45 replies to this topic

[Giving Em The Business]

Can someone suggest 2-3 good builds for the Summoner?
I have 3 of them and I haven't a clue where they fit into this game.
For the record I do not care if they are meta or considered good etc.
I paid for them when I bought the Dire Whale pack so I intend to figure out a way to be good in them.
Good bad or otherwise any suggestions are appreciated.
Also if you could briefly explain how the build you suggest should/could be played that would help greatly.
I am only going to use them in solo queue not CW and so far my builds seem way under powered for what I would face and so I haven't tested them out yet.

[Night Thastus]

I would directly link the smurfy builds, but that would take some time, and frankly, the summoner isn't worth that time.

Loadouts: (Always run max armor, except 6 less in each leg, so the tonnage evens out)

2x MPL OR 4x ER Medium + UAC 20 (4 tons ammo)
2x MPL OR 4x ER Medium + Gauss (3 tons ammo)
1x A-SRM-6, 1x UAC-10, 1x LPL (3 tons ammo for UAC, 1 ton for SRM)
1x A-LRM-15, 1x UAC-5, 1x LPL (2 tons for LRM, 2 for UAC)
2x UAC-2, 4x ER Medium (2 tons UAC ammo)

The most tonnage-efficient weapons in this game are LRM-5s (No artemis), ER Mediums, and UAC-5s.
Combine those in any combo and it's a winner. However, it has limited hardpoints, which means you'll need to ramp up to MPL's, larger AC's, or larger LRM's/SRM's, even if they are less efficeint.

Edited by Night Thastus, 01 September 2015 - 08:44 AM.

[Giving Em The Business]

Night Thastus, on 01 September 2015 - 08:42 AM, said:

I would directly link the smurfy builds, but that would take some time, and frankly, the summoner isn't worth that time.

Loadouts: (Always run max armor, except 6 less in each leg, so the tonnage evens out)

2x MPL OR 4x ER Medium + UAC 20 (4 tons ammo)
2x MPL OR 4x ER Medium + Gauss (3 tons ammo)
1x A-SRM-6, 1x UAC-10, 1x LPL (3 tons ammo for UAC, 1 ton for SRM)
1x A-LRM-15, 1x UAC-5, 1x LPL (2 tons for LRM, 2 for UAC)
2x UAC-2, 4x ER Medium (2 tons UAC ammo)

The most tonnage-efficient weapons in this game are LRM-5s (No artemis), ER Mediums, and UAC-5s.
Combine those in any combo and it's a winner. However, it has limited hardpoints, which means you'll need to ramp up to MPL's, larger AC's, or larger LRM's/SRM's, even if they are less efficeint.

Thank you I will try these and see how it pans out.
I agree about the hard points that's why I was having an issue.
It always seemed like I had not enough of anything on paper to be effective.

Edited by Giving Em The Business, 01 September 2015 - 08:55 AM.

[DERANGEDDM]

My go-to build is 2x erml, 2x spl (arms), uac/10, lrm-10, ams. Ammo to taste. Use it as a striker. Hop in, shoot 'em up, run away.

[Giving Em The Business]

DERANGEDDM, on 01 September 2015 - 09:43 AM, said:

My go-to build is 2x erml, 2x spl (arms), uac/10, lrm-10, ams. Ammo to taste. Use it as a striker. Hop in, shoot 'em up, run away.

Quick strat question about that..Do I have the speed to run away?
Testing in the testing grounds I feel mobility-wise like a giant bulky shoe box with weapons.
So I guess a better question would be at what range is engagement smart?

[luigi256]

I use a streak boat summoner. Other than that I also hear that the Guass and PPC build is popular.

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...ef77e87cca62de0

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...30d72d17b085862

[Rogue Jedi]

I had given up on the summoner until a member of my unit suggested I try this,
http://mwo.smurfy-ne...d6ad183f74b1cd2
yes it is an LRM boat, but it is not intended to engage from long range, it works best at 180-300m (although is still fairly effective at 130) with direct Line Of Sight, chain fire the ALRM5s and watch the target CT get stripped, with little damage wasted on other components.

I relay wish there was a way to add TAG to this but alas you would have to sacrifice 2 missile hardpoints for it, and that would really hurt the ROF.

if your enemy has AMS then you have 3 options, switch to another target, group fire the LRMs (not more than 3 LRMs to a group), or keep firing until he runs out of AMS ammo

It is true the Mad Dog can do this with 1 more LRM and a TAG, but it does not have JumpJets so the enemy are more likely to be able to break LOS.

that is literally the only fun and effective build I found for the Summoner, and would be almost completely useless if half the players took AMS

Edited by Rogue Jedi, 01 September 2015 - 01:21 PM.

[IraqiWalker]

Night Thastus, on 01 September 2015 - 08:42 AM, said:

I would directly link the smurfy builds, but that would take some time, and frankly, the summoner isn't worth that time.

