25 replies to this topic

[Davers]

Has any new players tried it? How does it compare to the other trial mechs? Better? Worse?

[TehSBGX]

I tried it, it's pretty sweet for a trial.

[Joe Mallad]

TehSBGX, on 03 April 2013 - 05:37 PM, said:

I tried it, it's pretty sweet for a trial.

lmao, that's because its not a trial mech

It's a custom player created mech... So its not a base variant. It should not be in the same class as base non custom trial mechs lol.

[Davers]

Yoseful Mallad, on 03 April 2013 - 05:39 PM, said:

lmao, that's because its not a trial mech

It's a custom player created mech... So its not a base variant. It should not be in the same class as base non custom trial mechs lol.

And we should have a lot more like it.

[Trauglodyte]

I tried it out the other night but I already have a Mastered 1C, 1N, and 5N. It has 2 Large Lasers, 1 Gauss, and a 300XL engine. For me, personally, I don't find it that fun but I don't like the Gauss. And, if I'm going to pilot a mech with EndoSteel, an XL engine, and Gauss Rifle with DHSs, I'm left scratching my head as to why my lasers aren't EL boosted? That being said, for a starter mech, it is solid and it'll do well by those that use it.

[Dexion]

As someone who has, on occasion, used Dragons, its a solid build. By far the best trial.

[Glucose]

I converted my Fang to this build last week and played around with it. It's a surprisingly good build. Can dish out a lot of damage at range and still move at a decent speed. The large lasers work well up close too.

[Joe Mallad]

Davers, on 03 April 2013 - 05:41 PM, said:

And we should have a lot more like it.

we do... I have 30 custom mech in my garage.

[mariomanz28]

Since I started playing back in Feb. the K2 I felt was the only decent trial mech which is what led me to buying a K2 as my very first mech, until the new trials came out. The 8Q is very nice setup for a trial and I personally think that dragon setup is great though I have never used a dragon before. I'd have to say this probably one of the best trial packs that's come out, though the 4X seems completely junk and the 9-A isn't that great as well (but then I pilot my own custom 9-A anyway so I might be bit biased toward the way mine performs).

[Culler]

I'm not a Dragon fan but I gave it a whirl. I stayed at range and did the fire support thing. Didn't come out on top for my team like I usually do with my Cataphracts but it performed reasonably well.

It was miles better than any other trial mech though, like day and night.

Edited by Culler, 03 April 2013 - 06:35 PM.

[aniviron]

By far the best trial mech I've ever piloted. I was a little sceptical of the light-ish weapons loadout at first, but I have yet to do less than 450 in it. While I haven't beaten my personal best-in-trial of 800 in a STK-3F, average in a trial stalker is about 200.

This variant is fun, easy to pilot, and has a high skill ceiling. I approve on all counts, and am encouraged by this. I'd like to see a custom trial every week, honestly.

[Davers]

Yoseful Mallad, on 03 April 2013 - 06:02 PM, said:

we do... I have 30 custom mech in my garage.

Thats not what I meant silly, and you know it.

[Lyoncet]

You could make most trial mechs at least usable by clicking the Double Heatsink and Endo Steel buttons, then filling up the extra space. IMO the lack of advanced internals in a world were everyone uses DHS is as much or more of a problem than the sometimes wimpy loadouts. But that said, yeah, it's a good build on a really awkward chassis.

[John MatriX82]

Dragons aren't awkward, albeit the 5N for sure it's the worst among them.

My 1N used a similar config for med range harassing, the only difference with this community design is a further armor shift to the front and of course 1 LL is placed in the LT.

Imho it's a very good build for the newcomers, although it forces them to fight with the weapon convergence of the arm mounted Gauss, that once mastered becomes addicting.

[Elizander]

I've been using this config (well minus AMS with more ammo) on my free account with around 52+ games on it (positive in wins). The mech is just pure convenience and ease of use.

• Long-range weapons that can be used in melee? Check.
  
• Arm-mounted lasers to hit fast moving mechs? Check.
  
• High enough Alpha to kill with a headshot (33 damage)? Check.
  
• Decent movement speed and armor? Check.
  
• No heat issues? Check.

I am sure that any new player will find it easy to use compared to a mech with 3-4 different kinds of weapons, overheat problems, and low ammo.

