The Outer Worlds science weapons are more than just guns - they're surreal sci-fi devices that can devastate opponents or inflict bizarre effects on them beyond simple bullet wounds. Some of them rank among the best guns in The Outer Worlds, especially considering they're enhanced by your Science Skill - a nice boon to all the egghead mad scientists out there. With five wildly different Outer Worlds science weapons to find, we'll show you how to get them all and what they're capable of.
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Though the full arsenal of Science Weapons can be tracked via the "Weapons from the Void" questline in your journal (which activates after reading through the messages on your ship's terminal in the Captain's quarters), the particulars of achieving each objective in this multi-layered side mission aren't always crystal clear. With that in mind, we've listed every available Science Weapons available in The Outer Worlds below, alongside information on where to find them, how to get them, what they do, and whether they're worth keeping in your inventory.
Science weapon on Groundbreaker - Prismatic Hammer
The Prismatic Hammer is one of the easiest The Outer Worlds Science Weapons to find but - luckily for you - it's also one of the best. I used mine from the early hours of the game all the way up to the final mission, repeatedly tinkering away at the weapon on workbenches to keep it viable, while continually investing in my character's Science skills to amplify its Knockdown effect. This melee weapon is capable of discharging powerful energetic waves with each blow, perfect for area-of-effect attacks that can one-shot entire groups of enemies in a single swoop. In short, it's a must find.
To acquire the Prismatic Hammer, you'll need to gain access to a secret engine room on Groundbreaker, found on the West side of the ship (take the second left as you go through customs) and discovered by either lockpicking your way through a door sat behind several freight boxes, or discovering a hole in the upper left corner of the crew's quarters. From there, you'll need to lockpick through a second door found on the north side of the engine room, and the Prismatic Hammer can be found within a lockbox on the desk inside.
Acquire Phineas Science Weapon - Shrink Ray
The Outer Worlds shrink ray does exactly what it sounds like, but is unfortunately pretty useless as a long-term weapon for your spacefaring exploits, as targets are only kept shrunk for as long as you're holding the trigger, which itself does minimal damage over time. Still, it's certainly a novelty worth having in your inventory whenever you want to bring a particular tough foe or magnanimous NPC down to size, so here's what you need to do to get it.
The logs on The Unreliable's terminal which active that Weapons from the Void quest will immediately tell you the location of the The Outer Worlds Shrink Ray, which is safely stowed away at Phineas' orbital lab. You can travel to the lab as soon as you've found a power regulator for your ship on Terra 2. Head over to Phineas, and the Shrink Ray can be found situated clearly on the table in front of him.
Science Weapon on Scylla - Mandibular Rearranger
The second, but much less memorable, melee tool in The Outer Worlds Science Weapons arsenal is the Mandibular Rearranger; a reinforced baton which inflicts freeze damage upon targets, slowing them down with every hit to the point of complete stasis. Frankly, the Rearranger has nothing on the Prismatic Hammer's wide area of effect and high damage capacity, but it can be useful as a means of crowd control, keeping high-level enemies at bay while you whittle down any additional mobs.
To get this weapon, you'll need to purchase the quest item identified as a Datapad from Gladys on the Groundbreaker, at which point your journal will guide you to the a mining outpost on Scylla, an large asteroid which can be travelled to as soon as you've left Terra 2, with no need for a Navkey. You'll need to follow your waypoint into one of the buildings at the outpost, and the Rearranger is located within a safe on the floor, the first one you see once you open the doors.
Science Weapon in the Abandoned Lab - Mind Control Ray
The Outer Worlds Mind Control Ray, like that of the Shrink Ray, live up to its namesake, forcing anyone caught in its crossfire to attack their allies. Unlike that shrink ray, however, the damage this weapon deals is significant, making it just as good as a standard firearm as it is a fun way to pit enemies against each other. Sure, it makes a really annoying jingle whenever your finger is on the trigger, but it's a small price to pay for the mayhem that can be unleashed with this nifty piece of tech.
To find this weapon, you'll need to purchase the datapad quest item from Duncan in Fallbrook, which is a city on the East side of Monarch. You'll naturally acquire a Navkey which allows your ship to travel to the city of Stellar Bay on this planet during the events of the campaign, and Duncan's shop is on the right hand side of Fallbrook's main row of shops as you enter. Acquire this datapad, and your waypoint will highlight an abandoned lab in the nearby, creature-infested town of Cascadia, at which point you'll find the Mind Control Ray lying on a table in the final room.
Science Weapon on Monarch - Gloop Gun
The Outer Worlds Gloop Gun vomits out radioactive globules of unidentifiable blue mush from its handheld dispensary, the splatter effect of which both shocks and damages those caught in the crossfire, while levitating them in the air for a short period of time. It's easily one of the most powerful weapons in the game, and great for scoring some cinematic in-air kills via The Outer Worlds' tactical time dilation mechanic, so you're going to want to get your hands on it.
As with the Mind Control Ray, you'll need to purchase the Datapad Quest Item from Duncan in Fallbrook on Monarch, before your waypoint will show you the location of the weapon at a nearby research facility on the same planet. Fight your way into the building, log in to the highlighted terminal to unlock access to the Gloop Gun's chambers, and this high-powered hand cannon is yours for the taking.
For more, check out the big new games of 2019 and beyond still on the way, or watch our full review of The Outer Worlds below.
