Can I graze that: A guide for Giraffe Calves to weapons, cert choices and tasty leave

[MrEclectic]

As these discussions and questions keep coming up, here is my take on how someone might progress their character. It is not definite or authoritative. It is based just on my experience from approaching this game as a total noob in FPS games in general.

• Although there are 6 classes to choose from, a Giraffe Calf should narrow it down to 2, 3 at the most. Get the 1 cert options for these, with the exception of the Advanced Shield Capacitor. Avoid that. Nanoweave 1 and Flak 1 are a must. When in a firefight, equip Nano. When engaging vehicles equip Flak. After the HE nerfs, the AA and AV buffs and new weapons, and the proliferation of shotguns and SMGs, Nano is preferable. Nano 3 and you can survive a pump shotgun shot. Nano 4 and you can survive mines sometimes.
• First class of choice should be Combat Medic. As a Combat Medic you are in the thick of the action, but not directly in the front. You get to observe how the battle flows, are a bit more protected, so you have a bit more time to absorb the chaos. And also, you can have a bit more kills, as you finish off what others start shooting at.
  
  • You are a Combat Medic. First Combat, then Medic. Assault Rifles are arguably the best rifle variant in the game. So much, that Heavy Assaults keep posting in the forum so that they too can use them. Shoot first, neutralise the threat, then revive.
    
    • You and a teammate enter a room with two opponents. The teammate kills one and is killed by the second. Even if you have cover, do not revive the teammate. Kill the surviving opponent and then revive. Your first responsibility is staying alive. Dead medics cannot revive dead teammates.
    
    
  • You also learn the importance of teamwork. You provide covering fire. But most importantly, you provide heals and revives. You keep the battle going. You remove the delay of your teammates having to respawn and get back into the action from the spawn room or sunderer. You are a force multiplier.
  • So your first priority should be to upgrade the Med Tool and the Healing Aura. Especially the Med Tool. Certing it up to rank 5 is cheap, you will revive your teammates to 75% of their total health, and you will do that faster and from a safer distance. Faster means more revives and heals per playtime, so you will gain more certs. A CM is both crucial to the rest of the team and a cert-machine to themselves.
  • Do not revive and then forget to top the health of the teammate. They will die soon, and you miss out on the certs. Do not go for hard to get to revives and heals. Your first responsibility is staying alive. Also, most people hate with a passion being revived by a rank 1 med tool. Upgrade it.
  
  
• Second class of choice is Heavy Assault. You have the shield, which gives you that extra bit of resistance. Do not forget to keep using it. Your default weapon, the Orion, is the highest DPS weapon among the Vanu LMGs. It is good enough, especially in close and medium range engagements. Your rocket launcher is good enough, especially when engaging close targets. It is also great as portable artillery against infantry and MAXs.
  
  • Again for emphasis: Get those 1 cert point upgrades.
  • Choice of shield: The default shield is mediocre. After certing your med tool, perhaps you should consider investing in the Resist Shield. Even at rank 1, it gives you more effective hp than the Nanite Mesh Generator (NMG - the default shield). It needs some getting used to. You still get damage, but that damage is reduced, only 55% of what you'd be receiving otherwise. Also, NMG loses both effectiveness and duration as it drains its charge. Resist Shield just loses duration. Resist shield synergises both with the Nano and the Flak suit.
  • Use Resist proactively, before engaging targets. When turning corners or entering rooms, flip it on. If no contacts, off again. When knowing that you will engage, flip it on. Just remember, all HA shields reduce mobility.
  
  
• Third class of choice should be Engineer.
  
  • Again for emphasis: Get those 1 cert point upgrades. In the case of the Engineer, because they are usually close to explosives and exploding vehicles, Flak may be a bit more useful.
  • Upgrade your Repair Tool. The upgrades are not so drastic as the Med Tool ones, but are still significant. You can keep outrepairing a vehicle or turret that is under fire. You get XP, they get frustrated. Also remember, the faster you heal someone or repair something, the less exposed you remain, and you live longer.
  • Upgrade your Ammo Box to rank 3. Ranks 1 and 2 go away too fast. Always lay it down. Get in the habit of deploying it by:
    
    • Selecting your Mana Turret
    • Pressing B to change mode (B is the key used to change fire modes for weapons and general utilities that support multiple modes of functionality)
    • The mode has switched to Ammo box. Now you can deploy it.
    
