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[Maurice Thorez]

Hello there,

I am a longtime player(February, 2013), first time poster. If there ever was a place to start posting, PTS feedback is probably one of the more constructive ones, so here I go. Anyway, there are a number of topics that are being discussed quite a bit in the feedback already, but not too much yet on how the skill tree and quirk changes impact specific mechs. I thought it might be helpful to throw in some thoughts on changes to some mechs/builds I regularly use(largely play IS mediums these days).

Overview

Just looking at what the current skill tree provides compared to the previous one can be a good starting point. There are some skills that do not completely compensate for bonuses provided in the previous skill tree. For instance, with doubled basics, heat reduction and total heat capacity were 15% and 20% respectively and can be maxed now at only 10% and 15%. Fastfire can be compensated for by going down the weapons tree skills for any equipped weapons, but nothing can substitute for the bonuses provided by cooldown modules. This means most mechs will run slightly hotter, but fire at a slower rate

These changes combined with the structure and armour quirks will definitely increase TTK.

It would be remiss not to note that the accel/decel skills seem to far exceed what the previous skill tree could provide along with the torso yaw/pitch and various arm agility skills(I could be mistaken with my interpretation of this). The increased mobility/agility this can provide might be of some utility with certain builds and probably puts some more upward pressure on TTK too.

Specific build feedback

The previous night and this afternoon I have had the chance to play at least a couple games on mechs I have played regularly the last 3-6 months. I kept to the builds I usually run on them.

HBK-4SP

I run a TAG, 2 ALRM10, and 4 MLs on this(I know, I am a filthy LRMer sometimes and should feel bad for it).This build is the best LRM build for the past 6 months in my opinion due to the mobility, high mounted TAG, durability, fast missile cooldown, and good quirks for backup weapons it can provide. On the PTS it runs quite a bit hotter due to losing 15% ML and laser heat reduction. DPS is most substantially reduced by the loss of the 20% missle cooldown and absence of modules. It is clearly weaker as LRM striker now due to running hotter and with lower DPS. The one boon is that it is much tougher due to keeping its' durability quirks which make it effectively have the structure of a 75-80 tonner.

HBK-4J

Previously the best LRM build before it lost its' MG like LRM quirks. I run it with a TAG, 2 ALRM10, and 3 ML. Definitely runs slightly cooler than on the live server mainly due to reduced missile and LRM cooldown by 15%. Unfortunately the DPS loss is very real. It does not benefit as much from durability as the 4SP due to it only having existing structure/armour quirks on the hunch.

VND-1X

Anyone that played with me last night would have seen me boast about the 91 CT armour points the VND-1X has. It is now tanky like a 75-80 tonner to the degree I would say a reduction would be understandable, but this is a bloody VND after all. I run a 3 AC/2 build on it because they cannot all be poptarts and it actually puts out good DPS with the ballistic cooldown/velocity quirks on it Unfortunately, those were reduced by 15% and that difference is substantive. I will shed a tear at the loss of that AC/2 fun. It really does not make good use of most of the skill tree because of being effectively heat neutral. You could leave it at 60 points or so filled if desired, but the extra ammo at the end of the heat skill tree is useful.

VND-1SIB

I use this near stock with the head mounted TAG, 2 ALRM10, and 2 MLs. Almost as tanky as the VND-1X with 87 CT armour. Overall, it does not suffer much with quirks largely being left untouched. It did lose some DPS with the trade off of the LRM and ML cooldown modules with the 5% provided in the new skill tree though. On the plus side, I could actually afford to shed some armour to add an extra tonne of LRM ammo.

VND-1R

I run a 5 MPL and NARC build with JJs on this for fun. It was able to deliver some very short duration 30 point alphas before. On the PTS it definitely runs a little hotter compounded by a 5% loss of laser heat reduction. The MPL duration quirks from the skill tree are helpful though. It is also very durable like the 1SIB, especially with the STD engine. I did not bother getting the NARC boosts as they were too far down a tree with skills I would not use. Hard to tell if it comes out better or worse from the changes. Close enough to call it a draw I think

VND-1AA

I did not get a chance to try this one yet, but can say as the go to poptart build, it looks like it got a slight boost though. The new skill tree lets 20% of the 30% PPC velocity loss get compensated for and it is much more durable than before. It does not fire fast enough that heat is a big issue and honestly, heat is not as big of a factor for poptart builds due to the way they are played.

TBT-7K

I struggled in the past to find a build on this until I settled on 2 LPL and 2 SRM6 XL setup that I managed to actually attain a couple 1,000 damage matches on. Very tanky like the VND with 60-70 CT and side toro armour across the board and close to that in structure too. It definitely runs quite hotter now with 10% heat generation loss. The SRM spread bonuses do help compensate for the lack of artemis, but it is hard to tell much. The use of 2 different weapon groups requiring skills meant I could not improve mobility/agility much using the other skill trees.

BJ-A

A 3 LL and 6 MG build with the Arrow has provided some of my best individual results with a mech in the past 6 months. I did not get to run this yet, but I am fairly certain the duration quirk reduction of 15% and 5% heat generation loss will hurt this mech's pinpoint and DPS abilities.

BJ-1DC

I have had quite a bit of fun with a 1 AC/20 and 4 ML build on this. Just of the start it does run considerably hotter with the heat containment and reduction changes and the ballistic heat generation quirk reduction by 20% amplifies this. It is more of a fast poke build with the quick firing AC/20, so the heat generation does not matter as much though. In the end though, I think it came out a bit worse, although the extra ammo for the AC/20 is nice.

CDA-3F

I found using this as a 2 LPL fast poker worked best for me. Like the others that had heat generation quirk reductions, the 10% loss makes it run substantially hotter, even with such a light loadout. Superficially, the duration quirk loss of 10% seems to hurt it too, but the skill tree allows you attain 15% which is a nice boost. That combined with the increased durability would make it feel like it would come out on top on paper, but in playing it I found that it was running too hot to the extent that I feel the live version is better.

ENF-4R

Variations of this mech are used in comp still I believe. I use a 4 LL build on this with JJs. Unsurprisingly, it runs quite a bit hotter, especially with the loss of the heat generation quirk of 10%. It does come out slightly better in duration than before with those skills filled out, which is not something to dismiss. Interestingly, I found that my torso rotation was a bit of an issue in targeting mechs below me in and do wonder if going down that skill tree might be of value with this mech.

Anyway, congratulations if you made it through that long post. I would be interested to hear from others how the changes have hurt or helped any of the builds they used on the live server.

[TankBadger42]

Good insight.