Atlatl / Legends An atlatl , energy ball atlatl or Gungan atlatl was a Gungan throwing stick used to launch energy balls a longer distance than the naked arm could achieve . The ball ' s outer layer broke on impact , releasing a plasma and electric shock that damaged the target . Atlatls were sometimes used as blunt force weapons . Atlatls were carved from a naturally isolating wood , so that the wielder would not be affected should the ball break while on the atlatl . As such , the wielder could use the atlatl as a club in melee combat , breaking the ball on contact with an enemy . The atlatl had a shorter range than other similar Gungan tools to throw energy balls , like the cesta , but it was much more precise and , being a one - handed weapon , allowed the warrior to hold an energy shield for protection in the other hand . In addition , atlatls could be used to fish . Militiagungs in the Gungan Grand Army were trained in the use of atlatl in the times before 32 BBY , even though the Gungans had spent many years without a war . When the Trade Federation threatened the Gungan civilization in 32 BBY , the Gungan Grand Army used atlatls and other traditional weapons in the Battle of Grassy Plains . Years later , Jango Fett used an atlatl to teach fishing skills to his child , Boba Fett . Description . The atlatl , energy ball atlatl or Gungan atlatl was a non - conductive hardwood utensil naturally shaped as a short throwing stick with a cradle in one of its ends . While the item itself was organic , growing naturally as a single piece with its peculiar shape , it was still carved out of the trees growing on the planet Naboo . Those woods had natural isolating properties that the atlatl kept . Traditionally , the owner fashioned an atlatl with personal motifs . A finished , ready - for - use atlatl weighted a total of 1 . 5 kilograms . The atlatl was a traditional weapon for the Gungan sentient species , Gungans used grenade - like projectiles known as energy balls , booma or boomers , that were thrown against a target . Breaking the shell on impact , the booma released a liquid - like plasma and an electric shock that damaged both organic and technological targets . The shape of the atlatl was optimal to place on its cradle one — and only one — energy ball of the right size , a small energy ball . Then , an individual — commonly a Gungan — could launch the ball from the atlatl , with a longer range than the naked arm would achieve . The specific length of the atlatl handle provided the additional strength and speed , and the cradle released the ball in the algid moment of the throw . With a maximum range of 100 meters , and an optimal range of 30 meters , the atlatl was very precise in short distances , and it could be used with only one hand . Being a throwing stick , it could also be used as a simple club in melee combat should the user feel cornered or in a desperate situation . If the atlatl was holding an energy ball and the wielder used the atlatl as a club , the energy ball would explode when hitting the target , but the isolating material of the atlatl would protect the wielder from any harmful effect . For the same reason , the wielder would also be protected should the energy ball accidentally explode while still on the atlatl . Gungan weapon technology had different tools to throw energy balls , at varying range and precision . The Gungan catapult had a much greater range than the atlatl and used much bigger energy balls , but it had a much slower firing rate . The cesta , a longer , staff - like version of the atlatl , had a greater range but was far less precise and required two hands to manipulate . As the atlatl was more compact than a cesta , a warrior could wield an atlatl in one hand and protect him - or herself with a personal energy shield in the other hand . When not using it , the warrior could attach the atlatl to the belt or the backpack , with the latter being preferred for easier transport . Another version of the atlatl , the Pocker LJ , could be used to fish . The fisherman aimed with a laser sighting unit that adjusted automatically for the refraction in the water , then prepared a projectile . By turning the handle , a barely visible but very strong line was formed between the fisherman and its fish . The fish could be outright killed while still in the water , or it could be hit in certain areas to leave it defenseless . History . The Gungan sentient species , evolved on the planet Naboo , had a military tradition to adopt organic technology to protect its submarine civilization . Through the history of the Army , Gungan foot soldiers were known to carry atlatls , cestas , electropoles , and some other cultural weapons , with battle wagons being used to carry the energy balls . By 33 BBY , the