Monthly Archives July 2013

MWO Patch Notes July 30th Summary – New Map, more Heat Penalties and Seismic Nerf

Click here for August 20th Patch Notes <

MWO Patch Notes July 30th Summary/TLDR

New MWO Map: Terra Therma

If you don’t have the time to read through all the extensive patch notes or simply prefer a more condensed style, here are the MWO July 30th patch notes’ most important points:

  • New Map: Terra Therma (check out video below)
  • Seismic Sensor ranges nerfed to 180m/250m (down from 200m/400m)
  • ERPPCs and PPCs are now treated as a group when calculating heat penalties. They will share their max alpha limit.
  • Same goes for the following groups: LRM20+LRM15+LRM10, LL+ERLL+LPL, and SRM6+SRM4.
  • Small area-of-effect buffs to Artillery and Air Strike consumables.
  • Various performance improvements and bug fixes.

If you would like to learn more about the ghost heat, check out this guide: MWO Heat Penalty System explained without formulas

Terra Therma Map Reveal Video

Terra Therma is the newest addition to the Mechwarrior Online map pool. It features vast valleys of black rock and glowing lava flows. The map has a relative high environmental heat level (the video suggests a heat level even slightly higher than Caustic Valley). There are also some bridges and a central installation which should make for interesting battles.

Trouble watching the video? Click here.


Get Connected!

If you know of an excellent build, resource, or guide, submit it and maybe it will be featured on mwo-builds.net and seen by thousands of players. You can submit builds by sending us an e-mail, post it in the official looking-for-builds thread, or send us a private message via the official forums. You can also submit guides and builds via Facebook or Twitter (see below). Join hundreds of other Mechwarrior enthusiasts and like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. Receive the latest guides and the best MWO builds directly to your favourite social platform!

Official Original Patch Notes

Source

Open Beta Update #22

Upcoming Patch – Tuesday July 30th @ 10AM – 1PM PDT

Patch Number: 1.2.233

Change Log

UPDATE

Greetings, MechWarriors.

What is this? A third patch in July? Madness!

First off, we want to acknowledge the amazing work the community is doing with the Sarah Jenner! We knew you were a caring community but these results are exceeding our expectations and for that we truly thank you.

It’s summer and things are heating up around here with the release of our latest map Terra Therma. Lava is hot! So read the Patch notes for a full description...

Read More

Atlas D-DC SRM Close Quarter Carnage Builds

How to Build the most efficient Atlas D-DC SRM + AC/20 Brawler Loadouts

MWO Best Atlas DDC Close Quarter Build Foreword

Everybody enjoys the Atlas D-DC. Everybody loves SRMs! Everybody craves for AC/20s. Everybody likes to have an ECM installed. Everybody wants to be on top of the score board. Well, maybe not everybody but most players will admit that most of these things are excellent toys to have fun with in Mechwarrior Online. I have a fair share of Atlas piloting experience myself and tried various builds. I also receive regular input from clan mates and real-life friends who pilot D-DCs themselves.

For a regular full guide, the author would rant on about how you must balance ammo position and tonnage. Armor on legs and engine size, etc etc. Not here. We played Atlas AS7-D-DCs for weeks and have come up with two of the most excellent builds. These builds are focussed on head-on close quarter combat. Long range weapons and PPCs are for sissies. Real pilots bring an AC/20 to the SRM brawl. 100t of death will ensure you eternal glory on the battlefield and the death curses of your enemies in the weeks to come.

View Atlas DDC Brawler Build Online at mwo.smurfy-net.de

We have come up with two very similar builds. The first one is faster, has more armor and an AMS installed. The second one skips on the defensive part in order to utilise bigger SRMs with more heat sinks. Thus, the second build runs a little bit slower and is more vulnerable, but has a slightly higher alpha strike and more sustained dps. Which of the two builds you’ll use is completely up to you. If you are a new to the game or the assault chassis in general, I personally recommend going with version #1. If you are already an experienced MWO player and know how to play, go with version #2.

Atlas D-DC Build version #1 – More Armor, better engine, and AMS

Atlas D-DC Build version #2 – Higher alpha strike, more sustained DPS.


