So, I want to love the Gallente weapons, but they just seem to have so many terrible design flaws. The Ion pistol is the newest addition, and I am afraid that I will soon be tossing it on the useless weapons pile with all the other Gal weaponry.

The breakdown:

RoF: 375 r/m (this will be utterly horrendous as a simi-automatic weapon: single shot RoF don't begin to really shine until around 460 r/m. The Ion Pistol will be severely out classed by even the std Scrambler Pistol, in every aspect (e.g. range, damage, RoF)

Damage: 50 - 55 HP (this is easily out classed by the Scrambler Pistol's damage of 80 - 88. Ah, but what about the charged shot, you may be thinking. Well essentially, as it stands now, it will end up being entirely useless. I'll explain later.)

Range: 24m (out ranged by every other sidearm - in most cases hilariously out ranged.)

So, what does the Ion pistol get to make up for horrendous performance as a weapon?

Larger max ammo: 72 rounds (yay, now I can use this completely ineffective weapon longer with out having to resupply

Larger mag size: 12 rounds (see above)

I was hoping that the charged shot would be the saving grace here, but after having read the description for the Ion Pisto, when it was first found on Sisi, and after seeing the charge up time and damage output of the charge shot, I am now sure that it will not be, unless something changes:

The Sisi description: described the charge shot as overheating the weapon with a single charge. (the charge shot on the proto does 385 damage, this will not even be enough to deliver an OHK to most scouts post 1.8, and if an over heat has a seizure duration you won't be able to swap weapons after a charge shot. The charge shot will be pretty much worthless in any situation: can't open with it because then you can't swap weapons, and can't close with it because it has a 1.4 second charge time. Terrible.

Charge time: 1.4 seconds (just terrible. See above)

IMO, to make this weapon relevant, decrease the charge time to around .6 - .75, and make it capable of firing two charge shots before overheating.

I hope that I am wrong here and it turns out to be a great weapon, but I don't think I am.

CCP Saberwing asked Wolfman and confirmed that none of the new rifles have a headshot multiplier like the Scrambler Pistol on the IRC last night.

Meant Pistols sorry. I edited it. Been talking about rifles for so long I guess it's stuck on the brain. Rifle514 as the think-they're-clever forumers would say.