31 replies to this topic

[Bjorn Stormseeker]

Hi all! I just started playing MWO the other night and I love it! I first started with MechWarrior games with MechWarrior 2 and the Ghost Bears expansion. I've permanently joined Ghost Bears faction as that is who I want to be with.

I just finished my Cadet training, and I've used just about all the trial mechs. I definitely like the clans best! I did notice they are pretty expensive c-Billwise, so I want to make sure my first mech is a good one! Of the Clan Mechs available, which is the most forgiving for a new player? Which is the best all around?

I can only do free to play as I am disabled and on a tight income, so I am limited to c-Bills only. I've 10.5m saved right now, and saving more wont be a problem (or will it?)

I'd really like the input of the community, I don't want to make a bad decision and waste the c-Bills I have. Thanks in advance!

[Davers]

Try Stormcrows first. One of the best mechs in the game, and not as expensive as Timberwolves.

[Bjorn Stormseeker]

Davers, on 23 March 2015 - 05:38 PM, said:

Try Stormcrows first. One of the best mechs in the game, and not as expensive as Timberwolves.

Should I start with Primes?

Is there any benefits to starting with a Medium instead of a Heavy?

[Davers]

Bjorn Stormseeker, on 23 March 2015 - 06:54 PM, said:

Should I start with Primes?

Is there any benefits to starting with a Medium instead of a Heavy?

Doesn't matter much what you start with, as you can switch the pods out without too much cost. I would recommend starting with Stormcrows as they are excellent mechs for their price. The faster you get out of trial mechs the more Cbills you will be able to earn through superior customization. I know it took me like 60 matches in trial mechs to get a Timberwolf. It was pretty painful.

[Righteousness]

I play almost exclusively clan mechs and I will agree, buy a stormcrow, I promise that you will not be let down with it. It is great for people learning how to pilot and it has more customization than pretty much any other mech. whatever your weapon system it will likely fit nicely on your stormcrow. Timberwolves are great too as are hellbringers. I would definitely pick from those 3 first, at the very least. Practice torso twisting while you are being shot, and shooting while you are moving. Stick with the team while you are new as a general rule. BUY A STORMCROW RIGHT NOW!!!!! I can not make it any simpler than that. Good luck. P.S. I can easily score 700+ dmg in a stormcrow, I know what I am talking abut.

[Thunder Child]

Stormcrows are the most forgiving of the Clan Mechs. But really, it all comes down to what you like the feel of. People say the Timberwolf is OP, but I've NEVER managed to make it work for me, yet I'll kick ass in a Nova or Warhawk.

Bottom line, try all of them in the Trial mechs first. You won't get a true feel for them, because (almost) NO mech is good Stock. But it WILL give you an idea of how they all operate. Of the current crop of Clan chassis, the Stormcrow is the most reliable.

One thing to be aware of, Clan Mechs are VERY highly priced, but that is because they come with most of the upgrades hard wired into them. Many Inner Sphere mechs will end up at a similar price point, by the time you get Double Heatsinks, Endo-Steel, and an XL Engine. Also, play around in http://mwo.smurfy-net.de/mechlab . It will let you know what you can and can't do with a mech, before you spend all your hard earned C-bills.

[B L O O D W I T C H]

well, stormcrow prime. because it's the most userfriendly variant and can be run stock (like fresh bought) and without basic skills.
get the basics up and play it as long was you want to, if you want to switch take the Stromcrow-C trail-'mech you'll get the XP for that variant which you can later use on it once you bought it.
your 2. goal should be either a radar deprivation module or the stormcrow-D.
your 3. goal should be the Stormcrow-C.

don't buy omni pods, you'll get them soon enough when you buy the different variants. i know you probably want to play arround but save your c-bills.

Stormcrows are the clans workhorses, you can build a (powerfull) dropdeck out of 4 stormcrows for CW (tho, you should at least bring a radar deprivation module for those you own), taking your 3 mastered 'mechs and the trail SCR-D.

55 ton nimble alpha monster, can't go wrong.

suggestions for your first Prime

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...a66be7a99c105ea

or maxed out meta laservomit monster (i'd say after you get the elite skills unlocked)

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...19a5be9f5807d0a
(last ton/slot is for a TAG/BAP/ML depends on your liking)

that said, welcome to MWO. and welcome to the clans!

PS: get that darn module, i know 6 Mil c-bills is a lot for new players, but it's worth every single c-bill.
PPS: don't worry about beeing a free 2 play player, PGI is very generous with free premium time, mechbays and even MC,

[Bjorn Stormseeker]

Went Stormcrow Prime. Thanks!

I've gone with the first build Loaded recommended. IT seems to work well, ITs going to take some time before I can buy another, let alone another clan chassis!

[TheLuc]

max it out before buying a new one, including modules otherwise you will be caught in a ever ending grinding cycle. I did that mistake and now im stuck to max out 20 mechs, at 3mill a piece for weapon modules it hurts bad.

[Thunder Child]

Another thing Bjorn.