If you want a more all-round build with more ranged weapons, but still stick with the D-DC and what makes it so strong, check out the Atlas D-DC juggernaut build guide.

Atlas DDC SRM Brawler Build Playstyle and Hints

  • Your side-torsos are your most vulnerable part. You won’t die if you take some hits, but there is a high chance your most valuable weapons will be critted and destroyed. If you can not shoot, but are being shot at, turn your upper torso sideways. Your arms are sturdy as hell, and you won’t miss them once they are gone.
  • If you are engaged in a brawl and running very hot, stop firing the medium lasers. Focus on perfectly hitting your AC/20 shots only. If the heat permits it, continue firing your SRMs.
  • Weapon grouping tips: 1) AC/20 2) Medium Lasers 3) SRM6s 4) All weapons. This is one possible way to configure your weapon groups. However, do not bother with chain firing or other combinations. The loadout is pretty straight forward, and you should have these four intuitive groups set for maximum efficiency in hectic situations.
  • Do not waste your SRM ammo on light Mechs. You will not hit them enough to make it worthwhile. Instead, use your medium lasers against their legs and fire AC/20 shots in their faces if you are sure you will hit them.

MWO Atlas DDC SRM Brawler Build Screenshots

MWO Atlas D-DC SRM4 BuildMWO Atlas D-DC SRM6 Build


Get Connected!

If you know of an excellent build, resource, or guide, submit it and maybe it will be featured on mwo-builds.net and seen by thousands of players. You can submit builds by sending us an e-mail, post it in the official looking-for-builds thread, or send us a private message via the official forums. You can also submit guides and builds via Facebook or Twitter (see below). Join hundreds of other Mechwarrior enthusiasts and like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. Receive the latest guides and the best MWO builds directly to your favourite social platform!

Read More

Project Phoenix Mechs vs Standard Variants Art Leaked

Project Phoenix Mech Models and Textures Revealed

Over at Google+, some crafty community members found what seems like the Project Phoenix Mechs geometries. The four Project Phoenix Hero Mechs will have unique geometry and textures, as well, as a bonus to c-bills earned and loyalty points (which probably have something to do with the community warfare, but no details are known, yet). It remains to be seen if these textures are official, but at the moment, there is no evidence to indicate otherwise.

Also notice the small icons on the textures. Some of the say the corresponding Project Phoenix package name. If you are still unsure wether to buy the Project Phoenix package or not, check out this comprehensive MC calculation. You might also click through some of the links at the bottom of this post.

Until then, enjoy the sneak peak images. Click the images to view in high quality.

Locust Standard variant vs Locust Hero Mech

The Locust will be the smallest Mech of the project and the lightest Mech in all of Mechwarrior Online to date. It weighs only 20 tons and comes with multiple ballistic slots.

Project Phoenix Locust Hero Mech vs regular variant

Shadow Hawk Standard variant vs Shadow Hawk Hero Mech

The Shadow Hawk weighs 55 tons and features up to 3 ballistic slots combined with jump jets.

 

 

Project Phoenix Shadow Hawk Hero Mech vs regular variant

 

 

Thunderbolt Standard variant vs Thunderbolt Hero Mech

Thunderbolt is the heavy Mech of the package with 65 tons. The Mech has multiple ballistic, energy and missile hardpoints but no jump jets.

Project Phoenix Thunderbolt Hawk Hero Mech vs regular variant

 

Battlemaster Standard variant vs Battlemaster Hero Mech

The assault slot is filled by the Battlemaster. 85 tons of pure death. It lacks jump jets but has multiple hardpoints in each category making it a fearsome opponent.

 

Project Phoenix Battlemaster Hero Mech vs regular variant

 

Links to check out

Project Phoenix MC calculations – Click here to see if Project Phoenix is worth your hard earned money.

Official MWO Project Phoenix web page - Go here to buy your Project Phoenix package today.

Official MWO Project Phoenix forum post - Click here to join the discussion and hype in the official forums.


Get Connected!

