First Contact was serviceable at best, the movie struck gold with the rifle variant. Previous versions of the Type III used a pair of pistol grips, essentially making it a jumped-up Type II. It worked in terms of world-building -- the technology was of a kind with the Type IIs -- but it also looked very awkward.

First Contact brought a sleeker, cooler design to the rifles. A stylized grip and butt for shoulder firing tapered down to a sleek barrel. It felt very utilitarian, but also undeniably Star Trek . Like the film's Type II design, it soon became the standard for the Trek TV shows of the era.

1 The Original Series Type II Phaser Pistol

Several subsequent Star Trek projects have tinkered with the basic look of The Original Series Type II, but nothing really compares in terms of evoking the Final Frontier. Like so much else with the first show, it came to define the aesthetic of the whole franchise.

Its stylized look hasn't aged a day. The design fit a removable Type I within it, emphasizing its practicality. Yet it also had the style of the older Flash Gordon -esque ray guns to lend the show a sense of the exotic. It's no surprise that new variations from the likes of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds and the Kelvinverse are still just imitations.

How Star Trek Phasers Actually Work

The "Star Trek" franchise contains a lot of devices and jargon that are easy to take for granted, but have a ton of meaning behind them. For instance, the "Star Trek" stardates actually work by deliberately obscuring the actual time the events take place in. Meanwhile, the way the franchise's complex  transporters work is so scary that even some characters are incredibly wary of them. Just like these concepts, phasers – the all-purpose weapons Starfleet personnel carry and often use during their adventures — are more than meets the eye. 

As sci-fi weapons go, the "Star Trek" phaser is nearly up there with the competing franchise's lightsabers, and similar to how the damage a "Star Wars" lightsaber would do to your body wouldn't be particularly gory, a phaser is visually just about as family-friendly as a handheld weapon can be ... usually, at least. In fact, "phaser" is actually a catch-all name for various devices that emit different particle (or sometimes plasma) beams. 

The one that's probably most famous is the aforementioned handheld phaser the crew of the USS Enterprise uses. It has several settings that vary in intensity and purpose. On normal beam settings, the device's nadion particle stream can stun, heat, cut, kill, or even vaporize its target. A wider beam can be used to search the area, and it may also be possible to fire several beams or charged bolts. On top of all that, phasers are highly modifiable and can be equipped with all sorts of effects. 

Phasers can be scaled up and most cultures have their own versions

While phasers are often weaponized, it's better to think of them as a type of beam technology that can be used for all sorts of sci-fi shenanigans. Apart from the sheer versatility of the handheld phaser the Starfleet uses, several species from the "Star Trek" universe use their own variations of the theme. Phasers can also be far larger than small handheld devices, from rifles to drills and massive mounted artillery. As an example, the "Star Trek: The Next Generation" version of the USS Enterprise has several sets of phaser arrays in its offensive arsenal, along with other armaments like photon torpedoes and antimatter mines. 

So many "Star Trek" stories are actually horrifying  that it's no wonder the franchise is so good at conveying the experience of operating in the unmeasurable vastness of space. As such, it's somewhat surprising to find out that while the franchise's most iconic weapon is unnervingly powerful, it also has several non-lethal uses.

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Set phasers to fun: All the ‘Star Trek’ phasers, explained

The phrase “set phasers to stun” has earned its place in popular culture, and Starfleet’s iconic weaponry has been a crucial part of the setting ever since The Original Series , but just what are the specifics of these incredible weapons?

In each Star Trek series, Starfleet crews primarily use hand phasers. The Type-1 phaser is a small handheld device capable of various settings, including numerous degrees of stun, kill, and heat. In The Original Series , the Type-2 was a pistol-like receptacle in which the Type-1 could be fitted, amplifying its power. By the time of The Next Generation , the Type-1 and Type-2 were entirely separate devices, with the Type-2 having a far sleeker design.

While the “kill” settings on a phaser can turn it into a highly destructive weapon capable of vaporizing a target, standard Starfleet rules of engagement are to have phasers always set to some form of “stun,” unless explicitly ordered otherwise. The stun setting is able to render most targets unconscious with no permanent injury, making it ideal for Starfleet’s ethos of peaceful exploration.

