Are conventional firearms not doing the trick for you in the endless reaches of space? Why not pick up one of the best electromagnetic weapons in Starfield and ditch those pesky bullets for something a little more advanced.
Magnets! How Do They Work?
While they fire projectiles like every other gun in Starfield, electromagnetic weapons have certain perks that make them unique. The most important thing to know about electromagnetic weapons is that they’re completely non-lethal. Since they deal electrical damage, you can think of them like massive assault tasers that can be used to incapacitate foes instead of killing them. While this means your victims will eventually recover, it usually leaves you enough time to run through their base and loot everything in sight. It’s also super effective against robots although I’m not sure if electromagnetic damage fries their circuits or just turns them off for a bit…
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While electromagnetic weapons are more commonly strapped onto starships to help shut down enemies’ energies and facilitate a boarding, you can find some that are small enough to wield with your bare hands. That is to say, there are technically only two kinds of handheld electromagnetic weapons in Starfield and when it comes to figuring out which is the best, it’s a pretty easy task.
Equinox vs Disruptor
The two candidates are the Brawler’s Equinox and the Novablast Disruptor. You can technically make your own electromagnetic weapons through modding, but these are the two that innately have that trait. While the Equinox is designated as a Laser Rifle, its damage output is electromagnetic, meaning that it makes the cut in this instance.
With that in mind, it’s not hard to work out which of those two electromagnetic weapons is the best in Starfield. As is usually the case in role-playing games, it’s all in the damage. The Brawler’s Equinox dishes out a measly 2 electromagnetic damage per shot, which makes sense given it’s one of the earliest weapon brands you’ll stumble across. Meanwhile, the Novablast Disruptor deals 100 electromagnetic damage per shot, an increase of 50 times. The Equinox is also more moddable, sporting seven mod slots in comparison to the Disruptor’s five.
Now, it wouldn’t be fair if I didn’t mention that the Equinox has a fire rate of 180 while the Disruptor’s is a paltry 20. Will the damage equal out if you fire them both at the same target for the same amount of time? I couldn’t tell you, I’m not a scientist. I will say though, if we’re arguing for the best weapon, I’d prefer the one that only needs to be fired once. Thanks for that, Tony Stark.
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While the Brawler’s Equinox is faster and more customizable, you can’t beat the raw damage of the Novablast Disruptor. It’s an easy choice, but if you’re looking for something faster, it’s obviously not the gun for you.
Where to Find Electromagnetic Weapons in Starfield?
While the Equinox is one of the first rifle types you’ll likely pick up in Starfield, the Brawler variant requires some extra leg work. You can purchase this bad boy from Vicente Salinas at the Apex Electronics store on New Atlantis. It’s possible that he won’t initially have it in stock. If that’s the case, complete the mission “A Shipment for Salinas” and he should then add it to his wares.
As for the Novablast Disruptor, you can buy this powerhouse from Laredo Firearms in Akila City. No extra messing about for this one; just walk through the front doors. You can also purchase it from Arboron store in Ryujin Tower or, if you’re feeling violent, many members of the House of Va’Ruun (specifically the zealots) will drop them upon death.
