Strictly speaking, "blaster" describes any weapon that uses compressed energy to increase damage potential at a cost in muzzle velocity. The tribal war blaster operates by producing a compressed particle charge (which can be analogized--somewhat inaccurately from a physics standpoint, I'm afraid--to ball lightning), and then accelerating that charge to the target. Energy for the war blaster comes from the microfusion paks in a warrior's armor, though light blasters feature self-contained power sources that provide a limited number of shots.

Tribals personalize blasters more frequently than any other weapon. The stock - usually plastic or ceramic but occasionally terawood - is frequently covered with ornate carvings or stencils. Warriors commonly add notches to represent the confirmed kills made with their blasters. Finally, some blasters are given names by their owners. Among the Starwolf, for example, many improbable stories circulate about the famed Great Sergeant Kwinton M'kraken and his trusty blaster "Old Blue." I am also given to understand that before his death, Ulysses Konovalev was becoming quite well-known for his skill with a richly-engraved blaster given him by his Starwolf mother.

A blaster is traditionally handed down from a parent to a son or daughter at the child's Rite of Newblooding. Many such weapons have belonged to a particular family for generations, perhaps originally war prizes of a revered ancestor, and are considered valued heirlooms. Most tribes consider the gift of a blaster a symbol of entering adulthood and preparing to join the elders on the battlefield.

A blaster used in conjunction with an armor feeds off a powerlink set in the armor's gauntlet or vambrace, automatically connecting when a warrior draws the weapon. The powerlink draws energy directly from the armor's microfusion paks, which permits unlimited ammunition at the expense of armor jet mobility.

Blasters designed to be carried on armors are essentially heavy carbines in the hands of someone not wearing a suit. The grip is a malleable ortho-resin that conforms to the hand and style of the last person who held the weapon.

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