On rare occasions, Starfleet officers may be equipped with the Type-3 phaser rifle, a much larger and longer variant of the phaser held with both hands. The Type-3 is said to be capable of even more powerful shots than the Type-2, though still has a range of stun settings.

The width of the beam of any type of phaser can also be modified, making a single phaser highly effective against large crowds. Even the Enterprise’s phasers can be set to stun – in the Original Series episode “A Piece of the Action,” Kirk orders the Enterprise to prevent a shootout between two factions of aliens by firing a wide-beam stun from orbit, knocking out entire streets of people.

Non-combat uses

In The Original Series ,Type-2 phasers could also be set to “overload.” The damage caused by this could be catastrophic, as a single phaser on overload aboard a ship could generate a blast capable of destroying part of the hull and exposing an entire deck to space. In the episode “The Conscience of the King,” Kirk and Spock narrowly avoid this fate when an assassin hides a phaser on overload in Kirk’s quarters, leading to the only instance in Star Trek history of a “double red alert.”

Phasers had various non-forceful applications too – in The Original Series’ “The Enemy Within,” Sulu uses a phaser to heat a rock, turning it into a radiator and saving the lives of his team who are stranded in icy conditions. In The Next Generation ’s “Silicon Avatar,” Riker uses a phaser to seal a cave entrance to protect sheltering refugees from an attack.

In all their forms, phasers are an iconic part of Star Trek , giving writers plenty of ways to have the heroes overcome hostile alien encounters without the need for lethal violence.

Energy or Particles?

Firing nanoprobes, vapourisation.

Range Limits

Firing through shields, transporting phaser beams.

Firing Underwater

Beams and pulses.

Phaser Overload

Wide Angle Beams

Off Axis Firing

Who Watches The Watchers?

The mind's eye, photon comparison, a matter of time.

Memory Beta, non-canon Star Trek Wiki

A friendly reminder regarding spoilers ! At present the expanded Trek universe is in a period of major upheaval with the continuations of Discovery and Prodigy , the advent of new eras in gaming with the Star Trek Adventures RPG , Star Trek: Infinite and Star Trek Online , as well as other post-57th Anniversary publications such as the ongoing IDW Star Trek comic and spin-off Star Trek: Defiant . Therefore, please be courteous to other users who may not be aware of current developments by using the {{ spoiler }}, {{ spoilers }} OR {{ majorspoiler }} tags when adding new information from sources less than six months old (even if it is minor info). Also, please do not include details in the summary bar when editing pages and do not anticipate making additions relating to sources not yet in release. THANK YOU

• Memory Beta articles sourced from comics
• Directed energy weapons

The phaser (an acronym for PHAS ed E nergy R ectification) is a standard weapon that has been issued to Starfleet personnel since the 23rd century .

Phasers project subatomic-particle beams (technically, nadions) which produce a wide variety of effects, ranging from Stun (technically, bioelectric shock) to Vaporization (technically, subatomic disruption).

Phasers can be fired in beams or pulses. They can also be set on overload to detonate like mines or grenades.

• 1.1 Hand-held weapons
• 1.2 See also
• 1.3 Starship weapons
• 1.4 Heavy phaser beam turret
• 1.5.1 Earth and Federation phaser types
• 1.6 Phasered people
• 1.7 See also
• 2.1 External link

History [ ]

Hand-held weapons [ ].

A type-1 phaser from the year 2367 .

A type-2 phaser from the year 2374 .

A type-3 phaser from the year 2367 .

Phaser weapons have a heritage as far back as the 22nd century when Earth Starfleet began replacing its standard issue EM-33 plasma weapons with phase weapons. ( ENT episode : " Broken Bow ")

By the 23rd century Starfleet had developed laser weapons. ( TOS episode : " The Cage ")

The first weapons to actually be designated phasers were invented in 2256 , introduced in the 2260s , and have continued to be used through various designs well into the 24th century . ( Last Unicorn RPG module : All Our Yesterdays: The Time Travel Sourcebook )

See also [ ]

• Phase pistol
• Laser pistol
• Type-1 phaser
• Type-2 phaser
• Type-3 phaser rifle

Starship weapons [ ]

The USS Enterprise firing phasers

Following a similar lineage to hand held weapons, starship phasers date their ancestry back to the 22nd century when Earth Starfleet introduced phase cannons . By the 23rd century these had developed into phaser banks which were fitted on most Starfleet vessels and could fire pulses and beams of phaser fire.

