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The Outer Worlds science weapon locations

Yeah, science!

Dave Irwin avatar
Guide by Dave Irwin Former Guides Writer
Published on
1 comment

Having weapons is cool and all and most of them deal more damage than the science weapons, but The Outer Worlds has some unique gadgets and gizmos that are worth seeking out. They're the most bizarre items, capable of shrinking foes, or making them fight each other.

The Outer Worlds science weapons guide

Our Science weapon guide for The Outer Worlds has all the requirements to find all of the Science weapons in the Weapons From The Void quest. There are five science weapons to find in total, so let's get started with explaining what they are and then get onto the details of where to find them.

The Outer Worlds science weapon guide contents

The Outer Worlds Primal Behemoth frozen by Mandibular Rearranger

What are Science Weapons?

Science Weapons are unique weapons with distinct properties. Some make targets shrink, while others can make them levitate. They're all worth seeking out, especially if you have some devious tactics in mind that require some of your enemies to be turncoats.

They use energy cell ammunition, which can be easily found around the colonies and in vending machines for a price. Their damage output scales with your Science skill, which you can find out all about in our The Outer Worlds Skills guide.

They're unique weapons that can be part of a balanced build for your character. Given that they're also all energy-based weapons, it's highly advisable that you use other weapon types too. We have a The Outer Worlds Weapons guide to get you started on loadouts.

The Outer Worlds ID Cartridge

The Outer Worlds science weapon locations

Since you now know how to use them, there are five ID science weapons scattered throughout The Outer Worlds. Finding them shouldn't be too tricky, but it's highly advised that building your hacking skill to obtain a couple of them might be helpful. Here are all five locations for science weapons in The Outer Worlds:

The Outer Worlds Shrink Ray map

Shrink Ray

The easiest of The Outer Worlds Science Weapons to obtain. All you need to do is head to Phineas' Lab and walk down the path towards Phineas. To the right of the communication device you use to talk to him is the Shrink Ray.

As for what the Shrink Ray does, it's a plasma-based weapon that not only deals damage, but it also reduces the size of your target for a short time. This has the added side effect of reducing their armour and any damage that they can deal to you.

The Outer Worlds Prismatic Hammer map

Prismatic Hammer

The second one that you can begin looking for is first mentioned in Hawthorne's notes on the Unreliable. Go to the Captain's Quarters upstairs from where ADA is. You can only open this once you've departed Edgewater. You'll find a clue to find on Groundbreaker, so head there and buy the "Battered Mardet datapad" from Gladys. She's just down the stairs and in the door on your left.

This makes a reference to a hidden location to the west of the space colony. Head back upstairs, turn right and head into the cabins. As you enter, there are some boxes you can jump on top of. Do this and sneak through the gap in the wall at the far end of the room. Here, you'll find some Outlaws to shoot, so make sure they're incapacitated. Unlock the door on your right with a hack skill of 60+ and you'll find the Prismatic Hammer. You can also use the Repair Hangar Keycard to unlock this door.

The Prismatic Hammer is a two-handed melee weapon that deals various types on damage and can send out waves of energy.

The Outer Worlds Gloop Gun map

Gloop Gun

To begin to find this science weapon, you'll need to buy a datapad from Duncan in the Fallbrook Dry Goods and Supplies shop, which is found on the planet of Monarch.

This datapad has you follow a waypoint to a UDL Lab west of Amber Crossroads, that requires a key to unlock the door at the back. You can also approach it from the front, but there are plenty of bandits on guard. Inside the main building, on the ground floor, there is a terminal on the left side of the main room that drops the Gloop Gun from the closed chamber. You'll need either the UDL Lab Weapons Terminal Card, or an incredibly high hacking skill (93 to be exact) to hack into it.

This requires that you either hack the terminal again for an even higher difficulty of 100 or answer the security questions. Given that The Outer Worlds is about how corporations have total control of the star system, the answers "Protect the Chairman", "Berate him relentlessly to defend the Chairman's honor" and "Arrest your spouse and admit your children to a reeducation program" seem somewhat true to the theme.

The Gloop Gun inflicts shock damage to your aimed target, splash damage onto nearby enemies, and has the added effect of making the aimed target levitate.

The Outer Worlds Mandibular Rearranger map

Mandibular Rearranger

While you're buying the "Battered Mardet datapad" from Gladys on Groundbreaker, you'll also see another item called Hephastus Mining - Archive Cartridge. Buy it and then review the data on Hawthrone's terminal on the Unreliable.

This makes reference to a location on Scylla. Head there and go to the east. You'll eventually find an Abandoned Mining Outpost and the Mandibular Rearranger is in a safe inside a nearby building.

The Mandibular Rearranger deals physical damage to enemies, but has the added effect of freezing enemies in place and inflicting stagger.

The Outer Worlds Mind Control Gun map

Mind Control Ray

We've saved the juiciest science weapon in The Outer Worlds for last. The clue to finding it is found by purchasing the SubLight datapad from Duncan in the Fallbrook Dry Goods and Supplies shop, which is found on the planet of Monarch.

This will lead you to Cascadia, an abandoned town. If you've already started the mission "Space-Crime Continuum" for Lilya Hagen (found on Groundbreaker), then you should be able to find it near the terminal you need to use during that mission. It requires a password obtained from Catherine to open the sealed door in the town.

Make your way through Rizzo's Secret Laboratory until you come across the terminal to connect the storage tanks to the Landing Pad Refueling System. This is past the Mantiqueen. From there, turn left from the terminal and jump across to the platform you see in the gap in the wall. It's highly advised to keep your companions from following you as they can get in the way for the return trip. Climb the ladder and jump across to the next platform on the right. Climb the ladder to find the Mind Control Ray.

Not only does the Mind Control Ray deal plasma damage, but it also makes enemies turn on each other, no matter if they are organic creatures or robots.

The Outer Worlds guide series

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