How'd you come to the conclusion that overheat is based on time? Seems silly to use a different mechanic than every other gun that has it.

Hmmm... If each unit of charge does count as a single shot in the eyes of the system then the LR will probably overheat faster (time wise, still after the same number of 'shots') but it will reach it's max damage faster and receive the expected 11% damage boost that the 10% RoF bonus would normally confer.

So overheating faster but doing more damage after less time - could be worse.

EDIT: Derp, the theoretical assault bonus is 2% RoF per level, not 5%.

overheat on laser and scrams are based on # of seconds firing, not shots used.

So he is right that the rate of fire bonus could bring up the Laser rifle from 60 shots before overheat to 75

I highly doubt the scrambler overheats based on length of time firing. What is the cut-off point? Does it start to cooldown 0.5 seconds after a shot?

It's likely the laser will simply reach its oveheat point of 60 rounds sooner.

I guess it's a buff..

However I'd still bet on the rail rifles and scramblers to own it at its own optimal

You know you would think that but i've been using my trusty laser lately and have gone against many many RR and SCR users and still have managed to kill them. I think it has something to do with a fear factor when using the laser, it has the effect of making people panic when fired upon that combined with the laser's ability to wipe out shields in less than a second. It causes them to jump around like jack rabbits and doing so they losea great amount of accuracy that normally they would need to fire at me

My friend Maikyl Metsar pointed this out to me awhile ago. He is suggesting that the Assault ROF bonus will make the Laser Rifle really good. We don't usually think of the Laser Rifle in terms of ROF, but there is a numerical value to the ammo of a Laser Rifle and it depletes at a specific rate, a ROF, with each bit of that value applying damage to the target.

All Laser Rifles have a 100 size clip. On the standard laser rifle, it overheats at 60 of these units. Since heat build-up is based on time and not "shots" fired, that means the standard laser rifle with a 25% ROF bonus will overheat after firing 75. And all of this is applied over the same time span. So, essentially, the laser rifle would be getting a 25% straight up damage buff. Can you imagine that at the top end of the laser rifle damage curve? The laser rifle may retake its seat at the throne, just maybe.

2 x 5 = 10 so the bonus would be 10 not 25. Where are you getting 25 from? SiSi says a 2% rof buff per level.

Same applies for scrambler rifle. And also, I'm wondering if it could mean faster charge rate as well.