If you know of an excellent build, resource, or guide, submit it and maybe it will be featured on mwo-builds.net and seen by thousands of players. You can submit builds by sending us an e-mail, post it in the official looking-for-builds thread, or send us a private message via the official forums. You can also submit guides and builds via Facebook or Twitter (see below). Join hundreds of other Mechwarrior enthusiasts and like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. Receive the latest guides and the best MWO builds directly to your favourite social platform!

Read More

MWO Sarah’s Mech Jenner JR7-D(S)

Update

Sarah’s Mech donations exceed $50,000 in just a few days and charity Mech is featured on Canadian news station CBC.
http://www.cbc.ca/player/News/Canada/BC/ID/2398278247/ Starting at 18:30

Sarah’s Jenner and Cancer Research

During May 2013, the community was moved by the early death of one of  the youngest Mechwarriors, Sarah. The community asked for a special edition Mech whose earnings should go directly to cancer research. PGI heard the pleas of the community and moved quickly to make this awesome idea a reality. Now the Sarah Jenner Mech is live for only 10$. I have compiled a custom mini-FAQ, but you can check out the official FAQ, as well. They already raised over 15,000$ in the first couple hours. As a proud Mechwarrior and having close relatives taken from me by cancer, I have already purchased mine, too. What are you waiting for? Be a hero today!

Note, that the offer is only valid until August 20th and will never ever be available again after that point.

Links to click on

The Mech Specs

Although nobody should really care about that, here is it for the stats-nuts. The Mech’s paint job is inspired by the original fundraiser thread and is definitely unique. The hardpoints are that of a Jenner JR7-D, already one of the best Mechs out there and, most importantly, Sarah’s favourite Mech. The armament is also inspired by Sarah’s preferences: 4x Medium Lasers and 2x StreakSRM2. A beast on the battlefield.

Sarah's Jenner JR7-D(S)

Sarah’s Mech Mini-FAQ

Q: When I buy Sarah’s Mech, does the full $10 go to the Canadian Cancer Society?
A: 100% of the proceeds will be donated to the Canadian Cancer Society, net of applicable Sales Taxes and third-party transaction fees such as credit card and payment processing fees. These fees typically represent less than 4%. For clarity, IGP and PGI are not keeping any money from the donated funds.

Q: Can I buy Sarah’s Mech for MC?
A: No. The nature of this charitable transaction prevents us from accepting MC as a donation currency. We’ve been working hard to ensure that all funds from this initiative go directly to charity; this is completely separate from other in-game purchases.

Q: Why isn’t Sarah’s Mech in my MechBay immediately after I’ve purchase it from the buy page?
A: In order to accommodate this special charity sale, our payment system is completely separate from our other game purchases. Sarah’s Mech will appear in-game on August 23. We may be able to add Sarah’s Mech earlier in batches, but the feasibility of this will be determined by our developers at our regular scheduled maintenance periods. Rest assured, we’ll do our best to get Sarah’s Mech to you as quickly as we can after you’ve made your purchase, but no later than August 23.

Q: Do I need a Mech Bay?
A: No – we are also bundling a special Mech Bay that is exclusively attached to Sarah’s Mech, which cannot be used with other `Mechs.

Q: Will Sarah’s Mech have the regular stats and pilot tree?
A: Sarah Jenner Variant will be treated as a regular JR7-D for the purposes of Stat tracking and Pilot Tree upgrades. Sarah’s Mech provides a 10% XP boost per match played.

Q: What is the refund policy for this particular Mech?
A: There will be no refunds of Sarah’s Mech, as the proceeds are donated directly to charity.

Q: Will this Mech ever become available again after the August 20th cut-off?
A: No – this is your only chance to get this once-in-a-lifetime ‘Mech. Be a hero and just do it!

Q: Can I spend more than $10 on Sarah’s Mech?
A: No. Donations beyond the $10 promotion will have to be done directly to the charity of your choice.

Q: Can Sarah’s Mech colours be changed.
A: Yes!

