40 replies to this topic

[KodiakGW]

The 8 locked JJ, when only 4 are needed for most situations, is what kept me from buying. If they decided to have even 1/2 of them unlocked, I would have purchased. 2 ERLL for sniping, and 4 ERSL for backup would have been fun. I can't do all short range because almost every solo PUG drop I get put on the "huddle in one place and snipe" team. And, I won't take it into group play until they are leveled.

Also, I've been able to rip arms and torsos off them with little effort.

As they are currently, they hold no value to me over my Cicadas. Which, BTW, buried all variants of the Viper for scores in the recent Medium Mech Challenge. I'll take another look after the August patch to see if they gave them some decent quirks.

[Quicksilver Aberration]

Foxwalker, on 03 August 2016 - 08:25 AM, said:

You are right 5x is a bit much, but the Viper is a bit new, I am thinking that many players have not had a chance with it or the PXH yet. Let's see how well they do once they are out for CBills.

No, the PHX really is just that bad, same with the Viper, some of the best players tried to put up numbers for the Viper leaderboard and even the highest was meh compared to the medium leaderboard prior.

[Chuck Jager]

Navid A1, on 14 April 2016 - 03:42 PM, said:

I love the Viper (been bugging Russ for it over the last 6 months)


And I HATE the pricing on the collector's pack. 10$ extra would have been far more reasonable.

I want it so bad... but I don't buy packs without a special variant. Viper pack for me is a slap in the face in many ways.
Right now, with the collector's pack you get a (S) variant which invalidates one of your standard pack mechs (Prime), plus a reskin and 2 more IDENTICAL cockpit items... that is just ridiculous.

Also, it is an omni mech. There is no different variants... there is just 1 custom variant... so you are paying so much money for 1 mech.

The marauder was worth it because that variant rocks and the extra xl engine is useable or saleable. I also did not have a ton of premium time and I used this mech on my alt account. The XLs and premium time with a really tough mech did pay for itself ASAP. I do not think any other packages are as good.

[Angel of Annihilation]

Originally I wasn't going to even consider the Viper but I happened to be bored and had some extra money the day it was released so bought it and boy I am glad I did.

I honestly love this mech and it is 100% without a doubt my go to mech for whenever I feel like playing something with a light mech playstyle. Hell I jokingly call it a light mech because that is really what it is.

What I love about the Viper, at least in its current pre-nerfed format, is its agility and jump capability. With all the agility quirks it gets this thing turns, accelerates and decelerates on a dime plus is the one and only jump jet capable mech that actually feels like its jump jets are working properly. It is also just a touch larger than your run of the mill light mech while having more armor giving it a definite edge against enemy light mechs. It is a lovely light mech hunter.

Sure it has limited room for weapons but if you look at the Viper as primarily a light mech with the same roles of a light mech only with the slight edge of having a bit more armor than the typical light then it is an awesome and fun mech to play.

I do have to admit that I feel its only major flaw is the lack of ECM though I wouldn't trade the agility and jump capability for ECM capability because whether ECM would make it a better mech or not, it is just too much fun as is to risk a nerf in making it ECM capable.

[process]

It's a solid addition to the Clan light/medium lineup. It's supremely agile nearly to its detriment, but unlike the Ice Ferret and Shadow Cat, it has enough omnipods and hardpoints to give it viable, competitive loadouts.

[Andi Nagasia]

process, on 03 August 2016 - 01:33 PM, said:

It's a solid addition to the Clan light/medium lineup. It's supremely agile nearly to its detriment, but unlike the Ice Ferret and Shadow Cat, it has enough omnipods and hardpoints to give it viable, competitive loadouts.

Sadly their is not much of a reason to take it over a ACH,
a VPR has 60Hp(20 + 40) each ST(Hp = Internal Structure + Armor)
a ACH has 49Hp(14 + 28 + 7) each ST(Hp = Internal Structure + Armor + Quirks)
thats only 11Hp More for a mech thats actually 35% larger than a ACH,

Edit-
Also i did the Vipers HitBoxes if anyone hasnt seen them yet,

Edited by Andi Nagasia, 03 August 2016 - 01:54 PM.

