I Wish I Played The Direwhale When It Was "op"
#1
Posted 06 February 2016 - 03:10 PM
I've gotta say, the DWF is obscene. I got all basics done in 3 matches with X2 XP in solo queue:
My first match was 3 kills and almost 1000 damage. I've been using this build off of GMan's DWF guide on metamechs.
What makes me pause is how many nerfs and balance passes have been done since this thing came out and, playing it for the first time, it feels like easy mode. Although I am looking forward to breaking 50 kph with speed tweak.
I'm pretty competent with assaults (worth mentioning I having 6 Atlases and 5 Battlemasters in my garage) but I've NEVER been able to be so effective right out of the gate.
I'm excited to level my TBR's too. I wonder if I'll have the same "HOLY #$*@ THIS THING IS STRONK" reaction?
#2
Posted 06 February 2016 - 03:29 PM
Those are good numbers and the DWF can do VERY well, but carrying all of those weapons makes you a target, and not being fast enough to get out of the way of anything other than a stock Urbie makes the DWF an easy target much of the time. Being caught out in the open doesn't go well if you're being focused, and being on a team that's entire philosophy is turn left until you can shoot something often leave you alone to get picked off by lights.
It's a strong mech, but not really OP.
#3
Posted 06 February 2016 - 03:32 PM
Its so bad PGI has actually stated they're intentions to downscale it slightly.
Edited by pbiggz, 06 February 2016 - 03:32 PM.
#4
Posted 06 February 2016 - 03:37 PM
Havyek, on 06 February 2016 - 03:29 PM, said:
Those are good numbers and the DWF can do VERY well, but carrying all of those weapons makes you a target, and not being fast enough to get out of the way of anything other than a stock Urbie makes the DWF an easy target much of the time. Being caught out in the open doesn't go well if you're being focused, and being on a team that's entire philosophy is turn left until you can shoot something often leave you alone to get picked off by lights.
It's a strong mech, but not really OP.
I'm Tier 1. There are enough drawbacks now to counter its firepower (especially the global agility nerfs and IS structure buffs) but on release? Man, I feel like I missed out.
#5
Posted 06 February 2016 - 04:21 PM
Even back then people tried to say they were balanced hehe
Edited by Monkey Lover, 06 February 2016 - 04:21 PM.
#6
Posted 06 February 2016 - 04:26 PM
Seriously. You got NARC? Hit it and run, I'll dump tons of missile ammo into one just to make sure it doesn't get the chance to dakka/laser people off the field in giant-sized bites once it can lumber into range. A decently built Dire Whale is a threat until it's focused down, and woe to the team that doesn't.
If you play one, you have one of the biggest targets on you in the game. Hits hard, gets hit hard if your opponent has any common sense.
#7
Posted 06 February 2016 - 04:39 PM
Running the DWF in the solo queue, particularly at lower tiers, means you'll probably have as many terrible matches as excellent ones.
#8
Posted 06 February 2016 - 04:43 PM
#9
Posted 06 February 2016 - 05:01 PM
#10
Posted 06 February 2016 - 05:10 PM
#11
Posted 06 February 2016 - 05:13 PM
You have more control in the group queue, except there is the occasional "let's go NASCAR" anyways that goes on.
The mech really punishes players for not being battlefield aware, but also mech driving/positioning intelligence.
#12
Posted 06 February 2016 - 05:16 PM
Sagamore, on 06 February 2016 - 03:10 PM, said:
What makes me pause is how many nerfs and balance passes have been done since this thing came out and, playing it for the first time, it feels like easy mode. Although I am looking forward to breaking 50 kph with speed tweak.
And that is why I've all but given up playing direwolves. The inability of teams to move with assaults, back up assaults, or not nascaring away from assaults is an issue I have.
#13
Posted 06 February 2016 - 05:19 PM
Deathlike, on 06 February 2016 - 05:13 PM, said:
You have more control in the group queue, except there is the occasional "let's go NASCAR" anyways that goes on.
The mech really punishes players for not being battlefield aware, but also mech driving/positioning intelligence.