Q: Can I get a tax receipt for my donation?
A: You will receive a receipt through our payment provider with your purchase. However, we are unable to issue you a charitable tax receipt. If you wish to make a donation and receive a tax receipt, we encourage you to donate directly to your local cancer society.
Sarah's Jenner - Donate Now!

 


Get Connected!

If you know of an excellent build, resource, or guide, submit it and maybe it will be featured on mwo-builds.net and seen by thousands of players. You can submit builds by sending us an e-mail, post it in the official looking-for-builds thread, or send us a private message via the official forums. You can also submit guides and builds via Facebook or Twitter (see below). Join hundreds of other Mechwarrior enthusiasts and like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. Receive the latest guides and the best MWO builds directly to your favourite social platform!

Read More

Ilya Muromets Dual Gauss Build

Ilya Muromets (Cataphract Hero Mech) Dual Gauss Sniper Build

MWO Best Ilya Muromets Dual Gauss Sniper Build Foreword

With the recent patch discouraging PPC and AC/20 boats, Cataphracts have been struggling to find new builds. If you are running you a 2X, you can build a brawler following this Cataphract 2X brawler guide. A more popular variant is the Ilya Muromets, the Hero Mech. A friend of mine at the Hell’s Black Aces Merc Corp showed me a build which has quickly become popular amongst competitive gamers. An Ilya Muromets build which is equipped with dual Gauss Rifles, Medium Lasers, and a Machine Gun. High alpha strikes, way above average dps and no heat issues what so ever make this Mech a fearsome opponent.

View Ilya Muromets Dual Gauss Sniper Build Online at mwo.smurfy-net.de

AMS + Machine Gun for critical hits and survivability

Higher movement speed version with AMS

Higher movement speed version without AMS but 3rd Medium Laser

Ilya Muromets Dual Gauss Build Playstyle and Hints

  •  Cataphract plus XL-engine makes you very susceptible to frontal damage. If you come under heavy LRM, AC or PPC fire from the front, take cover immediately or you will die in seconds.
  • Always use your Gauss Rifles together. The pinpoint damage will make short work of what ever component you are targeting.
  • When at close range, keep those Medium Lasers and the Machine Gun fire buttons held down! It is almost impossible to overheat with this build.
  • Your damage output is easily focused on one point, and the damage per second at close surpasses most other builds currently in the game. If you are entangled in a brawl, keep firing all the time. Your enemies will most likely underestimate your firepower and only turn around, when it is already to late.

Link to original Author

This build was brought to my attention by Smeg of the Hell’s Black Aces Merc Corp. Check out their web page!

Cataphraken


Get Connected!

If you know of an excellent build, resource, or guide, submit it and maybe it will be featured on mwo-builds.net and seen by thousands of players. You can submit builds by sending us an e-mail, post it in the official looking-for-builds thread, or send us a private message via the official forums. You can also submit guides and builds via Facebook or Twitter (see below). Join hundreds of other Mechwarrior enthusiasts and like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. Receive the latest guides and the best MWO builds directly to your favourite social platform!

Read More

Cataphract 2X Insane Brawler

Cataphract 2X Brawler Build

MWO Best Cataphract 2x Brawler Build Foreword

I am a great fan of the Cataphract chassis. I bought a 4X, 2X, and 1X right when they came out. However, the CTF-3D and the Hero Mech variant “Ilya Muromets” are much more popular. While those are really fun and powerful variants, I wanted to beat something with my 2X and 1X. So this guide came to life. See how a Cataphract 2X can easily deal as much damage as the more popular variants. People will only underestimate you until you blasted the second Assault Mech in their team to bits.

View Cataphract 2x Build Online at mwo.smurfy-net.de

This build features everything you need. The Cataphract 2X brawler build is like the whole family fun package. A Gauss Rifle for long range shots and in order to add critical pinpoint damage while brawling. It can also be used in the rare case of running on high heat. Three Medium Lasers will serve as your all-purpose weapons. Finally, double SRM6 will be your melee range blaster. The recent MWO patch buffed their damage even further. Note, that all screenshots where taken before this patch and the damage values were already insanely high. Especially when encountering Assault Mechs, the SRM6s will provide the critical damage needed to take them down quickly.

