Here's a perspective from a poor, not so good PVP player. I pretty much stink at PVP and I usably have a sign on my back or forehead that says "place bullet here" (LOL)...from someone who dies a lot, I die no less from the Thorn than any other weapon....Scott rifles that fire as fast as auto seems to get me...I wonder if they are using something other than the default keypad. Seriously though, the Thorn does not seem that over powered to me (yes I have one and use it on certain maps, the shotgun is my favorite, the invective)