51 replies to this topic

[Nerokar]

Hi pilots!

I like this game, so I invested some money to support PGI after two weeks of playtime. Now, after some events I have ~5k MC left. With the next week a Hero discount will hit. So i'm thinking about buying one. Unfortunately I have absolutly no Idea if there are any good heros (I'm playing clan only atm and have no exp at IS weapons and mechs).

Are there any Heros worth it (30% cbill bonus is nice for me)? Or buy TBR champ (TBR is my most played mech) for cbill-bonus if it is on discount? Or simply buy some Mechbays and save the rest for colors and paintings when they are on sale...

Thanks!

[epikt]

Pre-order aside, I personnally recommend to buy heros of mech you already tested and liked. No need to spend real money to realize this mech is not for you, especially if it's your first IS mech.

If I had to pick one best IS heros mech at the moment I'd pick the Black Widow, no hesitation.

Anyway, here are quick review of the IS heros (in bold, my personnal favs) :
- Pirate's bane (Locust) : the ECM gives it a nice twist, but still not as good as the 1E
- Death's knell (Commando) : well, it's a Commando
- Ananzy (Spider) : meh...
- Ember (Firestarter) : I can't say it's horribad but still, it' taking the dust in my garage
- Oxide (Jenner) : still good, even after the nerfs
- Huginn (raven) : buy an Oxide instead
- X5 (Cicada) : meh...
- Arrow (BlackJack) : if you think MGs are viable...
- Saint-Yves Blues (Vindicator) : a Vindicator, so no
- Kuroi-Kiri / Roc (Phoenix Hawks) : two of the weakest PHX variants
- Yen Lo-Wang (Centurion) : AC/20 baby! this mech is a timeless classic
- Grid Iron (Hunchback) : if you want to put a gauss in your Hunchy
- Loup de guerre (Trebuchet) : good SRM brawler
- Sparky (Griffin) : good laser-vomit
- Golden Boy (Kintaro) : meh... I suppose you can spam lurms
- Grey Death (Shadow Hawk) : I must admit I have no idea what this thing do
- Quarantine (Wolverine) : I must admit I have no idea what that thing do
- Fang / Flame (Dragon) : the stadard Dragon variants are much "better" (read "less worse")
- IV Four (Quickdraw) : good at double AC/10
- Legend Killer (Rifleman) : no idea, but it's pink
- Butterbee (Catapult) : nice mix between the C1 and C4
- Jester (Catapult) : pretty good laser-vomit, especially very long range
- Firebrand (Jagermech) : no real idea
- Top Dog (Thunderbolt) : tanky as ****, good firepower
- Tempest (Archer) : no idea
- Ilya Muromets (Cataphract) : pretty badass for a Cataphract, but it's a Cataphract
- Black Widow (Warhammer) : absolutely brutal
- Bounty Hunter II (Marauder) : good laser vomit
- Protector (Orion) : no idea
- Pretty Baby (Awesome) : I have some friends who like it, but I don't trust them
- Dragon Slayer (Victor) : if you plan to go back in 2013
- Hellslinger (Battlemaster) : so many other Battlemasters that kick butts...
- Misery (Stalker) : a Stalker with a Ballistic, you can't go wrong
- Sleipnir (Cyclop) : no idea
- Heavy Metal (Highlander) : if you plan to go back in 2013 (bis)
- La Malinche (Banshee) : no idea
- Boar's Head (Atlas) : if you like lazors and XL400

Fellow mechwarriors, feel free to amend this modest list.

Edited by epikt, 23 November 2016 - 03:11 AM.

[Nerokar]

Great list. Thanks!

[The Basilisk]

Are you aware that Clan Heromechs were released recently ?

But yea, there are a couple of decent (not good or competitive, mind you, but decent enough to pilot) IS Heromechs around.
My favorite is the Battlemaster Hero Hellslinger with 3LPLs and 3 ASRM6.
Other decent enough Heros may be the Sleipnir Cyclops Hero with dual Gauss and some lasers for the Assault branch or the Marauder and Warhammer Heros for the heavy branch. ( I personaly still love the Ilya Muromets...but well its a bit out of time and quite dificult to pilot effectively)
For the medium branch you might like the Sparky Griffin Hero mech with its incredible Laser arsenal or the Gray Death Shadowhawk Hero with its rapidfire AC10 + 3-4 MPLs.
Honorably mentions are the Yen Lo Wang and Goldenboy Heros...but leveling those chassis can be painfull.
For the light Branch....well....Pirates Bane Locust Hero and maybe the Oxide Jenner Hero.

[Trenchbird]

Huntsman Pakhet's not bad, but if you got one you're probably more into the hardpoints; Because you need to buy both Pakhet and the HMN-P in order to have the 8X MissileSlots.

The new StormCrow, Lacerator, is awesome when you give it an LB20X, as the spread is much tighter than normal; Likewise, the ER Laser quirks make it decent when you run it with stock pods.