Loadouts: (Always run max armor, except 6 less in each leg, so the tonnage evens out)

2x MPL OR 4x ER Medium + UAC 20 (4 tons ammo)
2x MPL OR 4x ER Medium + Gauss (3 tons ammo)
1x A-SRM-6, 1x UAC-10, 1x LPL (3 tons ammo for UAC, 1 ton for SRM)
1x A-LRM-15, 1x UAC-5, 1x LPL (2 tons for LRM, 2 for UAC)
2x UAC-2, 4x ER Medium (2 tons UAC ammo)

The most tonnage-efficient weapons in this game are LRM-5s (No artemis), ER Mediums, and UAC-5s.
Combine those in any combo and it's a winner. However, it has limited hardpoints, which means you'll need to ramp up to MPL's, larger AC's, or larger LRM's/SRM's, even if they are less efficeint.

Prime left arm (don't worry, we only need it for the quirks.

B Right Torso, and Which ever right arm had the 2 energy hardpoints. UAC 20 in the right B torso+2MPLs, max armor, and loadup the right arm with all the ammo you can pack. I love the build, and it has worked wonders for me.

[bad arcade kitty]

1 gauss 1 ppc
1 gauss 4 ml
2 uac-5 3 ml
5 ssrm-6

[JonahGrimm]

I love this topic.

The Summoner and the Shadow Cat share the same problem: they're fantastic chassis that have sacrificed mobility for too few, awkwardly placed hardpoints. And yet... I can't get out of my SHC-B, regularly putting up 500-600 damage games in a mech that most people call utterly subpar.

The Summoner and the SHC have the same potential - they're both maneuverable (relative to their size), jumpy, well-armored, and very responsive. The key to these mechs is the idea of building around one or two large weapons and using them effectively - you don't have the breadth of weapons, you can't 'laservomit' your way to an easy win, and you can't generally offer hardpoint diversity. Instead? You focus on one or two guns and eke every erg of utility from them.

Without eying quirks (you could probably do better):

Light Hunter/Mauler: SMN-PRIME

One Big Gun: SMN-D

... that's sort of the idea. The big gun is your primary weapon, and the rest are just extras. Bonuses. E.g. - the one big gun loadout? Go with ER smalls and take more ammo, or a bigger computer! The mauler? Lose the LRM and load up another streak!

Yes, they're one trick ponies - but that's the point. My SHC that does amazing things? Two C-S-SRM6es and an ERPPC with ECM. That's it. Looks like nothing on paper - but between MASC, jumpjets, big engine, large footspeed, good armor... it's a monster.

Same here! This is for one or two big guns. Make it count!

[Tesunie]

I have a few Thor... I mean Summoner builds I wouldn't mind sharing. I really like my Thor, and I've done well with them.

Thor C: Probably my best preforming Thor out of the ones I have (which is 4 of them). Does a bit of the laser spam, with a low heat UAC5 mixed in. The LRMs are for any indirect fire opportunities you may get, or as support for any range as needed (I use them as much for up close as far away, depending upon how they are needed.)

Thor D: Dual UAC5s in the chest provide a lot of high mounted firepower. This is backed by 4 CERMLs, which I use sparingly and only when the fight gets close up. (Don't forget to use those JJs!)

Thor B: I went all missiles for this mech. 3 ALRM10s, and 2 SRM4s. I took the Thor Prime Left side torso to decrease missile spread an additional 4%. My only problems, my SRMs seem to not hit like they should. (I believe I currently had to run this with SSRMs instead, due to solid hits not registering currently.)

Thor Prime: I basically just modified the Prime configuration only slightly. It preforms rather well surprisingly, just don't forget to jump and ambush people.

Edited by Tesunie, 01 September 2015 - 02:23 PM.

[Giving Em The Business]

Tesunie, on 01 September 2015 - 02:21 PM, said:

I have a few Thor... I mean Summoner builds I wouldn't mind sharing. I really like my Thor, and I've done well with them.

Thor C: Probably my best preforming Thor out of the ones I have (which is 4 of them). Does a bit of the laser spam, with a low heat UAC5 mixed in. The LRMs are for any indirect fire opportunities you may get, or as support for any range as needed (I use them as much for up close as far away, depending upon how they are needed.)

Thor D: Dual UAC5s in the chest provide a lot of high mounted firepower. This is backed by 4 CERMLs, which I use sparingly and only when the fight gets close up. (Don't forget to use those JJs!)

Thor B: I went all missiles for this mech. 3 ALRM10s, and 2 SRM4s. I took the Thor Prime Left side torso to decrease missile spread an additional 4%. My only problems, my SRMs seem to not hit like they should. (I believe I currently had to run this with SSRMs instead, due to solid hits not registering currently.)

Thor Prime: I basically just modified the Prime configuration only slightly. It preforms rather well surprisingly, just don't forget to jump and ambush people.

The original clan mechs have a C varient also????
I didn't know this I thought only the newer ones did.
Wait um assuming the center torso doesn't contain weapon hardpoints I would use I can just omnipod my way to a C varient in any clan mech yes. Minus CT of course?

[Giving Em The Business]

Rogue Jedi, on 01 September 2015 - 01:20 PM, said:

I had given up on the summoner until a member of my unit suggested I try this,
http://mwo.smurfy-ne...d6ad183f74b1cd2


I relay wish there was a way to add TAG to this but alas you would have to sacrifice 2 missile hardpoints for it, and that would really hurt the ROF.

