34 replies to this topic

[InvictusLee]

I've owned an operated an EBJ almost exclusively since I started playing this game a year and a half ago. I have every weapon and omni-pod, and even excessive numbers of fun weapons like PPCs.

I hate to say it, because i really love the platform, but the EBJ really really sucks at hit mitigation with any build that isnt entirely ballistics or missiles.
It's hit boxes really suck and it sucks at turning.

Light mech get close to you with a large laser and is running circles around you? say goodbye to your engine. You are done.

Want to fire two PPCS while you are launching a volley of missiles at a sniper on the ridge? Almost immediate heatstroke. Why the heck are clan ER PPC's so penalizing to use?

My most viable build with the mech currently is 2 Lrm 15's and 2 large lasers. The most damage I've done with this mech has been in a supporting fashion. I cant brawl with it. I cant kill light mechs easily without being blown up in quick order. I cant take it out for a nice evening romp through the snow before being shot in the back with one gauss round...

This mech is frustrating to play with. I like it's top end speed, as it is as fast as or faster than some light mechs, and ability to get onto targets fast, but turning in a circle cuts your mobility in half.

This mech really shines with 3 AC/5's and 4 Medium lasers because the large lasers or PPCs just throw off way too much heat. It can put down a ton of damage quickly in this format, but to use it effectively you have to get close without that slow assault mech spotting you and taking you out before you arrive. While It's armor isnt tissue paper, it's pretty damn close.

I bought an orion (More tonnage, better hitboxes, and quirks. heck those quirks were the dang selling point) so I can use it as a lurm boat and turn my precious ebj back into ballistics platform it's designed to be.

Yeah. The EBJ sucks at everything except what it was designed for, shooting other mechs in the back with an LB-X. I dont hate it. I'm just sick of getting run over by an atlas that one two hits my cockpit with it's large lasers (who the frack puts lasers on an atlas anyway?!)..

Anyway.

I really wish PGI put more thought into the Ebj and it's quirks or lack there of instead of saying they did and calling it a day. It's almost perfect, you know except for the part where you cant shoot twin ppcs more than once or that it's made of almost tissue paper(would that be actual paper?) and it's inability to turn to literally save its own life. Just a little more effort man, and she could be beautiful.

[Spheroid]

The Ebon is great, sounds like you have bad builds. It has both high mounts and the ability to fire from cover on either the right or left side. Damage does not need to be mitigated if it is outright avoided.

I suggest you strap some large pulse laser vomit on it and call it a day.

LRM30 is a waste of a heavy and ER PPCs are junk.

Edited by Spheroid, 04 August 2016 - 09:24 PM.

[Moldur]

2 LPL + 6 erML. One of my most successful mechs.

[Spheroid]

2x LPLAS, 3x mlas, 25 DHS, CAP, TC1

[Ace Selin]

Moldur, on 04 August 2016 - 09:47 PM, said:

2 LPL + 6 erML. One of my most successful mechs.

And if OP struggles with heat he can go for 2 LPL + 6 smalls.

[habu86]

Moldur, on 04 August 2016 - 09:47 PM, said:

2 LPL + 6 erML. One of my most successful mechs.

I used to run that. It's hot, but a 68-point pinpoint alpha out of a 65-ton mech? It covers a multitude of sins.

But yea, like others have stated, the EBJs best role is mid- and long-range direct fire. Ballistics (also try it with 2xUAC-10 and 4xSL) and laser/gaussvomit are the way to go. It can even make the old ERPPC/gauss metabuilds work, but that whole approach is just not in a good place right now.

[Captain Alt F4]

Hmm could be a PEBKAC issue

I run the following with no issues:

Gauss + 2 ERPPC, TC1
Gauss + 2 LPL, TC1
2 Gauss
UAC10, 5-6ERML
Gauss + 6 ERML (Lots of DHS!)
2 LPL, 6 ERML

The gauss gives you firepower without heat. Using ERPPC's with any other weapon system without good heat management is just asking for trouble. The 2 LPL/ERML build is very hot as well - heat management necessary.

Do not brawl with this mech, its not a good brawler, you will lose against just about anything else given equal pilot skill - but you have already found that out. Poke, shoot, move. Maintain range.

Edited by Captain Alt F4, 04 August 2016 - 11:56 PM.

[MrMasakari]

EBJ is a core mech for a lot of drop decks due to its ideal 65 tonnage and plethora of plain vomit meta builds that are viable on it, making it actually a very good mech ton for ton.

This mech is a long-range fire support mech, most clan mechs in this range are tbh both by canon and ingame, including the Mad dog (again another popular choice due to 60tonnes) and the Hellbringer which sports a little less weapons, but keeps speed and has ECM.

