Random Bystander
First Post
Star Trek has also largely avoided this, with hand-held, generic phaser pistols able to *disintegrate rock walls and humanoids on the high settings.
Ironically, the "more realistic and gritty" Deep Space Nine falls into this trope, with phaser rifles often unable to do more than scorch rocks.
Edit: Although I just recalled there may have been something mentioned about shield generators in that episode.
* In some fashion that does not involve the release of planet-surface scouring quantities of energy.
