I don't understand how it's possible to manage the cooldown lugging that thing around. Then again, there's plenty of builds from power based kits using these big guns and I have no idea how that's possibly playable. It does show all of you are better players than me. 
Hehe, I do understand that, I used to see things that way too. A long, long time ago, now 
The turning point in that regard, for me, was when I understood that powers are there to help you and your gameplay, not to substitute it. A good gameplay is going to get you anywhere you want, powers or not powers. In time, with practice, you learn how to abuse gates, soft cover, consumables, AI aggression paths... You learn how much time you have to get the job done, and what to do if you don't have that time. And other stuff like that. And you learn that powers help with that, but that it can be done perfectly well with less use of them, especially if you've got a stylish boomstick in hand 
Give me a Claymore and I'll kill da bad guys, no matter where or what.*
*although super heavy lag could make a dent in this statement