9 replies to this topic

[Scum of the Earth]

I was wondering what everyone's opinion was on what Consumable Pilot Skills I should get and in which order. I would have asked this question sooner but then there was a weapon mod sale a few weeks ago that I spend nearly all of my saved up GXP on to buy the mods. So, it has taken me a bit to get back up to 15k GXP again.

From what I can see, and correct me if I'm wrong, Consumable Pilot Skills are "upgrades" instead of modules. So, rather than needing to take up a valuable module space on your mech, it just takes your c-bill consumable item and gives it a boost. So, in a way, it only costs you 40k c-bills (of course, every time you use it instead of just once) instead of 3mil+ c-bills for a mech or weapon mod.

Now, with that in mind, I am curious to know which one I should spend my 15k GXP on first; Improved Artillery Strike, Improved UAV, or UAV Upgrade. I left out Cool Shot and Improved Airstrike because I like Arty instead of Air and I rarely every put on a cool shot on my mech.

So, I can see merit in having all 3 of these skills but to which point? UAV upgrade is the only one that would also improve the MC cost UAV and increase the area of my UAVs from 240m to 300m. However, other than the few free one's I have earned, I do not buy any consumables with MCs as I would rather use what few I have on more valuable items. So, unless someone can make a strong argument for it, it then comes down to the other use and their uses. Improved Airstrike upgrades the c-bill cost consumable to "almost" the same as the MC cost Airstrike. The same can be said for the Improved UAV being then as good as the MC cost one.

I use both about equally. I only use them when I know I will get the most benefit out of them which can be rarely in a Match Select PUG. The problem with the c-bill cost Airstrike is the amount of time for it to hit and its damage vs. the MC cost Airstrike. With so much time from putting it down to it hitting, fast mechs and people that can react quickly can run out of the area before they get hit. Plus, there are only 6 bombs drop instead of 10 which reduces the amount of damage I can do with it too. The Improved UAV would help my team out... but only if I have teammates that have LRMs AND that know how to use them... >_> It seems like lately my team never has any LRMs OR for some odd reason, I never see a guy equipped with them, using them. I can only imagine that these are new players and don't understand their use. Or,... they're just REALLY bad players. I seem to always land on the team that seems to take joy in hiding instead of fighting... but then I guess I do play rather aggressively. However, when I play with friends, putting up a UAV has helped a ton for my side to win by softening up a lot of targets first before engaging.

So, tell me which of these 3 would you pick first and why?

[o0Marduk0o]

First you unlock mech modules with GXP. Seismic Sensor and Radar Deprivation are the most valuable modules.

When you got all useful mech modules, you can go for "Cool Shot 9" and "Improved Arty Strike".

Skip the all Support modules and UAV Upgrade or Cool Boost.

Only spec for "Improved UAV", when you want to play as scout.

[Fobhopper]

Getting the skill ups for UAV's will prove their uselfness time and again (if they dont get immediately shot down). with the prevalence of ECM, and pain in the ass maps like veridian bog, UAV is probably your best bet. Especially a fully upgraded UAV will make LRM boating much easier. Then I would recommend getting the shell count upgrade for the arty strike (up the shells dropped to 15, greatly increasing its damage and chances of hitting people), but you dont really need to get the 20% reduction in damage area unless you find yourself using arty a lot. That 20% reduction in damage area can potentiall put more damage on a specific target, but you lose the chance of hitting outliers and people trying to run away.

[Alaskan Nobody]

o0Marduk0o, on 27 February 2015 - 09:31 AM, said:

Only spec for "Improved UAV", when you want to play as scout.

Or if you plan on doing a LOT of XP grinding.

[Tarogato]

Personally, I never invested in the artillery upgrades, because the make they Area of Effect smaller, so you're more likely to miss completely. I'd rather have an arty that at least scores a hit or two than have one that deals more concentrated damage but is easier to dodge.

Just my 2 cents, though.

Edited by Tarogato, 27 February 2015 - 12:13 PM.

[Banditman]

Shar Wolf, on 27 February 2015 - 12:01 PM, said:

Or if you plan on doing a LOT of XP grinding.

UAV's can bring in a LOT of XP once you learn how, when and where to place them.

[Scum of the Earth]

Fobhopper, on 27 February 2015 - 09:32 AM, said:

...Then I would recommend getting the shell count upgrade for the arty strike (up the shells dropped to 15, greatly increasing its damage and chances of hitting people), but you dont really need to get the 20% reduction in damage area unless you find yourself using arty a lot. That 20% reduction in damage area can potentiall put more damage on a specific target, but you lose the chance of hitting outliers and people trying to run away.

What skill would that be? I only see the 6 to 10 upgrade (which is Improved artillery) for an increase in bomb numbers. I am also hoping that getting to 10 bombs would also increase my AOE too.

Tarogato, on 27 February 2015 - 12:13 PM, said:

Personally, I never invested in the artillery upgrades, because the make they Area of Effect smaller...

I think you missed your shot on that one. You're thinking about Artillery Accuracy which is actually a mech mod and thus also a mod you have to equip on top of having the consumable equipped in order to use it. It's a terrible skill since it requires 2 separate things in order to work. It is a waste of space (and 4 million c-bills) in my opinion.

[Tim East]

Tarogato, on 27 February 2015 - 12:13 PM, said:

Personally, I never invested in the artillery upgrades, because the make they Area of Effect smaller, so you're more likely to miss completely. I'd rather have an arty that at least scores a hit or two than have one that deals more concentrated damage but is easier to dodge.

Just my 2 cents, though.

I like the one that makes it hit faster and fire more shells, but I use air strike over arty because I can direct it easier.

[Tarogato]

Scum of the Earth, on 27 February 2015 - 02:33 PM, said:

You're thinking about Artillery Accuracy which is actually a mech mod and thus also a mod you have to equip on top of having the consumable equipped in order to use it. It's a terrible skill since it requires 2 separate things in order to work. It is a waste of space (and 4 million c-bills) in my opinion.

Ohhhh, I was always unsure of that, so I never bought it. 'k. Good to know. Will continue to not buy. =]

[TheCaptainJZ]

Scum of the Earth, on 27 February 2015 - 02:33 PM, said:

What skill would that be? I only see the 6 to 10 upgrade (which is Improved artillery) for an increase in bomb numbers. I am also hoping that getting to 10 bombs would also increase my AOE too.

Those are the correct numbers. It's not 15. He was going off of memory.

Scum of the Earth, on 27 February 2015 - 02:33 PM, said:

I think you missed your shot on that one. You're thinking about Artillery Accuracy which is actually a mech mod and thus also a mod you have to equip on top of having the consumable equipped in order to use it. It's a terrible skill since it requires 2 separate things in order to work. It is a waste of space (and 4 million c-bills) in my opinion.

I unlocked them long ago (before we had so many modules to unlock) but never bought them. I also think they are a total waste.

Also, for completeness, upgrading the air/airstrike/uav with the GXP unlock makes all the cbill ones now equal to the MC versions. Not "almost the same" The coolshot is also the same, but there's some odd thing with being able to place both a coolshot 6 and a coolshot 9 with the downgraded versions or something that let you have 2 coolshots if they were the cbill ones or just 1 if it was the MC 9x9 one. I don't use them. Just remember something weird with that one.

Edited by TheCaptainJZ, 28 February 2015 - 01:54 AM.