The new Dire Wolf, Ultraviolet, has serious heat issues if you aren't careful. The UAC2 heat gen quirk is useful, but the quirks on it are extremely specific. Like the Pakhet, you may just want this for the podds. Unlike nearly everyone else, I just wanted it for the side torso energy hardpoints without forced jumpjets, but most people use it to run 8X Ultra or LB 2 Autocannons.

[Nerokar]

Clan Heros would be nice. But the 50% discount is for ingame purchase only. I thought they are only avaible for hard $$.

[BlueFlames]

epikt, on 23 November 2016 - 03:10 AM, said:

- Quarantine (Wolverine) : I must admit I have no idea what that thing do
- Sleipnir (Cyclop) : no idea

Fellow mechwarriors, feel free to amend this modest list.

The Quarantine is best built with either ASRM6s and MPLs with a standard engine and an ablative left side or ASRM6s and LPLs with a big XL engine so that it can sling more murder. The WVR-7K is actually capable of very similar builds to the Quarantine, so if you're looking for something unique, you can save your MC. On the other hand, if you've got a build that works well on the 7K, and you'd like the hero mech's C-bill bonus, then the WVR-Q is an option.

Sleipnir, at least before the (U)AC5 nerfs of this last patch was a fast dakka mech, capable of mounting 2AC5+2UAC5 and an XL380. Now, it might be best kept closer to stock, with dual Gauss, since the dakka build doesn't exactly have space or tonnage to spare for heat sinks. Honestly, this is probably one of the hardest-hit hero mechs from the last patch, despite the nerf bat not hitting it directly.

[Spheroid]

I recommend you save your MC for mechbays. Comeback Monday after they have posted the full list of sale mechs.

[Blind Baku]

I have the LCT-PB, good fun if you can LCT, and the RFL-LK.

Pirates Bane is kind of fun, but you loose a good chunk of your tonnage in just adding the ECM so the viable builds get limited or "Creative" (strip more armor than you should, lower the engine, and ECM/ERPPC, etc...). I actually prefer the non-hero LCTs.

I swear by the Legend Killer. I get that "LBX's are bad", but holy hell than mech can be a monster.
2LBX10s, 2MPLs (4SPLs are nice too, but I like having at least one set of weapons that reaches out since LBX's are only for knife fighting), and patience.

If you complete the event you get Grid Iron, so I'd advise get the free mech there.

I would advise find a hero that has a Chassis you like, more than just a hero you like. To get the most out of it you're going to want to master it anyway and would have to grind out the skills on two other variants of the chassis.

[TercieI]

epikt, on 23 November 2016 - 03:10 AM, said:

Fellow mechwarriors, feel free to amend this modest list.

Very nice start, I agree almost entirely, I'll just address your "no idea"s and highlight a couple I think you've underrated.

epikt, on 23 November 2016 - 03:10 AM, said:

Pre-order aside, I personnally recommend to buy heros of mech you already tested and liked. No need to spend real money to realize this mech is not for you, especially if it's your first IS mech.

If I had to pick one best IS heros mech at the moment I'd pick the Black Widow, no hesitation.

Even post-AC nerf? Hmm. I'd go Sparky myself, I think.

The two I think you've underrated:
- Sparky (Griffin) : This is a very effective and flexible energy mech on a solid chassis. It is hugely underrated overall IMO (It is also IMO the ideal hero because it's different but not necessarily better than its base variants)
- Misery (Stalker) : This mech has rarely been the best but it has never been bad. Since its release, it has been the most meta-proof hero in the game. If you had to buy one hero forever, it would be a solid choice because its fundamentals are so solid, it's never going to be bad.

- Legend Killer (Rifleman) : Second-best RFL, the dual LBX build is actually kindof ok in a PUGgy way. And quad AC/2s might be legit now, I may have to actually try that, it has the best quirks for AC/2s of all RFLs
- Firebrand (Jagermech) : Can do ballistic/PPC combos that other JM6s don't do as well. That may bring it back into relevance
- Tempest (Archer) : The best Archer, ECM and laser vomit is a surprisingly effective PUG mech.
- Protector (Orion) : One of the better Orions, but that's still damning by faint praise.
- Sleipnir (Cyclop) : A bigger, badder Black Widow basically. Pretty good.
- La Malinche (Banshee) : Probably better than the 3S because you can stick a giant XL, an AC/10 and 3LPLs in it. Still, not very good.

Now, all that said, OP, if you really love just plugging away in your TBR, I'd just drop $25 on a Warrant, frankly. Champions aren't really worth buying. Shame you missed the Steam sale a few weeks ago, the TBR-C(S) should be a money printer.

Edited by TercieI, 23 November 2016 - 08:13 AM.

[Bud Crue]

Ultimate in annoyance is the Pirate's Bane. Oxide is still fun with SRM4s, but I prefer Huggin just because it has jump jets and machine guns (they sound great).

Jester is the "big" brother of Sparky, both make a 2LPL and 4ML build an absolutely fun experience.

