24 replies to this topic

[0phialacria]

So, I'm just having trouble putting together any good damage output with the Jester Stock fit. I'm saving up to fit it with an XL engine and 2 PPC's with the 4XML, but until then...I need some tactical advice.

How do you other Warriors utilize this mech? Is there any advice on how to apply proper damage with a laser-boat that only has a max range of about 500-600 with the 2XLL? I find it unfortunate that lasers are DOT, which makes it near impossible to apply your full range of damage when attempting to light up a squirrely little mech who's shaking the hell out of your screen with ballistics. Not to mention that the issue of lasers being a ridiculously un-intimidating weapon appears to make it easy for this mech to be simply ovveran and boom-stick'ed to death. Considering also it's terrible armor composition, it is not a mech that is at-all capable of fighting in the mud.

Also, I'd love to check out other fits, perhaps with Pulse-lasers or Ballistics. I'm terrible at composing a mech in the Mech designer, but love putting them together off of recipe's.

Thanks a bunch guys! I really appreciate it! My K/D ratio has been steadily declining since I started playing in this mech.

[RagingOyster]

I don't own one myself, but from what I have seen on the battlefield and what people much smarter than me have said and done, it seems to me that the Jester is more of a long-range direct fire-support mech.

I usually see it outfitted with 2xERPPCs or 2xERLLs and used from afar to peel off enemy armor

The other way people like to use it is to run 6xMLs, 2xAMS and a big XL engine but with ghost heat it doesn't seem viable imho

One more piece of friendly advice: please do not worry yourself about your K/D
This is not Call of Duty. Your Win/Loss ratio matters infinitely more than your K/D

[Roughneck45]

RagingOyster, on 29 November 2013 - 11:16 AM, said:

The other way people like to use it is to run 6xMLs, 2xAMS and a big XL engine but with ghost heat it doesn't seem viable imho

You can fire 6 mlas with no ghost heat penalty, so thats not a problem. The problem is that this build is a giant jenner with 2 AMS, so it doesn't have enough firepower for a heavy.

The jester is very limited in what effective builds it can bring IMO. Your best bet is to take the 4 Mlas in the torsos and put 2 ER LL or PPC's in the ears. I've seen some people run pulse builds as well, which can be ok. One buddy of mine loves his 4 mpulse 2 PPC build. 4 LL's is also a good build.

JESTERStandard engine keeps it cheap, 19 DHS keeps it cool.

JESTER Big XL engine for speed and PPC's for a good punch.

0phialacria, on 29 November 2013 - 11:09 AM, said:

Also, I'd love to check out other fits, perhaps with Pulse-lasers or Ballistics.

If only it had ballistics....

Edited by Roughneck45, 29 November 2013 - 11:34 AM.

[Bront]

Most effective Jesters I've seen are the XL355, 2xLL, 4xML builds. Good longer range support, enough firepoper to keep lights at bay, and maneuverable enough to defend the second tier mechs (support mechs) or keep lights away from the large mechs. The PPC builds run kinda hot, and ERPPC builds even more so.

You could always try a brawling build with LPLs, but I wouldn't advise it for anything but laughs.

[FireSlade]

For my success with the Jester I ran http://mwo.smurfy-ne...ab0eb027d622714 and it worked pretty well until I elited the skills out. Most battles I was running between 300-500damage but thanks to heat and lack of ballistics I would not expect much more than that often. The trick that worked for me to make it work was to never stop moving, weaving in and out of building, and constantly jumping. I would use the LLs, as my main damage dealers, and when I came up behind people that did not notice me I would unload the 4MLs and 2LLs into their backs for 38 damage and doing this I never had heat issues.


Once I decided that an upgrade was in order I decided to go PPC for direct hit damage and anti ECM. http://mwo.smurfy-ne...e98a30c75289dbe I decided to go with the 320XL since I had one laying around but you can use a bigger one and still have it work. Stays pretty cool as long as you chain fire the PPCs and use the MLs when anything makes it under 90meters. One of my best K/D ratio mechs with only my Ilya and Heavy Metal being close. Just remember to keep moving, jumping, and being as unpredictable as possible (like piloting a light) and let others on your team take the hits. Plus dual AMS really does its job of ******* off missile boat since everyone keeps streaming their missiles instead of lobbing 1 large group.

