Disruptor
From the Encyclopedia of Speculative Fiction - http://encyclopedia.wizards.pro
- For the Star Destroyer of the same name, see Disruptor (starship)
A disruptor is a particularly powerful energy weapon often preferred by assassins. Disruptors are illegal on many worlds, and in many places merely possessing one will earn an instant death sentence. Examples include the Merr-Sonn Model MSD-32 disruptor pistol and the Tenloss DX-2 disruptor pistol and DXR-6 disruptor rifle.
On a basic level, a disruptor works by using large quantitites of blaster gas (such as Tibanna gas), many times more than a standard blaster. The resultant blast is short-ranged, less cohesive, and extraordinarily powerful; it differs from a standard blaster in that it creates an energy wave consisting of nonharmonic vibrations that excite a target's molecules, destroying the bonds that hold their constituent atoms together. A disruptor is capable of disintegrating a humanoid target, turning it to a pile of ash, and is also quite effective against other solid targets, even damaging starship hulls.
As a drawback, in addition to being illegal and short-ranged, disruptors generally only have enough ammunition for a few shots and are incapable of firing rapidly or being set to stun.