not like the other scouts

[Iluszachane]

Anybody else think that Special Powder is highly overrated? Maybe I've been spending too much time on the subreddit, but it seems like everybody worships this OC along with Fat Boy. Both are meme overclocks, in my opinion. SP in particular just gets so unwieldy during regular gameplay, and out of 1300 hours as a Scout main, I've taken it on maybe half a dozen missions. I would like to retain my ability to fire the shotgun while airborne, thank you. I can't be the only one.

[Maximum stupidity]

In my opinion overclocks like special powder have the 1 and only purpose to flex with on people that don't have them

[Smetrix]

I do not rely on it, but is sure is fun to be untouchable and fly around in larger caves.

[Shiki Diki]

Most setups I bring don't really utilize the shotgun. But I like having special powder for big open caves like PE or Refinery. In cases I use the shotgun I mainly use it for heat spreading which still functions perfectly fine with powder.

But I like the Nishanka too much. My main build is full-on electro focus with electrifying reload GK2, electric bolts and stun sweeper... I have so much fun with this build that I play my main (engi) less and less atm.

Tangent aside, I think special powder is very good for revive scenarios, big caves and just kiting/escapes while still functioning perfectly fine as a standard boomstick. Maybe a bit overrated but the extra pellets, blastwave or other options just don't add anything to my personal playstyle/build choices. So I stick with good damage + extra mobility

[Frisky]

IMO fat boy is the worst OC for the PGL and it's my most hated overclock by far, there are other bad OCs but nothing sucks more than having an obnoxious fat boy engineer on your team who can't aim whatsoever

Special powder is overrated but mostly harmless, I prefer other OCs if/when i play scout

[NorowaretaTenshi]

Fat Boy is fun, but only on Haz 1-3 as on Haz 4-5 got too little ammo (even with upgrades) to be useful

Special powder is kinda pointless as you need a gun, not second utility

[ShugoTheRipper]

Originally posted by Frisky:

IMO fat boy is the worst OC for the PGL and it's my most hated overclock by far, there are other bad OCs but nothing sucks more than having an obnoxious fat boy engineer on your team who can't aim whatsoever

Bonus points for proxy fuse, and the meta game of "Where the hell did the nuke go?"; Makes it about 100x worse.

As someone who runs nukes for the luls, even in EDD with great success. Nothing feels better than pulling off a perfectly timed, perfectly placed, perfectly rationed nuke.

But if I am being honest almost always hyper propellant is a better. It is what I take when I am in serious mode.

[Chibbity]

Over rated? Yes.

Really fun? Also yes.

[Cynimatic]

it's fun and isn't an active detriment like fat boy, though every shot used to propel yourself through the air is a shot not used on the bugs. white phosphorus shells boomstick with no overclocks is fairly strong anyway so using special powder in combat is fine.

[Frisky]

Originally posted by ShugoTheRipper:

Bonus points for proxy fuse, and the meta game of "Where the hell did the nuke go?"; Makes it about 100x worse.

As someone who runs nukes for the luls, even in EDD with great success. Nothing feels better than pulling off a perfectly timed, perfectly placed, perfectly rationed nuke.

But if I am being honest almost always hyper propellant is a better. It is what I take when I am in serious mode.

I had a proxy fuse engineer once down himself, the scout + driller, and nearly cause a total team wipe because he missed a very large group of bugs, pretty sure i only survived cuz i had friendly perk on gunner that time


Well placed nukes can be game changers for better or for worse it just all boils down to the engineer using it and most pub engies choose for worse, in isolation theres far worse OCs out there but none of them have the potential to negatively affect the whole team like fat boy can

It is satisfying though when it works I’ll give it that

[sejereendsej]

bro i understand the hate for fat boy but special powder is really good

[Stefanonimo]

Originally posted by krl:

bro i understand the hate for fat boy

Is more like a hate of people who have no clue on how and where to use it.

[Marmarmar34]

It sounds redundant for a class that can already move around so much. That, and I don't like the DRG double barrel

[Detective Useless]

Special powder is good because zooming across the caves at high speeds is not only fun, but helps speed up missions, which can be the difference between a mission going smoothly and getting surrounded by 3 bulks because you spent too long in a point extraction. Personally, I would add a small ammo bonus to it. I love RJ250 on the PGL because it's both a movement tool and a lot of extra ammo. Special powder is fine as is, but +4 ammo wouldn't hurt.

I don't understand the love for hoverclock, though. It doesn't speed you up and doesn't provide any bonus other than staying in the air a bit longer, which isn't good when you're competing with Hipster.

[Plumber]

special powder's value stems from incredible survivability and the ability to zip around the caves much faster than grapple cds would normally allow. The ability to negate fall damage completely and mine powerattack-incompatible walls on your own in tandem with being able to revive anyone at the drop of a hat makes it very comfortable to use in Point Extraction, which is the most time-sensitive mission type. It's true you sacrifice a colossal amount of killing power from offensive overclocks, so the value is strictly proportional to your need for the mobility/autonomy and your ability to take advantage of it.

It pairs particularly well with a primary that favors high mobility or self sufficiency, like AISE and Electric Reload for gk2, Electric Focus Shots for m1000, or Drak's bouncing OC or Shield Battery Booster. Cryo grenades are a no-brainer too, since they offset the normal problems

[Cynimatic]

Originally posted by Stefanonimo:

Originally posted by krl:

bro i understand the hate for fat boy

Is more like a hate of people who have no clue on how and where to use it.

the problem is that in the good times to use it (i.e: against a massive group of small enemies), you'd be better off using incendiary rj250, breach, or aoe shard, all of which are much more flexible and granular with way more ammo, and don't deal absurd friendly fire and heavily restrict the movement of you and your teammates. breach and shard are also significantly better against tanky enemies too.