What is so great about this gun that it makes nearly everyone who passes by it want to use it? It is probably the WORST weapon in the game. Yes, it fires a steady stream of homing needles at a target. it also can apparently take down your shields quite fast, and result in an explosion if you were able to get enough of those needles to hit your target.
But the thing is, the weapon promotes mindless rushing. Most people think that the needler is an all powerful power weapon like the rockets, or the sniper. Which just inst the case. When you are using the needler, you leave your self open for attack.
Reasons why it leaves you vulnerable:
1: the projectiles/ needles are bright, and slow. This gives other player the oppertunity to pin point where you are almost immediately.
2: it's range is actually fairly limited. Meaning, you are really only able to use it's full potential at long range, both medium and short range do not give the needles you are firing enough time to adjust to their targets' movements. So while you're spamming that thing at either short of medium range, he's pot shotting you with a DMR, or some other projectile weapon, while half of your needles are missing him. So rushing at a target with a neelder is probably the worst thing you could do at any given time, because as you do so, you are limiting the movement of the needles, and just screwing your self over.
3: the needles are slow. Which gives any decent player a lengthy reaction time to try and dodge most of the needles that are being fired at him. For example, when I'm in a match on Zealot, and I have a person firing needles at me. I would just simply duck behind some cover and let him waste his needles. Once he's finished, I would just pop out of my cover and finish him off while he is reloading. or hell, even if he stopped firing and waited for me to pop out, I would still be able to finish him off becasue of the slow travel time the needles have.
4: the amount of needles you need to use to actually kill a target is awful. 90% of the people who use this weapon just spam the entire clip at one target, which would result in a reload, and leaving you open for attack by another enemy. If you insists on using that weapon to take out the second target, you'll probably only be able to get two needles out before you're killed.
5: outside of your lock on range, the weapon is just useless. All it can do is mindlessly spray an area where a target is. If you're lucky, MAYBE you'll get two needles to hit that target.
So what I'm trying to say here is don't use the needler. Or if you do, try be smart with the thing and only use it if your target is out in the open, and far enough (but still within lock on range) for the needles to adjust quick enough to hit your target. otherwise, you are just feeding the enemy team points.
If you think you're a beast with the gun, then I'm sorry to say that you need to stop lying to your self.
TL;Dr: the needler sucks, don't use it. EVER.
[Edited on 03.11.2012 4:53 PM PDT]