[Quicksilver Aberration]

Andi Nagasia, on 03 August 2016 - 01:52 PM, said:

Sadly their is not much of a reason to take it over a ACH,
a VPR has 60Hp(20 + 40) each ST(Hp = Internal Structure + Armor)
a ACH has 49Hp(14 + 28 + 7) each ST(Hp = Internal Structure + Armor + Quirks)

You only get the bonus structure if you are using the worthless pods, so it gets 18 HP over the Cheetah, not that it helps considering the size difference, just saying.

Edited by Quicksilver Kalasa, 03 August 2016 - 02:00 PM.

[chucklesMuch]

I like the viper:
JJ's, agility and decently fast speed make it fun to pilot.
Its in no way OP. So unless somebody thinks you are a nova you are a lower priority target.
Being able to have 4 energy hard points in the torso is great as arms come off pretty easily.

Currently I run three different builds (The A is the only variant which has its set of 8 omni's and associated quirks):
VPR-A: 4/5 cERML
VPR-B: 7xcERSL (will run 8xcERSL once the c variant omni's are available for cBills) - I doubt that I would manage heat of 10/11 well enough to warrant getting the medusa.
VPR-P: 6xcSPL.

.......But since it has been released we have had a lot of lights and medium mechs in most drops... so it might not be so much fun once heavies hit 40%+ again...

[Dfeeds]

The viper definitely needs an adjusted mindset to run. It's unfortunate that the good mobility quirks are only tied the mediocre prime and the medusa as I find they're practically a necessity to do good in this mech.

I currently run my prime with 3 mpl, 2 MGs, and 2 DHS (stock side torso omni pods for mobility) and have been able to do quite well in it. I've typically been able to do over 400 damage a game, sometimes over 600 with the minimal firepower. The trick is to play it like you would a locust BEFORE the rescale. My locust runs with a 24 alpha, minus the machine guns. The viper feels just as responsive as the locust with the same alpha at much greater range, and two machine guns just for the lulz (they have actually come in handy). Then there's the added bonus of crazy jump jets to jump over heads and get solid back shots in. Something that I just never seemed to be able to do in my cheetah.

It's also my go to mech for the time being. I have the most fun piloting this than anything else at the moment.

[SpiralFace]

The mobility attributes seem to be tied to the torso's then any particular variant. (with the exception of the C.)

The more you migrate to the arms, the more nimble the mech becomes. But the more you migrate to the arms, the more susceptible to getting your weapons sheered off due to the mech being made of paper you open yourself up to.

The Medusa embodies this as the mobility AND the offensive punch is nice and all, but it comes at the cost of VERY venerable arm locations. The Prime also has a similar issue with its torso locations only realistically being able to mount MG's given the free weight on the mech.

[Angel of Annihilation]

chucklesMuch, on 03 August 2016 - 04:10 PM, said:

I like the viper:
JJ's, agility and decently fast speed make it fun to pilot.
Its in no way OP. So unless somebody thinks you are a nova you are a lower priority target.
Being able to have 4 energy hard points in the torso is great as arms come off pretty easily.

Currently I run three different builds (The A is the only variant which has its set of 8 omni's and associated quirks):
VPR-A: 4/5 cERML
VPR-B: 7xcERSL (will run 8xcERSL once the c variant omni's are available for cBills) - I doubt that I would manage heat of 10/11 well enough to warrant getting the medusa.
VPR-P: 6xcSPL.

.......But since it has been released we have had a lot of lights and medium mechs in most drops... so it might not be so much fun once heavies hit 40%+ again...

You hit the nail on the head with your second sentence. The Viper is insanely fun to pilot. No other mech quite has the agility and jump capability that the Viper does and that right there is why you would take it over an Arctic Cheetah. I mean the Cheetah is absolutely a good much but the Cheetah is absolutely lacking in responsiveness when it comes to jumping and movement controls. In fact if not for the ECM, I think it would actually be a mediocre light at best. The Viper on the other hand can damn near fly with it jump jets and can instantly accelerate/decelerate and turn. if you are good at the twitch game, a Viper is going to excel in your hands.

