Parapraxis192, on 18 April 2015 - 06:34 PM, said:
Hi everyone!
As the title says, I'm new to MWO, but I'm not new to the Mechwarrior games. I played Mechwarrior 2 a long, long time ago (in a galaxy far far away) when I was a kid, and more recently have played the Mechcommander games and have begun getting into the tabletop game as well, having bought the newest box set.
Anyhow, enough with that. I do have a few questions about the game that I figured I'd ask while I was fooling around on here. I'm currently about to start my "training" games.
1) I'm most interested in medium range and brawling type engagements. What is your personal favorite chassis for those ranges, and why? Feel free to give tips on loadouts and builds, too!
2) Is it worth saving up for a Clan chassis? The MWO rendition of the Timberwolf is gorgeous, so I've been thinking of saving up for one while I was looking at the game.
3) I was going over some videos on YouTube and happened across one of a Stalker with six PPC's. Is that... a normal thing to see?
4) Another question related to a YouTube video I found the other day. Are LRM's still as incredible powerful as what I saw in that video? It was rather old, but the games basically looked like one big game of rocket tag.
Other than that, I can't really think of anything else. Feel free to add me in game if you'd like. I'm planning on getting a headset soon (or at least, Blizzard Soon).
Your story is a common one around these parts, so know you're with kindred spirits here!
- For mid-range brawling I'm a big fan of lb-x, ultra ac, pulse lasers and streaks. My favourite IS build is the Atlas-D-DC, I throw a bunch of pulse lasers on that guy but I keep the AC-20 installed. For the Clans, I enjoy the Hellbringer B variant: I modify the loadout & omnipods to carry 1 LB20-X, 2x SRM6 + Artemis, 2x MPL, 3x ERSL, & ECM.
- Some people call the Clans OP while others call them nerfed, but the Clans are totally worth buying into for the aesthetics alone (imo). They are much more expensive though, so as a new player you may want to start with upgrading some IS chassis, or possibly limit yourself to Light & Medium-class Clan chassis. The TBR-A variant is currently all the rage, but you have to wait 'till June unless you don't mind purchasing w/ real cash in the Gift Shop.
- The 6x PPC Stalker is a relic, back before Ghost Heat was vamped up. The current Stalker trend is a laser build. I'm not familiar with the specifics as I've focused mainly on Clans for the last year (that's another thing about this game: it's hard to invest heavily both in IStech and Clan Omnitech unless you are a hardcore 5+ hours per day gamer and/or have a heavy wallet), but what I can tell you is that many Clanners are fearful/outraged by it, and that's saying something.
- The lrm arms race is also a thing of the past. Nowadays, most pilots look down on lrms with disdain. They aren't useless mind you, and in the right hands (heavy emphasis on right hands) they can be deadly. If you were simply just deterred by the lrm fiesta, however, know that now there's a fairly good mix of weaponry being played... in comparison to 'those days'... (shudder)
Guess that covers all your questions, but one more thing to add, the Community Warfare feature of this game is still in BETA. There's a really mixed rating on it among players, but you should still give it a shot. There's also a big event going on currently, so the gameplay right now does not accurately reflect what it has been. So don't let anybody deter you from it, just give it a try.

Cya on the battlefield!