Cataphract 2x Playstyle and Hints

  • Although your Cataphract 2X is equipped with a Gauss Rifle, the most damage can be dealt at close range. Try to engage in brawls early on for maximum output.
  • This build is very heat efficient. Do not fear to fire all weapons at all times. In the rare case of running on high heat, continue firing your SRM6s and the Gauss Rifle only.
  • The combination of a Cataphract chassis and an XL-engine make you very susceptible to frontal attacks. Try to hug buildings, ledges, and cliffs at all times.

MWO Cataphract 2x Brawler Build Screenshots

Note, that the following screenshots where taken before the recent buff to SRM damage. You should be able to easily reach or even surpass those numbers.

Cataphract 2X Ownage Screenshot 1Cataphract 2X Ownage Screenshot 2


Get Connected!

If you know of an excellent build, resource, or guide, submit it and maybe it will be featured on mwo-builds.net and seen by thousands of players. You can submit builds by sending us an e-mail, post it in the official looking-for-builds thread, or send us a private message via the official forums. You can also submit guides and builds via Facebook or Twitter (see below). Join hundreds of other Mechwarrior enthusiasts and like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. Receive the latest guides and the best MWO builds directly to your favourite social platform!

Read More

MWO Patch Notes July 16th Summary – Alpha Strikes, Heat Penalties and Victor

Click here for August 20th Patch Notes <

MWO Patch Notes July 16th

Today’s Tuesday is patch day in Mechwarrior Online. Some long awaited changes have finally made it into the game. The patch notes address alpha strikes, sniper builds, victor, ssrm2 targeting and some other smaller stuff. The following list provides a quick summary for those who want the most important facts of the current patch notes straight up.

Patch Notes Summary TL/DR

  • You will now generate a lot more heat if you fire multiple weapons of the same kind at once.
  • The regular Victor variants are now available for c-bills.
  • SSRMs will now randomly target different body parts.
  • Regular SMRs had their damage increased by 33%.
  • You can now select a map when running Testing Grounds.
  • Crosshair Jump Jet shake has been reduced.
  • Atlas RS(C) Champion Mech can now be bought for mc.
  • You will take damage if you overheat (originally only if beyond 120%, now starting at 100%).
  • Various bug, performance and graphical fixes.

Heat Scale for Alpha Strikes

A new game-changing mechanic is in place which increases the heat produced from firing weapons if one fires multiple weapons of the same kind at the same time. This will greatly reduce the effectiveness of sniper builds like Stalker PPC boats, “AC/40″ builds and SRM boats. LRM boats, Large Laser and Medium Laser crazy builds are affected to a small degree as well. However, not all weapons are affected.

If you would like to learn more about this, check out this guide: MWO Heat Penalty System explained without formulas

Weapon SystemMax UseableHeat Penalty
AC/201very high
PPC2high
ER PPC2high
Medium Laser6low
Large Laser2medium
StreakSRM4low
SRM24low
SRM44low
SRM63low
LRM152medium

The first column indicates the weapon in question. The “Max Useable” columns indicates how many of this weapon one can fire at the same time without generating more heat than usual. The third column, “Heat Penalty”, describes how much extra heat per additionally fired weapon beyond the threshold you will generate.

MWO Patch Notes Victor


Get Connected!

If you know of an excellent build, resource, or guide, submit it and maybe it will be featured on mwo-builds.net and seen by thousands of players. You can submit builds by sending us an e-mail, post it in the official looking-for-builds thread, or send us a private message via the official forums. You can also submit guides and builds via Facebook or Twitter (see below). Join hundreds of other Mechwarrior enthusiasts and like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. Receive the latest guides and the best MWO builds directly to your favourite social platform!