Gungans had not had a war in many years , but they still kept a professional Gungan Grand Army mostly for ornamental purposes , and for protection against natural , aquatic predators . At that point , in the city of Otoh Gunga , the Otoh Gunga Defense League built the so - called Otoh Gunga standard - issue atlatl to be used by the Grand Army . Gungans in the army were trained to use atlatl and cesta in ranged and melee combat . Rumor said that Otoh Gunga had warehouses with enough supplies to provide one atlatl to each of the soldiers — or " Militiagungs " — in the Army . Around that time , most Gungan warriors carried atlatl and cestas in their patrols . Captain Roos Tarpals was known to carry several traditional Gungan weapons , including a cesta and an electropole . Sergeant Mokem , whose five - Gungan cavalry patrol protecteed Lianorm Swamp from strangers , carried with him a cesta , an atlatl and an energy shield , while each of his subordinates had to choose between a cesta or an atlatl . Non - military Gungans also had access to atlatls : Several Gungan mystics that ministered the people of Otoh Gunga had atlatls as their weapons of choice . In 32 BBY , when the Trade Federation invaded Naboo and captured the Human cities , the Gungans patrolled their swamps with their atlatls and cestas ready . Soon afterward , the Gungans allied with the Naboo against the Federation . The Gungan Grand Army gathered in the plains to fight the Federation army , mostly composed of B1 battle droids . Several Gungan officers , including Captain Tarpals and General Jar Jar Binks , were armed with atlatls , as were many of the soldiers . The atlatl ' s quick firing rate was useless in the conflict due to the weapon ' s short range . The battle ended when the droid army was unilaterally deactivated . Later , Gungan General Ceel built a training center on Scrumma Jawbone , an arm of Lake Paonga , for the Militiagungs to train in the use of atlatl , cesta and other Gungan weapons . The center used floating bull ' s - eyes , bobbing targets and methane gasbags ; it was avoided by the local fauna . In 22 BBY , the Mandalorian bounty hunter Jango Fett trained his clone Boba Fett in the use of ion - burst - powered atlatl for fishing purposes on the planet Kamino . In 21 BBY , during the Clone Wars , the Gungan Grand Army was sent to help the Mon Calamari against the Confederacy of Independent Systems and its allies on Dac . The Militagungs used atlatls and other traditional arms in their attack , with the atlatls being effective against the Confederacy - aligned bioweapon s called Hydroid Medusas . Soon afterward , the Gungans allied with the Confederacy and the Militiagungs readied their atlatls and other weapons to attack the Human city Theed on Naboo along with Confederacy battle droids . Just before the battle , the Gungan leadership , having discovered foul play , decided to oppose the Confederacy instead : The Militiagungs deactivated the droids and then attacked the Confederacy commander , General Grievous , using their atlatls as ranged weapons . The atlatls successfully damaged Grievous ' cyborg body and , along with other attacks , helped in Grievous ' eventual capture during the skirmish . Behind the scenes . The atlatl first appeared in the movie ( 1999 ) as an unnamed prop used by computer - generated Gungan soldiers . The action figure of " Kaadu and Jar Jar Binks " creature set ( 1999 ) included a representation of the atlatl that was identified as " Energy Ball Atlatl , " giving a name to the item . The later figure " Captain Tarpals & Kaadu " from the " " series ( 2001 ) , also featuring the item , called it " Atlatl with Energy Ball Hand - Held Weapon . " A real - life is a tool used for throwing spears farther . This tool has been in existence for over 25 , 000 years . Wizards of the Coast ' s Star Wars Roleplaying Game featured the atlatl with roleplaying game stats in both " Star Wars Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook " ( 2000 ) and the later " Secrets of Naboo " ( 2001 ) , but with inconsistencies between the versions : " Core Rulebook " values the item at 50 credits and considers that the club ' s damage was of two four - sided dice , or two eight - sided dice when throwing an energy ball . " Secrets of Naboo " specifically says that atlatls are not sold , reduces its melee damage to one six - sided die and increases its ranged damage to two eight - sided dice plus two , even though fixed modifiers to the damage ( " plus two " ) were supposedly applied only to melee attacks . The video game " " features Gungan soldiers using unidentified traditional weapons that might or might not be atlatls . If they could be identified as such , then that would mean that atlatls were in use as early as 3000 BBY .