18 replies to this topic

[Pound Cake]

I've been saving up everything for the Mad Cat MK2, which comes out in a couple of days. I was wondering which version people generally prefer. I've been leaning towards the MCII-2 for the splatcat build but wanted to know what you guys thought.

Feel free to drop any gameplay pointers on how best to use the mech too. I'll probably need them.

[Mcgral18]

The 1 is the inferior Deathstrike, all others are inferior because of hardpoints
If you want general effectiveness, that is



Seeing as you want missiles, you don't care much about that.

[Zh0u]

I am keen to know as well.

[Snazzy Dragon]

if PGI nerfs the deathstrike and leaves the 1 alone, it MIGHT be more appealing agility wise

the B can do dakka well for pugging it up but I wouldn't trust it over the 1 or deathstrike against a competent player

[N0ni]

Best ones C-Bill wise are the 2 (pretty much the C-Bill Scorch) and B (KDK-3 Dakka build).

The 1 is decent with x2 HLL/x2 cERML/x2 cGauss, but the Deathstrike can get another 14 damage by having x2 more cERML. I personally run x2 cGauss/x2 cERPPC, it's a nice C-Bill maker.

[Jay Leon Hart]

As mentioned, it's down to the MCII-1, MCII-2 or MCII-B.

MCII-B if you don't already own a KDK-3 or a DWF, or you want a more mobile 4B platform with most of the firepower in the arms.

MCII-1 if you don't already own the Deathstrike and don't plan to buy one, for 2B, 4E goodness.

MCII-2 if you don't already own a Scorch, Boiler or Keeper, or you want to try a 2B, 4M build on a more mobile platform with bunny ears.

[Nema Nabojiv]

As a Scorch and MCII-2 owner, I can say Scorch is better in every way so dont expect the same performance from a splatcat.
Those ears and being tall and wide in general makes it so much vulnerable and unwieldy.

[SmokeGuar]

-B has lower arm actuators so it is more effective with guns than -1.
-4 is good if you like to play with missiles, ATM, streak and med pulse is good mix. -4 also has lower arm actuators.

[Samedi Wretch]

SmokeGuar, on 02 January 2018 - 03:14 PM, said:

-4 is good if you like to play with missiles, ATM, streak and med pulse is good mix. -4 also has lower arm actuators.

I like to use 4x ERPPCs on the -4. Personally, its way more effective for me than the Warhawk C's version of the same build, despite the C's quirks, because of the actuators.

However, I believe they are ranked like so.

Deathstrike > 1 > B > 4 > 2 > A

[ANOM O MECH]

Death Strike is worth it.

The other two I personally like is the one with 4 ballistix for the KDK3 build and one with 2 ballistix and 4 missiles for the Scorch build.

[panzer1b]

MCII-1 is byfar the most "meta" friendly, since it can do gauss vomit and do it extremely well since its doesnt come with any massive weaknesses like the dire (trash hardpoints, no mobility/agility). Best loadout from my experience is 2GR+2HLL+2ERML+TC1+17DHS+XL365. Insane firepower with 80 pinpoint alfa, and you still get to move relatively fast for a assault and you have a good sustained DPS.

MCII-2 is in my personal opinion rather lousy. Sure it CAN run the "scorch build", but it is not even close to a scorch since the missile ears make your hitboxes go from ok to trash, and its also a little bit slower and bigger then the scorch when facing the enemy headon at least. Only advantage that mech has is that you can run artemis on it without requiring a drop to SRM4s or LBX10s, or running a crazy low engine in it. that said, because of the wider convergence, id rather have a scorch without artemis then a MCII with it, and the armor boost from a 85 to a 90t is meaningless.

MCII-4 is for missile lovers, as it can both run ATM spam builds and LRMs with 4 backup lasers (3 if you wanna use the almost mandatory light tag). Personally though, its not my style as I dont like missiles (aside from SRMs on the scorch), i dont do well with missiles, and if im gonna even bother running missiles itll be on something lighter liker a fast medium or light mech (where tonnage makes SRMs a good choice). If you liek missiles though, no replacement, its got good mobility (for a 90t), workable hitboxes (missile ears suck but they arent gonna autokill you), and its got the tonnage to boat anything up to a ATM-48 or a LRM-80A both with ammo and backup weapons and a few DHS to keep it going.

MCII-A is really meh imo, hardpoints are all over the place, and nothing really seems to make sense on it. Its got a single ballistic (2 but its a CT so only UAC2), its got 5 energy which isnt enough to boat energy weapons, and its lacking enough missiles to boat em. if you really like the chassis and wanna have something that can run a cannonw ith some energy, go for it, but if you arent swimming in mechbays and CB, dont bother.

MCII-B is niche, but its the only mobile assault clans get that can do quad ballistics, specifically the 2UAC10+2UAC5 build popularized on the KDK3. Its got issues compared to the kodiak, but its got better hitboxes, better mobility/agility, and is stilll more or less the same firepower. If you like clan autocannons, its a must get, otherwise, dont bother as thats about all it can do vs the rest.

[Hit the Deck]

panzer1b, on 02 January 2018 - 04:04 PM, said:

...
MCII-A is really meh imo, hardpoints are all over the place, and nothing really seems to make sense on it.
...

It's the bigger Mad Cat.

Aka 90 tons of Timberwolf Prime.

[InvictusLee]

All of them.
They all do something very different.
The MK-1 can do ATMs + Gauss or UACs very well!!

[Seranov]

Honestly, I have my -A set up with 2 HLL, 3 ERML and an LB20X, and it's a really fun build. Not nearly as good as the other variants, but it's a blast to play. I also really like the -1 with 2 LB20X and 4 MPLs.

Not meta, no, but I still do quite well with the MCIIs even when doing off-meta shenanigans. I can only hope any nerfs aimed at it are focused on Gauss Vomit and not on making it an unfun brick to pilot.

[InvictusLee]

Seranov, on 02 January 2018 - 08:09 PM, said:

Honestly, I have my -A set up with 2 HLL, 3 ERML and an LB20X, and it's a really fun build. Not nearly as good as the other variants, but it's a blast to play. I also really like the -1 with 2 LB20X and 4 MPLs.

Not meta, no, but I still do quite well with the MCIIs even when doing off-meta shenanigans. I can only hope any nerfs aimed at it are focused on Gauss Vomit and not on making it an unfun brick to pilot.

I run a similar build using a gauss rife.

[Seranov]

Yeah, that would probably be the meta equivalent, but I just really don't enjoy using Gauss Rifles, and find the LBX weapons to be a blast to use. The -A is still the weakest of the MCIIs, and there's really no reason to buy one unless you're really interested in mixing a single big ballistic with some lasers.

On that note, LB20X + 5 MPLs might be a fun build. Maybe a UAC20 instead? I should do some fiddling.

[Pound Cake]

Thanks for all your replies! Every variant except for the A sounds fun. The odd mix of hardpoints in the torsos and center are too funky. If only they switched the ballistic in the nose with the energy in the left torso.

[El Bandito]

Seranov, on 02 January 2018 - 08:09 PM, said:

Not meta, no, but I still do quite well with the MCIIs even when doing off-meta shenanigans. I can only hope any nerfs aimed at it are focused on Gauss Vomit and not on making it an unfun brick to pilot.

New patch note:

• Firing Gauss Rifle with lasers now activates Ghost Heat penalty.

Edited by El Bandito, 03 January 2018 - 05:38 AM.

[SmokeGuar]

I think you missed the part where this heat penalty only infects Clan weapons.