SG-8P Punisher Plasma
“A modified Punisher shotgun firing exploding plasma rounds. Fire carefully - exploding plasma can injure squadmates.
— Armory Description
The SG-8P Punisher Plasma is an energy weapon that fires plasma orbs. It behaves similar to a grenade launcher rather than a shotgun, shooting an exploding projectile in an arc with significant drop. Though it performs similarly to the GL-21 Grenade Launcher in combat, it is unable to close Bug Holes or Fabricators. It replenishes all 8 of its spare magazines per Supply box and 3 mags per ammo box.
Procurement
Acquired through the Cutting Edge Premium Warbond on page 2, for a cost of 
60 Medals. To unlock page 2, you must spend 60 Medals, for a grand total of 120 Medals needed to unlock the weapon.
Detailed Weapon Statistics
| SG-8P Punisher Plasma | |
|---|---|
| Fire Rate | 80 rpm |
| Recoil | 110 |
| Capacity | 8 |
| Reload Time | 2.5 s |
| Spare Magazines | 8 |
| Starting Magazines | 6 |
| Mags from Supply | 8 |
| Mags from Ammo Box | 4 |
| Attacks | |
| Punisher Plasma Bolt | Projectile |
| Punisher Plasma Explosion | Explosion |
| Punisher Plasma Bolt | |
|---|---|
| Projectile | |
| Caliber | 20 mm |
| Mass | 100 g |
| Initial Velocity | 90 m/s |
| Drag Factor | 400% |
| Gravity Factor | 300% |
| Penetration Slowdown | 35% |
| Damage | |
| Standard | 100 |
| vs. Durable | 50 |
| Penetration | |
| Direct |  Light II
|
| Slight Angle | Light II
|
| Large Angle | Light II
|
| Extreme Angle |  Unarmored
|
| Special Effects | |
| Demolition Force | 10 |
| Stagger Force | 20 |
| Push Force | 10 |
| Punisher Plasma Explosion | |
|---|---|
| Area of Effect | |
| Inner Radius | 2.9 m |
| Outer Radius | 3 m |
| Shockwave Radius | 4 m |
| Damage | |
| Inner Radius | 150 |
| Outer Radius | 149 - 0 |
| Penetration | |
| Inner Radius |  Medium I
|
| Outer Radius | Light II
|
| Shockwave | Medium I
|
| AoE Effect | |
| Demolition Force | 10 |
| Stagger Force | 35 |
| Push Force | 30 |
Tactical Information
- Be wary of firing at point blank range, as the plasma explosion is very likely to kill you as well. Armor that reduces explosive damage (ie: Fortified) is highly advised.
- Using the arced shot to fire over cover is one of its main benefits.
- Due to the projectile travel time and performance at range, this weapon pairs well with the G-23 Stun, Orbital EMS Strike and other sources of crowd control tools.
- This weapon combos well with non helldiver sources of sustained damage (namely Sentries) as it is capable of mass stunning masses of approaching enemies and keeping them at standoff distances.
Weapon Mechanics
The Punisher Plasma is best used at medium range and with the support of other more reliable damage sources.
- The AoE effect of the Punisher Plasma deals 150 base damage, but suffers from damage falloff after the inner radius of the explosion.
- It's mechanically possible to inflict the Plasma Punisher's direct 100 damage, but because it explodes on 0.5 meter proximity detection, the projectile usually blows up before impact. The weapon must therefore be thought of as exclusively dealing the 150 explosive damage for most practical purposes.
- The projectile and its AoE have a very high stagger value, fully capable of stun-locking hordes of Devastators at range
- The resulting AoE size of the Punisher Plasma's projectile increases the further it travels, it is possible for the explosion to be impressively large if firing from high ground to negate the steep projectile drop.
- NOTE: While the AoE size of the projectile has been confirmed to grow visually, The damage AOE has not been confirmed. It is unclear at this time if this AOE increase is intentional or a visual bug.
Known Bugs
- 1.000.303: The projectile of the plasma punisher does not pass through the FX-12 Shield Generator Relay (emplacement).
- 1.000.203: There are reports of a recurring bug where the damaging area of effect of the projectile does not change from base size despite the visual effect generated. It is unknown what causes this, and what the intended functionality is.
Field Testing
All field testing was performed on the following patch: 1.000.203.
- Wearing Heavy Fortified armor, the Plasma Punisher is survivable with a hit in the chest. From further away, less damage is taken.
Close range hit with Plasma Punisher
Same conditions but 70m away
- Safe distance from the blast radius is roughly 2 meters. This stays consistent no matter how far from the point of impact the shooter is.
When Plasma Punisher hits the middle of this door, the Helldiver pictured is safe.
- From a distance the explosions are visually larger, especially with low graphical settings. There is no change for a close observer.
Explosion size from far away
The same explosion from close range
Change History
1.000.403
2024-06-25
Fixes
- Fix for Plasma Punisher being unable to shoot out of the SH-32 Shield Generator Pack and the FX-12 Shield Generator.
1.000.302
2024-05-07
Fixes
- Firing the Punisher Plasma while wearing a shield backpack no longer damages the Helldiver.
1.000.300
2024-04-29
Changes
- Decreased maximum mags from 12 to 8.
- Increased amount of magazines received from resupply from 6 to 8.
- Increased projectile speed, but will still keep a similar range.
- Decreased damage falloff on the explosion.
- Now placed in the energy weapons category.
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