By the 24th century Starfleet vessels were as standard, fitted with phaser arrays , arrangements of phaser emitters positioned in strips along starships hulls to fire beams of phaser fire from all over the ship.

The USS Defiant firing its pulse phaser cannons

By the late 24th century, Starfleet phasers were capable of "thwarting" the creation of Tholian webs , however, the Tholians improved the web technology in order to be effective again. ( TNG comic : " A Handful of Dust ")

Following the Battle of Wolf 359 Starfleet concentrated its defensive strategies, part of which involved the development of the Defiant class which was fitted with pulse phaser cannon , weapons capable of producing powerful concentrated blasts of phaser fire.

Heavy phaser beam turret [ ]

Federation and other types

Earth and Federation phasers [ ]

Earth and federation phaser types [ ].

• Thomas Paine -class class IX frigate

Phasered people [ ]

• Geordi La Forge was struck by a phaser blast set to kill in 2364 . He spent some time comatose, near death, before Beverly Crusher 's sensors finally lost his life readings. La Forge recovered around the same time that a number of members of Q Continuum visited the USS Enterprise . (DC TNG miniseries)
• excavation phaser
• phase cannon
• phaser emitter
• phaser cannon
• phaser bank
• phaser array
• pulse phaser
• phaser turret
• surface-to-space phasers

Connections [ ]

External link [ ].

• Phaser article at Memory Alpha , the wiki for canon Star Trek .
• 1 Ferengi Rules of Acquisition
• 2 Odyssey class
• 3 DS9 relaunch

Type-1 phaser

A type-1 phaser was the smallest, most basic weapon carried by Starfleet and other Federation personnel. Type 1 phasers were typically carried when it would be inappropriate to carry a larger weapon, such as on diplomatic missions, or "undercover" work.

The type 1 had eight adjustable settings, ranging from stun to heat through disruption to disintegration. The 23rd century type 1, in use in the 2260s , incorporated a small flip-up sight . ( TOS : " A Private Little War ") Several versions of the type 2 phaser incorporated a type 1 phaser into their design.

A 23rd century type 1 phaser did not possess sufficient power to harm a silicon -based lifeform , such as a Horta . ( TOS : " The Devil in the Dark ")

24th century type-1s could be programmed to fire automatically at set intervals. ( TNG : " The Game ")

By the 2380s , type 1s had gone through a form factor change, giving them a streamlined grip that was more reminiscent of late 24th century type 2 phasers . ( PRO : " Dream Catcher ")

Background information [ ]

The Star Trek: The Original Series type 1 phaser, as the designation was first identified on screen in TOS : " The Devil in the Dark ", was designed by Matt Jefferies and John Jefferies with input from Gene Roddenberry , and was built (or the construction supervised by him at the Desilu prop shop) by Matt Jefferies, and later modified by Wah Chang at Gene Roddenberry's request. It is a common misconception that Chang, the builder of both the tricorders and communicators, also built the phasers. Roddenberry was unhappy with how the black and white phasers registered on screen and so asked Chang to give them a new paint scheme and add some detail. The new grey paint scheme and details on the "hero" phasers were seen in the episode "Dagger of the Mind". This is based on interviews with Jefferies' brother and an interview by propmaster Alan Sims (HMS) with Chang and backed up by copies of the invoices Chang submitted to Desilu for his work of "refurbishing" the phasers.

On Sunday, 27 September 2009 , the Art Directors Guild Film Society presented a panel discussion titled " Star Trek : 45 Years of Designing the Future" in which the participants were John Jefferies, Joseph R. Jennings , Herman Zimmerman , and Scott Chambliss . During this panel discussion, John Jefferies said that the design of the TOS phaser was a joint effort between himself, his brother Matt Jefferies, and Gene Roddenberry. According to John Jefferies, he was hired to work on the design of the phaser as an independent contractor, since he was still working for Columbia Pictures at the time, and hence was not part of the regular Star Trek Art Department. After discussing design ideas with Matt Jefferies and Gene Roddenberry, John drew five drawings of possible designs for the phaser. About a week later, he showed the drawings to Matt Jefferies and Gene Roddenberry. They chose elements from each of the drawings and asked him to combine them into one, which ended up being the design of the first phaser prop. John Jefferies also mentioned that the basic shape of the hand phaser was inspired by a remote control that Magnovox had recently released.