Original Official MWO Patch Notes July 18th

Open Beta Update #21

Upcoming Patch – Tuesday July 16th @ 10AM – 1PM PDT

Patch Number: 1.2.231

Change Log

UPDATE

Greetings MechWarriors

Top 10 Awesome things in this patch. #inmyopinion

Number 10. Visual bug Fixes – Bye Bye Flickering terrain! #thatisbetter

Number 9. Performance Improvements! We’ve been hard at work optimizing the code so 12 v 12 won’t hurt your frames as much. #cantwaitfor12vs12

Number 8. The Victor is available for C-bills now! Those with mech bays and fat C-bill accounts are recommended to purchase this ‘Mech immediately. #greatmech

Number 7...

Read More

Highlander 732/733C PPC Sniper Build (updated for Alpha Patch July 2013)


Updated Version of this Highlander 732/33C Sniper Guide is available!

Note: An updated version (September 2013) of this Highlander PPC/Gauss Sniper build guide is available. Click here to view it.


The Highlander 732/733C PPC Sniper Build (updated for Alpha Patch July 2013)

MWO Best Highlander 732 Sniper Build Foreword

The Highlander is one of the best assault chassis and quickly became a favourite of my own. Sniper builds are everywhere, and no match goes by without countless PPCs fired at you. It is time to strike back. Obviously, some variants are better suited for the job than others. If you like a sturdy armor and heavy armor, but don’t want to slack on the mobility side: Congratulations! You just found one of the best PPC sniper builds currently known to the Mechwarrior Online community. This Highlander 732 PPC sniper build combines the unmatched armor and firepower of assault chassis’ with excellent mobility.

View Highlander 732 Sniper Build Build Online at mwo.smurfy-net.de

Note: this exact same build can be built on the 733C as well.


The recent Mechwarrior Online Patch made PPC boats very ineffective. However, you can use the following build until July 20th 2013. After that you will have to rely on the above build.

Warning: the following builds are not very effective any more! You must use chain fire or multiple weapon groups in order to still use them. It is highly recommended switching to the a fore mentioned builds.


The 3 PPCs and the Gauss Rifle will grant you with unmatched firepower. Alpha strikes of 45 damage at a reasonable heat dissipation will tear enemies to shreds with only a few shots. Light Mechs will die instantly most of the time.

Since LRMs are making a huge comeback you may want to add an AMS to your build. Here is a slight variation on the above build which includes an Anti-Missile-System. This will reduce your damage only very slightly, but the increased survivability is often worth the small cost. This Mech is using an XL-engine after all.


Highlander PPC Sniper Playstyle and Hints

  • For maximum efficiency, group your weapons as follows: 1 Gauss Rifle 2 All three PPCs 3 Gauss Rifle plus one PPC (when high on heat) 4 All three PPCs in chain fire (for test shots and disabling ECM).
  • All your PPCs and the Gauss Rifle are on one side of your Mech. Whenever you are under heavy fire or LRMs are inbound, turn your upper torso so the other side of your Mech faces the enemy.
  • Use jump jets to look over cliffs. Often times you will be able to even shoot Mechs will falling back down.
  • Be careful not to harm your legs from excessive jump jet usage. Rule of thumb: when using more than 75% of your jump jet energy, you will take damage to your legs upon landing. Try to reserve some fuel to soften your landing.
  • When close to overheating, keep firing your Gauss Rifle plus a single PPC. This will cause very little heat and allows you to continue damaging the enemy with roughly 60% of your firepower. This is always better than overheating or not firing at all.

MWO Highlander 732 Sniper Build Screenshots

Highlander 732 Sniper Build Good Game ScreenshotHighlander 732 Sniper Build Good Game Screenshot

 

Get social and follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

If you know of an excellent build or guide, submit it and maybe it will be featured on mwo-builds.net and seen by thousands of players. You can submit builds by e-mail, post it in the official looking-for-builds thread, or send us a private message via the official forums.

Don’t forget to like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to receive the most recent guide directly to your favourite social platform.

Like MWO-BUILDS.NET on Facebook!Follow MWO-BUILDS.NET on Twitter!

Read More

July 2nd Patch Notes Summary

July 2nd Patch Notes Summary

Small changes in comparison, but they will change how we’ll play the game. Here is a short summary of the patch notes. Full original patch notes below.

