/vr/ - Retro Games

There's a few ways for plasma weapons to work IRL as well, like the electrolaser and pulsed energy projectile.

The electrolaser uses a strong laser to heat the air to plasma to form a path between the gun and the target and uses that plasma to send a huge electric current down to the target. It's basically a wireless taser with mean voltage.

The pulsed energy projectile flashes a laser on the target to create a small amount of exploding plasma that ablates (burns, melts, vaporizes) the surface and activates nerve cells with electromagnetic radiation to add to the pain. This is considered a "non-lethal" weapon, but was originally intended to kill and as far as I can tell it would just require *grunting* More Power. Also, in 2003 it was reported to essentially stunlock animals.