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Dragon Viable


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#1 Black Ivan

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Posted 14 March 2016 - 11:43 PM

Good morning,

I as thinking about getting into Dragons for normal Que and CW games, just before buying them I wanted to ask if they are viable at all and which modell I should get.

Thank you :)

#2 DrRedCoat

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Posted 15 March 2016 - 12:08 AM

If you're overly concerned with meta, then the Dragon is probably considered the worst Inner Sphere heavy in the game right now. That being said, I personally believe that there are no bad mechs and the Dragon is no exception. I've only ever messed around with one Dragon variant, the -5N, and it can be quite fun. It's probably going to be the fastest heavy you've ever driven which can open up some good opportunities if you use it correctly.
Frankly, I would just play around with them in smurfy and see if it makes anything that sounds good to you. Whenever I'm looking into new chassis or even other variants, I try and figure out what it can do that other mechs can't and build it to cater to that strength. In the Dragon's case, it's speed. If it helps at all, here's the build on my -5N ( http://mwo.smurfy-ne...95d71d0c1cf53ba )

#3 p4r4g0n

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Posted 15 March 2016 - 12:10 AM

I sold off every dragon I ever bought pre-quirks. Never bothered getting another post-quirks cause there a many other more interesting and usable mechs to try out.

Nuff said Posted Image

P.S. Dragons are basically the heavy class equivalent of the cicada. Works like a medium, has the loadout of a medium but is a little too heavy to be a medium. The 5N is a good choice if you really must get one to keep IIRC.

Edited by p4r4g0n, 15 March 2016 - 12:13 AM.


#4 Black Ivan

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Posted 15 March 2016 - 12:32 AM

Sigh, I feared that the feedback on the Dragon would be so negative´

#5 p4r4g0n

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Posted 15 March 2016 - 12:39 AM

If you already have other mechs to rely on for winning matches and for your Faction Play drop deck (if you play that), go for it. It can be a fun mech in the right hands but it definitely is not for everyone.

#6 Kmieciu

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Posted 15 March 2016 - 01:25 AM

The only viable Dragon was the superquirked 1N with 67% AC5 cooldown reduction (50% quirk 12% module 5 % fast fire).

I played 199 matches after it got quirked and averaged 576 damage and 1736,54 XP per match. I've got 138 mechs and this variant outperformed all of them, including the 5xUAC5 Direwhale. I even had a couple of matches in excess of 1400 damage... often during a loss.

That's simply because with the 67% cooldown reduction, the twin AC5s generated 18,25 DPS and could fire for about a minute before overheating (yeah, that's over 1000 damage), and then you just had to reduce your DPS to about 10.

Right now we have another mech that is capable of the same feat - it's the 5xAC5 Mauler MX90 (18.1 DPS using AC5 cooldown module).

Even with the crazy DPS, the Dragon wasn't considered "meta". 18 DPS seems like a lot, but it's no match against 60 damage laser alpha strikes. You simply could not trade with a clan laser vomit mechs. But it was very useful for flanking and fire support. In PUG play, it was the king of nascar. Fast enough to catch the enemy assaults and with enough firepower to take them out quickly.

Right now, DRG-1N is down to 11,4 DPS and simply does not pack enough punch to make a difference. If you want an IS dakka-mech the Jager is so much better, CTF-4X has some serious firepower, not to mention the Marauders and Warhammers.

Edited by Kmieciu, 15 March 2016 - 01:28 AM.


#7 Guillocuda

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Posted 15 March 2016 - 07:58 AM

I used to drive Dragons a -LOT- during closed and open Beta, with gauss, 2 ML, and 2 SRM4s. With the changes to Gauss and the advent of better heavies like the Cataphract, I stopped using it.

The Dragon is -somewhat- okay... the biggest problem is it's just too damn big at the moment. However, with the global resize happening, it'll be a lot smaller, so potentially viable to use again.

#8 Bud Crue

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Posted 15 March 2016 - 08:11 AM

Unless you are a collector (like me), there is no reason to get Dragon's. Given their bulk and generally poor hard points they are just not a good mech. If you are seriously thinking of a 60 tonner for CW, then the Quickdraw is superior. If you want ballstics then drop down to a Hunchie (or Enforcer even) or up to a Jagger. Both are better than a Dragon.

#9 TAKTCOM

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Posted 15 March 2016 - 08:33 AM

View Postp4r4g0n, on 15 March 2016 - 12:10 AM, said:

P.S. Dragons are basically the heavy class equivalent of the cicada. Works like a medium, has the loadout of a medium but is a little too heavy to be a medium. The 5N is a good choice if you really must get one to keep IIRC.

THIS. I like this chassis but...well 60 tonn is no best option. Especially if you hardpoints is limited number 6 all tipes. This mech is absolutely out of meta.

#10 Steinkrieg

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Posted 15 March 2016 - 12:16 PM

Check out this thread if you are interested in Dragons.

#11 Macksheen

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Posted 15 March 2016 - 12:48 PM

Bought them, junked most of them. Sadly, they kinda suck.

That said, rescale may help.

