Middle Ranks "META"

[SawzAll]

I am posting this specifically to catalog good builds that have a future in top ranks, possibly.  This is basically a list of past and present META mechs but in a middle ranks form that doesn't have a lot of premiums.  This is basically a list that I believe will help middle rank players prioritize what they upgrade so that they can get to top ranks faster.

Note that I will be using monkey torsos because monkey torsos basically rule the middle ranks.  You'll stay at rank 6/7 with these builds.  This is basically the step right before you would end up getting a vest and max protector / defense matrix and ending up in rank 4-5, or whatever other premium resistance, etc.  This list assumes monkey torsos but no quad cores or overload preventors (no big deal: you can substitute for the modules below as you see fit).

These will particularly be immune to the average energy mech if you max the modules out.

Avatar-style boiler:

Mid-ranks heat damage #1:

Heat Damage #2:

Note that I believe heat point is better than heat protector drone but it may or may not work out for you.

Your average energy drainer:

Note: I believe face shocker is a bit better, but it depends on whether you can tolerate the 3 turn thing.

Claw Physical from old META:

My own "all range" physical that worked remarkably well in mid ranks (especially against energy mechs)

Obviously you can substitute another frantic if you want, or reckless plus night eagle, but this one worked very well against middle rank energy players (assuming they didn't have a krap ton of premiums)

Untested Dual Nightfall

 

I have not tested this, but I have faced this in the arena once or twice.  I can't remember who played it, but dual nightfall is genius.  Night eagle helps keep people out of frantic range, and back breaker is only used to knock people into nightfall range.  So this is a testing build.

Once you get premium resistance, you'll "graduate" out of this "middle ranks META".  (This isn't META, by the way.)  But it was an idea for people who want to upgrade stuff.  The avatar style boiler only gets better with premiums, and can beat some of the hard RAID and gold portal levels.  As well it will help you beat 1v1 campaign.

Everything else is just your "average" example.

Again, this isn't META, this is just a helpful idea post.  I have tested all of these except the dual nightfall and they work great in middle ranks.

EDIT: some caveats though, really quick:

First, I only run rounded in the arena, that's just me.  I don't play the whole game of running soft counters and then trying to use matchmaking.  This means that I had a bunch of maxed modules, so when I got MPV and some defense matrices, I literally shot up from rank 7 to rank 4.  Rounded is just how I roll.  Not saying soft counters aren't valid, it's just not me.

Second, I would intentionally run a randomizer in the arena in terms of what mechs I picked in middle ranks.  This is because I would get at least 1 win per day of someone who either picked the wrong mechs or tried to switch mechs to compensate.  I was taught if someone switches mechs, I should switch mechs too.  This means one win per day was someone quitting out because they picked the wrong mechs.

If you want to run soft counters or hard counters, this is not the list for you.  Nothing wrong with counters, I'm just not into them.

Edited February 28, 2022 by SawzAll (see edit history)

[Stefix5000]

cool

[Mr.Shocker]

I have been considering updating my heat build but I don't know what to keep. I would appreciate it if someone could help me out [P.S... I Usually hit rank 7]

Edited February 28, 2022 by Mr.Shocker (see edit history)

[Monke King]

What would be considered “middle rank”

[Spoon]

1 hour ago, Mr.Shocker said:

I have been considering updating my heat build but I don't know what to keep. I would appreciate it if someone could help me out [P.S... I Usually hit rank 7]

You already have 2 VERY good builds. You have dual sorrow and dual shotgun. work on maxing dark eagle, burning shower and your other sorrow. From there, start working on your mods. Don't worry about a 3rd mech until all the mods are mythed on your 1st and 2nd mech

[SawzAll]

1 hour ago, Ur Hacking said:

What would be considered “middle rank”

In my opinion, 15 to 6, basically when you get to play 2v2 in the arena all the time.

[Spoon]

2 hours ago, SawzAll said:

I am posting this specifically to catalog good builds that have a future in top ranks, possibly.  This is basically a list of past and present META mechs but in a middle ranks form that doesn't have a lot of premiums.  This is basically a list that I believe will help middle rank players prioritize what they upgrade so that they can get to top ranks faster.

Note that I will be using monkey torsos because monkey torsos basically rule the middle ranks.  You'll stay at rank 6/7 with these builds.  This is basically the step right before you would end up getting a vest and max protector / defense matrix and ending up in rank 4-5, or whatever other premium resistance, etc.  This list assumes monkey torsos but no quad cores or overload preventors (no big deal: you can substitute for the modules below as you see fit).

These will particularly be immune to the average energy mech if you max the modules out.

Avatar-style boiler:

Mid-ranks heat damage #1:

Heat Damage #2:

Note that I believe heat point is better than heat protector drone but it may or may not work out for you.

Your average energy drainer:

Note: I believe face shocker is a bit better, but it depends on whether you can tolerate the 3 turn thing.

Claw Physical from old META:

My own "all range" physical that worked remarkably well in mid ranks (especially against energy mechs)

Obviously you can substitute another frantic if you want, or reckless plus night eagle, but this one worked very well against middle rank energy players (assuming they didn't have a krap ton of premiums)

Untested Dual Nightfall

 

I have not tested this, but I have faced this in the arena once or twice.  I can't remember who played it, but dual nightfall is genius.  Night eagle helps keep people out of frantic range, and back breaker is only used to knock people into nightfall range.  So this is a testing build.

Once you get premium resistance, you'll "graduate" out of this "middle ranks META".  (This isn't META, by the way.)  But it was an idea for people who want to upgrade stuff.  The avatar style boiler only gets better with premiums, and can beat some of the hard RAID and gold portal levels.  As well it will help you beat 1v1 campaign.

Everything else is just your "average" example.

