Zat'ni'katel underused?

[unska]

there maybe an "effective range" for the zat were not aware of.

I hardly doubt that.

[jenks]

I hardly doubt that.

Why? In fact when you think about it, it's pretty much a certainty. When the beam travels through the air we can see it, so it must be giving off at least some energy in the form of light, so at a certain range it must get to a point where there isn't enough energy to stun...

[unska]

Why? In fact when you think about it, it's pretty much a certainty. When the beam travels through the air we can see it, so it must be giving off at least some energy in the form of light, so at a certain range it must get to a point where there isn't enough energy to stun...

What I mean was that I hardly doubt that the writers thought of any of that.

[Morrolan]

but as was seen with the replicators (basic insect form) zats had no effect. if a zat was all you had, you'd be dead!

its a sidearm, close(ish) combat weapon, good for backup but not as a primary weapon. there maybe an "effective range" for the zat were not aware of.

I understand the need for projectile weapons, but against "human" enemies, it allows SG-1 to incapacitate them.

I agree that it is better as a sidearm, but the team carries hand guns as well.

I just believe that the zat is a very effective weapon that is under-utilized.

[rlr149]

2 zats + 2 handguns is a better combination, allows for more eventualities, but i'm sorry, if humans were trying to kill me, i won't be too bothered about not killing them just because they're human. we just don't know how effective it is though, jack seems to shake it off easy enough these days, its never that accurate over range, (possibly good for suppression fire in that instance though) if the intars from "proving ground" are just a normal handgun with a "zat" magazine, then they could just take several mags of the zat and normal ammo, our handguns seem more accurate over range so more effective in more situations.

and dammit, some people just need shooting

[Davesg-43]

ok this is how i look at it when there are bad guys hooting at you screw less leath and send them a hail of wup ass, and a rain of bullets

[MechaThor]

Because it would leda to MASSIVE plot holes and is unrealstic! As the "zap" spreads out on contact so whos to say what is effected!
If you zapped the floor 3 times would half the floor disappear? If not then why dose it work on Humans or guns?

If you shot the stargate the "zap" don't spraed out across the whole thiong so if you shot it 3 times in the smae place then what? Would only half of the gate disappear?

See theres problems with that idea! Also what dose it turn into? A gas, energy? or would it not turn a Human into liquid goo?

Finally what i have always wondered is how long the zat effects last? I mean if u zap someone once them 10 mins latter zaped them a 2nd time would it then have reset back to nothing or still be on effect 1?

[unska]

Finally what i have always wondered is how long the zat effects last? I mean if u zap someone once them 10 mins latter zaped them a 2nd time would it then have reset back to nothing or still be on effect 1?

I have thought of this too but the main thing bothering me is that the effect of the one-shot is decreasing a lot while the show is advancing. When we were introduced to Zat'ni'katels their effect made the victim stay unconscious for a huge amount of time, yet later in the show it seemed only to create a lot of pain?

[Kael]

Because it would leda to MASSIVE plot holes and is unrealstic! As the "zap" spreads out on contact so whos to say what is effected!
If you zapped the floor 3 times would half the floor disappear? If not then why dose it work on Humans or guns?

If you shot the stargate the "zap" don't spraed out across the whole thiong so if you shot it 3 times in the smae place then what? Would only half of the gate disappear?

See theres problems with that idea! Also what dose it turn into? A gas, energy? or would it not turn a Human into liquid goo?

Finally what i have always wondered is how long the zat effects last? I mean if u zap someone once them 10 mins latter zaped them a 2nd time would it then have reset back to nothing or still be on effect 1?

Here's how (I think) it works: the zat fires a specific amount of energy, which it quickly charges when the trigger is pulled (the little "dit dit dit" noise it makes before it can fire). The amount fired per discharge is tuned and calibrated to overwhelm the average humanoid's system and cause unconsciousness, but the energy absorbed by the body is retained and only slowly dissipates over time. Quickly adding another dose of energy to the already-overloaded human system will almost always short it out completely and burn some internal organs. Adding a third dose of overwhelming energy is oftentimes enough to burn and melt the exposed matter into a vapor. Continually firing the zat at any solid object will subsume it in progressively more and more wildly chaotic energy, eventually causing the object's particles to excite to the point of vaporising.