  • New Hero Mech: Dragon Slayer (Victor chassis, 80t)
  • New (Trial) Champion Mech: Atlas AS7-RS(C)
  • Slopes will slow your Mech down and steep slopes will no longer be traversable.
  • New Pattern for Jenner Founder’s Mech
  • Environmental sounds have been added to all maps
  • FPS Button has been re-enabled (hotkey F9)
  • Mechs will take damage if they overheat to 120% heat or more

Dragon Slayer Victor Hero Mech

Original Official Patch Notes

PATCHNOTES:

UPDATE

Greetings MechWarriors,

So we have gone and done it again! Victor Hero is releasing first and what a beauty it is. Having The Dragon Slayer in your Mech lab will probably melt your face off with pure “Mech goodness”...

Read More

Earning C-Bills fast – Premium Time vs Hero Mech

Premium Time vs Hero Mech

What do Premium Time and Hero Mechs have in common?

Premium Time and Hero Mechs have two things in common: 1) They will cost you Mechwarrior Credits (Mechwarrior Credits or simply “mc”). 2) They will provide you with a bonus to your c-bills earned from each match played. The bonus is really huge, and you will see up to 250,000 c-bills in a great match being pushed to your account. The bonuses even stack if you have both active at the same time resulting in close to double c-bills earned.Premium Time vs Hero Mechs

Where do Premium Time and Hero Mechs differ?

Apart from the 50% vs 30% c-bill bonus, there are some other differences which cannot be compared as easily. Everybody has to decide for themselves, which of these things he/she cares more about.

Premium TimeHero Mech
Lasts a fixed amount of days.Lasts forever.
Will expire, whether you play or not.Does not care if you play or not.
50% c-bill bonus.30% c-bill bonus.
50% more xp and GXP gained.No bonus to xp or GXP.
No Mech or other items provided.Unique variant.
No cosmetic bonuses.Unique skin.
Works on all Mechs you play.Works only on the Hero variant.

The following graph illustrates when the smaller, but permanent, Hero Mech bonus surpasses a 30 day premium time package. Assuming you are playing almost every day of your 30 day premium time, the Hero Mech will surpass the Premium Time package after roughly 50 days. However, this also requires, that you played your Hero Mech variant only. The amount of XP and GXP gained during 30-50 days of continuous play with premium time active is also quite significant. Using premium time will boost your GXP quite heavily and unlocking upgrades on your new chassis was never that easy.Premium Time vs Hero Mech

Which Premium Time Package is the best?

 Premium Time vs Hero Mech is a very personal decision. If you don’t care about the Mech itself and play MWO constantly, getting Premium Time is usually the better choice when looking at time frames of a few months. The most practical (and arguably best) Premium Time package is the one for 30 days.

If you want to play hardcore for a weekend or so, get the 3 days pack. Its value is better than the one for only 1 day. If you want to go crazy on your free week, get the 7 days package. The 7 days package is worth more if you play at least 6 of the 7 days. On to the 30 days package: This package is so awesome because you only need to play 15 out of the 30 days to make it worth your money. The bigger packs 180 and 360 days are not worth it in my opinion. You would need to play 163/180 or 288/360 days respectively in order to achieve the same C-Bills to MC ratio as the 30 days pack. If you are actually considering getting the 180 or 360 days pack, consider buying a Hero Mech instead or at least purchase the time in multiple 30 days packages. You will have the same effect, but with more flexibility and more value. Maybe PGI will adjust the larger packages at some time in the future.Premium Time vs Hero mech

TL/DR

What premium time to get? 30 days premium time is the best value for almost all situations.

I don’t want premium time, I want a Hero Mech! All things considered, the Dragon (C), The X-5 and Pretty Baby have the best values.


Get Connected!

If you know of an excellent build, resource, or guide, submit it and maybe it will be featured on mwo-builds.net and seen by thousands of players. You can submit builds by sending us an e-mail, post it in the official looking-for-builds thread, or send us a private message via the official forums. You can also submit guides and builds via Facebook or Twitter (see below). Join hundreds of other Mechwarrior enthusiasts and like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. Receive the latest guides and the best MWO builds directly to your favourite social platform!

Read More