10 replies to this topic

[Jabilo]

Calling all Stalker jocks and spreadsheet warriors.

I have always fancied getting in to Stalkers and have a few bob to spare.

With the Misery on sale this weekend maybe now is the time?

However I wonder if PPC balancing, LRM effectiveness and ghost heat has now put the once mighty Stalker to the bottom of the heap?

My question is whether the Stalker is still a top tier mech and what would be some good builds for the 3F and Misery in the current game?

Thanks

[Ngamok]

Stalkers are excellent LRM boats no doubt. They make good SRM brawlers as well but keep in mind ghost heat and hit registration (I do better at 100+ meters on registering hits it seems). Two PPCs are just fine and you can back it up with a few Medium or Large Lasers for closer brawling and not use the PPCs to brawl with.

[John MatriX82]

The Misery is among the 3F the best Stalker variant.. still the thing lacks jumpjets and you've to learn to tank damage with the opposite side that holds the ballistic, knowing that you're probably going around sideless quite soon and die weaponsless unless you don't equip a LL in the CT or something else.

However I do not consider neither LRMs nor SRMs (although I used to equip some in my builds nevertheless) competitive (especially on the misery that only has 1 missile port).. it's all PPC+GR or AC10 or AC20, eventually with a couple of MLs as backup (imho).

If you don't have issues with traveling through the maps due to the movement archetypes like I do (better: you don't have JJ-addiction), then the Misery is probably at the top of the food chain among hero mechs, along with the Dragon Slayer and on par or reasonably competitive against Highlanders. All the other heroes to me fall one step or more below these two.

If you're talking about "the other stalkers", 3F is still neaty with 4ERLLs, can expose from cover with ease due to the low profile and high-mounted arms.

If you plan to go Misery and you don't have any other stalkers, buy a 3F and a 5M to master the Misery. All the other variants resemble the 3F and are crippled in torso twist (3F has 85°, the non-hero ones 60, the Misery 65°), the 5M has a hell of missile mounts, CT energy hardpoint and can be fun with 5 ssrm2s or as a uber LRM75 boat.

Edited by John MatriX82, 17 January 2014 - 02:59 PM.

[Sandpit]

I love the Stalker. It's versatile and fills man roles. I love my 5M in particular. 5LL goodness is hard to beat

[NRP]

I think the Misery is one of the best Stalkers. However, Stalkers don't seem to be nearly as popular as they once were (Misery is probably the most common variant seen these days). I guess the combination of ghost heat and weapon base heat increases have adversely affected the viability of this mech. I fear the glory days for this mech are over.

[Jabilo]

Thanks guys. Might buy a 3F for C Bills and see how I go before I decide to spend any real cash on the Misery.

[Monky]

Stalker is one of the best all around mechs once you overcome its maneuverability and speed issues. My personal saying is 'stalkers are like french tanks, they work best in reverse' Keep the enemy from getting behind/around you once the engagement starts, don't be to eager to get in someone's face, and you'll go far.

[Kubernetes]

Yeah, I love my Stalker 3F and Misery. Learn to use those energy arm mounts, do ranged damage and then close in for the kill with medium lasers and SRMs. Run a bunch of heatsinks (I run 22 on my 3F with 2PPC + 2ML + 2MPL + SRM6) and you'll be one of the most heat efficient energy boats out there.

[Unnatural Growth]

I mastered the 3F, 5S and 4N. I don't have a Misery so I can't help you there.

Stalker side torsos are huge, like comically huge. XL engines are generally a no-no in Stalkers. No arms to tank damage and huge side torsos make XL's go BOOM! The center torso is quite narrow and hard to hit, except for the crotch shot, so you're better off pointing your nose directly AT your enemy to make it harder to blow off your side torsos.

Of the non Hero Stalkers, the 3F is king. much better torso twist than the other 4 variants. This is my current 3F build:

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...142de438c2d5ed0

I hadn't played it much since getting the Phoenix package, as i had those mechs to grind to master. But since the heat nerf hammer struck, I had to take out the original 2xERLL's and 2xERPPC's, and put in the current 2xPPC's and 2xLL's. It helps, but it still runs hot. I think the 3F is the best choice if you want a straight up brawler. The other standard variants are more fire support than brawlers. Can't say on the MIsery though I see people brawling in them.

I sold my 4N as I just didn't play it once mastered. But I still have my 5S, better hardpoints than the N imo. I was running it 2xAMS, 4xSRM 6's, 2xERLL's and 4xML's with max armor and a STD 300. But I haven't played it for the same reasons (Phx pack). The twin AMS is a good feature, but unfortunately SRM's are still broken. If I were to field it now, I'd switch out the ERLL's for LL's, and "maybe" switch to LRM's.

The Misery on sale is tempting, but I just made up my mind to pickup 2 more Cicadas so I could finally master my X-5 I bought when I started playing. So I'm grinding the 3M now and then the 2B. Maybe next time it's on sale, if we have CW and content by then.

[Solis Obscuri]

The Stalker is tough, packs a heavy punch, and can be suitable for a lot of roles.

The only downside is that it has limited mobility and twist range, and no arms to help swat away quick lights and mediums.

[John MatriX82]

Monky, on 17 January 2014 - 04:01 PM, said:

Stalker is one of the best all around mechs once you overcome its maneuverability and speed issues. My personal saying is 'stalkers are like french tanks, they work best in reverse' Keep the enemy from getting behind/around you once the engagement starts, don't be to eager to get in someone's face, and you'll go far.

Imho speed issues can be resolved easily by building it around STD 300 as a minimum engine rating. Once you do that, it has the speed of any other non-Victor assault, also torso twist speed isn't bad, keeping in mind as I said earlier in this topic that non-3F variants are very limited in their movement arc.