23 replies to this topic

[luigi256]

Hello Everyone,

Currently i have five mechs in my mechbays as follows

Spider 5D
Hunchback 4H
Cataphract 3D
Stalker 5S
Highlander Heavy Metal

I was wondering which i should master first. I do enjoy piloting all of them (my assaults a little less) but a lot of factors of cost and time come into play as well as which mechs get the best out of being mastered. I'm not going to sell any mechs just get new ones and after mastering them I may sell some other variants for a new bout of mechs to master.

Please note i intend to master each of these kinds of mech just wondering what the community believes is the best to do first.

The first few responses have stated a truth in that it is about preference so for the assault lets forget about them and concentrate on the light medium and heavy mechs. (also the main reason I like the Cataphract 3D is for the awesome jump jets wish there was a hunchback variant with jump jets)

Alright guys i decided on the spiders since they were the cheapest and will be quickest to do. So thanks everyone for your answers!

Edited by luigi256, 28 July 2013 - 08:53 PM.

[Warge]

Hunchback. All 5 variants.

Edited by Warge, 27 July 2013 - 10:10 AM.

[Redshift2k5]

It's a pretty personal question, you should focus on mechs you enjoy. If you don't like Assaults as much, I wouldn't start with them! Hunchbacks are pretty solid, hard to go wrong with a 4SP with a big engine and a pair of SRM6s (especially with the current damage buff to SRMs)

[Angel of Annihilation]

Redshift2k5 hit the nail on the head. It is all about personal perference.

I have at least one of every mech you do except the Hunchback which I didn't really like back when I played it in closed beta.

The Spider D is amazing. The rest of the variants not so much. Only decided to unlock the basics on each because the other 2 were kinda painful to XP though in my opinion. All were somewhat fun but just didn't feel I made any really contributions in the other two variants.

The Cataphract D is one of my favorite mech though I didn't really like the other variants. They weren't necessarily bad, I just didn't enjoy not having JJs and some of the hardpoint configurations left a bit to be desired for me. However, this chassis is a very popular chassis and generally very effective.

I have a Stalker 3F and there is no disputing that it is powerful and effective. However it is also the most boring mech I have ever played.

As far as the Heavy Metal, it is one of my favorite mechs and I enjoy it immensely. However, I did not like the other Highlander variants all that much, mostly because I didn't like the hardpoint locations rather than they were in any way bad. With all that I can say Highlanders are great mech and alot more fun than Stalkers.

One thing you will notice about my evaluations is everything is based on preference. My issues with any of the mechs were because I didn't like hardpoint locations or configurations or thought the mech was boring. This absolutely doesn't mean you will find the same issues. For example, you might find the Stalker the most exciting mech in the world to play so it is really dependant on what you enjoy, not what I enjoy.

[luigi256]

Redshift2k5, on 27 July 2013 - 10:28 AM, said:

It's a pretty personal question, you should focus on mechs you enjoy. If you don't like Assaults as much, I wouldn't start with them!

Thanks for the response yes i agree with you and I made a change in my post to disreggard assault mechs at the end. I really wish the hunchbacks had a jump jet variant that would make it a fairly simple choice.

[luigi256]

Viktor Drake, on 27 July 2013 - 10:44 AM, said:

Redshift2k5 hit the nail on the head. It is all about personal perference.

I have at least one of every mech you do except the Hunchback which I didn't really like back when I played it in closed beta.

The Spider D is amazing. The rest of the variants not so much. Only decided to unlock the basics on each because the other 2 were kinda painful to XP though in my opinion. All were somewhat fun but just didn't feel I made any really contributions in the other two variants.

The Cataphract D is one of my favorite mech though I didn't really like the other variants. They weren't necessarily bad, I just didn't enjoy not having JJs and some of the hardpoint configurations left a bit to be desired for me. However, this chassis is a very popular chassis and generally very effective.

Thanks for your input I do agree that the Spider 5D is an awesome mech i do hate that the other variants can't support both Jump Jets and ECM. As for the Cataphract I enjoyed that it has jump jets ha ha, for the most part I can't live without them now since the hill patch makes it so much easier to get around (the exception being lighter mechs and my hunchback).

Warge, on 27 July 2013 - 10:09 AM, said:

Hunchback. All 5 variants.

Ha Ha one vote for hunchback. Last post I made was a huge hunchback fanpage wonder if this will be the same.

[NineTails]

Once you go AS7-D-DC, you never go back.

[scJazz]

Based on your OP with no assault edit...

Has to be the Cataphract 3D. Hunchbacks are great but they are nothing compared to the amount of time you'll eventually spend in a Heavy mech. If you like the HBKs and you like JJs no other choice seems reasonable.

[EyeDie I]

you know youll need 3 variants to get master?

[Elizander]

If you do not have a lot of time then just getting elites unlocked to double your basic efficiencies is enough. I barely have time to farm for my 3rd or 4th useful module much less grind out the XP just to get another module slot.

Mastering a mech is nice, but if you find yourself forgetting to put in module slots or not caring if they are on or not, then it's just not worth it right now.