If TAG didnt work both ways I would take the hit as it stands I am not a fan how it works.

[Giving Em The Business]

JonahGrimm, on 01 September 2015 - 02:05 PM, said:

I love this topic.

The Summoner and the Shadow Cat share the same problem: they're fantastic chassis that have sacrificed mobility for too few, awkwardly placed hardpoints. And yet... I can't get out of my SHC-B, regularly putting up 500-600 damage games in a mech that most people call utterly subpar.

The Summoner and the SHC have the same potential - they're both maneuverable (relative to their size), jumpy, well-armored, and very responsive. The key to these mechs is the idea of building around one or two large weapons and using them effectively - you don't have the breadth of weapons, you can't 'laservomit' your way to an easy win, and you can't generally offer hardpoint diversity. Instead? You focus on one or two guns and eke every erg of utility from them.

Without eying quirks (you could probably do better):

Light Hunter/Mauler: SMN-PRIME

One Big Gun: SMN-D

... that's sort of the idea. The big gun is your primary weapon, and the rest are just extras. Bonuses. E.g. - the one big gun loadout? Go with ER smalls and take more ammo, or a bigger computer! The mauler? Lose the LRM and load up another streak!

Yes, they're one trick ponies - but that's the point. My SHC that does amazing things? Two C-S-SRM6es and an ERPPC with ECM. That's it. Looks like nothing on paper - but between MASC, jumpjets, big engine, large footspeed, good armor... it's a monster.

Same here! This is for one or two big guns. Make it count!

I like this build but I was thinking about replacing the s-srm with srm+A because of all the ecm or is that not smart?
Reason is the one time I tried boated streaks there was so much ECM I only fired like twice the rest of the time I got the wrong answer buzzer every time I tried to shoot lol.

[bad arcade kitty]

Tesunie, on 01 September 2015 - 02:21 PM, said:

Thor D: Dual UAC5s in the chest provide a lot of high mounted firepower. This is backed by 4 CERMLs, which I use sparingly and only when the fight gets close up. (Don't forget to use those JJs!)

way too low ammo, i would play it like this http://mwo.smurfy-ne...fec3f636630948c

[JonahGrimm]

If you're streakboating you either a) need TAG (not an option with those hardpoints) or need an Active Probe. This mech's running the latter - look in the CT.

It won't help you if you get swarmed by cheetahs, no, but, it'll definitely work most of the time to counter a single encroaching ECM.

[bad arcade kitty]

JonahGrimm, on 01 September 2015 - 02:44 PM, said:

If you're streakboating you either a) need TAG (not an option with those hardpoints) or need an Active Probe.

not a choice
you need an active probe period

you may consider to pick a tag too, but you cannot run with tag only because tag doesn't work when you are jammed

[Giving Em The Business]

JonahGrimm, on 01 September 2015 - 02:44 PM, said:

If you're streakboating you either a) need TAG (not an option with those hardpoints) or need an Active Probe. This mech's running the latter - look in the CT.

It won't help you if you get swarmed by cheetahs, no, but, it'll definitely work most of the time to counter a single encroaching ECM.

That was the issue the enemy had about 4 of them and I pulled a Leroy Jenkins on contact thinking the streaks would tear a hole through their "light brigade".
Epic fail in 3D lol

Edited by Giving Em The Business, 01 September 2015 - 02:52 PM.

[DERANGEDDM]

Giving Em The Business, on 01 September 2015 - 10:17 AM, said:

Quick strat question about that..Do I have the speed to run away?
Testing in the testing grounds I feel mobility-wise like a giant bulky shoe box with weapons.
So I guess a better question would be at what range is engagement smart?

I am a brawler by nature, so 200m or less is my favoritr envelope. Use the LRMs for harrassment on the way in. Once elited, it is very agile for a heavy.

[Tesunie]

Giving Em The Business, on 01 September 2015 - 02:30 PM, said:

The original clan mechs have a C varient also????
I didn't know this I thought only the newer ones did.
Wait um assuming the center torso doesn't contain weapon hardpoints I would use I can just omnipod my way to a C varient in any clan mech yes. Minus CT of course?

You can change the Omnipods as much as you desired to create the combo of weapons right for you (within their hardpoints/per Omnipod of course). However, if you are going to make a C variant anyway, you might as well try (unless quirks) to go all C variant Omnipods (including CT). This unlocks some quirk bonuses for having a full set, as well as 10% extra experience gained.

Not sure what came out when. I just know I have a C variant now. I waited for them to come out for C-bills, so I never had whatever the package came with.

bad arcade kitty, on 01 September 2015 - 02:41 PM, said:

way too low ammo, i would play it like this http://mwo.smurfy-ne...fec3f636630948c

I find the ammo levels acceptable, at least for me. I rarely run out of ammo, and if I do it's usually been a good match and/or I still have 4 CERMLs to fall back onto.

Of course, to each their own. Your build may have less punch, but it would last longer with the extra ammo you've added in. Possibly a better design for CW?

Edited by Tesunie, 01 September 2015 - 03:06 PM.