You'll need to get three Variants of Stormcrow to unlock the Elite and Master Skills. Elites unlock once you have Finished the Basic Skills on three of the same Chassis. Masters unlock as long as you have three of the same Class (Light, Medium, Heavy, or Assault) Elited.

So, once you've unlocked all the basic skills, feel free to sell the two variants you don't like as much (or keep them, if you have enough bays). Trust me, the Mechs perform very differently once Mastered.

[NameNotAvailable]

Thunder Child, on 24 March 2015 - 08:32 PM, said:

Another thing Bjorn.

You'll need to get three Variants of Stormcrow to unlock the Elite and Master Skills. Elites unlock once you have Finished the Basic Skills on three of the same Chassis. Masters unlock as long as you have three of the same Class (Light, Medium, Heavy, or Assault) Elited.

So, once you've unlocked all the basic skills, feel free to sell the two variants you don't like as much (or keep them, if you have enough bays). Trust me, the Mechs perform very differently once Mastered.

I second this, Eliting a mech makes a HUGE difference. If you like a chassis at all, always plan to buy 3 of them, even if you sell 2 once you've completed basic'ing them.

Also, the stormcrow is an excellent first mech, and it doesn't matter which one of the 3 types you keep, as with omnipod swapping, they can all be configured for any build.

[Bjorn Stormseeker]

Thanks for the advice everyone!

I've been happy with the Stormcrow so far. I did buy the torso omnipods because I was getting frustrated losing most of my firepower to getting my arms shot off.... I've moved two of the lasers into the torsos, so now I still have 3 guns when I lose my arms.

Seemed like the smart thing to do, and its been worth the cost.

So I should buy the other two Stormcrow variants? hmmm that's going to be expensive lol! Is there a better way of farming c-Bills? lol!

[Scipio Winters]

Regarding leveling:
It is my understanding that you have to finish 3 basics of a mech chassis to unlock elite. Then you must also grind all elite skills for those 3 variants to open the path to master.
Once you have finished your first master skill you are flagged as "medium/heavy/etc master". After that you only need 3 times basics for a new mech in that weight class to open the path to elite and mastery. (Saves you elite skills on 2 variants)
Edit: The posts above are right, too. But since you start with the crow you need 3 variants anyway to unlock elite. So you should keep em to reach master. Imo

http://mwomercs.com/...er-useful-info/

Edited by Scipio Winters, 25 March 2015 - 12:39 PM.

[Elizander]

Once you fix it up you can do very well with just a stormcrow with basics so don't worry too much about being outgunned. The standard 50 damage laservomit build works okay even without elites as long as you don't overheat yourself too much firing the ERMLs and use the two ERLLs more.

[ManaValkyrie]

Bjorn, there is plenty of good advice here... some extra food for thought.

When I started playing, I basically bought my first Chassis, which back the was a Catapult.. I then ground away at the xp, cbills (This was before weapons modules so only had mech/consumables) until I already had enough xp to take my pult all the way to Master once the other catapult chassis were bought.

I then bought my second chassis and repeated, for the first several chassis/variants its probably worth doing it this way. It allows you to build up confidence in the chassis, build up a good solid xp/gxp bank and gets you into the mindset of working the chassis through the elite stages.

I now have somewhere in the region of over 70 chassis/variants (And I am the kind of person who weeds down variants that I don't enjoy) all fully weaponed, engined and all my CW chassis have the appropriate modules as well as a pile of spare modules for when I run mechs for fun.

[DONTOR]

TheLuc, on 23 March 2015 - 11:55 PM, said:

max it out before buying a new one, including modules otherwise you will be caught in a ever ending grinding cycle. I did that mistake and now im stuck to max out 20 mechs, at 3mill a piece for weapon modules it hurts bad.

Nah, I recomend just ignorng modules at first except maybe radar deprevation as you can use it in everymech and it basically cancels enemy incomng LRMs from locking onto you if you break line of sight for even a second. sadly its 15,000GXP and 6mil C bills

Hold off on Weapon modules until you have more mechs and know what weapons you really like, rather than wasting GXP and millions on weapon modules.

[Repasy Cooper]

Bjorn Stormseeker, on 23 March 2015 - 06:54 PM, said:

Should I start with Primes?

Is there any benefits to starting with a Medium instead of a Heavy?

Well, for the Stormcrow I would avoid purchasing Prime. If you complete this weekend's challenge, you can earn a free SCR-PRIME, so keep that in mind.

[DONTOR]

Repasy, on 27 March 2015 - 10:05 AM, said:

Well, for the Stormcrow I would avoid purchasing Prime. If you complete this weekend's challenge, you can earn a free SCR-PRIME, so keep that in mind.

Dang you ere too late he already bought it!
BUT
I recomend you play CW this weekend, get the free SCrow and sell it for a massive boost in C bills!.

[Metal Militia]

He will have an A variant also next time he decides to log in and look at his messages. Hint* Look at your messages, Mr. Bjorn!!!!!

[DONTOR]

^^That is too cool!! You sir are deserving of an immediate 5 star rating.