    
  • After that, you can start saving up for mines. First get AV mines. First Rank gives you two. These are enough. Keep laying them down. It is funny how you'll have forgotten about them and get a kill notification and xps half an hour later. You can place down as much as you can carry. Placing two more AV mines, without the previous having detonated, overrides the previous. Placing AP mines and C4 does not, so you can have all kinds of explosives placed. Note: C4 disappear after you respawn.
  • Always switch to Engineer when driving or piloting, or when being a dedicated gunner of a vehicle or aircraft.
  
  
• Besides the above, and preferably somewhere after getting your Med Tool to 3-4 and before further fleshing out other classes, you should get the AMS utility for the Sunderer. Remember to have it equipped in the appropriate slot in the load out screen. Deploy it by pressing B. Also, get all the 1 Cert Point upgrades. Zoom and Ammo for your Basilisk guns, Time Reduction, etc
  
  • More Sunderers are always needed. And you will get a trickle of XP from spawns, a deploy kill bonus when one of your passengers kills an enemy after disembarking, and gunner kill bonus when one of your gunners scores a kill.
  • A badly deployed Sunderer denies good positions. An unattended Sunderer will blow up (so will an attended, eventually). Ask for some tips, if not sure where to deploy. And be ready to move it, if another can be deployed to a better positon and yours blocks it.
  • When you can, cert into Mineguard. A Sunderer, fully certed into Mineguard, requires 7 mines to blow it up, IIRC.
  
  
• Weapon upgrades: Just one scope per weapon. My advice would be HS/NV. You can avoid having your vision obstructed by smoke, explosions or poor lighting. It also limits your view within the effective range of your weapon. The other choice is x1 Reflex. Great situational awareness, fastest transition from hip to ADS, and if the target is too small, they are outside your weapon's effective range.

I think that after someone has progressed to have gained enough XP to spend the above Cert Points, they start to get a clearer picture of how they want to play the game. So they can figure easier which leaves are more delicious and to their taste.

[CaBBagE]

That's a nice intro to the game there! Only thing to note is that the Resist Shield still seems bugged to hell and back for many people :/ - Regards, PurpleSnow.

[Wardancer]

Good info here, the only thing missing is weapon upgrades but they should in most cases not be bought with certs anyway because 1000 certs is often not worth it for weapons however there are a few choices that can be worth it to buy with certs.

Medic: H-V45, fairly cheap in Certs to buy and is one of the best close combat weapons in the game. With a lasersight you can hipfire and land most if not all shots when clearing buildings.

[Kyndylan]

Nice guide, MrEclectic. Glad to see you recommend Medic as the first class - that's what I'm investing in at the moment. I'm working on my healing tools currently, but you have alerted me that I may have neglected looking into Nanoweave. That might explain (a tiny bit) why I always die so fast!

Is there a clear upgrade to the standard medic weapon I should be heading towards?

Edit: Ninja'd by Wardancer!

[EsotericReverie]

The H-V45 is a very clear upgrade, but only in close quarters combat. At medium range and above it loses most of its effectiveness. Many seem to like the NS11 assault rifle for medium range and beyond, basically any range where the enemy is smaller on-screen than your hipfire (crouched and stationary) reticle. I think the Corvus is pretty decent too, at these ranges, but don't take my word for it. Its gunfire sounds phenomenal anyway.

[MrEclectic]

Suggested weapon purchases (try them out though first, first in VR and then by trialing in real fire situations. These are mere suggestions):

• Combat Medic:
  
  • H-V45: Beast of a weapon. IMHO best VS option among all the rifle variants (assault rifles, LMGs, carbines). At 250 certs, you might even get that without spending any money. Highest DPS AR, smooth recoil, great accuracy ADS and hipfire, this weapon has no flaws. x0.75 movement multiplier, so you don't get slowed down us much when ADSing. My first, easiest and most fun Auraxium Medal. Also, CM with H-V45 is the only kit I live long enough to regularly run out of ammo.
  