Clan mechs quite frankly, shouldn't really be on the front line below 70 tonnes as they are just outclassed by IS, not always but, the point is to maximise your huge speed advantage. Getting in close and flanking hard and fast with a close range brawler build may work, especially in pug games but in pre-made queues it is more likely to be splatted. The idea is to use its speed to keep range and its torso mounts make it plain excellent at counter peek-a-booing people who have to bring up half of their mech just to get their arms over a hill to shoot.

The mech in previous game titles has been meh in this close range regard, MW3/MW4 specifically, as it is just plain outclassed, a bushwacker tries to do virtually the same thing for 10 tonnes less.

Edit: http://www.sarna.net..._(Cauldron-Born) and again before you blame PGI, blame the whole battletech tabletop universe because that is just how they are. Whilst the stock loadout sucks it has an emphasis on long range.

If you want a fast close range brawler the Timberwolf-S sounds like the one to go for. If you aren't convinced, you should compare the EBJ with other mechs within 10 tonnes of this and see how massively it falls down in some aspects. Eventually you find the use for it, or eventually you will get destroyed by one of the meta EBJ and praise it.

Edited by Artaire, 05 August 2016 - 01:00 AM.

[SergalBait]

To put it bluntly..The mech is not the problem.
I believe you need more practice.

[Rayden Wolf]

Like others sad, this mech is great(my favorite Clan-Heavy). It can hillhump and cornerpoke very well. I typically play UAC10/5 Ermed + TC and much DHS or 2 UAC5 + 2 SRM4 + 5 ERsml.
Just try to stay covered.

[Tier5 Kerensky]

Quote

Want to fire two PPCS while you are launching a volley of missiles at a sniper on the ridge? Almost immediate heatstroke. Why the heck are clan ER PPC's so penalizing to use?

Are you familiar with ghost heat? It sounds like you are getting ghost heat from larger LRMs fired too many at same time.

Two (clan) ER-PPCs same time, are fine. Two 10 LRM, LRM15 or LRM20 same time, ok. Both PPCs and LRMs same time, pretty fine too.

But anything more, extra heat. For example one LRM 10+4xLRM 5 fired at same time =ridiculouts amount of extra ghost heat. The games gives a warning in mechbay, calling it "heat spike higher than usual".

Table for ghost heat.
http://mwo.smurfy-ne...eapon_heatscale

[mogs01gt]

EBJ do sort of suck in quick queue. They are stuck using boring *** laser builds and every time I was in mine, I wondered why am I not in my TBR or HBR.

Its great in FW due to its tonnage and the amount of hardpoints it has.

Edited by mogs01gt, 05 August 2016 - 07:38 AM.

[Appogee]

EBJ is a top-performing Mech in Quick Play.

High weapon mounts, low profile, plenty of speed.

Don't know what you're complaining about. EBJ is the Mech I turn to to achieve high damage in comps and challenges.

[zudukai]

i run 6xSPL and 2xUAC/10 for maximum **** you under 300m, but you might also like the UAC/20 + Uac/10 for 60 damage alpha strikes every 4 seconds at around 400m.

Maimuar
exercise self control on the small pulses by feeding your enemy UAC/10 and flushing coolant.
30Pwnder
double tap all day.

IMO it most certainly does not suck at life.

Edited by zudukai, 05 August 2016 - 08:37 AM.

[grendeldog]

I run three builds.

I run a standard symmetric laservomit build - 2 ERML in each arm and two LPLs, one in each side torso. You don't get the high double mount for hillhumping - if that's what you want go asymmetric and have 2 ERML in the left arm and 1 in each side torso, with the two LPLs in the left torso. But on the other hand you get a much lower profile without the 'ears' with weapons mostly at cockpit level. This gives more survivable hitboxes.

The other is a southpaw assymetric with 2 MPL in the left arm, 3 MPL in the left torso, and a UAC-10 in the right torso. Right arm full armor to shield

You can also go with double ASRM-6s and MPLs.

These builds are not the exact meta. But when I can rack up 800+ damage with the first two pugging - I'm not as good with SRMs as I would wish to be, especially with no velocity quirks - they must be good builds in my book!

[mogs01gt]

Appogee, on 05 August 2016 - 07:59 AM, said:

EBJ is a top-performing Mech in Quick Play.
High weapon mounts, low profile, plenty of speed.
Don't know what you're complaining about. EBJ is the Mech I turn to to achieve high damage in comps and challenges.

Because the TBR is better.

[Appogee]

mogs01gt, on 05 August 2016 - 11:09 AM, said:

Because the TBR is better more noob friendly.

FTFY.

[Steve Pryde]

It's a good mech that struggles a little bit from bad torso hitboxes. Would be nice when PGI redo the torso hitboxes a little bit but... it's PGI.

[mogs01gt]

Appogee, on 05 August 2016 - 11:14 AM, said:

FTFY.

********, TBR is a better mech as a whole. More versatile, better omnipods, tougher etc etc.

that noob comment is just comical.

[invernomuto]

If you complain for the Ebony Jaguar, try the Nova and cry...