FTL: Faster Than Light Wiki
Register
Advertisement
FTL: Faster Than Light Wiki

Lasers are general-purpose energy weapons. Each laser shot temporarily removes a shield layer. Once all shields are down, lasers can hit rooms and deal system, hull, and crew damage.

Like any projectile weapon, lasers can miss. Lasers can only be shot down by Mark II Defense Drones.

Types of lasers[]

All laser shots deplete a single shield layer, but some (Heavy or Hull) can do additional damage when shields are down. Others (chain and charge) have different firing mechanics that can affect their tactical use.

  • Basic Laser: just one shot, for 1 damage.
  • Burst Lasers: multiple-shot lasers, where all shots are fired in quick succession. Each shot does 1 damage.
  • Charge Lasers: like burst lasers, but you can choose to fire a partial charge sooner (for fewer shots), giving some tactical flexibility. Each shot does 1 damage.
  • Chain lasers: each time they fire, the charging time is reduced for the next volley (down to a minimum charge time). Each shot does 1 damage.
  • Heavy Lasers: each shot does 2 damage. They also have a high chance of starting a fire or causing a breach.
  • Hull Lasers: each shot does 2 hull damage when hitting a systemless room. They also have a moderate chance of causing a breach, and travel faster than other lasers.

Heavy Lasers are best used as damage-dealers rather than shield-breakers, due to the additional system damage and the high chance of fires or breaches. Note that the 30% fire chance is rolled first, then (if no fires started) the 30% breach chance. That means Heavy Laser shots have a 51% chance of causing either a fire or a breach.

The Heavy Pierce Laser, unique to the Rock B, ignores one shield layer.

Laser weapons table[]

Weapon Price Power Charge time Shots Damage Fire, breach[1], stun % Speed Rarity
Basic Laser
Basic Laser
Sells for
10 Ftlgame-scrap
1 10 1 1 10, 0, 0 60 0
Dual Lasers [2]
Burst Laser I
Sells for
12 Ftlgame-scrap
1 10 2 1 10, 0, 0 60 0
Burst Laser I
Burst Laser I
50 Ftlgame-scrap 2 11 2 1 10, 0, 0 60 1
Burst Laser II
Burst Laser II
80 Ftlgame-scrap 2 12 3 1 10, 0, 0 60 4
Burst Laser III
Burst Laser III
95 Ftlgame-scrap 4 19 5 1 0, 0, 0 60 4
Heavy Laser I
Heavy Laser I
50 Ftlgame-scrap 1 9 1 2 30, 21, 20 60 2
Heavy Pierce I [2]
Heavy Laser I
Sells for
27 Ftlgame-scrap
2 10 1* 2 30, 21, 0 60 0
Heavy Laser II
Heavy Laser II
65 Ftlgame-scrap 3 13 2 2 30, 21, 20 60 4
Hull Laser I [2]
Hull Laser 1&2
55 Ftlgame-scrap 2 14 2 1* 0, 20, 0 75 2
Hull Laser II [2]
Hull Laser 1&2
75 Ftlgame-scrap 3 15 3 1* 10, 27, 0 90 3
Chain Laser [3]
Chain Laser Weapon 2-1
65 Ftlgame-scrap 2 16-7* 2 1 10, 0, 0 60 3
Chain Vulcan [3]
Chain Vulcan
95 Ftlgame-scrap 4 11.1-1.1* 1 1 10, 0, 0 60 5
Laser Charger (S) [2][3]
Laser Charger I
Sells for
15 Ftlgame-scrap
1 5.5 1-2 1 0, 0, 0 60 0
Laser Charger [3]
Laser Charger I
55 Ftlgame-scrap 2 6 1-2 1 0, 0, 0 60 3
Laser Charger II [3]
Charge Laser II Weapon
70 Ftlgame-scrap 3 5 1-4 1 10, 0, 0 60 3
Boss Laser
Boss Laser
N/A varies 10 -- 25* 3 1 10, 9, 0 60 0
Weapon Price Power Charge time Shots Damage Fire, breach[1], stun % Speed Rarity
  1. 1.0 1.1 Actual chance: a shot cannot cause both fire and breach, and fire chance rolls first.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Enemies never use these weapons.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Advanced Edition Content.


List of Laser weapons[]

Basic Laser[]

Basic Laser

"Very weak laser."