[Random Wanderer]

I run a laser-boat Jester: 2 LLs and 4 MLs. 19 DHS, XL 350, 2 JJ, BAP, 1 AMS. The general rule I've found for suvivability is don't go head-to-head with people. Shoot people in the back, hit areas where the armor is damaged, attack people who are busy with someone else and who aren't as likely to notice you right away, and if they do turn to fight you, don't stick around to face them unless you're confident you can take them down quickly. Let your allies soak up the fire, you focus on using your lasers to do pinpoint damage where it is most effective. Remember your heat (always a problem for me), because overheating when you've charged out to kill the weak member of a group can be fatal if the rest of the group notices who did it.

Obviously this is easier on some maps than others. In snipe-fights stick to cover. You can pop up from time to time to can pot-shots with your LLs, but that's not really the laser-boat's specialty, and there are often all sorts of unfriendly folks on the other team with guass rifles and autocannons and ppcs and such just waiting to blow much bigger holes in you than you can blow in them at that range. It's better to find a way to change the battlefield to someplace where you can have a closer fight where your weapons have the advantage, and where (hopefully) the enemy's attention won't be focused specifically on you.

[RagingOyster]

Roughneck45, on 29 November 2013 - 11:26 AM, said:

You can fire 6 mlas with no ghost heat penalty, so thats not a problem.

I thought 6 was above the upper limit for alpha for MLas?
Thanks for pointing out my mistake, good sir!

[TheCaptainJZ]

RagingOyster, on 29 November 2013 - 08:40 PM, said:

I thought 6 was above the upper limit for alpha for MLas?
Thanks for pointing out my mistake, good sir!

No, 6 is the max without penalty. The stated reason is that the hunchback 4P has 6 med lasers in it's torso.

[Victor Morson]

TheCaptainJZ, on 29 November 2013 - 09:10 PM, said:

No, 6 is the max without penalty. The stated reason is that the hunchback 4P has 6 med lasers in it's torso.

Well then, the logic of locking every single 'mech to 6 med lasers because of the Hunchback 4P makes perfect sense. I'm sorry I mocked your perfect system, PGI!

[Amsro]

After many loadout combinations, it seems that 4xLarge Laser + XL355 is an excellent Jester.

Easily my most effective catapult. I had some success with 2xERLarge + 4xMedLas. But the medium laser is a bit too close range for the catapult center torso.

[Urdasein]

I run this

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...5e099b8af7c8dff

Little bit hot.

How tio play it ?

Flank behind a cover, JJ, PPC, JJ, PPC... Whan they are coming, go away.

Medium lasers are for defense purpose and final blows.

Definitly not a cheese build but you don't care cuz no matter how {Scrap} you play, you wxill always have a 50% W/L ratio, thanx to ELO

Right ?.

Edited by loupgaroupoilu, 30 November 2013 - 10:29 AM.

[Josef Koba]

This is my build for the Jester, which is somewhat different from what others have suggested.

http://www.mechspecs...hp?topic=4608.0

1x ERPPC, 1x LPLas, 4x SLas, XL355. I don't run any AMS with this. Essentially I snipe from afar and as the combat gets closer I use the pulse laser. Many might decry this platform because it mixes up weapons more than usual, but I've found that it works pretty well so long as you keep moving (which you'll need anyway due to lack of AMS). You're not going to crank out the damage in it, but it is effective. Also, I've become a big fan of small lasers if they're grouped four or more. They have a fast recycle time, short-ish duration, and respectable damage. I've achieved a number of kills with them after stripping armor with other weapons.

In any case, you're going to want to stick to cover and use your speed. This isn't a brawling mech no matter how you outfit it because the heat is going to become an issue. Essentially, pick your battles, which is good advice for any mech. Hope this helps give you some more options.

[0phialacria]

Anyone have any Pulse laser builds for the mech?

[Roughneck45]

0phialacria, on 30 November 2013 - 12:32 PM, said:

Anyone have any Pulse laser builds for the mech?

JESTER

[Israel Finklestein]

There are a few good ways to go about it. 4 LL and 3 or 4 PPC 2ML are probably the two best builds I've seen. Avoid putting too many medium lasers in this thing, people seem to love that weapon but I think the Blackjack does the large/medium laser boat build better, but there's nothing that mounts PPCs quite as well as the Jester right now, and it's also solid for chain firing mass LLs (yeah ghost heat sucks when you're carrying that many, just don't alpha).

