38 replies to this topic

[Scarecrow119]

With the release if the Protector i see that the mech comes with a cbill boost.
Since the website is very very lacking on information as to what other benefits are on hero/champion mechs are there others that add cbill boost.
Mainly just looking for a decent mech that i can grind out cash with and willing to pay for it.

[Racklesnack]

Hero mechs have a 30% cbill boost and champion mechs have a 10% xp boost.
If you're willing to shell out for a hero mech you may want to look into the muromets as I hear its pretty good.

Edited by Mr Titian, 06 September 2013 - 07:00 AM.

[VanWinK1LL]

I'm a Commando pilot and the Death's Knell is my go to hero mech for earning fat stacks of c-bills. I'd say having at least 1 hero mech is worth it for the 30% c-bill boost.

[Corvus Antaka]

I love the orion

[Swords to Plowshares]

It's a good idea, if you aren't going to buy premium time. The earnings slowly add up to quite a bit. I strongly advise waiting until you've found a chassis type that you are extremely comfortable with in regular versions before purchasing one though. You never know what improvements or nerfs are going to come down the line to your favourite weapons so you've really got to love being in that machine in general.

[Johnny Marek Summers]

You should go to MWOwiki at gamepedia.com. They have all the Hero Mechs listed, their hardpoints, etc. This way you can see all of the mechs at the same time.

However, before you just run out and buy ANY hero mech, consider your playstyle. A lot of people recommend the Illya Muromets, but if you personally can't get into cataphracts, it won't do you any good. The Muromets is also recognized as a threat, meaning if they see you the enemy might focus on you and forget about the ATLAS on your team (it might not be that bad, but you will earn a lot of focus).

If you like a certain chassis, check to see if they have a hero mech. Then check out the loadout. Does it have an engine you can swap out to level up other mechs, does it already have the upgrades you like.

Also remember to level up your mechs past basic skills, you will need to unlock all the basic skills on THREE different types of the same chassis. A hero mech counts as a unique variant. So if you like Jagermechs, if you get the Firebrand, the A, and the DD. You can take them all to Master level.

[Roughneck45]

Make sure you are very comfortable with whatever the mech is, because you don't want to regret your investment.

Iyla, Heavy Metal, Firebrand, and Flame are all considered great when compared to the standard variants.

Dragon Slayer, Misery, X-5, and the new Protector are all pretty good too. I haven't used the Protector myself but it seems like most people have positive things to say about it.

Everything else is just ok or bad. Champion mechs are not worth a cent, so don't buy those.

[Sadistic Savior]

Scarecrow119, on 06 September 2013 - 06:51 AM, said:

With the release if the Protector i see that the mech comes with a cbill boost.
Since the website is very very lacking on information as to what other benefits are on hero/champion mechs are there others that add cbill boost. Mainly just looking for a decent mech that i can grind out cash with and willing to pay for it.

You can buy any mech in the game with cash (MC) if you want. So grinding is always optional. You are not required to, but the option is there if you want it. Just go to buy it like you normally would and select MC instead of CBills as the pay option.

Hero Mechs are special version of regular mechs with different hardpoints, a custom paint scheme, and a permanent CBill boost. They sometimes have other minor perks (My Heavy metal plays music whenever I make a kill for example). They are a lot more expensive than normal mechs, and can only be purchased with cash.

Champion Mechs are normal mechs with a permanent XP boost.

If you are just "looking for a decent mech", you can buy plenty of normal mechs with cash that will perform well. The only reason to buy a Hero or champion mech is if you love the hardpoint config on it or you want the permanent bonus (or both). Normal mechs are far cheaper.


(Another reason to pay cash is if you want a new mech before it's official release...I had a Highlander weeks before anyone else because I bought the Hero mech version of it)

Edited by Sadistic Savior, 06 September 2013 - 08:25 AM.

