http://www.reddit.com/r/OutreachHPG/comments/2ik01z/updated_my_pgistyle_tier_list_with_builds_for/ Not my document, but i did find it on reddit a few weeks back. Not a bad way to help new players select better mechs. I know all of us will have issues with this list, (Raven 3L being Tier 2 for example) but take it for what it is. Someone put it together and it looks not bad to me. Edit: (hmm google docs link is not going through)
Are you talking about this? Official source: http://mwomercs.com/forums/topic/173062-october-road-map/page__p__3776433#entry3776433 edit: hum, ok, it's actually has nothing to do with the official tiering PGI's making in prevision of the upcoming quirk system. It's a personal ranking. The useful thing about it is not really the tiering but mostly that a build is proposed for every variant. direct doc link: docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1-4-BYffcvDjai3jk8Wb2YJJAyUFtmftQaOKop6TMwHI/edit?pli=1#gid=0
I'm not sure how I feel about the tier list. It really undervalues having EMC cover, with the RVN-3L and the AS7-D-DC not being tier one mechs for IS, and the other EMC mechs being rated pretty low as well. I guess it just measures unsupported combat potential? Still, it looks like the list heavily favors jump snipping when LRM and laser boating is generally considered more effective at this point.
No, really, tell us how you really feel. (j/k) The list is one persons opinion, so yes we won't agree with it all. I should have mentioned that the link do lead to actual builds that are useful and thats kind of the cool thing. (yes, DDC is not a tier 3 mech. For an assault, maybe a Tier 2, but most would say a Tier 1).
I'm glad I'm not the only one who feels this way. Yes, a D-DC cannot go toe to toe with a Direwhale and win, but that's not the point of a D-DC. It's a support mech, and having a D-DC on your team increases your odds of winning a lot more than a HNG-333C or a VTR-DS. I also don't like his D-DC build, I favor a long range D-DC build as fire support with LRMS and ERLL.
Please don't. The D-DC is not a long range support platform, it's meant to carry the pack, tank damage, deal damage and provide ECM cover on a front line assault. The brawler way is the only D-DC way. It can be done with AC/20+SRMs (like GMan did) or 2LBX+SRMs, but please go close range and carry your team. edit: that being said, his build is bad because it seriously lacks of ammo. It need at least 4 tons for AC and 3 tons for missiles in order to be confortable.
Hmm, I used to use a short range build but with every weekend being lurmaggedon I switched to an LRM 30 with ML and an ac5.
TBH I see your point with this list. I'm having great success with my COM-3A and SDR-A (some 800dmg games) and both are pretty low on the tier list, but I just hate the Raven. The Spider 5D is okay-ish IMHO. ECM is overrated, AMS is underrated..... Yeah long story short we will all disagree but in the end, - they will remove negative quirks on tier 1 - boost the lower tiers with positive Quirks So in the end no one will lose. i'm pretty sure that the list is accurate when you look at the overall win rates of those mechs. Most people drive Jenners and Raven because someone the forum said that's is awesome as hell, and avoid Commandos for the same reason.
