54 replies to this topic

[LegendaryArticuno]

As a brawler mech chasis it has less structure quirks than all the newer heavy mechs which are geared for long range - i.e. Marauder, Warhammer, and Rifleman. The hero variant Top Dawg will be receiving a -15% range nerf with zero buffs to compensate.

PGI please keep keep the Thunderbolt relevant. Give it some CT structure.

[Juodas Varnas]

Thunderbolts are also pretty oversized compared to other 65 tonners (and some heavier mechs).

But i don't feel that ALL thunderbolts need to be buffed. Maybe the 5S, but others? Not really.

Edited by Juodas Varnas, 13 February 2016 - 09:03 AM.

[Monkey Lover]

Russ said(tweet) basically no to the top dog last week because it still has armor quirks.....


@russ_bullock Quick ?: What is going to happen to the Top Dog Thunderbolt? It is mainly a mech with it's only weapon quirk being E. Range
7:57pm - 1 Feb 16

Russ reply
@ANevers it has lots more structure than the others - with the others losing range it might become better among TDR

Edited by Monkey Lover, 13 February 2016 - 09:09 AM.

[Ultimax]

Sorry Thunderbolts are no longer going to get good quirks, because most people have now bought them.


Welcome to sales driven balance decisions.

[Alistair Winter]

Still one of the most popular IS Heavies in the game. What about the Cataphract? Or the Catapult? Or the Dragon?

Thunderbolt is not on the top of my list, really. But I guess it will get buffed anyway because the big CW units will now say they need something better to compete with the un-nerfed Clan mechs.

[TexAce]

Thunderblitz really doesn't need any buffs. The cataphract is so much worse than the TDR it would need to be buffed way before the TDR.

[Agent1190]

This is a joke thread, right? You are complaining that the Thunderbolt - maybe the most common IS mech in CW - needs some buffs to make it playable? Are you high? You do realize the dial-back on the quirks was because the quirks were a bit excessive, not because they decided to go in a different direction.

Edited by Agent1190, 13 February 2016 - 11:06 AM.

[ScarecrowES]

Unsure if this is a serious topic. Should I be angry or laughing?

[El Bandito]

The 5SS might weather this storm just fine, but I have no doubt the Top Dog will be nerfed to noticeable degree with this change. IMO, Marauders and Jagers are more useful than Thunderbolts in CW, more so after this patch.

Edited by El Bandito, 13 February 2016 - 11:31 AM.

[Joey Tankblaster]

Yep true. With the energy range coming in the 5SS once more loses range. Thunderbolt as the mainstay of IS resistance is almost dead.

[LordKnightFandragon]

WHy not ust find a mech you like, build on it and learn it? Why always chase the meta?

[El Bandito]

LordKnightFandragon, on 13 February 2016 - 12:12 PM, said:

WHy not ust find a mech you like, build on it and learn it? Why always chase the meta?

Some players genuinely like piloting the Thunderbolts. It is understandable that they do not want the 25% energy range quirk to be flat out removed without any compensation (PGI really should have snuck in minor ML quirks in return). Not like Top Dog was considered T1 in the first place. Meanwhile, the Jager-DD, which is definitely a T1 IS Heavy, is completely unaffected by this global range nerf.

Edited by El Bandito, 13 February 2016 - 12:21 PM.

[-Vompo-]

Thunderbolts are fine after the tweaks. It would be good for the game if we might see some other IS heavies in cw too.

[El Bandito]

VompoVompatti, on 13 February 2016 - 12:18 PM, said:

Thunderbolts are fine after the tweaks. It would be good for the game if we might see some other IS heavies in cw too.

It might go the other way, since there will be far less Quickdraws and Thunderbolts after the change. I think that except for the new unseen mechs such as the Warhammer and the Rifleman, the Marauders and Jagers will overwhelmingly dominate the Heavy class in CW. BRB, buying a second Jager-DD.

Edited by El Bandito, 13 February 2016 - 01:30 PM.

[Ace Selin]

VompoVompatti, on 13 February 2016 - 12:18 PM, said:

Thunderbolts are fine after the tweaks. It would be good for the game if we might see some other IS heavies in cw too.

Except Thunderbolts are not the mainstay of CW at all any more. Grasshoppers, Black Knights, Marauders are much more prevalent in CW than Tbolts these days. Shows just how far the Tbolt has fallen.

[Monkey Lover]

LordKnightFandragon, on 13 February 2016 - 12:12 PM, said:

WHy not ust find a mech you like, build on it and learn it? Why always chase the meta?

Because we can't always count on other players to carry us.

[-Vompo-]

I guess it depends on who you play with. From what I've seen there are plenty of tbolts still out there fighting and they are doing good. Even with less range they are still fine heavy mechs.

[Duke Nedo]

Agent1190, on 13 February 2016 - 11:05 AM, said:

This is a joke thread, right? You are complaining that the Thunderbolt - maybe the most common IS mech in CW - needs some buffs to make it playable? Are you high? You do realize the dial-back on the quirks was because the quirks were a bit excessive, not because they decided to go in a different direction.

Well, Timber and Crows got double buffs so everything is possible... (removed debuffs + buffed TC1) some may even say triple buffs (since 72 IS mechs lose range). I don't want to whine, but lots of IS mechs will get nerfed on tuesday without getting anything in return. Too much random knee jerks in mech/faction balance these days.

[KodiakGW]

Ultimax, on 13 February 2016 - 09:08 AM, said:

Sorry Thunderbolts are no longer going to get good quirks, because most people have now bought them.


Welcome to sales driven balance decisions.

They actually lost a sale. I was considering buying the Mastery pack even though I already own all them except the hero. Figured $26 was a decent deal for a hero with that range quirk, 30 days premium, two mech bays (when I sold my existing two), and whatever I got in CBills (for selling them and duplicate equipment). Plus the possibility of gifting them if I saw some things I was hoping they would do in the patch notes.

Now, nah...

[Deathlike]

Grasshopper+Black Knights fill your laservomit meta, with a side of DakkaJagers.

Thunderbolt was nice, and it's still nice, but it's not the thing anymore.

Welcome to MWO balance™.