6 ML build is probably the shittiest single use of this mech, I always have a laugh when I run into a Jester on my Jenner and he's got the same weapons as me, is a way bigger target and moves less than half my speed. Again, if you want to mass medium lasers, get a Jenner or a Blackjack.

ERPPC in general is an asstastic weapon right now, I'd avoid it altogether until the heat penalty is brought back in line.

As for pulse lasers... don't try to brawl in a Jester would be my advice. If you want to do that in a catapult get a C4 and do a splatapult. Even then, it's kind of ill advised until SRM hit detection is working better. If you want an energy brawling heavy, the Thunderbolt has much better hitboxes for it and is in the same weight class.

[0phialacria]

Israel Finklestein, on 30 November 2013 - 02:31 PM, said:

There are a few good ways to go about it. 4 LL and 3 or 4 PPC 2ML are probably the two best builds I've seen. Avoid putting too many medium lasers in this thing, people seem to love that weapon but I think the Blackjack does the large/medium laser boat build better, but there's nothing that mounts PPCs quite as well as the Jester right now, and it's also solid for chain firing mass LLs (yeah ghost heat sucks when you're carrying that many, just don't alpha).

6 ML build is probably the shittiest single use of this mech, I always have a laugh when I run into a Jester on my Jenner and he's got the same weapons as me, is a way bigger target and moves less than half my speed. Again, if you want to mass medium lasers, get a Jenner or a Blackjack.

ERPPC in general is an asstastic weapon right now, I'd avoid it altogether until the heat penalty is brought back in line.

As for pulse lasers... don't try to brawl in a Jester would be my advice. If you want to do that in a catapult get a C4 and do a splatapult. Even then, it's kind of ill advised until SRM hit detection is working better. If you want an energy brawling heavy, the Thunderbolt has much better hitboxes for it and is in the same weight class.

4XPPC with 2ML? ....What is this black magic you speak of?

[Israel Finklestein]

3 is what I'd typically run, and it's what I use on my Quickdraw, but the extra tonnage allows the Jester to mount 4 (though I'd generally say that's not necessary and the tonnage can be used better elsewhere)

This is exactly the build I'd use: http://mwo.smurfy-ne...f716a6f2f2873ef

Or maybe http://mwo.smurfy-ne...4a784cce506fece

[Amsro]

Israel Finklestein, on 30 November 2013 - 03:28 PM, said:

3 is what I'd typically run, and it's what I use on my Quickdraw, but the extra tonnage allows the Jester to mount 4 (though I'd generally say that's not necessary and the tonnage can be used better elsewhere)

This is exactly the build I'd use: http://mwo.smurfy-ne...f716a6f2f2873ef

Or maybe http://mwo.smurfy-ne...4a784cce506fece

Too me the PPC build is too hot to use effectively. As well your choice to not use one the high mounted ears in both builds is a bit odd.

But if it works for you then well done!

[Eaerie]

I use a 2ERLLas 4MLas 2AMS and XL350 engine in my Jester. Its not a brawler but it is fast and has JJ's. I use them a LOT! It all about using cover, speed and the 2AMS really take a lot of punch out of missles coming your way unless they really drop a pile on you. Personal opinion is if you re going to get a Jester use its unique abilities to your advantage: speed, JJ's (can't get them on a K2) and the dual AMS. if you arent using those abilities get a standard K2, Jagger or cataphract.

[Amsro]

Eaerie, on 01 December 2013 - 09:38 AM, said:

I use a 2ERLLas 4MLas 2AMS and XL350 engine in my Jester. Its not a brawler but it is fast and has JJ's. I use them a LOT! It all about using cover, speed and the 2AMS really take a lot of punch out of missles coming your way unless they really drop a pile on you. Personal opinion is if you re going to get a Jester use its unique abilities to your advantage: speed, JJ's (can't get them on a K2) and the dual AMS. if you arent using those abilities get a standard K2, Jagger or cataphract.

I agree except; AMS, cover is OP. I can't remember the last time I've died to LRM's.

Edited by Amsro, 02 December 2013 - 12:42 PM.