  • Sells for: 10 Ftlgame-scrap (cannot be bought or found)
  • Power requirement: 1 power
  • Charge time: 10 seconds
  • Shots: 1
  • Damage per shot: 1
  • Effect: low chance of fire
  • Four of them come equipped on Kestrel B, and one comes equipped on Mantis A

Dual Lasers[]

Burst Laser I

"Basic weak dual lasers. Often used by transport ships that can't afford better."

  • Sells for: 12 Ftlgame-scrap (cannot be bought or found)
  • Power requirement: 1 power
  • Charge time: 10 seconds
  • Shots: 2
  • Damage per shot: 1
  • Effect: low chance of fire
  • Enemies never use this weapon
  • Comes equipped on Kestrel C, Engi C, Federation B, Slug A, and Stealth A
  • The most power-efficient laser weapon (tied with Laser Charger S).

Burst Laser Mark I[]

Burst Laser I

"This simple burst laser isn't flashy but it gets the job done."

  • Purchase price: 50 Ftlgame-scrap  (Store rarity: 1)
  • Power requirement: 2 power
  • Charge time: 11 seconds
  • Shots: 2
  • Damage per shot: 1
  • Effect: low chance of fire

Burst Laser Mark II[]

Burst Laser II

"Slightly improved version of the burst laser that fires more shots per charge."

  • Purchase price: 80 Ftlgame-scrap  (Store rarity: 4)
  • Power requirement: 2 power
  • Charge time: 12 seconds
  • Shots: 3
  • Damage per shot: 1
  • Effect: low chance of fire
  • Comes equipped on Kestrel A and Federation A
  • Highly power-efficient (3 shots for 2 power), with a fast charge time.

Burst Laser Mark III[]

Burst Laser III

"Powerful burst laser that fires off an impressive barrage."

  • Purchase price: 95 Ftlgame-scrap  (Store rarity: 4)
  • Power requirement: 4 power
  • Charge time: 19 seconds
  • Shots: 5
  • Damage per shot: 1
  • Effect: -
  • Unlike most lasers, it cannot start fires

Heavy Laser Mark I[]

Heavy Laser I

"Heavy lasers can wreak more havoc than their smaller, burst laser counterparts."

  • Purchase price: 50 Ftlgame-scrap  (Store rarity: 2)
  • Power requirement: 1 power
  • Charge time: 9 seconds
  • Shots: 1
  • Damage per shot: 2
  • Effect: moderate chance of fire or breach. Moderate-low chance to stun crew (Advanced Edition Content)
  • Comes equipped on Engi B

Heavy Pierce Laser Mark I[]

Heavy Laser I

"Heavy lasers can wreak more havoc than their smaller, burst laser counterparts. This modified version pierces 1 shield."

  • Sells for: 27 Ftlgame-scrap (cannot be bought or found)
  • Power requirement: 2 power
  • Charge time: 10 seconds
  • Shots: 1
  • Damage per shot: 2
  • Effect: moderate chance of fire or breach
  • Special: 1 shield piercing
  • Enemies never use this weapon
  • Only available on Rock B

Heavy Laser Mark II[]

Heavy Laser II

"This heavy laser fires two shots in quick succession, each dealing 2 damage"

  • Purchase price: 65 Ftlgame-scrap  (Store rarity: 4)
  • Power requirement: 3 power
  • Charge time: 13 seconds
  • Shots: 2
  • Damage per shot: 2
  • Effect: moderate chance of fire or breach. Moderate-low chance to stun crew (Advanced Edition Content)

Hull Smasher Laser[]

Hull Laser 1&2

"A powerful laser designed to maximize hull damage."

  • Purchase price: 55 Ftlgame-scrap  (Store rarity: 2)
  • Power requirement: 2 power
  • Charge time: 14 seconds
  • Shots: 2
  • Damage per shot: 1 (to system rooms) or 2 (to systemless rooms)
  • Effect: moderate-low chance of breach
  • Enemies never use this weapon
  • Despite the bonus damage to empty rooms, it's usually better to target systems.

Hull Smasher Laser Mark II[]

Hull Laser 1&2

"This powerful counterpart to the Hull Smasher Mark I fires more projectiles per shot."