Variant type-1 phaser with reversed coloring

The sight is not immediately apparent in most episodes, but a detailed physical examination of one of the surviving "hero" phasers has documented its presence, as well as the location of the trigger. ( TOS Season 3, Disc 7 "A Star Trek Collector's Dream Come True") ( Star Trek: Communicator ( citation needed • edit ) )

In Star Trek: The Animated Series , type-1 phasers were seen with their coloring reversed: They were silver/grey with black trimming.

In Star Trek: Discovery , Starfleet personnel were equipped with a Type 1 phaser, Mk. 3. The specifications for this phaser type were revealed on the official Star Trek: Discovery Twitter account on February 26, 2018. [1]

The Star Trek: The Next Generation type-1 phaser was shown as having a completed design in a series of sketches which were dated 6 February 1987 and which Andrew Probert prepared for construction bidders interested in building the props required for the show. ( Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion , 3rd ed., p. 11) The TNG type-1 phaser was, however, designed by Rick Sternbach . A design patent was issued for Sternbach's design wherein he was identified as its "inventor". Nicknamed the "Cricket", the type-1 was rarely used after the first season of The Next Generation because Gene Roddenberry felt it was so minuscule that it was hardly visible on screen. ( Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Continuing Mission ) Nonetheless, it later appeared in " A Matter Of Honor ", " The Mind's Eye ", " The Game ", and " In the Flesh ".

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Phasers are the most common and standard energy weapon in the arsenal of Starfleet and several other powers. Phasers fire nadion particle beams.

• 1 Description and Uses
• 3 Side-arm Settings
• 4 Types of Phaser Weapon
• 5.1 Types of Starship Phaser

Description and Uses [ ]

The phaser beam can stun , heat, kill or disintegrate living creatures. Phasers can damage shields or other systems or even cut through a hull . Phasers can also be used to cut through walls and burrow through rock. The beam can be focused to a single spot or widened to impact a large area.

Plasma is passed to a phaser emitter resulting in a discharge of nadion particles . Residual particles can be found in places where a battle has recently taken place. The disruptive effects of nadion discharges are moderated to produce varying effects (discussed below), ranging from benign to extremely destructive.

The Starfleet-issue personal phasers come in three types: The phaser type-1 (hand phaser) is small and can be concealed easily. The type 2 phaser is larger and hand-held. It has a longer hand grip or a pistol grip, depending on the model. The phaser type-3 is also known as the phaser rifle . It has a longer barrel, a stock, and some models have a second grip. This weapon can fire beams or bolts. Over centuries of use, there have been several models of the lightweight and effective phaser rifle.

Beyond these, phasers are usually mounted devices, such as the phaser type-4 used on Starfleet shuttlecraft and other small vehicles, all the way up to the large phaser banks and phaser arrays of starships and space stations . Various classes of banks, arrays and emitters exist, such as the more powerful phaser type-8 and the phaser cannon .

Hand phasers can be made to overload, either deliberately or by sabotage. Phasers in the process of overloading emit a distinctive high-pitched whine. The weapon will release all of its energy in an explosion capable of doing considerable damage to its surroundings. In 2266, Lenore Karidian attempted to murder James T. Kirk by hiding an overloading phaser in his cabin. In 2269, Kirk, McCoy, and Sulu were almost killed while on the Kalandan outpost planet, when its defensive computer fused the controls on Kirk's phaser, causing it to overload.

Personal phasers are also used by Starfleet personnel as tools and not just weapons. The phaser can be used to heat rocks and stones for warmth. Worf also used his type-2 phaser to open a tunnel on the Cardassian planet Celtris III.

Different models of phaser make different sounds when fired, depending on the model and setting. Federation phaser fire typically makes a high-pitched "whistling" or "tearing" sound, for example. A knowledgeable person can use the sound to differentiate between types.

n the alternate reality created by Nero's incursion, handheld phasers of the late 2250s emitted bolts of energy rather than the steady streams of energy generated by phasers of the prime reality. In addition, these phasers had a rotating nozzle which flips when set from stun to kill or vice versa.