I think with the skill tree nerfs and many mechs getting decent agility buffs, the 100t "battleship" role has too many downsides. I see more Banshees, Maulers, and Atlases nowadays than I do Dire Wolves or King Crabs.
#14
Posted 06 February 2016 - 05:19 PM
First 3 games in Quad UAC10 DWF-B was 8:0 k/d... allowing me to completed 6/8 basic skills. (2x daily XP & PT used)
I subsequently got my first 1100 damage game in that thing.
Mastering other chassis only gets me about 10% along on the T3 PSR bar... Mastering DWFs filled up and additional 50% of the bar... (started at about 30%, ended at 80%, and now almost completed mastering KCGs its at 95%+)
I can only to imagine how OP this was upon release and even before skill nerfs...
#15
Posted 06 February 2016 - 05:21 PM
Aresye, on 06 February 2016 - 05:19 PM, said:
Sure, I get that. It's kind of one of the things that quirks can actually fix (instead of removing the negaquirks, because it doesn't fix it that much relatively speaking - for this mech).
However, reinstating all of that agility loss is NOT acceptable though.
#16
Posted 06 February 2016 - 05:27 PM
Sagamore, on 06 February 2016 - 03:10 PM, said:
My first match was 3 kills and almost 1000 damage. I've been using this build off of GMan's DWF guide on metamechs.
Come back when you have reached at least 1k matches in it.
#17
Posted 06 February 2016 - 07:26 PM
1. Good positioning
2. Good teammates (aka don't split up and look for clues)
If both conditions are fulfilled, the Dire Whale is one of the most absolutely devastating mechs in the game that can eat half of the enemy team. If those conditions aren't fulfilled, then you see forum posts calling the mech weak.
Right before the most recent waves of Clan nerfs (e.g. skill tree, Clan XL, etc.) it was the best assault mech for players/teams that were good. Even after all of those nerfs, it's still a pretty big threat although no longer the king that it once was.
Edited by FupDup, 07 February 2016 - 08:05 AM.
#18
Posted 07 February 2016 - 12:03 AM
Deathlike, on 06 February 2016 - 05:21 PM, said:
The agility nerfs, CXL ST loss nerf & Speed Tweak nerfs are exactly why this mech is rarely fielded.
There is a tipping point where a thing is simply too slow and lumbering to really make the firepower trade off worth it - and we have past it.
#19
Posted 07 February 2016 - 12:20 AM
Kuritaclan, on 06 February 2016 - 05:27 PM, said:
LOL. I don't think I'll play 1k matches in a DWF (though you never know) when my BLR-1G is my most played with 450.
The fact remains, small sample size or not, I am leveling/performing better out of the gate with a DWF than any other mech I have played (except maybe one of my Crab variants, I still have a 7.25 KDR with it after fully mastering it in 12 games on a double XP weekend).
Even if I do get cornered by a few enemy mechs, I will most likely kill or seriously cripple one of them and probably do enough damage to break even on PSR in the process. Its literally:
- point at target
- click on target
- target go boom.
To contrast, I am also leveling Stalkers (late to the party, I know). I feel like a liability to the team, constantly running at high heat and unable to carry a team when needed. Maybe that changes with doubled basic skills but the DWF was instantly a superstar in my books.
Edited by Sagamore, 07 February 2016 - 12:22 AM.
#20
Posted 07 February 2016 - 12:25 AM
Zeoraimer, on 06 February 2016 - 05:19 PM, said:
First 3 games in Quad UAC10 DWF-B was 8:0 k/d... allowing me to completed 6/8 basic skills. (2x daily XP & PT used)
I subsequently got my first 1100 damage game in that thing.
Mastering other chassis only gets me about 10% along on the T3 PSR bar... Mastering DWFs filled up and additional 50% of the bar... (started at about 30%, ended at 80%, and now almost completed mastering KCGs its at 95%+)
I can only to imagine how OP this was upon release and even before skill nerfs...
I'm glad you can relate. I feel like a fool for piloting a DWF now after great steps have been taken to nerf it. I could have been in at the ground floor, man! I'll never truly know what it feels like to be a mech god.
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