Z-250 lightrifle

Template:Weapon Infobox The Z-250 Directed Energy Engagement Weapon^[1], also known as the Lightrifle, is a Forerunner energy channel weapon.^[2]

Overview

The Lightrifle is a precision weapon originally used during the Human-Forerunner War and later by the Ur-Didact's Promethean Knight units encountered on Requiem.^[3] It is a scoped, mid-range to long-range weapon that normally fires a three-shot burst and a powerful, concentrated semi-automatic shot when zoomed in.^[4] It holds twelve shots per magazine and fires luminescent orange hardlight rounds.^[2] Functionally, the weapon employs componential particle acceleration to fire beams of hard light particles at a high speed and accuracy.^[5]

Design details

The rifle possesses an angular design and metallic casing. It appears to be held together, at least partly, by energy fields as indicated by its self-assembly process and floating sights. Orange markings and lights are present while the weapon is self-assembling and throughout the casing once assembly is complete; there is also a column of orange energy that runs through the center of the weapon, possibly the "barrel". These highlights and the barrel grow brighter when the weapon is fired. The sight through the scope is tinted orange and is approximately a 3x zoom.^[2]

Gameplay

The rifle is essentially a mix between the Battle Rifle and the DMR in that it possesses the three-round burst of the BR while not scoped-in and the single-shot fire of the DMR when scoped in. While its burst-fire function isn't as potent as that of the Battle Rifle's, its semi-automatic fire is more powerful than that of the DMR's, thus outclassing the two while zoomed in, especially from a distance. However, it is slightly hindered by a slower fire-rate compared to the other two weapons, making it critical that the shots land and result in a headshot. Because of its hard light bullets, the weapon is slightly stronger on shields than the DMR or Battle Rifle.

The magazine has two different displays in the HUD: 36 small rounds for unscoped mode and 12 rounds for scoped.

Trivia

The Lightrifle was originally conceptualized as the Binary Rifle in the preliminary phase of development.^[6]
Curiously, some Sangheili warriors in Spartan Ops are seen wielding the weapon, as well as the Scattershot. It is assumed that the taboo on using human weaponry observed during the Human-Covenant War does not extend to Forerunner weaponry, perhaps because of the Covenant's veneration of Forerunners and their technology.