10 replies to this topic

[Shadewolfe]

So i really love the aesthetics of the Shadowhawk but i havent gotten a decent build out of any of them, so im looking for suggestions. I current have the Gray Death and the one that can mount 3x ac2s. Any and all help will be appreciated ^^

[TercieI]

Try the 2D2 with AC/10 and 4xSRM4. Nice brawler or 2K with triple ERLL/LPL.

My deepest sympathies on the Gray Death. It's one of the worst SHDs and its best build (20&4ML) is exceptionally difficult to level in the current environment.

[Shadewolfe]

Could you possibly post smurfy links for those? I dont mind the GD being difficult, i bought it for the lore behind it honestly. Dumb reason to buy a mech, I know, but still

[TercieI]

Shadewolfe, on 28 March 2016 - 11:28 AM, said:

Could you possibly post smurfy links for those? I dont mind the GD being difficult, i bought it for the lore behind it honestly. Dumb reason to buy a mech, I know, but still

I bought it because I had a wild hair. Much worse reason than yours.

This is how my 2D2 is built. Engine and JJ count can slide up and down a little bit, as can ammo (1.5 tons of AC/10 is usually enough, really, especially for a brawler.

I don't have my 2K set up right now, but for PUGging, I'd do something like this. Again, engine and JJ can go up and down. GMan has it built with a STD, but that seems overly conservative for a PUG mech to me.

ASRM18 and 3ML is another fun 2K build. It's the most different of the variants, with 3E in the "ballistic" shoulder and well worth playing just for that, IMO.

Edited by TercieI, 28 March 2016 - 02:13 PM.

[Tordin]

I think all variants are great. But except ballistics they are more like "jack of all trades" than specialists. Well they are mostly ballistics/ long range, (semi brawlers) specialists.

Though I found the 2d2 is great for a jumping srm brawler. The 2k is excellent 3 er/large laser sniper. The 2m can be a decent double ac 5 plus lasers as backup (one ultra ac 5 aint worth the jam chance even with quirks for it). The gray death is great IMO, though it need an xl which supplements the shadow hawks good hitboxes. So (IMO) side torso loss aint that common. The GD have a solid build in 4 ml + ac 10. Seriously, just try it out and work from there.

The 2d is my experimental, go nuts variant since its more basic than the others and as I see it an "downgrade" of the 2d2. A spare variant I just toy around in while not changing much on the others (I do have all variants, except the non champion version)
The quirks overall are okay, but I rather get accustomed to as little quirk crutches as possible than rely on them.

I heard the Shadow Hawk were once king of the medium class once, I say it still is!

[SirSoggyDog]

My oddity of a brother cooked up this abomination of a mech SHD-2H. No idea how it works, as he's yet to build it, but don't just sneeze away a Gauss rifle every one and a quarter seconds.

Or you could do the UAC UAC SHD-5M.

Or it's slightly removed cousin: SHD-5M

Edited by SirSoggyDog, 31 March 2016 - 06:26 PM.

[PeeWrinkle]

I haven't run my Shadowhawks in a while, but really enjoyed them when I did! I don't think they are the top medium at this point, but when they first came out they were the cream of the crop. Below are the builds I found the most fun to play for each of the chassis. Some are a bit unconventional, but all performed very well.

2H: Both 2H builds I used focus around spread damage and high DPS. Both run very cool. Just rock an enemy while they are distraced and they will perform well.
Buzzard: Just annoying to enemies and more effective than you would think
SplatHawk: Just a blast to play, and with the increase in AC10 ammo per ton, I might drop a ton of ammo and put in an AC10 instead of the LBX10 (which has never been a great weapon, but did work well on this build).

5M: I actually never liked the standard 2AC5/2UAC5 builds much when I played it. I imagine with the UAC5 quirks now though that build could be pretty devastating. But since I was unconventional here were the builds I used with success.
AC10 Build
LPL Build
I'll admit while I had fun with those two with the UAC5 quirks, this is probably the best best build: 2xUAC5

2D and 2D2: I Played both of these almost identically. I like the 2D more, but both did very well.
2D
2D2
If I were leveling this chassis today I might try something like this, but have no idea how it would do as it is the least heat efficient SH build I have theorized, but I have other builds with similar weapons that rock.

2K: This was an awesome mech. It became my favorite once it released and I played it so many ways. 3LPL, 3ERLL, 3ASRM6 with medium lasers, PPCs. It all works, but I found heat management the key because it is easy to overheat with this mech.
Skirmisher: A bit hot, but very deadly.
Long Range: Watch your alpha, works better with PPCs for heat management.
LPLs: Probably my favorite 2K build as it was the most heat efficient, and I would stay at medium range. With all close range weapons in todays game you have to be very good at using cover to get close.

I don't have the Grey Death, so I can't give any input there.

One thing about the Shadowhawks is that they can be played many different ways so if you have something that isn't working for you just throw some other weapons on it and see what happens.

[mogs01gt]

TercieI, on 28 March 2016 - 11:20 AM, said:

Try the 2D2 with AC/10 and 4xSRM4. Nice brawler or 2K with triple ERLL/LPL.

My deepest sympathies on the Gray Death. It's one of the worst SHDs and its best build (20&4ML) is exceptionally difficult to level in the current environment.

BS! The GD is the best Shawk and I've had them all.

On the GD, run a ac10, 4 MLs with a big engine. If you're running a GD with a ac20, you're fool. Its slow and too big with STD.

GRAY DEATH with jj's
GRAY DEATH no jj's

Edited by mogs01gt, 06 April 2016 - 10:10 AM.

[Leone]

SHD-Dual Uac 5s, beats out triple ac2s any day.

~Leone.

[ExplodedZombie]

Shadewolfe, on 28 March 2016 - 11:15 AM, said:

So i really love the aesthetics of the Shadowhawk but i havent gotten a decent build out of any of them, so im looking for suggestions. I current have the Gray Death and the one that can mount 3x ac2s. Any and all help will be appreciated ^^

I absolutely love the Gray Death with 4 ML, 1 AC10, 2 SRM2s. It's good pinpoint with srm backup when brawling. Of course, you have to bring XL but that much firepower in an IS medium is pretty solid for a flanker, skirmisher.

And don't listen to the GD-haters. If you are good with mediums, you can make this thing into a murder machine.

Edited by ExplodedZombie, 06 April 2016 - 09:15 PM.

[N a p e s]

PeeWrinkle, on 04 April 2016 - 06:16 AM, said:

LPLs: Probably my favorite 2K build as it was the most heat efficient, and I would stay at medium range. With all close range weapons in todays game you have to be very good at using cover to get close.

I just started playing this mech with a very similar build and I love it.

Just thought you should know you can increase the amount of armor on the build if you equip FF armor. Plenty of slots left for that.
SHD-2K LPL