A rarity in the world of energy weapons, the Deck Sweeper Stunning Blaster is a blaster without a lethal setting. While a number of blaster weapons do include stun settings, these are mainly as a secondary feature rather than as the main use of the weapon. A weapon designed specifically for military and police use in boarding actions and to deal with rioters. The blaster boasts a broad, flattened cone muzzle that disperses the energy bolt over a wide area, enabling the Deck Sweeper to simultaneously hit multiple targets within its effective range of ten metres. This short range would normally render a blaster undesirable as a weapon, but the weapon’s niche use for subduing hostile sentients in the close confines of ship passageways or in crowded streets means the weapon is still quite effective in its intended role.

Despite being originally designed for police and riot control work, clones of the original Deck Sweeper frequently appear in criminal, and especially pirate hands as they are quite useful for procuring hostages for ransom. Bounty hunters also find this weapon particularly useful, as they can subdue targets easily in order to obtain the usually higher rewards for bringing in a bounty mark warm instead of cold.