I love the Mastiff, just as I love Mastiffs, they’re a bundle of love in a big package. The Mastiff Shotgun on the other hand is quite the opposite of a bundle of love, matter of fact, it’s a bundle of pain. Most players have a love-hate relationship with it. It isn’t a preferred pick for most, that’s the EVA-8 usually when it comes to shotguns, but it isn’t all that bad either.
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The Mastiff Shotgun: “The Duck Gun”
The Mastiff Shotgun is interesting in the sense that it fires 8 pellets in a horizontal spread (don’t question how it manages to do this perfectly, you’ll be giving yourself a headache if you do). Because of this mechanic, it’s very reminiscent of a duck’s fin, hence the nickname. The spread can be narrowed by aiming down sight (again, don’t question how it manages to do this or how the gun knows you’re aiming down sight). It’s also one of two weapons that loads 2 rounds at a time, the other one being the 30-30. It definitely needs this mechanic as its magazine size leaves us wanting.
The Stats of the Mastiff Shotgun
Now let’s take a look at its performance.
| Target | Mods | DMG | 100 | 150 | 175 | 200 | 225 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Head (1.25x) | – | 112 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| Head | Lvl. 1 | 104 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| Head | Lvl. 2 | 96 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| Head | Lvl. 3/4 | 96 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| Body | – | 88 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| Body | Fort | 72 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
| Legs (1x) | – | 88 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| Legs | Fort | 72 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
Quite impressive, definitely better than the EVA-8. I compared it to the EVA-8 because it’s the only other shotgun that fires 8 pellets per round. Unlike the EVA-8 though, which fires its pellets in an “8”-spread, the Mastiff fires them horizontally. This is actually a weak point of the gun, as a horizontal spread is more prone to dispersing the shots, i.e, missing the enemy.
Attachments for the Mastiff Shotgun
- Standard Bolt
- Standard Stock
- 1x HCOG “Classic”
- 1x Holo
- 1x-2x Variable Holo
- 2x HCOG “Bruiser”
- 1x Digital Threat
Ideal Mastiff Shotgun Set-Up
In an ideal match, here’s how you should proceed about equipping your Mastiff.
Start by locating an Epic Standard Stock first. Follow that up by locating an Epic Shotgun Bolt. For optics, you can go with whatever you like, though my personal favorite picks would have to be the 1x Digital Threat and the 2x HCOG “Bruiser”.
As the magazine is pretty small, you’ll be reloading a lot, so an upgrade to the stock is the most important thing to get. The rate of fire increase you get from the Shotgun Bolt is negligible, but still fairly important if you want to stay competitive against your opponents. Seeing as the Mastiff basically requires you to aim down sight when you fire it, get a scope that you really like, the Digital Threat is great if you’re facing off against a Caustic or Bangalore, while the Bruiser is great for its sight profile.
The Mastiff vs the EVA-8
In a straight-out fight with multiple variables involved, the EVA-8 will come out on top most of the time, that’s a fact. The only advantage that the Mastiff has over the EVA is its reload. If you waste all your shots with the EVA, you’ll be punished with a lengthy reload time; the Mastiff doesn’t punish you as much if you waste your shots though.
Another advantage that the Mastiff has over the EVA is its higher damage per shot. Though this only becomes obvious if you manage to hit all your shots on target, which is arguably harder to do with the Mastiff than with the EVA. In the end, its biggest issue is that it requires a lot of practice to be able to compete effectively. But hey, at least it isn’t as bad as the Mozabique.
Potential Balance Changes for the Mastiff Shotgun in the Future
Ohh, how I wish the Mastiff could see better days. In concept at least, I really like the Mastiff; but in performance, it just leaves me wanting more. It desperately needs something to distinguish it from the EVA-8 to make me want to pick it up more often. An increase in its magazine size or an increase in its damage would do the trick, but until we see some significant changes implemented, it’s most likely going to remain a weapon that you temporarily pick up until something better comes along.
