17 replies to this topic

[Smedlee]

I'm thinking of buying a new heavy hero mech. I want either a Jester or a Firebrand during the sale this weekend. Which one is better, or more fun?

[Choppah]

Firebrand. The Jester trades 2 ballistic hardpoints for 2 JJ, not a good trade.

[HlynkaCG]

Smedlee, on 05 September 2014 - 10:50 AM, said:

I'm thinking of buying a new heavy hero mech. I want either a Jester or a Firebrand during the sale this weekend. Which one is better, or more fun?

Do you already have Jagers or Catapults leveled?

The firebrand is definitely the more versatile of the two, but it is not nearly as pretty as the Jester, and sort of a waste if you aren't already fond of Jagers.

[Tiamat of the Sea]

Advantage to the Jester: Higher top speed, more XL-engine friendly, two jumpjets, dual AMSes (really valuable vs. clan launchers and small-tube IS launchers), more favorable shape, superior torso twist.

Advantage to the Firebrand: Two additional ballistic hardpoints, no center torso mounted weapons with limited crit slots, generally smaller 'mech, more high-mounted weapons hardpoints, rarely-shot arms.

If you want something that drives like a Medium but endures like a Heavy and can mount dual AMSes, go with the Jester and a really big XL engine. If you want something that can blast out more firepower and do better at hill-peeking, go with the Firebrand.

Edited by Quickdraw Crobat, 05 September 2014 - 11:17 AM.

[n r g]

Smedlee, on 05 September 2014 - 10:50 AM, said:

I'm thinking of buying a new heavy hero mech. I want either a Jester or a Firebrand during the sale this weekend. Which one is better, or more fun?

It depends on the loadout you want to use. Tell me the loadout or what you prefer and I'll tell you with 99% certainty which you would enjoy more.

Edited by E N E R G Y, 05 September 2014 - 11:18 AM.

[KMCA]

It depends on your playstyle and what you want it to do.

I'm a Jester pilot myself, my build is faster than most mediums, armored enough to join a brawl, has jumpjets and having played clan mechs as much as I have the 4ML, 2ERLL is fairly nasty in terms of firepower. Not enough to win in a brawl but good at ducking in and out of one, relying on the speed and armor to keep you alive.

Aside from hunting mediums it excels at nothing but makes a decent show at most other things.


Firebrands are a whole different beast and one that I don't fear. They simply don't have the tonnage or space to make full usage of their hardpoints. Then again I'm not a good JM pilot.

[Rear Admiral Tier 6]

Of those two the Firebrand

If you want a similar laserboat as the Jester,Quickdraw 5K is on c-bill sale,it does almost everything Jester does,but is faster.

[Son of the Flood]

Firebrand with 2 LB10X and 4 ML is a pretty effective build in my experience. I don't have a Jester for comparison, but I can recommend the Firebrand. Ballistics on those high elevation arms are nice.

[xeromynd]

Owning both, and having both mastered, I'd pick my Firebrand any day.

-More versatile hardpoints (Jester limited to just energy)
-Arm mounted energy in a Jager = advantage over other Jagers

Downside to the Jager is that it really needs an XL to pack serious firepower. My jester uses a STD engine with 4 LLs and is still pretty effective though.

Firebrand can do:
-Dual Gauss - 2 Medium Laser
-Dual AC20 - 4 Medium Laser
-Dual LBX - 6 Medium Laser (My personal favorite)
-Single Gauss - 6 Medium Laser - STD Engine Endo AND Ferro (More brawl-y)
-MetaMetaMeta Dual PPC Dual AC5 (both in arms)

Edited by xeromynd, 05 September 2014 - 11:55 AM.

[FireDog]

Hands down thumbs up to the Firebrand. I used to love to pilot my Jester but between PGI's foolish Jump Jet Turning Rate, Jump Jet Efficiency and PPC/energy weapons nerfs it is a faint shadow of its former self. Now its massive hit from any angle CT, pitiable hover jets, and doggy slow PPC bolts/beam durations lead it to be a poor investment for MC purchases.

