Not ***that*** complicated. There really are only a few weapon **archtypes** in the game, and individual weapons are variations on those themes. Also there are (at this point) only a few weapon perks that are relevant to PVP play. Damage perks (like Headseeker, LiTC), and stability perks (Rifled Barrel, Fitted Stock, Braced Frame). The difficulty that Bungie is having with balancing the game is an ideological one.....not because of the complexity of the system. The way that Bungie designed the game-----with fast moving players, who have the ability to choose which weapons they bring into the game and when to fight with them----demands that they BALANCE the game. Most critically that they balance the power levels between multi-shot weapons and OHK weapons. Which means that they HAVE to have primaries that kill relatively quickly. So that they can create situations of NATURAL disadvantage for OHK weapon users. Thus forcing them to be more selective about when they choose to use them.....or making them high-risk to use as their prinicipal weapon (and thus requiring a high degree of skill). Back in Year One, THE GAME HAD THIS. Primaries were powerful enough to kill quickly enough so that shotgun rushing ( with the exception of blink-shotty) was a high-risk/high reward play style....and snipers were forced to keep a respectful engagement distance. Thus were relegated to long-range ambush weapons, instead of "all purpose battle rifles." But the game couldn't escape the long shadow of Halo's legacy. Too many people---both inside of Bungie and among the player base----wanted this game to be the reincarnation of Halo 3. So people complained about the speed of the game...and complained about weapons like Suros and Thorn and TLW killing "too fast". So Bungie set about trying to replicate the slower playing speed and feel of Halo's MP.....in a game that had almost NONE of the design elements that made that game's system and game play work. They nerfed all the game's weapons into the ground in an effort to slow down the speed of play....and all they managed to accomplish is to break the balance between the game's primary weapons and special weapons. ...and the game has been floundering with a set of rotating metas (usually special weapon metas) with community making a beeline to the most efficient weapons in the armory in an effort to cope with the natural speed of the game and of player movement. Is balancing a game like this easy? No, of course not. But then its not as hard as Bungie is making it either. Titanfall 2 has a weapon and ability system that is nearly as complex....and Respawn is making it look much easier for one simple reason. They tuned their game's weapons to the speed of player movement. Bungie won't. Respawn is able to balance their game. Bungie cant.