Scout Rifles are currently the second-least used weapon type, ahead of only Sidearms that have been in that game for ~7 weeks, as opposed to just over 10 months. What I want to know is: why? They answer several problems and complaints that people seem to have at the moment
Snipers OP - Scout Rifles are the only weapons that can actually compete with Snipers at long range reliably, so why are they not used?
Thorn needs a range nerf - see above
Auto Rifle buff - Some of the high RoF Scout Rifles can be rolled with Full Auto to provide a weapon that fires faster than a Focus Fire Auto Rifle of the SUROS Impact/RoF denomination, while also dealing more damage and having more range, so why not use them? Good examples are the Deadshot Luna and the NL Shadow. Makeshift AR right there.
Thorn/TLW are broken with 2-shots - High impact Scout Rifles can score 3-hit kills that no one can complain about, hell, The Scholar can 2-shot. If you're looking for a counter, try MIDA Multi-Tool, the hidden talent of High-Calibre rounds and the speedy movements it allows for turn you into a someone that screams "You can't beat what you can't hit"
If you were to ask me (here we go, yet another opinion), I think the reason behind their disuse is the abuse of Shotguns. I shan't lie, there is no worse weapon to be caught using than a Scout Rifle if a Shotgun comes round the corner, ready to blow your head off. I'd be very interested to know anyone else's reasons and thoughts on the matter.
Perhaps, if nothing is going to be nerfed, a slight Scout Rifle buff is in order? The last one was in October and has shown no signs of increased usage
Edit 1: It's great to have found a plethora of Scout Rifle users like myself, and I've thoroughly enjoyed reading and debating the points raised here. For now, I'm going to sleep, so will be unable to reply to any of you for the next few hours (rest assured, I shall do my best to get back to you ASAP). Thank you all very much for keeping this post as active as it has been!
Edit 2: The answer I have been given many times now is "Why use them when Hand Cannons are available?". This is exactly the problem the Crucible faces at the moment. A Scout Rifle requires precision and nerve, but Exotic Hand Cannons can be put to stellar use by just about anyone, so there is no incentive to not use them - the bad players use them in hopes of raising their K/D by using something overpowered, and the good players use them so they don't fall behind to everyone else using the same weapons. Someone I used to be friends with, and now despise, has a K/D of 3.97 and 41942 kills with The Last Word, almost double the kills I have in Crucible full stop. From what I understand, he's ranked the 11th best player in the world (according to DestinyTracker). Combine those kind of stats with the sheer numbers of people using TLW/Thorn, it amazes me that this has gone on for so long.
Edit 3: Seriously, massive thanks to everyone who has kept this in the "Trending" section for the last 15-16 hours, stoking the fire of debate with each new point raised. I owe you all one :D
Edit 4: Out of curiosity, I'm wondering who has seen Datto's video that complains about the current state of Crucible ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHenCd2BWNQ for those of you who are interested and yet to see it). It sums up pretty much every non-Scout Rifle related thing I could say, and unlike myself, he's a big enough personality in the community to cause a change
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Because thorn, tow and shotguns are just better
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Zero point Full auto Hidden hand AWESOME
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I like using VoC or Mida in PVP, although my main PVP weapon is Vex still.
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I used to only use salvation state only on pve because it had a perk where Precision kills cause enemy's to explode
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(Response to title) because all the maps are small. (Except combined arms)
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I just started using Deadshot Luna, and I've used MIDA a handful of times. I really like the Deadshot. It's the first scout rifle that actually feels viable in crucible for me. It and the Messenger are my go to legendary primaries now.
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Mainly because most maps are the bane of a scout rifles existence.
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I used to see VoC quite a bit at one point but not so much anymore, I don't know if the day-one players have stopped playing or moved on to handcannons
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Idk about you but I rock my deadshot luna ALL THE TIME
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Mida multi tool sucks. Gheleon's demise is better
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I got vision of confluence last week finally and haven't stopped using it since vots a beast
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I main VOC and I absolutely love it. Counter thorn, snipers, pretty much anything. But I don't believe they need a buff.
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Edited by I_is_Bowser: 7/13/2015 3:09:28 PMWhy use a scout when a hand cannon can match their range and get a better Time to kill?
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Because people just use thorn and other guns now, I do see the mida multi tool a lot tho, and I use a scout rifle on my warlock
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Scout rifles for life
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I love SRs, but why would a normal person use one when thorn has almost identical range?
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Pulse rifles can be just as good with the right perks. My Skorri's Revenge has low impact but I rolled all the right accuracy perks and with it's rate of fire I can mess up most anyone from decent range. I kill blade dancers with it providing they aren't coming from just around the corner. As for scout rifles v shotguns. I carry a shotgun with me at all times when using a scout. Especially with the single point sli g perk. Especially when I don't have third eye on it. Mida will out manouveur a shotgun even if he isn't in your field of view yet thanks to the persistent radar. But even without this I never sit where I can't atleast pull my shotgun out in time to duel at close range. The three best scouts for any crucible IMHO are Mida Multitool, if you like to save your exotic slot for say, invective, then a close second goes to Gheleon's Demise if you roll good perks, I have third eye and full auto on mine and rolled a scope that works great for recoil control. What I used until I got my Last Word was my Vision of Confluence. Two quick body shots and two criticals will end anyone not using Ram or charged with an overshield and it's rate of fire is decent for it's recoil, range and impact. I actually swapped back to this until I got my Skorri's in Iron Banner.
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Because 96% of maps are close range?
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I would use them more often if thorn didn't have a higher damage output at a longer range
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Gheleon's... Wait for it... Demise.
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I use VOC most of the time in crucible. I only switch to a hand cannon when the other team has 3 or more thorns. Which is actually alot lately.
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mida multi tool is my go to weapon for crucible and iron banner :)
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Why use a scout rifle when you can just tank the damage from other guns while getting close with a shotgun then bam... -blam!-ing Bungie needs to look at their crucible cause it's out of control but they won't till taken king comes out cause why care about people who already paid for the game when we can just work on new overly priced dlc that people will buy anyways
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I use my high road soldier in crucible
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My first legendary was proxima II, git so pissed, wanted a hand cannon, took a while, but i got good and eventually loved it, unfortubately, only in pve, i couldnt get a single kill due to all the shotguns and rocket launchers and the sniperrs, to anyone who uses theses seriously in crucible, respect
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This is my Suros rebuilt. I'm using this for most of my PVP fights now. Enjoy