Arkanian heavy pistol

The Arkanian heavy pistol was a type of heavy blaster pistol manufactured by the Arkanians at some point around the year 5956 BBY, which was before heavy blaster pistols became popular. Roughly two thousand years later, during the Jedi Civil War and Dark Wars fought between the Galactic Republic and the Sith Empire, the weapons were still superior to many newer designs. However, the Arkanian heavy pistols were incompatible with new weapon modifications at that point. During that time, the weapons were marketed for sale on planets such as Manaan and Taris.
==Description==
Despite the age of the design, the Arkanian heavy pistol was still more powerful and accurate than many later heavy blaster pistol designs. Like other heavy blaster pistols, it could be fired using one hand by species that were roughly the same size and build as Humans. The weapon had a gold-colored finish, fired red blaster bolts, and was similar in appearance to other heavy blaster pistol designs around the time of the Jedi Civil War and the Dark Wars,Knights of the Old Republic Campaign Guide fought between the Galactic Republic and the Sith Empire. It also had an effective range of twenty-three meters, which was comparable to other heavy blaster pistol designs used around the same time.Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords both had a generic heavy blaster pistol with a range of twenty-three meters. By the time of the Jedi Civil War and the Dark Wars, the Arkanian heavy pistol was incompatible with the upgrades of that time for its scope, firing chamber, or power cell.
==History==
Around the year 5956 BBY, the Arkanian heavy blaster was developed by members of the Arkanian species. At that point, heavy blaster pistols were not a widely accepted weapon of choice, but by the time of the later Jedi Civil War in 3956 BBY, heavy blaster pistols were a much more widely used design. Despite the passage of time, the Arkanian design was still superior to most others in use at the time of the conflict between the Republic and the Sith Empire.
Shortly before the bombardment of the planet Taris by Darth Malak, the Sith Lord who led the Sith Empire, Igear, a Human Outcast descended from individuals exiled to live in the planet's Undercity, was selling one of the pistols for 750 credits in a village where the Outcasts lived. Later during the same year, a Rodian named Tyvark Luowan had an Arkanian heavy pistol up for sale at 1,000 credits in his general store in Ahto City on the planet Manaan. In 3951 BBY, during the Dark Wars fought between the Republic and the remnants of the Sith Empire, the pistol still sometimes sold at prices of around 1,300 credits.
==Behind the scenes==
The Arkanian heavy pistol made its first appearance in Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, a 2003 video game by BioWare. In the game, the weapon was sold by Igear in the Taris Undercity and by Tyvark Luowan in his general store in Ahto City on Manaan. The pistol later appeared in Obsidian Entertainment's 2004 sequel to the first game, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords. In The Sith Lords, the weapon could be found in randomly determined locations throughout the game, which meant that the player was not guaranteed to find the pistol during every play through the game.
Between the two games, the attributes of the Arkanian heavy pistol remained largely the same; both games made the weapon slightly more powerful and accurate than a standard heavy blaster pistol. In addition, neither game allowed the weapon to receive upgrades. Although both games mention that the weapon was created 2,000 years before the events of the game, and the two games take place five years apart, this article uses 5956 BBY as an approximate date for the creation of the weapon.
==Appearances==
*Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 
*Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords
==Sources==
*Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic: Prima's Official Strategy Guide
*Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords: Prima Official Game Guide
==Notes and references==
Category:Arkanian culture
Category:Heavy blaster pistols