As far as your builds, I will say 8 ER SLs is about the max and that is a hot build though I do offset the heat by running 2 MGs on my Medusa, that I can keep firing when my mech starts to get toasty. I could sub the MGs out some extra DHS though. One thing I will say is that those 8 ER SLs are a sweet 40 point alpha and with the mobility this mech displays even without the full quirks since I swaped out both of the Medusa's torsos, will often allow you to jump or dart in, drop 40 points into the enemies back or CT, kill them and escape before he or his friends can react.

Dfeeds, on 03 August 2016 - 06:10 PM, said:

The viper definitely needs an adjusted mindset to run. It's unfortunate that the good mobility quirks are only tied the mediocre prime and the medusa as I find they're practically a necessity to do good in this mech.

I currently run my prime with 3 mpl, 2 MGs, and 2 DHS (stock side torso omni pods for mobility) and have been able to do quite well in it. I've typically been able to do over 400 damage a game, sometimes over 600 with the minimal firepower. The trick is to play it like you would a locust BEFORE the rescale. My locust runs with a 24 alpha, minus the machine guns. The viper feels just as responsive as the locust with the same alpha at much greater range, and two machine guns just for the lulz (they have actually come in handy). Then there's the added bonus of crazy jump jets to jump over heads and get solid back shots in. Something that I just never seemed to be able to do in my cheetah.

It's also my go to mech for the time being. I have the most fun piloting this than anything else at the moment.

I agree with most of what you said, but I disagree that you need the full agility quirks to do well in this mech. Most of my builds have swapped out the torso's so I ended up losing the extra agility quirks yet I don't have any issues with the agility displayed by the Viper. Even without the full quirks, I find that the Viper is one of the most agile mechs in the game and nothing can beat its jump capability. However if you don't have the skills required to take full advantage of its jump capability, I can see how some could find this mech lackluster. Obviously you don't have that issue though hehe.

[Jack Spade Ward]

This mech is not worthwhile... its a fun mech, but for its weight compared to the other 40t in the game, its pretty bad...

This mech needs quirks urgently, specially in the legs...

[Natred]

Sad to say but any mech that you play and you feel like you need radar deprivation to be effective on is sad. Especially when you do not have it..

[MechWarrior5152251]

Wasted 1875 MC on the Medusa. It is basically a Mist Lynx without ECM.

[Mcgral18]

MechWarrior5152251, on 21 December 2016 - 07:50 PM, said:

Wasted 1875 MC on the Medusa. It is basically a Mist Lynx without ECM.

With 3x the firepower


It's a perfectly adequate robot

[Y E O N N E]

Mcgral18, on 21 December 2016 - 08:26 PM, said:

With 3x the firepower


It's a perfectly adequate robot

Only 60% more.

[Mcgral18]

Yeonne Greene, on 21 December 2016 - 08:45 PM, said:

Only 60% more.

Depending on your loadout


But you know mine, so I guess you're right

[Gas Guzzler]

If you guys haven't already, take the -C variant, and without changing any omnipods run 4 MGs and 5 cSPLs. A lot of DPS.

[Quicksilver Aberration]

Gas Guzzler, on 21 December 2016 - 09:07 PM, said:

If you guys haven't already, take the -C variant, and without changing any omnipods run 4 MGs and 5 cSPLs. A lot of DPS.

I may give that build a go around with the buff to MGs, though I still would prefer it if the SPLs and MGs traded places given its penchant for losing arms.

Edited by Quicksilver Kalasa, 21 December 2016 - 10:03 PM.

[Curccu]

MechWarrior5152251, on 21 December 2016 - 07:50 PM, said:

Wasted 1875 MC on the Medusa. It is basically a Mist Lynx without ECM.

Yep like BLR-2C is basically a CTF-0XP without ECM.

Edited by Curccu, 22 December 2016 - 12:14 AM.