#12 DrRedCoat

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Posted 15 March 2016 - 12:59 PM

View PostBlack Ivan, on 15 March 2016 - 12:32 AM, said:

Sigh, I feared that the feedback on the Dragon would be so negative´


I wouldn't let the meta tell you how to live your life. Some of my best memories in this game is cleaning house in a "crap" mech. It's just so satisfying winning despite the naysayers. You can make any mech work. You'll have to work harder for it but that makes the payoff all the more sweeter. As someone whose most piloted mechs include the Awesome and the Vindicator, take my word for it.

#13 The Basilisk

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Posted 15 March 2016 - 01:10 PM

To give a comparision the Dragon is in Line with Mechs like, the Commando, the Awesome and the Vindicator.
Iconic Mechs, but due to the nature of this game utterly outclassed by nearly everything in its weightclass.
Even the Urbanmech is rated higher than those guys that should say everything.
Try it for th lulz but....thats about it.

#14 Davy J0nes

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Posted 20 March 2016 - 09:56 AM

Dragon 1c

weapons 2 Large lasers 2 med lasers 1 ac 2

5 double heat stinks and a small 280 engine

( the laser duration - 20 + laser cd -15 ) Really helps this dragon out and shouldn't be missed.

#15 Fang01

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Posted 27 March 2016 - 04:21 PM

Dragon 1C or flame are the best performers. I like an ac10, 4x meds, and an srm4 on the C and STD 300, ac20 and 4 meds on flame

#16 Dirty Starfish

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Posted 27 March 2016 - 05:45 PM

I still love the 1N and 1C. You are a tanky 80kph ac monster in the 1N. Set the guns to chainfire and watch as all of your enemies run away without firing a single shot. It isn't as good as it used to be (maxed 2k dmg and 11 kills once), but it is still an incredibly fun heavy to run. The 1C is a brilliant hill humper/sniper that also holds the speed to **** **** up once the brawl starts. 2x llas and a gauss rifle/AC-10 will wreck face. I won't lie and say that they aren't hard mode mwo, but that just makes them so much more fun!

#17 impar

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Posted 01 April 2016 - 02:00 AM

View PostMacksheen, on 15 March 2016 - 12:48 PM, said:

That said, rescale may help.

Rescale coming when?

#18 pulupulu

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Posted 01 April 2016 - 10:44 PM

Finally took my dragon out for several spin.

I have to say... there are 0 thing dragon is good at now.

As a flanker, dragon will easily throw away 60 tons to get pwn by a jenner IIC running srm. So dragon can not leave main group.
As a front line, dragon doesn't bring enough firepower and easily lose trading hit with alpha.
As side line support and peekaboo, it doesn't have jump jet, agility, high weapon mount, quirk to do it effectively.
Worse of it all, it take a heavy slot from your team. While your opponent get another alpha heavy, you get a heavy that serve no role or do the role poorly.

My last trial and desperation was to build toward brawling so I am not a total push over against light and go off route to the back and taunt another 65ish ton mech like jaeger to turn around and 1v1 me or bring a friend. The goal was essentially for enemy to turn their attention toward a loser mech that force them to waste time away from the front line. Even with this... light do this far better, and light get out alive instead of dead.

Only way for dragon to be special would have ALOT more DPS on top of ALOT more armor/structure. Like 30~50 more hp than it currently have (to push/pass assault level hp) and allow it to look at a target continuously to sustain dps. It would be like a snapjaw turtle, once it bite you, it doesn't let go. This let it have a role almost like a suicide bomber. Doing anything else... dragon would just be a poor version of another mech that take the most important weight slot in this game, the heavy.

I dont think PGI will ever make dragon good again. They have no reason to, it doesn't make sense on financial stand point nor is dragon a super popular mech that get love.

I will finally be selling my dragons after playing with it since release.

Edited by pulupulu, 01 April 2016 - 10:54 PM.


#19 Davy J0nes

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Posted 02 April 2016 - 04:44 PM

View Postpulupulu, on 01 April 2016 - 10:44 PM, said:

Only way for dragon to be special would have ALOT more DPS on top of ALOT more armor/structure. Like 30~50 more hp than it currently have (to push/pass assault level hp) and allow it to look at a target continuously to sustain dps. It would be like a snapjaw turtle, once it bite you, it doesn't let go. This let it have a role almost like a suicide bomber. Doing anything else... dragon would just be a poor version of another mech that take the most important weight slot in this game, the heavy.

I dont think PGI will ever make dragon good again. They have no reason to, it doesn't make sense on financial stand point nor is dragon a super popular mech that get love.

I will finally be selling my dragons after playing with it since release.


Since the last resale the thing got, your forced to use Std engines as side torsos actually take most of the incoming fire.
Which limits your firepower even more, and as a dragon you have now given up on speed with Std engines.

If the current resale Stays in place, a suggestion would be to give the Dragon an old quirk Highlanders actually used to have which was a simply a speed + quirk this would hardly make the dragon overpowered, and if there is a worry of them going TO fast with xl360 engine simply make the quirk Std engine only.

The result hopefully

A dragon what can use Std engine well at the same time stays running along 90kph "around"

( example a Std engine 300 takes 25 tons away from you and you run along 87 kph - but how about a dragon puts a 280 Std engine in and from the speed quirk also runs along at 87 kph as well free up 3 tons to go towards weapons ammo armor whatever ) - remember this is a 60 ton mech we are talking about.





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