Again, this isn't META, this is just a helpful idea post.  I have tested all of these except the dual nightfall and they work great in middle ranks.

EDIT: some caveats though, really quick:

First, I only run rounded in the arena, that's just me.  I don't play the whole game of running soft counters and then trying to use matchmaking.  This means that I had a bunch of maxed modules, so when I got MPV and some defense matrices, I literally shot up from rank 7 to rank 4.  Rounded is just how I roll.  Not saying soft counters aren't valid, it's just not me.

Second, I would intentionally run a randomizer in the arena in terms of what mechs I picked in middle ranks.  This is because I would get at least 1 win per day of someone who either picked the wrong mechs or tried to switch mechs to compensate.  I was taught if someone switches mechs, I should switch mechs too.  This means one win per day was someone quitting out because they picked the wrong mechs.

If you want to run soft counters or hard counters, this is not the list for you.  Nothing wrong with counters, I'm just not into them.

I cannot stress enough how those need resistance. I fight people with low- no res and my dual spartan destroys them. If you dont have a mech that does a lot of heat dmg or energy dmg then you're screwed if you have no res. Make a myth windigo and myth nightmare, put it on a claw so at least you have some res and HP. Those builds are ehh, id reccomend the nightfall build and the dual malice build

[SawzAll]

27 minutes ago, Spoon said:

I cannot stress enough how those need resistance

I know this is true, but usually until people get some kind of resistance, monkey torsos remain the best.  in my own testing and experience, the minimum needed to get a vest to be better than a monkey torso would be a vest with a defense matrix, or a vest with a max protector and a platinum plate.

That's the only reason I did this.  And the builds aren't intended to be literal: they're just a pattern.  If you get vest + defense matrix, then obviously you should use that for the same builds rather than monkey torsos.  (One could argue that Monkey torso + max protector might be a good intermediate, but still....)

[Frero]

4 hours ago, SawzAll said:

I am posting this specifically to catalog good builds that have a future in top ranks, possibly.  This is basically a list of past and present META mechs but in a middle ranks form that doesn't have a lot of premiums.  This is basically a list that I believe will help middle rank players prioritize what they upgrade so that they can get to top ranks faster.

Note that I will be using monkey torsos because monkey torsos basically rule the middle ranks.  You'll stay at rank 6/7 with these builds.  This is basically the step right before you would end up getting a vest and max protector / defense matrix and ending up in rank 4-5, or whatever other premium resistance, etc.  This list assumes monkey torsos but no quad cores or overload preventors (no big deal: you can substitute for the modules below as you see fit).

These will particularly be immune to the average energy mech if you max the modules out.

Avatar-style boiler:

Mid-ranks heat damage #1:

Heat Damage #2:

Note that I believe heat point is better than heat protector drone but it may or may not work out for you.

Your average energy drainer:

Note: I believe face shocker is a bit better, but it depends on whether you can tolerate the 3 turn thing.

Claw Physical from old META:

My own "all range" physical that worked remarkably well in mid ranks (especially against energy mechs)

Obviously you can substitute another frantic if you want, or reckless plus night eagle, but this one worked very well against middle rank energy players (assuming they didn't have a krap ton of premiums)

Untested Dual Nightfall

 

I have not tested this, but I have faced this in the arena once or twice.  I can't remember who played it, but dual nightfall is genius.  Night eagle helps keep people out of frantic range, and back breaker is only used to knock people into nightfall range.  So this is a testing build.

Once you get premium resistance, you'll "graduate" out of this "middle ranks META".  (This isn't META, by the way.)  But it was an idea for people who want to upgrade stuff.  The avatar style boiler only gets better with premiums, and can beat some of the hard RAID and gold portal levels.  As well it will help you beat 1v1 campaign.

Everything else is just your "average" example.

Again, this isn't META, this is just a helpful idea post.  I have tested all of these except the dual nightfall and they work great in middle ranks.

EDIT: some caveats though, really quick:

First, I only run rounded in the arena, that's just me.  I don't play the whole game of running soft counters and then trying to use matchmaking.  This means that I had a bunch of maxed modules, so when I got MPV and some defense matrices, I literally shot up from rank 7 to rank 4.  Rounded is just how I roll.  Not saying soft counters aren't valid, it's just not me.

Second, I would intentionally run a randomizer in the arena in terms of what mechs I picked in middle ranks.  This is because I would get at least 1 win per day of someone who either picked the wrong mechs or tried to switch mechs to compensate.  I was taught if someone switches mechs, I should switch mechs too.  This means one win per day was someone quitting out because they picked the wrong mechs.

If you want to run soft counters or hard counters, this is not the list for you.  Nothing wrong with counters, I'm just not into them.

I'd use windigo

[OKI DOKI]

nice thread 

[Spoon]

4 hours ago, SawzAll said:

I know this is true, but usually until people get some kind of resistance, monkey torsos remain the best.  in my own testing and experience, the minimum needed to get a vest to be better than a monkey torso would be a vest with a defense matrix, or a vest with a max protector and a platinum plate.

That's the only reason I did this.  And the builds aren't intended to be literal: they're just a pattern.  If you get vest + defense matrix, then obviously you should use that for the same builds rather than monkey torsos.  (One could argue that Monkey torso + max protector might be a good intermediate, but still....)

Monkey torsos are the best with good res and very good mods. You need all 3 forts for a monke because of how many people have the -60 res drainers in top ranks. You'd also need at least 3 QCB's and because of how heavy monkey's are, you can only use 3-4 items. Vests are ...something else for sure. Vest's aren't comparable to any other torso in the game. 180 res with maxed res in arena shop and a phys fort? AND IM SEEING THIS IN RANK 7+...they still have decent HP and heat too. If you're running vest and a monke, put the res on the monke and put the HP on the vest to balance it out