[Koniving]

Scarecrow119, on 06 September 2013 - 06:51 AM, said:

With the release if the Protector i see that the mech comes with a cbill boost.
Since the website is very very lacking on information as to what other benefits are on hero/champion mechs are there others that add cbill boost.
Mainly just looking for a decent mech that i can grind out cash with and willing to pay for it.

As mentioned by a dozen or so people, the Heromech gets a 30% cbill () earnings boost. This can stack with premium to give you a 70% 80% boost. They have their own configurations, and occasionally have something unique that nothing else has aside from just the loadout.

Some examples:

• The Pretty Baby has so much inertia that it can climb hills of 50 degrees (slightly challenging but possible, just keep rolling left and right to rebuild inertia whenever you start losing it), allowing it to get the tops of some of the pillars on Tourmaline with relative ease, as well as reach great fire support spots that even medium mechs have trouble reaching when using jumpjets. (This doesn't make up for its cost or confusing and unpopular yet required playstyle to make it great. Especially since its a playstyle that most people dislike. But it's a cool feature. I love being somewhere that even the enemy light mechs spend several minutes figuring out how to get there, and just pelting things with LRMs and PPCs for as long as possible. Requires a minimum of an XL 350 engine to perform, and gets easier with higher ratings. Note: The Victors cannot do this, and the Dragon Slayer that recently followed me told me on teamspeak "I'm sorry, I can't get up there at all.")
  
• The Goldenboy, while similar to some of the other Kintaros, is somewhat slower and has a vastly superior number of missile tubes which lead it to work far better as an LRM-boat amassing large numbers of LRMs at rapid speed, when the other Kintaros will have most of their LRMs shot down long before they reach the target. Its center torso missile doors gives it 10% protection (damage resistance). It is rumored but unproven that with 2 doors it may have 20% protection.
  
• The Death's Knell is the only Commando that can run the unlikely combo of a (then) maximum standard engine, maximum armor and a mean number of medium or small lasers while being semi-heat neutral (never shut down -- only works with small pulse and small lasers -- note that my definition of heat neutral is that you are at 0 heat when you fire again. This can be achieved on all maps thus far except Caustic, Tourmaline and Terra Therma; though honestly if you let go of the trigger for a split second you'll be back to zero so there's never a real risk of shutting down.). The Commando 1-B comes close, but can't carry as many lasers and can't do the max standard engine + armor if it brings a missile without losing the lasers entirely.
  
• The X-5 is the only Cicada with missiles. ER PPC + LRMs is a great harassment combo.
  
• The Misery is the only stalker with a ballistic weapon. Stalkers typically take insane amounts of damage, sometimes in excess of 400 before dying due to the 50% damage reductions caused by destroyed side torsos and how thin the CT is. Unlike most stalkers, its arms come off easier due to the loss of the 10% protection that a normal stalker's missile doors usually affords it.
  
• The Muromets is the only mech that can carry twin AC/10s + an AC/20 at the same time. However doing this is not recommended. It is also the only one that can carry twin LB-10s or AC/10s + a UAC/5 at the same time. Doing that is HIGHLY recommended.
  
• The Heavy Metal is the only Highlander whose energy weapons can track to anywhere the ballistic weapon is pointing (all others are torso fixated).
  
• The Flame is the only Dragon that can use an AC/20. Note: Do not get a Fang or Flame without trying Dragons first. If you like them, then consider it. Most don't like them as they are essentially glorified Centurions, for which Victors are simply better at being glorified Centurions.
  
• The Firebrand is the only Jagermech that has both energy and ballistic weapon slots on the arms. This makes it great for twin PPC + twin AC/10 combos (but those are slow), and large standard engine energy boats + MGs. 6 SL + 2 MGs performs amazingly well, just make sure to take on enemies one at a time and avoid groups. Makes a fantastic light hunter, especially with its faster torso twist.

There is more, but that gives the gist. I now have all the heroes except the Boar's Head (its an Atlas version of a Misery + 1 energy hardpoint. Seriously!), the Oxide, and the Jester.

