Plasma Weapons

Plasma weaponry is the most common weapon type across known colonized space. The combination of cost, power consumption, range, and damage potential on impact make it the most sought after and used.
Most plasma weapons work by generating a ball or super-heated plasma and launching it via magnetic rails. This basic concept is the basis for all variations of plasma weapons, from hand held pistols to gigantic space station defensive batteries.

An anti-tank heavy rifle launching a large bolt of plasma. by Vinnie Sip S. K

Boxer-P1 Plasma Rifle by peterku

Pew Pew Pew by Shane Baxley

Access & Availability

Plasma based weapons are widely available at most tech levels and price ranges.

Complexity

The function of a plasma based weapons requires two main components. The plasma generation chamber and the magnetic launcher. Both systems need to operate flawlessly or three is a risk of the weapon backfiring or exploding.
While there are version that use acoustics for launching the plasma. They are cheaper than the magnetic version and louder to operate. They have a higher rate of failure and injury to the operator.