History [ ]

The phaser design commonly used by Starfleet in the 23rd century and beyond was preceded by phase weapons , including the phase pistol and phase cannon , and were immediately preceded by types of laser weapons , such as the laser pistol .

Phaser technology was introduced by Starfleet as early as 2233; the USS Kelvin was equipped with ship-mounted phaser weapons. Phaser rifles were used as early as 2265, although at that time they were not part of a ship's standard weaponry, as officers were still armed with laser pistols.

In the 24th century, regenerative phasers were designed to function in the presence of duonetic fields, plasma fields, and other environments in which a normal phaser would not operate. As a historical note, the weapon was chosen instead of the TR-116 for such operations.

Side-arm Settings [ ]

The 23rd and 24th century phaser includes several settings. Setting number one is also called the base cycle stunning force. This minimal setting causes only a stun effect to the average humanoid lifeform. A hit will leave the target dazed and unable to think straight for a moment. When used at close range, a phaser set on stun is still capable of inducing sufficient trauma to kill if fired at a vital organ such as the brain. Two phasers set on setting one fired simultaneously can break large objects into pieces, such as the urns of Taurus II.

Setting 3.1 is enough to cause a changeling to experience similar discomfort. Setting 3.4 or 3.5 was determined to be a stun setting that would effectively stun and force any changeling to revert back into the gelatenous state. A wide-field stun setting is used when large groups need to be stunned with a single shot. Some stun settings can also cause unconsciousness. Although mostly harmless when used at these low settings, multiple phaser stuns like this can result in injury and death. There is a heavy stun force setting and a maximum stun setting also known as full stun charge.

A phaser can be used to heat several substances, such as rocks or even coffee Phasers can be used to melt certain ores from solid to liquid. They can be used to quickly boil tens of meters of ice. Settings 6 and 7 cause severe burns to the flesh of humanoids. Setting 7 is also powerful enough to vaporize noranium carbide.

One-quarter and level 10 are names of the kill setting for humanoid forms. The kill setting has a distinct sound from the stun setting. To a humanoid infected by a neural parasite , the kill setting only causes unconsciousness, due to the high levels of adrenaline in the targets body. Cutting settings can be used to slice off segments of a steelplast wall , a standard starfleet corridor wall or even to slice off body parts.

The normal maximum setting on a hand phaser will vaporize a humanoid lifeform or a human size android. This is also called disintegration. When used as a means of suicide, the phaser will also disintegrate along with the person shooting at himself. There is also a maximum setting that can set parts of clothing or humanoids on fire. Against a Horta, even when set specifically for silicon, the maximum setting will only hurt it. Disruptor-B is another maximum setting for the type 2 phaser. It is also called the disruptor effect setting. This setting was assessed to be the most effective against gaseous dikironium.

The standard level 16 setting on a type 2 phaser can be used to vaporize tunnels through rock, large enough to crawl through. The level 16 wide-field setting can easily destroy half of a large building with a single shot.

Types of Phaser Weapon [ ]

There are several numbered types of phasers of increasing size and capability: Types 1, 2, and 3 are personnel phasers, and types 4 and above are ship-mounted weapons.

• Type 1 phaser is a small concealable sidearm weapon.
• Type 2 phaser is a larger sidearm-type weapon. A sleeker and more compact version was introduced in 2368.
• Type 3 phaser is a rifle-sized weapon.

These main types and technologies are further classified to distinguish the many variations.

• hand phaser
• phaser pistol
• Kzinti phaser
• phaser rifle
• compression phaser rifle
• Regalian phaser rifle
• Bajoran phaser
• Ferengi phaser
• plasma phaser - a proposed anti- Borg weapon
• regenerative phaser

Starship Phasers [ ]

The phasers mounted aboard starships are considerably more powerful than those used by Starfleet personnel, owing to the increased power reserves available. Early phasers, such as the MK IX/01 type found on the USS Enterprise , were mounted in banks of one or two emitters, firing in either proximity blasts or beams. The ship's phasers also have a stun setting, and can be set for a wide-beam.