One of the toughest heros (look at the structure quirks) is the Top Dog. I run a pseudo troll build of 8 SPL and a LPL.

Also at 65 tons is the the Firebrand. 2AC10s and 2ML with a std engine is a great hot map fast heavy, but I prefer 2UAC5s and 2PPCs to take advantage of those high hard points.

In the opposite direction, is the Quickdraw IV-4. Considered by many to be one off the worst heavies, it is one of my favorites. 30% ballistic cool down and all that extra armor...I have 3. One is a 2AC10 2ML build with 1 jj, and the biggest XL you can fit., another is 1AC10, 2ASRM6, and 2MP with 2jj and the same biggest XL you can fit (280 I think). Last one is the hobo. 2LBX and nothing else, max armor, std 270, 1jj.

Illya with 3UAC5s or 3LBX or even 3AC10

Black Widow with 4AC5 and 2 ML or 2AC5 and 2UAC5s

Bounty Hunter with 6ML and an AC10 or AC20 with 4 or 2 JJ and a std 300, is oddly a fun mech.

Misery with 3LPL and an AC10 (though some make room for the AC20, I actually like the 10 better).

Those are my favorites.

[TercieI]

Bud Crue, on 23 November 2016 - 08:24 AM, said:

Ultimate in annoyance is the Pirate's Bane.

All I think when I see a Pirate's Bane is "I want to play a LCT but I'm not actually good enough." This is why mine stays in the garage. Wanna LCT? 1E or 3M like a man.

[Sonny Black]

epikt, on 23 November 2016 - 03:10 AM, said:

Pre-order aside, I personnally recommend to buy heros of mech you already tested and liked. No need to spend real money to realize this mech is not for you, especially if it's your first IS mech.

If I had to pick one best IS heros mech at the moment I'd pick the Black Widow, no hesitation.

Anyway, here are quick review of the IS heros (in bold, my personnal favs) :

- Loup de guerre (Trebuchet) : good SRM brawler

Fellow mechwarriors, feel free to amend this modest list.

Loup de guerre is a great LRM boat also...4 LRM 5's 2 med lasers all the ammo you can put on (8 tons) 300xl, cool down mod Fast Fire...like water out of a hose. + fast enough to get out of trouble faster than you got in to it....which for me is pretty darn fast.

[epikt]

TercieI, on 23 November 2016 - 08:32 AM, said:

All I think when I see a Pirate's Bane is "I want to play a LCT but I'm not actually good enough." This is why mine stays in the garage. Wanna LCT? 1E or 3M like a man.

Manhood aside, there's something I'm not comfortable with the PB, it's how the torso mounted weapons behave. I find it much easier to poke and track a target with the 1E's arm-mounted lasers.

About the Black Widow, true, it got hurt by the last patch (especially the jam duration). But it's still strong, with good mounts, mobility (for a heavy) and burst damage.

[B L O O D W I T C H]

epikt, on 23 November 2016 - 03:10 AM, said:

- X5 (Cicada) : meh...

I've just lost all respect for you

[TercieI]

epikt, on 23 November 2016 - 09:13 AM, said:

Manhood aside, there's something I'm not comfortable with the PB, it's how the torso mounted weapons behave. I find it much easier to poke and track a target with the 1E's arm-mounted lasers.

About the Black Widow, true, it got hurt by the last patch (especially the jam duration). But it's still strong, with good mounts, mobility (for a heavy) and burst damage.

Yeah, that's another issue with the PB for sure. Thank goodness they are torso mounted though or where would you find the weight for the ECM? Sounds insane but on a 20 ton chassis, dead serious.

I was curious about your thoughts on the BW, not judging. I haven't actually played it since the AC nerf.

[B L O O D W I T C H]

TercieI, on 23 November 2016 - 09:31 AM, said:

I was curious about your thoughts on the BW, not judging. I haven't actually played it since the AC nerf.

Quad ac5 is as brutal as ever. No heat at all.

Dual UAC5 + LPL/PPC almost the same, need to stop poking a bit longer if jammed. Other than that. no noticable difference.

[Davy J0nes]

Loup de guerre (Trebuchet)

Is under quirked and the Treb 7m is a better brawler cuz of the cd and heat quirks.

Unless your a treb fan stay away,

[epikt]

Toha Heavy Industries, on 23 November 2016 - 09:38 AM, said:

Quad ac5 is as brutal as ever. No heat at all.

Yup, quad AC/5 basically wasn't changed. The best option for reliable damage.
UAC+AC (my fav) suffered from the jam duration nerf, 6 seconds begin to be quite a significant time when you're on the open facing a baddy with your weapons jammed. But it still works very well.

[B L O O D W I T C H]

epikt, on 23 November 2016 - 10:17 AM, said:

UAC+AC (my fav) suffered from the jam duration nerf,

AC2 i assume?
I run 2xUAC5 + 2xAC5 at times (haven't tried post UAC nerf, tho) pretty nice build until i run out of ammo (like in 4-5 minutes after start).