So are shotguns shit weapon choice? How feasible are other new weapons, like spears and shit?
They're all kind of support weapons, you don't create your whole build around them like you would with an SMG, AR or fist weapon.
Better have a backup plan because throwing all your chips into just one of the new weapon types will lead to pain, unless you're someone who does Dominating Iron Man runs anyway.
I've built around the spear, and it's a wholly viable alternative to the sledgehammer so far. It's almost without a doubt the most viable of all the new weapons.
Spears offer more versatility than hammers, and the ability to block melee attacks at up to a 100% chance (and pile on riot shield blocking up to 50% as well, if desired) is much more powerful than some folks might reckon, because blocking occurs prior to your energy shield taking damage, extending its lifespan. Once the energy shield is drained, blocking can save your ass on its own.
Also, you have a very decent chance of avoiding the worst depredations of knife cunts as long you activate Fend or get a spear hit in before they start in on you, and knife cunts are BY FAR the deadliest opponents for heavy hammer guys throughout most of a game.
I wasn't that taken by them tbh.
Basically they miss just as painfully as sledgehammers, but they have lower damage, lower electroshock damage if a generator is attached, no stun debuff, and the defense only works against melee.
That and the spear throw seems to take some stat jiggering that my puny brain doesn't understand in order to actually get reliable odds of hitting an unstunned target.
Obviously all of this is significantly reduced once you get Sweep and can burn through an entire battery with just one whack, and some of your better support feats, but the start is pretty eh, especially when guys toting firearms are running around.