The Champion mechs are simply pre-upgraded versions of the normal mechs that you can buy for , except you pay for them and get an experience bonus. Right now the only one worth while in my book and the long run is the Jenner, because it comes with an XL 300 engine (worth more than the mech itself), and experience is earned quicker through the roles of a light mech anyway.

Edit: Typo.
Edit: Added details.
Edit: Fixed more typos. Updated info that had become out of date.

Edited by Koniving, 12 December 2013 - 03:13 PM.

[DEMAX51]

Roughneck45, on 06 September 2013 - 08:08 AM, said:

Champion mechs are not worth a cent, so don't buy those.

Completely untrue. They're cheap and usually come fully loaded - I myself pilot a Jenner-F A LOT and for a little bit of cash I got an extra XL 300 and when I play it I get a 10% boost to my GXP (which takes WAY longer to grind than C-Bills).

[Pastor Priest]

Koniving is pretty accurate in bis write up, and his suggestion to find a chassis you like is very good. Do this before buying a hero mech. From personal experience, I greatly enjoy the Ilya. It racks up good damage and kills with three UAC5s, brings in the c bills, and when I am bored or frustrated with what I am running, I will switch toit and be grining from ear to ear in no time. However, that's my experience. Of you wind up disliking ballistics, this is not the mech for you.

[qki]

Then there's Wang (You no mess with Lo Wang!!), the mech that killed CN9-AH.

The CN9-AH variant was removed specifically to make the YLW more appealing, as the only cent able to mount an AC20. It works pretty much the same as a hunchback 4G/4H with an ac20, though it can also use twin uac5 with an XL engine (though it lowers your survivability to use an XLE in a centurion, but for some people running a 9-D it's worth it).

The Muromets is also able to run triple uac5, and is one of the better hero mechs overall.



Finally, there's Protector. The Big Man's ride. If you are not familiar with Battletech lore, this centurion was piloted by Alexander Kerensky - a legendary hero from the Star League times.

The stock loadout on the Protector is actually quite good. Not a dps-heavy mech, it can snipe pretty well, and has backup weapons, though it does have a large CT, and will lose straight-up confrontations with brawlers.

That changes, when you drop the gauss and srm for a pair of uac5, as the combined dps and suppression from those can bring down even big mechs pretty fast.

[LeftNut Alpha]

Is it safe to say that if it has a name, like Protector, Misery, or Flame, then it is Hero mech? And Champion mechs still have an alphanumeric designator like Catapult CPLT-A1(C) and Jenner JR7-F(C)?

[DEMAX51]

LeftNut Alpha, on 06 September 2013 - 03:07 PM, said:

Is it safe to say that if it has a name, like Protector, Misery, or Flame, then it is Hero mech? And Champion mechs still have an alphanumeric designator like Catapult CPLT-A1© and Jenner JR7-F©?

That is exactly correct, yes.

[Roughneck45]

DEMAX51, on 06 September 2013 - 10:10 AM, said:

Completely untrue. They're cheap and usually come fully loaded - I myself pilot a Jenner-F A LOT and for a little bit of cash I got an extra XL 300 and when I play it I get a 10% boost to my GXP (which takes WAY longer to grind than C-Bills).

I guess if you want the equipment it isn't bad. The %10 xp bonus is trash though, at least not worth real money IMO.

Edited by Roughneck45, 07 September 2013 - 09:43 AM.

[qki]

depends on the buyer. It's a bonus. The real thing, is buying a fully loaded mech, that comes configured with a strong, meta-loadout, like the JR7-F, or the current trial centurion (that's not available for purchase yet).

Some people are willing to pay money to get a mech with MC, rather than grind the c-bills for it, and this way is a nice alternative to paying MC for the mech, and THEN grinding out the c-bills to change all the equipment.

[ZEEL MadCat]

Koniving - thank you for a real good gide about hero mechs!

qki - YES, its really good choice for some novice pilots, because that mech will maybe good packed (varied, honestly)

My second mech (I start play not long ago, in Sept 2013) was Dragon-5N© because i want Gauss and XL engine. Thats was not mistake, but as I know, people dislike Dragons mostly.
buy XL was lucky turn , because I cannot accumulate so much cash, I was such novice!

