There will always be paths to tread and methods to try. Roll with it.
Monte Carlo is currently a PS exclusive Exotic auto rifle. It will be available for Xbox users around Fall 2015.
This weapon can be acquired randomly as a reward in PvE or PvP.
8/10
8.2/10The good: Instant reload, high range/stability, quick reload speed.
The bad: Low Impact, Hip Fire perk is OK.
Conclusion: Its utility to recharge the melee ability is phenomenal.
Auto Rifle (Primary Weapon)
302/331Talent Upgrades Tree
Kinetic Damage
This weapon causes Kinetic damage.
CQB Ballistics
Greatly reduced recoil. Significant penalty to range.
+15 Stability
-10 Range
Hip Fire
This weapon has bonus accuracy while firing from the hip.
Cuts your “bloom” circle by 33%
Upgrade Damage 1
Increases Attack Power, resulting in more Damage.
High Caliber Rounds
Oversize rounds built to stagger targets and leave them reeling. Their mass makes a weapon harder to handle.
Increases the amount an enemy flinches when shot.
Monte Carlo Method
Dealing damage with this weapon reduces your melee cooldown and grants a chance to fully charge your melee ability with each kill.
Upgrade Damage 2
Increases Attack Power, resulting in more Damage.
Upgrade Damage 3
Increases Attack Power, resulting in more Damage.
Smart Drift Control
Predictable and controllable recoil. Penalty to range.
+20 Stability
-15 Range
Send It
Increases range and accuracy.
+50 Range
Upgrade Damage 4
Increases Attack Power, resulting in more Damage.
Aggressive Ballistics
More Predictable recoil. Enhanced impact. Shorter range and more recoil.
+10% Damage
-5 Range
-5 Stability
Field Scout
Maximum ammo capacity increased.
Raises magazine size to 56.
Upgrade Damage 5
Increases Attack Power, resulting in more Damage.
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Video Review
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Recommended Perks
Smart Drift Control (PvP)
+20 Stability
-15 Range
Aggressive Ballistics (PvE)
+10% Damage
-5 Range
-5 Stability
Field Scout
Increases magazine size to 56
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Weapon Review
Monte Carlo is an Exotic auto rifle that’s currently exclusive to the PS, but it will be available for Xbox users starting sometime around Fall 2015.
The signature perk will decrease the recharge time on your melee ability any time you deal damage with the gun, and the fast fire rate ensures that you will have your melee up a lot more than normal.
It’s a great weapon because of its utility, not so much because of its direct damage potential.
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The Good
The ‘Exotic patch‘ brought a base stability increase to this weapon, increasing it to match up with Vanquisher VIII and Shadow Price. There’s only a few auto rifles that have a higher base stability.
Using the Smart Drift Control muzzle leads to a wonderful experience when firing the weapon. You’ll be able to effortlessly hit your target, but you won’t do as much damage as you would with Aggressive Ballistics.
Monte Carlo has average Impact & RoF; it’s in the middle of the archetype and shares the same Impact and rate of fire as Up For Anything, For The People, and Hard Light. You’ll be able to ADS in .30 seconds and unload 36 rounds in 3.6 seconds.
The base range on this weapon is extremely high, actually higher than any auto rifle in Destiny. The range will be reduced with Smart Drift Control, but the increased stability makes up for it.
The base stability and reload speed are above average as well, only beaten by a few auto rifles. You’ll be able to reload in just 2 seconds.
The melee cooldown reduction is what this weapon is really built around. Any damage you deal will decrease your melee cooldown, and it only takes about 10 seconds of continuous damage for your melee ability to be completely filled.
At 30% strength, simply waiting for the melee ability to recharge, it takes roughly 54 seconds to regenerate. This perk will easily cut that time in half, and even more so if you’re able to pump out consistent damage.
You’ve also got the chance to completely refill your melee energy when you kill an enemy. This will happen about 15% of the time and you’ll get a notification when it happens.
To get the most out of the Monte Carlo Method perk, you’ll want to build around it. Warlocks with the Claws of Ahamkara will benefit greatly. Sunsinger’s should use Flame Shield for increased defense and Voidwalkers should use Soul Rip or Life Steal. A Striker Titan with Shoulder Charge, Transfusion, and Overload will be nearly unstoppable. As a Gunslinger you better be good with your throwing knife, because with Knife Juggler and Gambler’s Dagger it’ll be active almost constantly.
All of the perks on Monte Carlo allow for great customization. If you are comfortable with the base range, which is high, then you can use Field Scout to increase the magazine size to 56 and increase your reserve ammo. Having such a high magazine size is extremely beneficial in all circumstances, and will probably be the best option for most people.
This gun really shines in mid-range combat. The quick rate of fire and high stability ensures that your shots will generally get to where you want them to without much hassle.
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The Bad
If you hit anything other than a precision shot with this weapon, you’ll be having a rough time. Its high rate of fire and low Impact cause the damage to be low, but this can be alleviated if your shots are precise and by using Field Scout.
The low Impact causes level 30 enemies to take 105 damage to the body and 261 damage to the head. A level 30 Major will take 105 body and critical shots will hit for 131.
Using Aggressive Ballistics, you’ll be able to increase the damage by roughly 9% – necessary for PvE.
In PvP it’ll take about 12 body shots or 10 headshots to take someone out. If you can manage the recoil of the weapon, which really isn’t too bad, it’s definitely worth it to use Aggressive Ballistics for the increased damage.
While the stability is above average, it’s still less than Up For Anything and a few others that are in the same archetype.
The Hip Fire perk is OK, but you’ll usually want to aim down the sights for easier critical hits, so it doesn’t get used much.
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Cosmetics
Cosmetically this weapon is fantastic, easily recognizable, and really does look like an Exotic. It has a wonderfully sleek, futuristic look to it. The sound also complements the weapon; it sounds like a perfectly well oiled machine. There is a small ringing that occurs after each shot as well that easily goes unnoticed, but it just adds to the overall character of the weapon even more.
The blade that extends from the front of the weapon really makes one wish that it could be used!
The scope has a cool yellow illumination around the edges, and the iron sight leads up to a red dot which really helps you get a perfect bead on the targets. Put the iron sight on someone’s chest, and the red dot should line up perfectly with their head.
Originally designed as a showpiece, the Monte Carlo’s sleek demeanor and intricate firing system make it more than a fashion statement.
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Conclusion
The perks on Monte Carlo will serve you best in close-medium range encounters. The decreased melee cooldown and increased hip fire accuracy make this perfect for up close and personal engagements. The main problem with the weapon is it just doesn’t do enough damage to compete with other weapons.
The time to kill is just too high to really have any benefit in PvP. It does well in PvE because of Monte Carlo Method, but its good for its utility, not its damage.
Of course some Guardians will find great success with it, and it’s definitely worth building upon if you’re adamant about your melee ability. You won’t even need to worry about Strength since the weapon will take care of it for you.
When it comes down to it, after the update to this weapon, its absolutely worth using. It has a fantastic utility to help out with the powerful melee abilities, and the low damage output is just the trade-off for having such an awesome perk.
For PvP this weapon gets a 8/10, and for PvE it gets a 8.2/10
