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Designed as a personal defense device, the TB-05 can be adjusted to generate a respectable blast at higher settings. Overheating can be a serious issue and will cause the weapon to temporarily cease functioning while the electric coils cool down.
~ TriOptimum Employee Manual


For the weapon in the Original Game, see SparqBeam Sidearm.

TB-05 Sparqbeam Sidearm is a weapon in System Shock (Remake).

Overview[]

The Sparqbeam is found on the Medical Deck on a corpse in one of the main corridors. The weapon fires energy rounds and can be set to three different power settings. Each of these settings changes the amount of energy consumed, damage dealt as well as armor penetration and heat generation (since the weapon has no ammo, its "magazine" size is restricted by heat system). It can be acquired as soon as level 1-Medical, and can be used for the entirety of the game as its an energy weapon that does a lot of damage and uses energy instead of ammo. Energy recharge stations can be found on every level so the weapon will always be useful. Further effectiveness can be raised by acquiring 2 modkits in the first few levels of the game. modkits will make the weapon take more space in the inventory. It is the first energy-type weapon the player finds.

Combat analysis[]

An unmodded Sparqbeam deals, per shot:

  • 18 energy type damage, with 30% armor penetration, and 4v (player's maximum is 240v) of energy used at "Low" setting.
  • 36 damage, 60% armor penetration, and 9v cost at "High" setting.
  • 90 damage, 80% penetration, and 36v cost at "Over" setting.

Two weapon mod kits are available for the sparqbeam, one located in level 2-Research, and another in level 5-Flight Deck. The former improves the cooling rate, while the latter increases damage and armor penetration, with the subsequent increase in energy cost, as follows:

  • 30 damage, 40% AP, and 5v used at "Low".
  • 60 damage, 70% AP, and 12v used at "High".
  • 135 damage, 90% AP and 45v used at "Over".

The Sparqbeam is useful early on in the game for taking out enemies while saving bullet-type ammo and is especially effective on low-medium tier robots, like hoppers, security-1 bots, maintenance bots, flier bots, and autobombs. The "Low" setting is preferred for taking out security cameras and weak enemies, like humanoid mutants and cyborg drones/assassins/mantises; using it on anything larger may be a little more energy efficient, but will extend combat time and put the player at risk of damage, so it's a matter of choice if the player wants to trade energy for health. It's entirely viable to beat the whole game using only this weapon, some greengages and a laser rapier.

The "Over" setting should be reserved for tougher cyborgs and the Sec 2 & 3 robots; against lower level organic enemies a torso shot will splatter limbs and gore all over the immediate vicinity. This not only makes finding dropped loot much harder but it wastes energy and makes the player vulnerable while the weapon cools off. A few carefully aimed headshots on "High" will kill many softer targets just as well as a blast that makes the target explode like so much meat Jell-O.

Ammunition Types[]

TEM Reflex Energy Effective against cyborgs and robots

Mod-Kit Upgrades[]

Name Description Price Location
TB-05 Cooling Decreases the cooldown of overcharge, Adds one extra charge shot to use before cooldown 20 Credits Research
TB-05 Damage Increases damage to 135, Increases armor penetration to 90%, Energy consumption increases to 45V 25 Credits Flight Deck

Gallery[]

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