24 replies to this topic

[Seffi]

I've been looking at a hero mech for awhile and I prefer to play lights and well The Death Knell looks very underwhelming and from what I've read it is.. I was looking at the X-5 and was wondering if it is worth it. I know its not technically a light but it plays almost just like one. Also other than the x-5 what other cicadas do you guys recommend using to get mastery.

[Spiketail Drake]

For Cicada's, get the cheapest (2b or 2a) and the 3M.

[stjobe]

Kadella, on 12 July 2013 - 06:40 AM, said:

I've been looking at a hero mech for awhile and I prefer to play lights and well The Death Knell looks very underwhelming and from what I've read it is..

It's deadly in the hands of a skilled Commando pilot.

I'm currently running mine with a 195XL, ES, 11 DHS, full armour (-2 points), and 4xMPL. It's fast, it has a 24-point alpha (delivered in 0.75 seconds), and while fragile it makes for a great little Striker.

It also costs next to nothing MC-wise, and the 30% CB boost will make up what you lose on outfitting it in no time.

But then again it's my fifth Commando, having mastered all the other variants already, so as usual Your Mileage May Vary™

Edited by stjobe, 13 July 2013 - 02:36 PM.

[Elizander]

I always wanted to put a PPC on TDK and pretend I'm Megaman. If PGI makes it so that the arm changes into a PPC cannon if I put a PPC on it I might just grab it.

[stjobe]

Elizander, on 14 July 2013 - 03:43 AM, said:

I always wanted to put a PPC on TDK and pretend I'm Megaman. If PGI makes it so that the arm changes into a PPC cannon if I put a PPC on it I might just grab it.

You can always try my Ghetto Panther PNT-10K COM-1D build. I've had reasonable success with it, but sadly the arm doesn't change into a cannon yet.

[Jenkss]

I got TDK becuase I wanted to start practicing for the Flea and Locust, small fast mechs with no JJ.

It's actually quite good. Near max (or max) speed with 3 ML and a LL and full armor goes alright.

Rarely overheat with some minor heat management skills. Good damage output.

If you keep moving and stick around the heavies you can quite easily get high damage scores and 2-3 kills per game.

Best I managed I think was up around 800dmg and 5 kills.

Good fun little mech I think, I just miss the JJ that you get in the Spiders.

[BookWyrm]

Death's Knell...no. Trust me, you'll thank me later. Only MC mech I ever sold. I'd skip the X-5 too, wait for something better, light hero mechs suck for lack of a better term. Drink the Kool-aid, embrace the meta, slap a PPC on your Honda Civic and move on.

Edited by BookWyrm, 14 July 2013 - 09:36 PM.

[DTheSleepless]

BookWyrm, on 14 July 2013 - 09:21 PM, said:

Death's Knell...no. Trust me, you'll thank me later. Only MC mech I ever sold. I'd skip the X-5 too, wait for something better, light hero mechs suck for lack of a better term. Drink the Kool-aid, embrace the meta, slap a PPC on your Honda Civic and move on.

Spoken like someone mystified by piloting it.

Oh the beauty of MWO...skill in piloting one class of mech or even individual chassis seldom transfers over to another.

[Rushin Roulette]

stjobe, on 13 July 2013 - 02:36 PM, said:

It's deadly in the hands of a skilled Commando pilot.

I'm currently running mine with a 195XL, ES, 11 DHS, full armour (-2 points), and 4xMPL. It's fast, it has a 24-point alpha (delivered in 0.75 seconds), and while fragile it makes for a great little Striker.

Or you could upgrade the Engine, max out the armor and have an ERPPC,, Med Laser and 2 Small lasers.

[BookWyrm]

Quote

Spoken like someone mystified by piloting it.

Oh the beauty of MWO...skill in piloting one class of mech or even individual chassis seldom transfers over to another.

Spoken like a dedicated light pilot who was being a bit crass. Of all the lights, Death's Knell is the worst. Nothing mystifying about it.

Can it do well in a match in the hands of a skilled pilot? Yes. Would I recommend it to anyone as anything other than a mech to have fun with when they're tired of using the good ones? No.

Edited by BookWyrm, 15 July 2013 - 06:18 AM.

[Ewigan]

LOL

the worst, hm?
SDR-5V, and RVN-XX (not 3L) anyone?

I think it is by far the best commando, and the most fun to pilot.
I personally am leveling jenners right now, and i HATE them in comparison to my mandos.
No FRIGGING arms!

[Darwins Dog]

TDK is really fun, and I enjoy mine a lot, but I LOVE my X-5. It's lots and lots of fun. As to other Cicadas, 2A, and 2B are comparable. 2A hits harder, 2B has an easier time targeting thanks to arm mounted weapons. 3M has ECM, but due to the quirks it's better suited to play an escort role than work as a light mech (imo). The 3C was utter crap when I leveled it, but that was before any MG buffs. It may actually be decent now.

I've written a Cicada guide if you want to know more.

[BookWyrm]

Quote

LOL

the worst, hm?
SDR-5V, and RVN-XX (not 3L) anyone?