I highly recommend that new players and players with non-upgraded mechs give it a try. Just keep moving and do not fire the gauss while turning (A-D).

[Krondor]

I have 3 mastered Dragon variants right now.. been piloting them since CB. My impression of the Trial Dragon:

For a trial mech, it's decent -probably one of the best trial builds-, but I don't like it for the following reasons (opinion here):

-While I've seen it used effectively, Gauss on a skirmisher doesn't make a ton of sense to me.
-Too reliant on arm weapons. Dragons lose the right arm VERY fast and with a huge CT and XL you have to use your other arm for armour to protect your torso sections. Chances are, if you play more as a brawler than a skirmisher (which most newer players will), you're going to lose both your arms and with all your firepower on this variant. Having an SRM launcher as a secondary is beneficial, or at least an energy in the torso section (IMO the 5N is the WORST of the Dragon variants)
-It still runs too hot for my liking.

Of course, only my opinion. A dude in my clan runs a Dragon with a gauss and ERPPC and just shreds stuff with it; my FLAME runs with MPLAS, AC/10, and SRMs. I tend to play as a fast skirmisher and fire support mech, so quick fire and quick recycle times are important to me.

Still, I think this is the best of all the trial builds. Dragons are typically considered hard mechs to pilot well so I think it's cool they give newbies a decent loadout on one.

Edited by Krondor, 05 April 2013 - 06:20 AM.

[oldradagast]

We definitely need more mechs like this. The stock varients are poor and designed for a totally different world, where mechs can fill very specific roles vs. having to be jacks of all trades. Nothing wrong with either scenario, unless you bring the wrong mech for the job. The flimsy, over-gunned, over-heating stock Jagermechs are prime examples of this, and yet they can be made decent trial mechs by tossing half the ballistics and upping the armor (and ammo) to sane levels. Some of them don't even need double heatsinks to work well enough.

I'll have to give the trial Dragon a whirl. I like the trial Awesome 8Q. It's terrible up close, of course, but it has solid sniping ability which is respectable and let's new players feel like they are participating.

[Pliskkenn D]

Bought the 5N as my first mech thinking that it wouldn't be too much of a job to make it into something like this.

Did not realise that the 500k I was getting a match would quickly diminish to 100-250k. Durp. Spent to long arsing about with different fits.

I've heard learning to play in any Dragon Chassis is like learning to play on hard mode, but I love the way it looks so I'll deal with it.

This trial version was pretty much what inspired me to get it. Working with something similar.

Here's my eventual goal. Should I switch out the LB 10-X AC for a Gauss and shave some armour off somewhere to fit? Or am I going about everything wrong.

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...5720a61a98b4dce

[Krondor]

Pliskkenn D, on 05 April 2013 - 08:36 AM, said:

Bought the 5N as my first mech thinking that it wouldn't be too much of a job to make it into something like this.

Did not realise that the 500k I was getting a match would quickly diminish to 100-250k. Durp. Spent to long arsing about with different fits.

I've heard learning to play in any Dragon Chassis is like learning to play on hard mode, but I love the way it looks so I'll deal with it.

This trial version was pretty much what inspired me to get it. Working with something similar.

Here's my eventual goal. Should I switch out the LB 10-X AC for a Gauss and shave some armour off somewhere to fit? Or am I going about everything wrong.

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...5720a61a98b4dce

Depends what you're trying to accomplish. The LBX-10 or Gauss will put your Dragon into two completely different combat roles. One has an effective range of <150 meters, and the other is a very long range, hard hitting gun.

You also might want to think about a missile rack.

Just opinion, but I'd be more tempted to do something like this: http://mwo.smurfy-ne...bd451371adc0c97

It's a much closer range build and better for hunting light mechs, but also has a higher alpha (if you're looking for that), better heat dissipation, and is fully armoured. So again, depends on what you're trying to go for.

Disclaimer: I just built that in 30 seconds at work, so there's probably a couple of places you could optimize it.

Edited by Krondor, 05 April 2013 - 10:15 AM.

[Bagheera]

Davers, on 03 April 2013 - 05:41 PM, said:

And we should have a lot more like it.

This.

As in all 4 of them should always be pulled from community designs. Stock TT designs just don't work in MW:O. Maybe one or two are ok, but by and large they are under-armored, under-ammo'd (if applicable), and the complete opposite of heat manageable.