12 replies to this topic

[Keltan]

Was thinking of picking up a Shadow Cat and was wondering which is the best? They all have jump jets, so I was thinking the B for the ECM pod.

With the upcoming changes, I'll only need one?

[TercieI]

Doesn't really matter since they all have the same featureless CT and the rest can be changed with omnipods. The B has the best collection of pods for any decent build (2LPL, 2PPC or 3 Missile and energy) and includes the ECM that pretty much every real SHC build runs.

[InspectorG]

TercieI, on 24 December 2016 - 11:14 AM, said:

Doesn't really matter since they all have the same featureless CT and the rest can be changed with omnipods. The B has the best collection of pods for any decent build (2LPL, 2PPC or 3 Missile and energy) and includes the ECM that pretty much every real SHC build runs.

Any word on 6MG builds since the buff?

[Anunknownlurker]

Running 6 MGs means losing ECM, that's not something I'd choose to do with a Shadowcat to be honest. Might be good for a laugh but, personally, I don't think it makes the best use of the mech.

[TercieI]

InspectorG, on 24 December 2016 - 12:14 PM, said:

Any word on 6MG builds since the buff?

Jimmy DiGriz, on 24 December 2016 - 12:59 PM, said:

Running 6 MGs means losing ECM, that's not something I'd choose to do with a Shadowcat to be honest. Might be good for a laugh but, personally, I don't think it makes the best use of the mech.

I haven't tried it but I think it's worth a re-look. ECM is useful but not absolutely essential, especially on a brawler build.

[InspectorG]

Jimmy DiGriz, on 24 December 2016 - 12:59 PM, said:

Running 6 MGs means losing ECM, that's not something I'd choose to do with a Shadowcat to be honest. Might be good for a laugh but, personally, I don't think it makes the best use of the mech.

ECM isnt as valuable as it used to be.

And look at the roles Shadcat has(at least in Solo) generally fills: ERLL, ERPPC, LPL sniping. What happens is the Cat wanders trying to get free trades with 2/3rds of the builds supplying giant indicators where you were. ECM a bit moot there.

Good dakka sniper will get you.

Even if it goes well, later match if out numbered the Cat cant produce damage quickly enough to drop hurt enemies. Gets too hot. Specially if using ERLL light sabers.

6MG vs cored components is very nice, try it in the practice grounds. Lots of crits as well.

Im not saying brawl in it but it likely gains utility late match vs injured opponents. You can also equip a LPL/ERPPC+ASRM6.

And if you do want to brawl in it, im not sure yet how short duration MG bursts help but if a component is open it may have enough utility.

[Rogue Jedi]

I have played the Shadow Cat with 6 MG + 2 LPL many times, it is great fun and pretty effective but a bit warm if you constantly fire the LPLs.
I use the LPLs and mobility in the early game, just try to stay healthy and throw damage down range, then late game get in close with the MGs and wreck any componant with no armor, if you manage to find a slow Mech on its own your 2 LPLs should be plenty to get through the rear armor ^{(few people take more than 15 armor on the rear CT and the 2 LPLs put out 26 damage)} and 6 MGs will make short work of even a 100 ton Mechs CT structure

[Paqu]

Been playing with 6xMG, 2xLPL for a bit and its quite good when you stick at sniping the early game and then use the MG's against weakened opponents.

However I wanted to get the ECM back so I only use the ballistic arm which means 3xMG, ECM and 2xLPL. I really like this one.

[zudukai]

it takes a lot of pilot effort to make the shadow cat shine, low DPS overall means you usually need to be shooting the whole game to put up decent numbers.

as for brawling, the shadow cat is not really that good at direct "brawling" per se, but it is a really good striker, and that means hit and run more so, then duking it out, take a nice rear shot, then fade into cover only to appear on the other side of the enemy, or where the enemy is not looking, dropping un-answered shots and preventing the enemy from getting a clean shot on you, ever.

which is why i advocate the use of srm+ppc, because like the hellhound it can usually out gun whatever it can't outrun.

MASC is life, it nullifies ending/landing lag and really brings the shadow cat to it's full potential, use it, abuse it.

Edited by zudukai, 25 December 2016 - 02:38 AM.

[chucklesMuch]

Bought a shc-p especially for running MG builds (post MG buff). A lot of fun once I settled on uac10 & 6xMG. (Tried 2xlpl 6xMG but found it too hot when brawling, I'm sure others can make it work. Tried 1xerppc 6/7xMG, was okay but wasn't really working for me, didn't try light sabres)....

previously (and pre lpl range nerf) 2xlpl and ecm was my preferred build - 3xsabres okay but I like to be much closer to the action. I had fun with a combo of SRMs and Pulses. Masc/jj in/up/down then away and back again...

[Tier5 Kerensky]

They are all nearly identical. The small differences in CT quirks and 8/8 set quirks are not worth mentioning, due to omnipods any variant can run any config.

I have run my first Shadow Cat usually with ECM and some long range weapons. From the current sales I finally got two more to elite them. I think Shadow Cat works best with long range weapons, but it's not the best ER-L sniper there is because the energy hardpoints are one per hand.

One of the funniest configs I've found is ECM+3 LRM launchers, either 3xLRM 10 or even 3xLRM 15. It's funny because with ECM and jumpjets on many maps you can position yourself so that you are able to keep enemies visual all the time while still raining LRMs on them, as the LRMs hit from above many times the enemies won't notice you.

I think for brawling there are better medium mechs arond. I'm sure any Shadow Cat owner has tried the MG boat config with it. I don't know how to make it work but it can be funny few times.

Yes, with the upcoming changes to skill tree in future you can just have one and fully upgrade it's skills.

Many omnimechs have received quirk reassigments so that most of their quirks are tied to the 8/8 system. I recall Shadow cat is still not done with that. I would expect it gets small boosts to some variants when it's redone, but only when using all same omnipods.

[mailin]

One thing that I can't stress enough, if a mech can mount ECM it should mount ECM, even if it means taking an omnipod that isn't ideal. Those who say that ECM isn't as useful as it used to be are correct, but it is still too useful to not have in a mech. I currently alternate between 2 LPLs and 2 ERPPCs on my Shadowcats. I'm not a fan of the burn time on ER LLs, so that's why I don't use them.

[TercieI]

mailin, on 25 December 2016 - 05:41 PM, said:

One thing that I can't stress enough, if a mech can mount ECM it should mount ECM, even if it means taking an omnipod that isn't ideal. Those who say that ECM isn't as useful as it used to be are correct, but it is still too useful to not have in a mech. I currently alternate between 2 LPLs and 2 ERPPCs on my Shadowcats. I'm not a fan of the burn time on ER LLs, so that's why I don't use them.

Most of the time, but not always. MLX, some KFX builds...there are exceptions.