Aura Blaster

Aura Blasters are specialized weaponry designed for use with Battle Kreatures, particularly when integrated into Battle Kreature Enhancement Armour.

Overview

Aura Blasters were invented by the Kiisaktos Empire not long before the Refugee Wars. They're designed to be mounted onto a Battle Kreature's exterior, using its own Nucleo-Aura to trigger a chemical reaction that fires a powerful energy beam. Depending on the type, beams may be emitted as continuous waves, as pulses, or rapid-fire; focused for longer range or diffused for a wider spread; or launched in parabolic arcs for indirect fire. Blasters are made best use of by Kreatures such as Gogon which otherwise lack ranged offensive attacks, though most Kreatures will benefit from having additional firepower. Since these weapons utilize a Kreature's own aura, they can drain their stamina if overused.

Blasters were used to devastating effect by the Kiisaktos Empire against the human-led rebellions that preceded the Refugee Wars. Conventional weapons could not breach the auras of ordinary Battle Kreatures, let alone fully outfitted War Kreatures. Conversely, blasters were able to penetrate the powered exoskeletons worn by human insurgents as if they were made of aluminum foil, as well casually obliterate the limited numbers of technicals, combat vehicles and aircraft they possessed. The Zartex Coalition would level the playing field by arming their own War Kreatures with the same equipment.

Domonids, Silarcs and Dolneans, technically being Kreatures themselves, are capable of using Aura Blasters. Among the armed forces of Dimentiara's nations, portable handheld blaster sidearms are standard issue for sapient nonhuman personnel. This was the only physical advantage they held over humans as soldiers, who otherwise had better endurance and ability to traverse long distances over land. Since the majority of enlisted soldiers are human anyway, ordinary firearms would suffice in most situations; a bullet can kill a human just as easily as a blaster but doesn't wear out the person firing it.

Aura Blasters are illegal for civilians to possess in most nations, and their use is banned in Kreature Combat. The stamina draining effect of a blaster can shorten the lifespan of the Kreature equipping it. Furthermore the chemicals used in blasters are toxic. Spent blaster cells are hazardous material, and the beams emitted by blasters have a toxic effect in of themselves. Exceptionally powerful aura beams can even contaminate the environment like radioactive fallout.