It was possible to configure phaser emitters to fire laser pulse beams , photon pulses and pulse compression waves . In the alternate reality created by Nero's incursion, phasers aboard the USS Enterprise were used to fire bolts resembling proximity blasts. In 2233 starships such as the USS Kelvin had different ship-mounted phaser emitters for the bolts and beam blasts.

Types of Starship Phaser [ ]

• particle phaser - used on transport ships from Boreal III
• phaser bank
• phaser array
• phaser cannon - used on Defiant-class starships
• phaser type-4 - used on type 6 shuttlecrafts
• phaser type-8 - used on Excelsior-class starships
• Galor-class phaser bank

• Items that Bind on Pickup
• Special Weapons
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• Mission Rewards
• Phaser Weapons
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Federation Type 2 Phaser (Stun)

• VisualEditor

Type 2 Federation Phaser - circa 2265. This classic phaser from the past has a secondary fire mode that holds targets.

Phaser ground weapons have a chance to stun targets. This weapon is unique in that its beam is blue , and will always vaporise its target when killed.

Values given are for a player at level 50.

• 1 Obtaining
• 2.1 Modifier Suffix
• 2.2 Personal Equipment
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Obtaining [ | ]

A [ Federation Type 2 Phaser ] is a scaling mission reward from the Devidian Front final mission “Night of the Comet” . Since this item is not unique, players can obtain it more than once via episode replay . Replaying this mission at higher levels will grant a level-appropriate Mark version of this weapon, up to and including Mk XI.

Common versions can also randomly drop from missions set in the TOS era.

Modifiers [ | ]

There are seven factors that can affect personal weapons. These are Modifier suffixes , spent Player Skill Points , Personal Equipment , and Equipment Sets .

Modifier Suffix [ | ]

Federation Type 2 Phaser (Stun) does not come with modifiers suffixes, as other weapons normally do.

Personal Equipment [ | ]

Gallery [ | ].

The Federation Type 2 Phaser (left) next to its Zen Store counterpart .

See also [ | ]

• [ Federation Type 2 Phaser (Zen Store) ] - A variation of the [ Federation Type 2 Phaser (Stun) ] included with 23rd Century Bundle from the Zen Store .

External links [ | ]

• Type 2 phaser at Memory Alpha , the Star Trek Wiki.
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• Our expert's notes A Type 2 phaser from sci-fi TV show Star Trek: Voyager. Type 2 phasers were the standard-issue weapon for Starfleet crew, and featured 16 settings, which ranged from a mild stun to disintegration. Phasers were seen in various episodes of the series, and in the Season 2 episode "Concerning Flight" Leonardo da Vinci describes the phaser has having "[harnessed] the energy of a thunderstorm". The phaser is made of resin with a long, ridged handle. Painted faux silver and black, the phaser has three buttons on the back. Sixteen small green squares are present, which in the show indicated the power setting of the weapon, and a small strip of blue foil sits under the barrel of the phaser. This lot has some wear from production use, including some minor scuffing and scratches. Dimensions: 19.5 cm x 5 cm x 5 cm (7 3/4" x 2" x 2") £2,000 - 3,000 M
• Size Item size: 3.94" × 2.56" × 1.18" (10cm × 6.5cm × 3cm)

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Due to the Wayfair Ruling, some US States may be required to pay sales tax. Conversions are approximate and you’ll be charged in UK Sterling (GBP£). Prices do not include shipping, handling or any local taxes. Duties may also be applied by your local government.

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ANOVOS announced the first  Star Trek: Discovery Type II phaser for consumers back in November , and these high-quality prop recreations began shipping to preorder customers this past week — and we’ve got one here at TrekCore headquarters for your inspection!

Created based upon the original screen-used phaser prop seen in  Discovery , the ANOVOS replica is built using the same 3D print techniques used to craft the “hero” models used on the television series, the three-part prop recreation is a three-piece unit that assembles to form the standard Starfleet sidearm of the 23rd Century.

This is ANOVOS’ second  Star Trek phaser replica, after their Star Trek Beyond weapon kit went up for sale last fall, and their take on the Type II phaser is structured just like the  Discovery prop, with a separable Type I ‘cricket’ phaser that slots into the top of the Type II phaser grip, and a removable power pack that slots into the grip itself.

