Plasma rifles or plasma casters are high-tech weapons which find numerous applications in military and industrial fields. They fire superheated bolts of plasma powered by either microfusion cells or heavy energy cells. The bolt forms in a special chamber, which is then sent down a superconducting barrel,	 propelled by, and in some models stabilized by electromagnetic claws upon exiting it. Initially, the weapon was a bulky, industrial plasma caster, manufactured by Winchester Arms; while it performed admirably, it was expensive and required specialized training to use. However, later developments for the US Army would lead to a more compact design that was cheaper to produce and easier to train for, perfectly suited for urban warfare Regardless, all types of plasma weapons have a common feature: when a critical hit is delivered, they can literally melt down enemies. While most industrial casters aren't powerful enough to dissolve bones too, subsequent models have no problem converting the target into a puddle of goo. The multiplas rifle (a portmanteau of "multiple" and "plasma") is based on the urban plasma rifle design. It is a sort of plasma shotgun, firing three rounds of plasma in a volley, at the cost of a massive drain on the microfusion cell.