[scJazz]

EyeDie I, on 27 July 2013 - 01:47 PM, said:

you know youll need 3 variants to get master?

All 3 to get Elite... to get Master he needs 3 of the same WEIGHT CLASS at Elite

[muskrat]

I must agree with the preference point made by other posters, since you removed assualts for the time being, BY ALL means
the Cata 3D. I prefer the Tbt over the hunchback (preference again) I like the thinner frame and NO hunch of the TBT.

[BoPop]

master that spider! I have the most fun in my spider.

plus they're cheap, and if you've gotten halfway competent with that spider the other two will be just a tad more difficult to basic, but not by much if ya use your wits.

just wait till ya get speed tweak, fast fire and double basics! that spider becomes super fun.

otherwise if you want raw power in a still pretty mobile mech i'd vote for that highlander but you're looking at having to earn more cbills for that venture. I had great fun in the hunchbacks too. playing peekaboo with the energy boat 4P is a lot of fun.

but overall I play for fun and I play a spider when I want to have fun. the speed, jump jets and slim profile make me giddy. and knowing if you make one wrong move, ie: overheating or running into a wall while shooting someone on your right, you are DEAD, gives a nice thrill. I once took off full speed in river city, turned a corner and stopped, then an ac40 jager turned around the other side and BLAM killed me instantly. was hilarious, and a good lesson. he hit my right torso. go him *grumble*

these days I earn as much cbills in my spider as I do in any other mech. it's the mech I play when i'm saving for the next chassis I choose to rank up. and I've had about... 5 games that were so epic, with me being the last one alive, finishing off 3-4 mechs all by my lonesome and winning the game. one dude even recorded one and said he put it up on youtube but I haven't been able to find it.

[luigi256]

NineTails, on 27 July 2013 - 11:13 AM, said:

Once you go AS7-D-DC, you never go back.

This one may come sometime down the line being a big threat most people come after this first. Also pretty costly to do

scJazz, on 27 July 2013 - 11:14 AM, said:

Based on your OP with no assault edit...

Has to be the Cataphract 3D. Hunchbacks are great but they are nothing compared to the amount of time you'll eventually spend in a Heavy mech. If you like the HBKs and you like JJs no other choice seems reasonable.

Thanks a lot i have spent more time in the Cataphract since it was the first mech i got. Looks like either this one or the spider for me to master.

Thontor, on 27 July 2013 - 11:26 AM, said:

There's always the Trebuchet if you want a 50 tonner with jump jets

Ha Ha yeah eventually i will try this mech not soon though. It does fill the role of a medium mech with jump jets with a variety of weapons.

[luigi256]

muskrat, on 27 July 2013 - 03:13 PM, said:

I must agree with the preference point made by other posters, since you removed assualts for the time being, BY ALL means
the Cata 3D. I prefer the Tbt over the hunchback (preference again) I like the thinner frame and NO hunch of the TBT.

Being in my stalker or highlander feels so slow to me and most puggers usually don't wait up for the heavy guns. I like them but to master them first i think not. Mastering other mechs first will be cheaper and along the way i'll probably be able to generate enough c-bills to purchase the assault class mechs i need to master them.

[luigi256]

BoPop, on 27 July 2013 - 04:36 PM, said:

master that spider! I have the most fun in my spider.

plus they're cheap, and if you've gotten halfway competent with that spider the other two will be just a tad more difficult to basic, but not by much if ya use your wits.

Hey thanks a lot i had a similar experience today with an ac40 jagger (got stuck running away in canyon at theta and the jag hit me in the back)
The cost is the biggest reason to start at the spider it is also really enjoyable to run around and create confusion or to stay behind a heavy/assault and just pelt them with my energy weapons.

[Modo44]

My vote for the Hunchie. The 4SP especially comes highly recommended.

[John MatriX82]

luigi256, on 27 July 2013 - 10:07 AM, said:

Spider 5D
Hunchback 4H
Cataphract 3D
Stalker 5S
Highlander Heavy Metal

If you want to exp, besides lights that I don't own, i'd say
Hunchback 4H-> 4P & 4SP
Cataphract 3D -> 1X, 2X
Stalker 5S -> 3F (better than the 5S in every aspect besides it has 1 less AMS) & 5M
Highlander Heavy Metal -> 732 & 733

Since you have an Hero mech, I'd go first with the landers. Mastering the HM will make it fairly better, faster, responsive and if you need to rack up cbills, you'll do it much better with a mech at master than a basic one. After you've done this, well, it's all about personal preferences, I like all of the other chassis, albeit later on going around in a medium while pugging isn't much rewarding due to the teams being usually.. extremely heavy.

[Urdnot Mau]

I suggest you start on the lighter chassis you have. SPDs are fun, but they are not effective, so i sugest you skip them. Explore the chassis you have, them buy other variants for chassis you don't have for each weight class. Choose this option if you are more interested in knowing better how this game works. If you only care about c-bills and cheese builds you might as well start with the HGN. CTF are good as well.

[Nothing Whatsoever]

Master multiple weap. combos of Commandos; that can use SRMs and Lasers,

And I'm growing more biased by the day towards using such builds in my own COMs.