<--- Rules Update: The VPG-1 Beam Rifle --->

Created by Vaaro Ouulak'kt, a Rodian Commando and ex-member of the Rebellion Forces, the VPG-1 Beam Rifle is a fusion of technologies between the DC-15 Clone Trooper Rifle and a Jedi lightsaber.

Extrenally, the VPG-1 is identical to a DC-15 except for a pair of catches under the barrel cooling exchanger on the firing end of the weapon and a small black metal protrusion that resembles the emitter hood of an Anakin-style lightsaber. This protrusion is an additional focusing element and cannot be removed from the weapon; it is a fused part of the rifle and remains with the gun as an integral piece.

The cooling emitter has been slaved to a holding compartment sized for a single lightsaber; the VPG only functions when a saber is in this chamber and properly hooked into its structure. Installing or removing a lightsaber from the VPG-1 requires a properly modified saber and takes a full round action either way.

Because the rifle's cooling array has been mostly removed to allow for the saber dock, the VPG does not have a multi attack setting; heat buildup cannot be mitigated fast enough to provide for a high cyclic rate of fire. What it does boast is the ability to fire bolts of coherent energy that duplicate the cutting power of a lightsaber, completely ignoring the damage reduction of objects or personal armor.

The VPG has three modes of fire - normal, beam, and overblast. In normal mode, it acts as a standard blaster rifle without the ability to take advantage of auto and multifire attack forms. If a wielder has feats or class abilities that raise the damage of lightsaber attacks, he or she may apply half their amount (minimum of +1d8) to each successful attack.

In beam mode, it continually generates a beam of lightsaber energy out to a distance of 30 meters. Past this point, the mean diffuses and fades out. This allows the weilder to use the VPG-1 like a melee weapon with a Reach of 30 meters at an attack penalty of -2 for every full 5 meter increment. All feats and abilities the wielder might have regarding lightsabers and/or armed melee combat apply to attacks with a VPG in this mode, except for Weapon Focus (lightsaber), Weapon Finesse (lightsaber), and Precise Attack.

Overblast mode is a full attack action and completely drains both the rifle and its mounted lightsaber of power. The attack generates a cone of energy 10 meters wide and 20 meters long. All targets within the area of effect suffer 8d8 energy damage and may make a Reflex save (DC 20) for half damage instead. Damage reduction from objects and personal armor is only half effective (round down) against this attack.

The VPG-1 Beam Rifle

Cost 1,500 cr (custom work)
Damage 3d8 (+ 1/2 wielder's Lightsaber Increase value)
Critical 19-20
Range Inrement 20m
Weight 5.0 kg
Stun Damage/Fort DC -- (no stun setting)
Special: Beam and Overblast modes, Ignores DR from
objects and personal armor
Type Energy
Size Medium
Group Blaster rifles