Along with the 3D printed assembly, the phaser also includes LED components that light up to showcase power levels, plus ‘stun’ and ‘kill’ intensity settings, depending on your orders from Starfleet Command. This is not an inexpensive piece, retailing at $500 and matched up to the original components used on the  Discovery television series.

Before we get into the review, please note that this is a prop replica, and not intended to be a ‘toy’ release like the Playmates Toys releases of the 1990s, which had integrated audio, colorful stickers and graphics, and were produced from injection-molded plastic.

Such a toy is, however, on the way from McFarlane Toys, which announced it would be bringing a $40-or-so  Discovery phaser to market in late 2018 back at STLV in August — which was teased as having those ‘play action features’ one might expect from a play replica, though we don’t yet know the details of their plans for the release.

The replica arrives in a fairly plain cardboard box lined with protective padding. While it would be nice to see a prop of this expense come in a more formal delivery case, like the great  Star Trek Original Series Phaser Universal Remote , at least it’s well-protected for shipment.

Also missing from the box are the advertised display stand and certificate of authenticity promoted to come with the phaser; ANOVOS notified preorder customers earlier this month that the certificates are expected for February shipments, but the display stand won’t be coming until April or May.

While the phaser is balanced so that it can stand on its own for a few months, it’s kind of disappointing that the accessories aren’t ready with the prop itself. It seems like the phaser would be a more labor-intensive production process than a stand and printed certificate.

The phaser’s power pack runs on three lithium batteries; two power the Type II’s setting display light, while a smaller one runs the LED on the power pack itself. Thankfully, there’s no proprietary battery or charging cables needed for this, replacements can be easily obtained if needed.

Unexpectedly, the power pack does not click in to the grip when you insert it; you actually need to hold it in place and then tighten a hex screw (with included hex key) to lock it in. It certainly stays in place once you’ve finished, but it lacks a certain satisfaction of loading the weapon for battle — but if McFarlane’s toy version has a removable power cartridge, it’s likely that one will have a pop-in-and-eject design.

There’s a small toggle button on the bottom of the power pack to activate the internal LED, which lights up the phaser’s energy meter on the side.

The Type I phaser, a smaller version of the overall weapon, is a pocket-sized component of the replica which slots into the top of the Type II grip with a set of built-in magnets.

This two-part design hearkens back to the phaser design of the original  Star Trek series, and while it’s not yet been featured on the series, is a function of the  Star Trek: Discovery hero prop as well.

The Type I has its own (non-functional) trigger and emitter assembly sculpted into the design, along with a pair of dials on its top. While the silver dial on the right has no function on the prop replica, the ridged dial on the left activates a spring-loaded targeting viewer, hidden under the bronze Starfleet badge, which pops up when released.

There’s no electronics or imagery on the viewer, but again, this is a replica of the on-screen prop rather than a phaser toy, which would tend to have a sticker or similar plant-on graphic. Once you’re done with the viewer, you can close it by just pressing it back into place.

The largest component of the phaser is the Type II grip, which holds the entire device together when assembled and gives it that classic  Star Trek phaser shape.

Moving features a nice clicky trigger, rotating barrel for beam width and intensity, and a toggle switch to change between power settings. On the top rear of the phaser, you’ll find an activation button to power up the phaser (once fully assembled), along with a nicely-molded bronze heatsink along the rear structure of the phaser.

Until you assemble the rest of the device, however, the electronics remain deactivated.

Once you assemble the entire phaser, that’s when the interactive lighting functionality becomes available — pressing the rear activation button, it turns on, complete with a brightly-lit ring to indicate that the weapon is in either ‘stun’ or ‘kill’ modes, indicated by a blue or red light, respectively. (The LEDs shine brightly in low-lighting, but are still visible in bright settings as well — see the comparison photos in the gallery below.)

The side toggle switch instantly changes the lighting to match your intended setting, but neither the rotating barrel or the trigger interact with the phaser’s electronics in any way — again, expect that to be part of the McFarlane toy version coming in the fall.

You can also, of course, release the targeting viewer on the integrated Type I just as easily as when it is separated, and the power pack’s illuminated display is visible through a slot in the side of the grip.

