81 replies to this topic

[Bishop Steiner]

stjobe, on 02 March 2015 - 07:51 AM, said:

Well, it IS built for long-range fire support with that big 'ol PPC.

I find it does tank rather well for a light though, when it gets down to knife-fighting.

Survived a match just now with 23% health and a leg missing

Oh, it's durable as can be for a mech without buggy hitreg. Still find that a fast hard push tends to leave it in dire straits. But give it wiggle room, and it's tough obnoxious little beast, fully deserving of it's "Alley Cat" nickname. Thing is, it's supposed ot be a good infighter too, but the FPS reality and MWO RoF/Armor changes have largely removed that facet, unless you run the clunky 4MPL 8z.

[AlmightyAeng]

Bishop Steiner, on 02 March 2015 - 08:00 AM, said:

Oh, it's durable as can be for a mech without buggy hitreg. Still find that a fast hard push tends to leave it in dire straits. But give it wiggle room, and it's tough obnoxious little beast, fully deserving of it's "Alley Cat" nickname. Thing is, it's supposed ot be a good infighter too, but the FPS reality and MWO RoF/Armor changes have largely removed that facet, unless you run the clunky 4MPL 8z.

Yeah, if you can stay with it it's usually doomed...like a lot of longer-range light builds, don't let it poke. If you're gonna engage run it down.

[Mad Strike]

L2P , plain and simple.

[stjobe]

Bishop Steiner, on 02 March 2015 - 08:00 AM, said:

Oh, it's durable as can be for a mech without buggy hitreg. Still find that a fast hard push tends to leave it in dire straits. But give it wiggle room, and it's tough obnoxious little beast, fully deserving of it's "Alley Cat" nickname. Thing is, it's supposed ot be a good infighter too, but the FPS reality and MWO RoF/Armor changes have largely removed that facet, unless you run the clunky 4MPL 8z.

I use an ERPPC on both 10K and 9R after I found myself in one too many sub-90 metre fights where the PPC is useless

I find that with a 250 XL and max armour it has enough speed and durability to be run as a full-speed close-in harasser of heavies and assaults. Against mediums it's a bit dodgier, and against lights it's usually game over unless you can get support from team mates or the other guy's a doofus and lets you gain range on him.

I do prefer to stay at range though, but sometimes what I prefer and how the battle unfolds isn't the same thing

[Myke Pantera]

Strange... I actually consider the 10K to be the best variant :\ 1xER PPC + 2xSRM4 works quite alright for me. Hitting between 250 and 350 dmg most of the time isn't impressive, but it's still a fun mech to play.

The PNT-8Z is even hotter, but still usable, although the RVN-3L is just plain better with similar weaponry.

The PNT-9R is the one where i'm having troubles to find a good use for... I'm certainly not going to brawl with this squishy little mech.

Edited by Myke Pantera, 02 March 2015 - 08:17 AM.

[Aethon]

Axeface, on 01 March 2015 - 08:01 PM, said:

The panther 10K is a complete and utter pile of steaming dog ****. It is the worst mech I have ever had the misfortune of piloting.

ERPPC velocity? Worthless.

It cannot even cool 1 ERPPC.
1 ERPPC is not enough firepower.
If it cannot cool 1 ERPPC, it certainly cannot cool 1 ERPPC and 2 SRM4's, and god forbid that you add JJ's and actually Jump... because if you do... Cooling? NOPE.
The mech has ZERO staying power.

The other 2 varients are alright, not that bad - because hey, energy hardpoints. Why does the cbill bonus varient have to be the most useless mech in the entire game?

This mech needs something, and right now.

20 dollars well spent...

1. ERPPC velocity is not worthless if you are operating at the correct range for this mech.
2. 1 ERPPC has been enough for me, especially when paired with the SRM4 at close range.
3. It can cool 1 ERPPC, AND 1 SRM4. No Panther should be without JJ; this adds a lot of durability/maneuverability.
4. It is a light mech; it will not have staying power if you stand still. Keep moving, and use your speed as armour.

