Thorn is currently a major cause of unrest within the Destiny community.
It is an exotic and Bungie has stated that they want exotics to be [i]somewhat[/i] overpowered.
Currently many people are on the fence if Thorn is in fact OP; my argument is that Thorn is [b]not[/b] OP, but OU.
[b]Poison Damage[/b]
Ah yes, the venom that eats your guardian's light from within, "OP" you may scream, but no, this is the main reason that Thorn is OU and not OP.
The thing about Thorn's poison damage is that it conditions people to[b]ALWAYS[/b] expect the kill after either two or three shots. Therefore I feel that Thorn is OU because it is [b]EASY[/b] not because it's OP.
[b]Breaking it down[/b]
What other weapon allows you to disengage after hitting an enemy a certain amount of times because you're guaranteed the kill? People will gravitate to what's easy [i]and[/i] effective vs what's effective but requires more skill.
The psychology of Thorn breaks down to "If I can hit them twice (head shots) or three times, I win." Seriously though, that's it, three times maximum and that player wins automatically while they get to engage another target without worry.
[b]Possible Solutions[/b]
First, Thorn does not need a nerf, rather, it needs [b]COUNTERS[/b].
Possible counters could be an exotic armor piece that negates the poison effect and/or poisons the Thorn user in retaliation.
A current counter in game is Red Death and the fact it heals you after a kill, problem is, you need to kill the Thorn user before they or its poison kills you.
[b]Conclusion[/b]
Thorn is OU due to its ease of use [b]NOT[/b] the fact that it is OP.
The Vex Mythoclast was OP in the past. With its fast fire rate and 56 head shot damage along with its 56 magazine with enhanced battery, it was too strong. There is nothing (imo) about the Thorn that makes it OP.
[b]TL;DR[/b]
The Thorn is OU due to its ease of use and is not OP, basically it's EZ MOAD.
-
I'm at a tough place with Thorn. I normally DESPISE these kids who demand a nerf every time they get killed by a player better then them, or using a gun they want. That being said, Iron Banner this season REALLY put Thorn on the nerf table. I get it's a nightmare to get, I get that exotics should be better then the average weapon, I get that it's legit designed for PvP. I totally understand and respect these things. And that's why I see what you mean by, "overused." Either way, something has to be done about Thorn. However you swing it. I just ask to modify it's insane range to...ya know, the range of an actual hand gun? (Your Thorn should not accurately shoot as far as my scout rifle. That is just unreasonable)