There’s a lot of positives about this  Discovery phaser design that make this a great piece for any  Trek collector’s arsenal — it’s balanced well when you hold it, and having seen the “real” prop in person at the STLV 2017 display gallery last August, it really seems like this may have just found its way off of the Toronto set and into our hands.

That being said, while the 3D printed construction is surely exacting to the specifications of the screen-used props, this definitely shouldn’t be the  Discovery toy you wear on your hip at a  Trek convention. The plastic, while solid, has a waxy feel to it and is soft enough that you can make an impression with your fingernail with moderate pressure.

For the price point, we really hoped there’d be some more features like trigger functionality, electronic lighting in the phaser barrel, or some sort of audio component — but this is clearly an item meant to be a display piece for high-end collectors. And while the 3D printing construction process is likely expensive, $500 is a high target for a mostly-plastic item.

If you are planning  Discovery cosplay, we’d really advise you to wait for the McFarlane version unless you are very, very careful with it — that toy version likely be much more “play friendly,” and won’t set you back $500 if you damage it.

So that’s our take on the ANOVOS Star Trek: Discovery  phaser — which is still available for ordering , if you don’t mind waiting nearly a year for delivery (based on ANOVOS’ current estimates).

Be sure to check out the above unboxing, assembly, and hands-on video we’ve got up above to see the lighting interactive features in action, then sound off in the comments below with your thoughts!

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A Dreadful Star Trek III Scene Filled Saavik's Actress With Anxiety

The character of Saavik was first introduced in Nicholas Meyer's "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan" as a protégé of the soon-to-retire Spock (Leonard Nimoy). Saavik, being a young cadet, was still baffled and annoyed by working with humans, an issue she was able to discuss with Spock on a few occasions. In "Khan," Saavik was played by Kirstie Alley , but was replaced by Robin Curtis for "Star Trek III: The Search for Spock" and "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home." Both actors were perfectly capable in the role and provided the appropriate level of cold, Vulcan logic.

Saavik, despite being a Vulcan, had to face multiple dramatic events throughout the three movies. Most notably, in "Star Trek III," Saavik had to be present when a twisted Klingon warrior assassinated David Marcus (Merritt Butrick), the son of Admiral Kirk (William Shatner). She was the one who had to, via a communicator, inform Kirk that his son was dead right in the middle of a hostage situation.

Back in May 2024, Curtis spoke with StarTrek.com about playing Saavik and the challenges it presented. Not only did she have to take over the role from another actor, but all of a sudden, she had to face some of the most intense, deathly moments ever seen in a "Star Trek" movie. She famously received some helpful advice from Leonard Nimoy — he told her that Vulcans all have millennia worth of experience behind their eyes — but was still unsure as to how a Vulcan would react to having a phaser held to her head, or how she would face the death of a colleague.

The death of David

For those unfamiliar with the story of "The Search for Spock," it deals directly with the consequences of the Genesis Device — a widget introduced in "The Wrath of Khan." Dr. Carol Marcus (Bibi Besch) invented a special type of radiation that, when fired at the surface of a planet, could terraform it almost instantly. At the end of "Khan," the device was detonated, and a planet was created out of the dust in a nebula.

In "Star Trek III," Saavik and David Marcus investigate this new planet and find that it is unstable. Its weather patterns do not hold and evolution seems to be moving far too quickly; new life forms manifest within a matter of minutes. Spock's corpse was left on the planet and Saavik witnesses it coming back to life as a baby, and then growing from an infant to an adult within a matter of hours.

Knowing the potential weapon power of the Genesis Device, an evil Klingon named Kruge (Christopher Lloyd) invades the Genesis world and holds Saavik and David hostage, hoping to get information. He's not above killing either one of them to get what he wants, either, and ends up shooting and killing David. Kirk is in orbit aboard the Enterprise at the time, so all the terrible news had to be relayed to him by Saavik.

Curtis admitted that the moment she told Kirk about the death of his son was a fraught acting moment. Could she stay emotionless during such an emotional scene? "That [moment] filled me with anxiety and dread," she admitted. "How could I possibly say that with the Vulcan demeanor?"

Curtis did an exemplary job, however, and kept her Vulcan demeanor. Indeed, she was pretty excellent in the movie overall.