True, against any good spotter the D-DC will be the first target for NARCs and LRMs. That's why I mount an AMS and like to be paired with a second ECM carrier with slimier profile (Raven, Spider or KitFox). But that's not a reason to make that build long range. Even more now, facing Direwolves that are deadly at long/mid-range and slow paced engagements, you need to charge them. I've killed lot more Direwolves in my Atlas than Direwolves had kill me. Sure, never 1v1 (*), always pack versus pack and always on a brawl. (*) teamplay 101: if you're facing a mech 1v1, you're doing something wrong! I don't pilot the Atlas a lot, but I recently made 3 drops. It was the night of the Conquest challenge (there still was a NARC reward)(that's why we went ECM actually). We were a mixed tonnage, mostly brawl oriented, group of 4. First drop we were teamed with a group of 8 that obviously didn't know what they were doing: they split and sent heavy mechs to do the cap tour. Our group killed three enemies and dealt more damage than the rest of the team combined, but it was lost game from the start. Hopefully the two other games went better. On the second drop we were teamed up with a pretty aggressive group of 6, so I didn't even have to be the front line tank, I was more of the heavy ECM backbone, continuously pushing with faster mechs swarming around. I did 4 kills and 700dmg, and the game lasted 4 minutes 20 seconds. On the third drop I needed to do more carrying and charge first, but still with good support from my group. I did 5 kills and 950dmg, and the game lasted less than 4 minutes. That's the core of the Atlas piloting: you're the backbone of a pack moving forward. You can't do much without support, but that's why you must not let your teammates down. (well, that's also why I'm pretty uncomfortable dropping on it solo) PS: don't take it personally, long range D-DC are one of my personal crusades, I never fail to post a wall of text as soon as anyone just mention it. But remember what assault mechs on the rear line deserve:
For the record its NOT one person's opinion - its the opinion of the competitive teams they spoke to. You and I may not agree with them on the tiers but then I'm not a player who plays at that level and PGI are following a trickle down process similar to most FPS games. You don't balance play around scrub players (like me!) you balance around the top players to stop abuse. A lot of those mechs we love in solo and group play bring very little to the top echelon's of competitive play, ECM is a classic example as its only role there is to stop you knowing who is most damaged to take them out easily. The reasoning is that LRM's are used marginally at best etc. If you remember I instantly pointed out when I posted the tier thread how low some of the LRM focused chassis were.... yes thats reflected in two things: - They're just not that effective in the top tiers as people shadow cover far more effectively etc. - They're looking at them without the latest quirk updates to Awesomes etc.
I would go further as to suggest (Michael, if you're reading) that Mechspecs create a players link of favorite mechs section? We can borrow the guys idea, where in a google docs, we post links to Smufy's versions of our builds. (i mean, we can already place that link in our signatures as well, but just saying). At epikt: My DDC is currently configured like the one you posted, and you know, it's not as much as fun as the 2xLLasers, 2xUAC5, 3xSSRM2 that i played previously.. but that's my personal opinion.
I have to disagree with you there. Assaults are not universally front line mechs. Some are designed to be long range support mechs, boating LRMS, sniping lasers or the like. I can understand the argument, but to me most assaults have to hard a time getting into the brawl because of their somewhat reduced mobility. I've personally found my D-DC to be much more effective using long range weapons, especially in the missile duels that are so pervasive in the game right now.
But that's not the point epikt is talking about. Ofc you can use your assault (BLR-1S, any STK, HGN) for Lurmboating (though a Catapult is fully sufficient for that job imo) - but all these mechs dont have THE feature which makes the DDC unique - ECM. And that ECM makes the DDC a dedicated frontline assault mech - the ECM umbrella allows your brawlers to get into close range without being torn into pieces by enemy Lurms - while the 100ts gives the Atlas enough armor to survive that long - it can become the beacon of the attack. Any light mech with ECM has usually better jobs to do than protecting the herd - scouting, tagging, narcing, etc.. I'm always disapointed if I spot a DDC on my team which has A) no ECM (wtf?) B) stays behind/is hiding in the last rows. Feels like giving away a (slight) advantage without necessity The biggest threat for Lurmboats are enemy lights (as epikt already pointed out) and no ECM will protect you from them. My 2 cents on DDCs...
LRM30 with a single AC5 and two MLas is too weak for an Atlas. If you want to go LRMs then do it in a way where you still have a good direct inurface Punch. e.g. or or (to nullify Enemy ECM) LRMs should be used as Backup System not as Primary Weapons on the Atlas. Therefor the Missile Tube Sizes are too small and only 3 Missile HPs on the same Component is simply not enough to make it a strong LRM Boat. Use the LRMs at aggressive minimum Range (180-200m) to fire everything together at the targets. It's still close enough for the Team Brawl.