Edited by FireDog, 05 September 2014 - 01:04 PM.

[Raigir]

I went with the jester. Yes it doesn't have the 2 ballistics the k2 has, but in exchange it keeps the 2 energy hard points in the CT like the C1 variant, gets another AMS, and gets 2 jump jets to the K2's none. Pretty much makes it the premier energy boat catapult compared to the others.

[Smedlee]

HlynkaCG, on 05 September 2014 - 10:56 AM, said:

Do you already have Jagers or Catapults leveled?

The firebrand is definitely the more versatile of the two, but it is not nearly as pretty as the Jester, and sort of a waste if you aren't already fond of Jagers.

I have leveled Jagers, but only one leveled Catapult. I'm still working the other two Cats.

E N E R G Y, on 05 September 2014 - 11:18 AM, said:

It depends on the loadout you want to use. Tell me the loadout or what you prefer and I'll tell you with 99% certainty which you would enjoy more.

I tend to like lasers and SRMs.

[TercieI]

Smedlee, on 05 September 2014 - 04:00 PM, said:

I tend to like lasers and SRMs.

SRMs aren't really in the picture here, you're comparing between the best laser CPLT and the most laser-y JM6. The Firebrand still depends on the ballistics, where the Jester is pure energy. I have both, and I favor the Firebrand (I have two, actually...), but I favor ballistics...and I still like the Jester a lot. (I bought my Jester and my second Firebrand on the same day...just saying )

[Smedlee]

xeromynd, on 05 September 2014 - 11:54 AM, said:

Owning both, and having both mastered, I'd pick my Firebrand any day.

-More versatile hardpoints (Jester limited to just energy)
-Arm mounted energy in a Jager = advantage over other Jagers

Downside to the Jager is that it really needs an XL to pack serious firepower. My jester uses a STD engine with 4 LLs and is still pretty effective though.

Firebrand can do:
-Dual Gauss - 2 Medium Laser
-Dual AC20 - 4 Medium Laser
-Dual LBX - 6 Medium Laser (My personal favorite)
-Single Gauss - 6 Medium Laser - STD Engine Endo AND Ferro (More brawl-y)
-MetaMetaMeta Dual PPC Dual AC5 (both in arms)

That seems versatile. I'm not a fan of the Gauss rifle. It is a little too high skill for me. Still, I like to change the weapons around for something new every now and then. I'm leaning toward the Firebrand. I haven't played my jagers much in a while. This would be an excuse to get back into them. Also, I still have catapults to level. Another one might get tedious.

Thanks all for the input.

[PACoFist]

I have the Jester and I would not recommend it. Of all my Catapults it is the worst. The Catapult K2 is far better.

[n r g]

Smedlee, on 05 September 2014 - 04:00 PM, said:

I have leveled Jagers, but only one leveled Catapult. I'm still working the other two Cats.



I tend to like lasers and SRMs.

4erLL is still great on the Jester.

Daul guass is great on the firebrand.

WIth that being said, I would probably take the dual gauss firebrand.

[Lyoto Machida]

Firebrand over the Jester. I've got both and the Jester nowadays just isn't what it used to be.

[The Great Unwashed]

And,the FB can do the 4LL Jester too (no JJs of course). My favourate FB is the 2GR/2ML variant with 6 tons of ammo. Only the CTF and clan assaults can mount twin GRs in the arms for maximum vertical reach that is just devine, especially on maps like Alpine. However, the arms on the CTR are low, a twin-gauss Warhawk carries 10 heatsinks that you do not need and the twin-GR Direwolf isn't very hide-and-sneak. The CTPL-K2 is a good twin-gauss alternative switching more ammo for less GR yaw (and, on many maps that is more important). So, if you like the GR than the K2 makes the Jester very interesting (to complete the family). I prefer the Jagers.

Edited by The Great Unwashed, 07 September 2014 - 03:23 AM.