I think it is by far the best commando, and the most fun to pilot.
I personally am leveling jenners right now, and i HATE them in comparison to my mandos.
No FRIGGING arms!

Yes, the worst. With equally skilled pilots even those variants will take a TDK apart.

I understand the need to defend a mech you're fond of, hell, my pink Spider 5-K with a Flamer and 4MGs is one of the most fun I have, and I can pull of some good matches in it. But that doesn't make it a good mech.

Of course this is all subject to opinion, but I doubt we'd find many that think bringing TDK to a match is a good idea:)

Edited by BookWyrm, 15 July 2013 - 06:57 AM.

[DTheSleepless]

You're right that those variants with equally skilled pilots could potentially take the TDK apart.

Of course that's not *actually* what the TDK is for.

MWO is a little too nuanced for anything to be strictly better than anything else, especially when you factor in the difference between pilots, not in terms of just general skill, but skill with specific chassis, and predilections. It also ignores the roles different mechs and different builds fill.

[Kenyon Burguess]

if you dont have absolute love for piloting a specific light mech, wait for the spider, jenner, raven, and flea hero mechs before you slap money down. lights are unlike any of the other mechs in the game, you gotta love what you do to cherish them.

[Maple Nachiman]

Although never playing the knell, I mastered 3 of the commandos along with all the other lights...The commando just is bleh at best. I'd rather run around in my spider 5k raising machine gun hell. This victory was just the other day, in the current meta!

[Thalynos]

stjobe, on 13 July 2013 - 02:36 PM, said:

It's deadly in the hands of a skilled Commando pilot.

I'm currently running mine with a 195XL, ES, 11 DHS, full armour (-2 points), and 4xMPL. It's fast, it has a 24-point alpha (delivered in 0.75 seconds), and while fragile it makes for a great little Striker.

It also costs next to nothing MC-wise, and the 30% CB boost will make up what you lose on outfitting it in no time.

But then again it's my fifth Commando, having mastered all the other variants already, so as usual Your Mileage May Vary™

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...5e07addc7da6511 i took your build, changed the engine to an xl 200, switched to FF armor and even added a little bit of armor on the legs and kept the same number of heat sinks and since one more of the heat sinks is an engine heat sink it has slightly better heat efficiency

[Warge]

Ewigan, on 15 July 2013 - 06:20 AM, said:

LOL

the worst, hm?
SDR-5V, and RVN-XX (not 3L) anyone?

RVN-2X: 4ML + SRM6 (Artemis). And you think it's horrible?

[bmortime]

Ewigan, on 15 July 2013 - 06:20 AM, said:

LOL

the worst, hm?
SDR-5V, and RVN-XX (not 3L) anyone?

I think it is by far the best commando, and the most fun to pilot.
I personally am leveling jenners right now, and i HATE them in comparison to my mandos.
No FRIGGING arms!

What is your build and what are you aiming for with your Jenner. From grouping with DtheSleepless, I know they handle completely different.

My jenner builds greatly change my playstyle. Example.
my JR7-D http://mwo.smurfy-ne...55d670de237e8e4

The current build is designed as a light hunter.I did this after my heavy/assault friend requested help in dealing with them. It is fast, agile, and is good against most lights. It also is easy to use to flank bigger mechs, strike and then vanish.

My JR7-F http://mwo.smurfy-ne...5f0122f27dcfe0f

This build is designed to harrass and take on Heavy and Assault mechs. I use it for scouting, flanking, and getting the enemies to pull put of the line to deal with me before leaving. Its why I have most my armor forward.

Some things I recommend. Before diving into the enemies plan a basic escape route or 2. You don't have arms to hit while running by. The 360 target retention and Seismic sensor are greatly beneficial to knowing what is going on around ya.
I <3 my Jenners and hope this helps, I have more builds if ya want more ideas or thoughts on the Jenner.

BookWyrm, on 15 July 2013 - 06:14 AM, said:

Spoken like a dedicated light pilot who was being a bit crass. Of all the lights, Death's Knell is the worst. Nothing mystifying about it.

Can it do well in a match in the hands of a skilled pilot? Yes. Would I recommend it to anyone as anything other than a mech to have fun with when they're tired of using the good ones? No.

I fail to see how DtheSleepless was being crass. Each mech handles so differently that what he said is true. Ilike to think I am a fairly good Jenner Pilot...but I become hilariously bad in anything else. It all depends on the person and what they are building the mech to do. Some mechs are easier to use than others, others are easy to build to one-shot people or are bugged.

Example rhe 3L ecm Streaher. When that was beast, many people switched over to it. It was considered an 'easy-mode' mech being able to streak everything, take alpha strikes from Assaults, and devastate a battlefield. After fixes to hit boxes, SSRMS, and additional ways to deal with ECM, I don't see them around anymore.

The HSR also culled many lights who were using the bugs to avoid damage. I know there are still issues.with hit detection

Anyways this is a game, so play for fun! I have fought with and against TDKs and X-5s. My 2 cents to the original poster. Test the cicada and commando chassis, find which you enjoy more then get the hero mech.

[Kazly]

I love lights, but hate commandos.

My son loves his TDK though, and regularly pushes 500+ damage a game.