  • Purchase price: 75 Ftlgame-scrap  (Store rarity: 3)
  • Power requirement: 3 power
  • Charge time: 15 seconds
  • Shots: 3
  • Damage per shot: 1 (to system rooms) or 2 (to systemless rooms)
  • Effect: low chance of fire or moderate chance of breach
  • Enemies never use this weapon
  • Despite the bonus damage to empty rooms, it's usually better to target systems.

Chain Burst Laser[]

Chain Laser Weapon 2-1

"This dual shot laser decreases in cooldown the more it fires. After 3 volleys it only takes 7 seconds to charge."

  • Purchase price: 65 Ftlgame-scrap  (Store rarity: 3) (Advanced Edition Content)
  • Power requirement: 2 power
  • Charge-up profile: 16s/13s/10s/7s (-3s per step, 3 steps total)
  • Shots: 2
  • Damage per shot: 1
  • Effect: low chance of fire
  • Charge time resets to 16 seconds if the weapon goes offline
  • Comes equipped on Slug C and Lanius A

Chain Vulcan[]

Chain Vulcan

"This laser weapon takes a long time to warm up. Each time it fires it decreases the cooldown, eventually able to take down any amount of shields."

  • Purchase price: 95 Ftlgame-scrap  (Store rarity: 5) (Advanced Edition Content)
  • Power requirement: 4 power
  • Charge-up profile: 11.1s / 9.1s / 7.1s / 5.1s / 3.1s / 1.1s (-2s per step, 5 steps total)
  • Shots: 1
  • Damage per shot: 1
  • Effect: low chance of fire
  • Charge time resets to 11.1 seconds if the weapon goes offline
  • It takes 35.5 seconds before the Vulcan gets up to full speed, and until then it does very little.
  • This weapon is largely countered by Defense Drone Mark II.

Laser Charger (S)[]

Laser Charger I

"This laser weapon can charge two times, giving it an additional projectile. This improved version only requires 1 power."

  • Sells for: 15 Ftlgame-scrap (cannot be bought or found) (Advanced Edition Content)
  • Power requirement: 1 power
  • Charge time: 5.5 seconds per shot, up to 2 shots
  • Shots: 1-2
  • Damage per shot: 1
  • Effect: -
  • "Autofire" causes continuous fire, disables charging
  • Unlike most lasers, it cannot start fires
  • Enemies never use this weapon
  • Only available on Stealth C
  • Weapon Pre-Igniter will only charge one shot by default, but there is a trick to charge both shots [1].
  • The most power-efficient laser weapon (tied with Dual Lasers).

Laser Charger[]

Laser Charger I

"This laser weapon can charge two times, giving it an extra projectile."

  • Purchase price: 55 Ftlgame-scrap  (Store rarity: 3) (Advanced Edition Content)
  • Power requirement: 2 power
  • Charge time: 6 seconds per shot, up to 2 shots
  • Shots: 1-2
  • Damage per shot: 1
  • Effect: -
  • "Autofire" causes continuous fire, disables charging
  • Unlike most lasers, it cannot start fires
  • Weapon Pre-Igniter will only charge one shot by default, but there is a trick to charge both shots [1].

Laser Charger Mark II[]

Charge Laser II Weapon

"This laser weapon can charge multiple times, giving it additional projectiles."

  • Purchase price: 70 Ftlgame-scrap  (Store rarity: 3) (Advanced Edition Content)
  • Power requirement: 3 power
  • Charge time: 5 seconds per shot, up to 4 shots
  • Shots: 1-4
  • Damage per shot: 1
  • Effect: low chance of fire
  • "Autofire" causes continuous fire, disables charging
  • Weapon Pre-Igniter will only charge one shot by default, but there is a trick to charge all shots [1].

Boss Laser[]

Boss Laser

  • Availability: only used by the Rebel Flagship in phase 1-3 (and its prototype in the Rebel shipyard event)
  • Artillery system: with 4 system levels maximum
  • Charge time: depends on system level - 25s for level 1, 20s for level 2, 15s for level 3, 10s for level 4
  • Shots: 3
  • Damage per shot: 1
  • Effect: low chance of fire or breach

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Before making an FTL Jump: fully charge the weapon, pause the game, then depower the weapon and make the Jump. After the Jump: pause the game before the combat start (i.e. during the event intro), power up the charger weapon, let the weapon complete its current, final shot charge (it requires only few frames/moments). Now the weapon is capable of firing the maximum amount of shots at the start of a fight.
Advertisement