DRG its hard mech to play ( and obsoleted as someone said), but I has fun and do personal record of 5 killls on it.))
And champions much less cost, than heroes.
Now I think about ILYA (because my real name is even ), or JESTER, maybe.

Edited by ZEEL MadCat, 12 December 2013 - 01:45 AM.

[Victor Morson]

Koniving, on 06 September 2013 - 09:19 AM, said:

• The Pretty Baby has so much inertia that it can climb hills of 50 degrees (slightly challenging but possible, just keep rolling left and right to rebuild inertia whenever you start losing it), allowing it to get the tops of some of the pillars on Tourmaline with relative ease, as well as to great fire support sports that even medium mechs have trouble reaching when using jumpjets. (This doesn't make up for its cost or confusing, unpopular yet required playstyle to make it great. Especially since its a playstyle that most people dislike. But it's a cool feature. I love being somewhere that even the enemy light mechs spend several minutes figuring out how to get there, and just pelting things with LRMs and PPCs for as long as possible. Requires a minimum of an XL 350 engine to perform, and gets easier with higher ratings. Note: The Victors cannot do this, and the Dragon Slayer that recently followed me told me on teamspeak "I'm sorry, I can't get up there at all.")

This is the second worst hero 'mech in the game. Avoid at all costs. It's outclassed in every single way by the Victors, and even the Awesome's own 9M.

Koniving, on 06 September 2013 - 09:19 AM, said:

• The Goldenboy, while similar to some of the other Kintaros, is somewhat slower and has a vastly superior number of missile tubes which lead it to work far better as an LRM-boat amassing large numbers of LRMs at rapid speed, when the other Kintaros will have most of their LRMs shot down long before they reach the target.

And this is the worst hero 'mech in the game, bar none. It doesn't carry a "vastly superior number of missile tubes." It operates exactly the same as the KTO-18 but trades a single energy hardpoint for a VASTLY reduced top speed. Terrible.

If you're looking for a hero I recommend the Ilya Murmomets (A HUGE money maker from the popular Cataphract line), the Dragon Slayer or the Heavy Metal. The Oxide is an alright money maker and some of the others are solid choices as well.

But absolutely do not consider either of these total lemons. You will regret it.

LeftNut Alpha, on 06 September 2013 - 03:07 PM, said:

Is it safe to say that if it has a name, like Protector, Misery, or Flame, then it is Hero mech? And Champion mechs still have an alphanumeric designator like Catapult CPLT-A1© and Jenner JR7-F©?

That is correct.

To be entirely honest, Champions are rarely worth it. Heroes can be quite good however. Generally you'll want one from a chassis you plan to master.

[Bront]

Heroes give you the 30% CBill boost, which can be nice, but make sure it's a mech you'd be willing to play often. I enjoyed my Phoenix pack, but the Locust 1V(P) cbill bonus really doesn't help much (As an example of a less than steller hero type mech), where as the Shadowhawk and Battlemaster phoenix variants bring a noticeable cash improvement. I eventually plan to get a Misery, Heavy Metal, or Ilya (Probably Misery or Heavy Metal), but I'll wait for a sale (30% off is nice).

Champions are nice if you don't want to grind out the upgrade cbills, since they come pretty well loaded out, but that's about it. The 10% XP bonus is negligable, and it's effect on GXP is minimal (.5% of XP earned extra, so 1 GXP for every 20 XP earned), so they're not a sound investment for making your money go far, but they aren't bad if you're simply looking for a shortcut.

Edited by Bront, 12 December 2013 - 06:33 AM.

[Victor Morson]

The Phoenix Shadow Hawk might as well be a hero. It's great.

Perhaps not a unique variant, but a cbill booster on the best 'mech per-ton in the game is pretty awesome.

Edited by Victor Morson, 12 December 2013 - 01:57 PM.