TF2 Weapon Reviews: The Scattergun

The Scattergun is the stock primary weapon for the Scout. It holds 6 shots when fully loaded, and carries 32 ammo. This weapon fires shells with 10 pellets per shot, that do 10-40 damage at medium range, which means a full clip emptied at medium range will do 60-240 damage, which is enough to kill any class except the Heavy at maximum damage. At close range, the Scattergun does 90-105 damage per shot, and at long range the Scattergun does 3-10 damage per shot. Crits do 180 damage per shot. The time between shots is 0.625 seconds, and the reload speed is 0.56 seconds per shell. The Scattergun reloads shell by shell.

Where do you think you are? You're in the Badlands, baby!
(Guns and Roses begins blasting)

The Scattergun is the default Scout primary weapon, and as such, shows you what it means to be a Scout. A close-range Scattergun blast can even more damage than the Shotgun. No other weapon slot can compare to the sheer amount of close-range damage. However, it is weaker than the Pistol at longer ranges, making it hard to get foes at the back lines without switching weapons. It carries the equivalent of 6.34 'clips.' It is best used at point-blank range, doing enough damage to kill any foe within five direct point-blank shots, including a fully overhealed Heavy, presuming it isn't being pocketed by a Medic. Good lord.

You're kinda screwed. Actually, everyone on your team is kinda screwed.

As a Scout, the Scattergun is your most simply effective weapon, dealing enough damage at close range to kill most classes in two or three shots. This often makes your melee weapon useless, as the Scattergun does much more damage. However, once the enemy flees to even medium range, the Scattergun becomes even worse than the Shotgun, making it a good idea to have a longer-range weapon like the Pistol. There are two things this weapon can help with: close-range destruction, and distracting enemies.

At close range, the Scattergun does between 90 and 105 damage per shot. Two shots with this will kill a Soldier at full health. It's a little bit ridiculous in that respect. However, in order to do that kind of damage, you have to be within melee range or very close to it, making Pyros, Heavies, and other classes that can pump out far too much damage per second a big problem. Luckily, you can probably kill them before they kill you because of the second thing this weapon is good at.

Wait, Scout actually looks like a badass in this concept art.
This is SCOUT. Rainbows make him cry. He is not meant to be badass...right?

The second thing that the Scattergun excels at is distracting and annoying foes. Well, to be fair, that is what Scout is meant to do anyway, but this weapon is especially good at it. You see, once you get into melee range, that enemy you've been stalking has the chance you kill you before you can close in for the kill. However, your speed and jumping ability allows you to run around making sure he can't do much damage to you before your Scattergun kills him. Three shots and he's out, and you live to fight another day.

Catch a Heavy by the toe, if he hollers SHOOT HIM IN THE FACE.
Also that bottom concept art reminds me of the Baby Face's Blaster,
while the one above it looks like the FaN.

Seeing as the Scattergun is a stock weapon, pretty much anything can go well with it. However, I think I can narrow it down a little more...

• The Pistol. Well, it's the Scout's stock secondary. Of course they work well together, because they were made to work well together. For a more specific reason, the Scattergun is only effective at close range. It needs a source for reliable ranged damage, and the Pistol is more than willing to oblige.
• Bonk! Atomic Punch is a more situational soda. However, the situation it is meant to be used in is people shooting at you, and due to your annoying Scout nature, that will show up a lot more than you'd think. Once you're invincible, dash past all of those sentries, Heavies, and whatever else may be in your way, to shoot that one spawn-camping Sniper in the back of the line. The Bonk! can help you get in there and kill whatever annoyances are greater than you.
• The Flying Guillotine is an incredibly helpful weapon in general, but it fills a role that the Scattergun can't fill: ranged damage. If you are accurate with your shots, the Guillotine can fill the role of your Pistol more effectively than the Pistol can, due to the increased damage of the initial hit, as well as the bleed over time. It even recharges fairly quickly. What's not to love?
• The Sandman pairs nicely with the Scattergun, due to its stun ball. Once you hit your foe upside the head with a baseball, you can run in there and kill the guy with your Scattergun before the stun wears off. Plus, if you use it with the Guillotine, the sheer damage can take care of a foe without even needing to waste your Scattergun ammo. How d'you like that, Heavy? Not so smart without your 200-dollar bullets firing away, are ya?!
• The Atomizer is a generally good melee weapon for the Scout. Since your Scattergun will far outperform your melee weapon in melee range anyway, the penalty for using it is negligible. The triple jump that it grants, however, is absolutely worth the damage you take for doing it. Anything that makes you more mobile will also make you more annoying to the other team, and annoyance is how the Scout works.
• Some of the best loadouts for the Scattergun are Scattergun-Pistol/Pocket Pistol-Atomizer and Scattergun-Flying Guillotine-Sandman.

In the end, the Scattergun is a solid weapon for doing what a Scout does best. You can jump around, end up right behind an enemy, and shoot their face in before they can see you. Then flee before the Pyro can chase you down and incinerate you. Good times.

His face. LOOK AT HIS FACE. IT ISN'T REAL.