I can understand if scurrying around at long range, making pot shots is not your thing, but this mech was not really designed for up-close work. Try the following:

1. Do some careful scouting at the beginning of the match, and report the enemy position to your team.
2. Take a couple potshots, then back off, and let the bulk of your team engage.
3. Flank a little, but not too far if alone; you are Firestarter bait, and will die if you encounter one.
4. Shoot targets with the intent of distracting them, and get behind cover briefly after each shot, popping up in a new spot.
5. If you find a crippled enemy who is far from his allies, swoop in and finish him off with the ERPPC and SRM4, using your speed and JJ to make yourself as slippery a target as possible.
6. Last but not least, understand that you will almost never carry a team with a Panther sniper; you are a force multiplier. When you are on a good team, and you do your job, they will be extremely effective. If you are on a team of drooling idiots, they will never take advantage of the opportunities you give them, and will not do much better than normal.

Please do not give up on this mech before it has its double basics.

To put yourself in my shoes, try this config:
http://mwo.smurfy-ne...62ab33f9e597156

[C E Dwyer]

Axeface, on 01 March 2015 - 08:01 PM, said:

The panther 10K is a complete and utter pile of steaming dog ****. It is the worst mech I have ever had the misfortune of piloting.

ERPPC velocity? Worthless.

It cannot even cool 1 ERPPC.
1 ERPPC is not enough firepower.
If it cannot cool 1 ERPPC, it certainly cannot cool 1 ERPPC and 2 SRM4's, and god forbid that you add JJ's and actually Jump... because if you do... Cooling? NOPE.
The mech has ZERO staying power.

The other 2 varients are alright, not that bad - because hey, energy hardpoints. Why does the cbill bonus varient have to be the most useless mech in the entire game?

This mech needs something, and right now.

20 dollars well spent...

I've been out damaging and getting better match scores in all my panthers than most assault pilots I end up with, one match I out damaged the combined damage output of two direwolf pilots.

sorry but your argument is invalid

[Mirumoto Izanami]

Myke Pantera, on 02 March 2015 - 08:16 AM, said:

The PNT-9R is the one where i'm having troubles to find a good use for... I'm certainly not going to brawl with this squishy little mech.

Run 2 LPLs. Range and cooldown modules. Great midrange skirmisher.

[Darlith]

Mirumoto Izanami, on 02 March 2015 - 08:26 AM, said:

Run 2 LPLs. Range and cooldown modules. Great midrange skirmisher.

I second this, running it as a miniwubverine seems to work great on the 9R

[AlmightyAeng]

Cathy, on 02 March 2015 - 08:25 AM, said:

I've been out damaging and getting better match scores in all my panthers than most assault pilots I end up with, one match I out damaged the combined damage output of two direwolf pilots.

But...I've seen some TERRIBLE Direwolf pilots. In some matches, your statements only means you did at least 130 damage

[C E Dwyer]

Ghost Badger, on 02 March 2015 - 08:32 AM, said:

But...I've seen some TERRIBLE Direwolf pilots. In some matches, your statements only means you did at least 130 damage

I know RIGHT !
but it doesn't make the DW a bad mech and the Panther isn't either

Edited by Cathy, 02 March 2015 - 08:48 AM.

[MeiSooHaityu]

Mirumoto Izanami, on 02 March 2015 - 08:26 AM, said:

Run 2 LPLs. Range and cooldown modules. Great midrange skirmisher.

If you could want a bit of room for missiles (incase you lose your arm), I like the 9R with 1LPLaser, 3 MLasers, and an SRM4 with an XL245.

Just a load out I like.

[C E Dwyer]

Greenjulius, on 01 March 2015 - 11:25 PM, said:

I like piloting lights, mediums, heavies and a few assaults.

That said, I don't understand Panthers, at all. Only two locations where weapons can be contained, the arm or the CT. Take the arm off, and all that is left is a puny SRM. This mech is much worse than people are making it sound. You're better off running a firestarter with a XL255 and with more hardpoint choices than the panther. Or run a Jenner and get the exact same hardpoint numbers, only with more options. Or Ravens. All of the above have higher engine caps, more hard points, and potentially higher mounted weapons. Many even have better quirks than any one of the Panthers.