I'd argue that the zat can't fire continuously for very long (duh) and would make use of a power cell it charges when not in use and draws upon when fired, but that blank has never been filled. Nor has the bit about charging up the zat with a sustained trigger pull as seen in season six's "The Other Guys", 'cause that didn't seem to have any different effect than a regular shot (that we know of).

Okay, enough geeking out for tonight.

[Captain Chaap]

I always thought that charging up a zat like in 'The Other Guys' would cause the victim more pain? And also, would a zat have any effect on a Wraith? Because the wraith stunners seem to act in the same way (using energy to immobilize a victim) and don't work on one until after a few shots so presumably the zat would do the same. + Yes, if they used the zat all the time on the show, it would've made usually exiting battle scenes very boring.

[MechaThor]

I always thought that charging up a zat like in 'The Other Guys' would cause the victim more pain? And also, would a zat have any effect on a Wraith? Because the wraith stunners seem to act in the same way (using energy to immobilize a victim) and don't work on one until after a few shots so presumably the zat would do the same. + Yes, if they used the zat all the time on the show, it would've made usually exiting battle scenes very boring.

Maybe the wraith can last longer against a Zat! As It has been seen stronger ememies take more fire power to kill with a Zat! An Unas can take 1 or 2 more hits than a Human i belive! So maybe a wraith can surive 4-5 hits!

Then Again we may never know as they don't seem to take Zats and other Goa'uld weapons to Atlantis which is strange as Zats are standard kit now!

[Zatnikitelman]

A Zatnikitel topic and I'm not involved from teh get-go? Dang, whats these times coming to?
Yea, The Zatnikitel has been severely uderused especially in the later seasons. We've seen fairly rapid fire Zatting so I don't see why they couldn't just pepper an enemy position with Zat shots until something gives.

I doubt the Wraith are completely immune to Zatnikitels. Unless they have some sort of energy-dampening technology similar to Aris Boch had in his suit. If TPTB did bring back the 3-hit-disentigrate, then the Wraith wouldn't stand a chance because they pretty well have to be made of standard atoms, molecules etc. which likely means 3 shot thing will work on them.

I don't remember a charge up in "The Other Guys." The only time I even think of something close to that is when Coombs drew that Zat from his armor and was hesitant about shooting the Jaffa. I don't think that was charging up so much as it was a lot of hesitation and a slightly different VFX to emphasize the dude's hesitation as it was a slower discharge.

Yep, they most assuredly weakened the Zat effects from when they were introduced till...now...and...then. Used to be several minutes of unconciousness, now it's just a bit of unconciousness on the guys who need to be out and won't even be thought about 2 seconds later, and like 2 seconds of OOH, OW, *GROANS* on the good guys and the guys who need to be up for the next line. Perhaps I should write a paper on: "Stargate SG-1's Zatnikitel; then and now"

[Pharaoh Hamenthotep]

If you shot the stargate the "zap" don't spraed out across the whole thiong so if you shot it 3 times in the smae place then what? Would only half of the gate disappear?

I don't think the stargate would disappear, it's been explained on many occasions that the stargate is basically a giant superconductor and can absorb energy in many different forms (lightning, staff weapon blasts, naquadah generators for example) If shot with a Zat the stargate should store the energy until a wormhole is established and the energy can be released.

[s09119]

TPTB have said many times that the retconned the 3rd shot out of existence. Shooting a target more than twice does nothing now.

As for the Wraith, they most likely aren't used much because, well, it's an SG-1 weapon. Cool as it is, it's from a different show.

Finally, it's my personal opinion that repeated use of a zat on a target makes the effects less and less potent. For example, early on, SG-1 would be out for hours when zatted. But as time went by, the time they'd be out slowly dropped, as if they were building up an immunity to it.

[maximusvii]

my dads always complaining that the atlantis team need zats.