The Panther's place seems like it's supposed to be a jumpy PPC light. It doesn't do that well at all given current quirks. People are simply skipping the ER/PPCs and going to normal laser boating. It's a mech without an identity.

I have to say I got a bit frustrated with it, and went laser for a day or two, but it is a sniper mech, but it can brawl a little to its a better ppc boat than the adder or the articfox, as its smaller

[Myke Pantera]

Mirumoto Izanami, on 02 March 2015 - 08:26 AM, said:

Run 2 LPLs. Range and cooldown modules. Great midrange skirmisher.

Being a fan of LPL's I will definitely try this out.

[CDLord HHGD]

I LOVE my PNT-10K. 1x ERPPC + 1 NARC, great little bugger. She can take a beating too.

Soooooooooooooo.......

Maybe Panther's just aren't YOUR thing, but they are certainly not junk.

[Satan n stuff]

Greenjulius, on 02 March 2015 - 07:09 AM, said:

I still haven't heard anyone talk about how this thing is firestarter bait. Any time I ran a firestarter over the weekend and encountered a Panther, I thought to myself, "Free kill." I fear SPL locusts far more than these things.

Any time I ran the Panther, every Firestarter on the enemy team (usually 3, because FS9 OP) would run me down as soon as I was spotted by them. The only way I can get away is by either finding a tall structure to jump onto, or hoping my team is competent enough to fend off the FS9 spam.

I suppose that brings me to my next point... Nerf the damn firestarter. I have 4 of them, so I'm a fairly neutral observer here. The FS9 outclasses every single light in this game, and in too many categories.

I've had a few Firestarters come at me while grinding my Panthers, they usually ended up regretting it immediately.
It's just hilarious how quickly they go down against someone who can actually hit their sidetorsos reliably. Suddenly those "OP" hitboxes let you survive only half as long as any other 35 ton light.

[stjobe]

I just dispatched a Firestarter in my PNT-9R... Got an earful about being a "cheater"

[Greenjulius]

Satan n stuff, on 02 March 2015 - 02:12 PM, said:

I've had a few Firestarters come at me while grinding my Panthers, they usually ended up regretting it immediately.
It's just hilarious how quickly they go down against someone who can actually hit their sidetorsos reliably. Suddenly those "OP" hitboxes let you survive only half as long as any other 35 ton light.

I didn't have much trouble wiping out any of the dozen or so Panthers I ran into over the weekend. If an Panther runs into a Firestarter and can't get back to the group fast enough, it's simply going to die to the Firestarter, as long as the FS9 pilot isn't terrible.

Any time I run into another light that ISN'T a firestarter while I'm in a Firestarter, I know I'll win 90% of the time. Amusingly, the only mech other than the Firestarter that I sometimes have trouble killing is the Locusts. Truly horrific hitreg on 170kph locusts has made the 6SPL Locust-1E a truly deadly mech.

That said, I'm glad the Adder Up event is over so I can finally take my Panthers out. I'm sure my opinion won't change much... It's never going to be a great mech, but better quirks can make it a good PPC platform. For now, it just runs too hot with 2xERPPC.

[sneeking]

Fs9 tend to regret messing with my huginn...

[ShinVector]

Bishop Steiner, on 02 March 2015 - 07:35 AM, said:

Great work...but hate to sound deprecating.... had they been an aggressive team? When you were in c3 sniping I woul dhave totally flanked you in b3 for some HBK love. I think that is my knock on the PNT.... it's a good mech for standoff fights, but not so good, IMO, for fast aggressive fights.

Still, 8 kills is a good days work, period, nicely done!

That is the world of solo pug..
They had the numbers advantage but failed to work a team.
They did try to push as you can see but it wasn't coordinated and the few that did got dakked for their trouble.

Meanwhile the last two assaults in my team were life savers, had a fun time baiting enemy mechs into them. LOL.
VoIP + Team Work OP.

sneeking, on 02 March 2015 - 04:01 PM, said:

Fs9 tend to regret messing with my huginn...

With bad hit reg.. Yeah lasers tend to lose at this point of time.

Edited by ShinVector, 02 March 2015 - 04:55 PM.