  
• Heavy Assault:
  
  • SVA-88: Bit of an initial kick and long reload time are its shortcoming. But it has such a smooth recoil, so you can keep sending sustained fire downrange. Amazing bullet grouping. Extremely accurate, extremely fast projectile velocity. Can also equip High Velocity Ammunition and Compensator. High bullet velocity means needing to lead even less when aiming at moving targets. And also, HVA upgrades the damage tier at the distance cut off. It is already a beast. With the upcoming buffs to VS weapons, this thing will be the cause of forumrage. x0.75 movement multiplier, so you don't get slowed down us much when ADSing. Also Auraxium Medal.
  • Pulsar LSW: Same DPS as SVA-88, shorter reload, but not as good accuracy, bullet grouping and projectile velocity. Also less weapon upgrades (no HVA or Compensator). Still good though. I think it only costs 125 CPs, so a cost-conscious choice.
  • Orion: Highest RoF LMG. Not so great accuracy though beyond close range/ short midrange. Still a great option, so don't disregard it just because it is the default. Also x0.75 movement multiplier.
  • Lancer/ Lasher: Get these. We are Vanu. We love lazorz. These shoot lazorz. Require some skill and familiarisation to use effectively, but devastating after that.
  
  
• Engineer/LA:
  
  • Serpent: Highest RoF and DPS carbine in the game. Great hipfire accuracy, smooth recoil and ADS. VX6-7 is the similar option, with better hipfire accuracy, but worse recoil. Serpent has long reload compared to other VS carbines, but still faster than TR. IMO Serpent comes way ahead compared to the VX6-7, as it still has great hipfire accuracy, but much, much better ADS one, and much smoother recoil. I have Auraxium Medal with the VX6-7, yet I prefer the Serpent.
  • AV Mana Turret (engineer specific): This thing has all the tankers raging for nerf, so it has their seal of approval!
  
  
• Infiltrator:
  
  • If you like sniping, Parallax is the best option. If you don't, or only rarely do, the cheapest one, the XM98, can still OHK most enemies with a headshot.
  
  
• MAX:
  
  • Anti-Infantry: Dual Cosmos: Blueshift is rightly called Blueshit by many. A single Nebula has lower Time To Kill (TTK) than a Cosmos, but dual Cosmos have lower TTK than dual Nebulas, because of the higher damage per bullet. It is very accurate, you can headshot opponents up to 50m away, and it has 75 rounds per magazine, so you don't have to reload so often. Wait though for the MAX update before purchasing any MAX weapons, as things may change.
  • AA: Dual Bursters: Get that second Burster if you can afford it.
  • AV: Not worth it at the moment, but wait for the MAX update.
  
  
• Magrider:
  
  • Primary: stick to the default.
  • Secondary: get the Saron, although the Halberd is comparable, if you don't want to spend the SC.
  
  
• Lighting:
  
  • HEAT: Great all-rounder against both vehicles and infantry. Direct upgrade IMHO to the default one.
  • Skyguard: I want to like this, and have used it effectively on occasion. But the tracking seems off. A dual burster MAX is a better AA option, IMHO.
  
  
• Sunderer: Basilisks are great, especially against other vehicles. If both your guns are manned, even MBTs don't stand a chance in a 1v1 situation. Can also scare away ESFs. Requires skill (which I don't possess) though to use effectively against infantry. If you plan upgrading the Sunderer guns, keep the rear Basilisk and switch the front one to a Furry with NV scope. Furry still does AV damage, has a smooth ballistic trajectory, good RoF, and can take infantry quickly. You can use it also as an improvised minesweeper, having your gunner shooting rounds in front of the sundy, as you drive it down a road or bridge.
• SMG (for all classes): I don't have a definite preference. Boris makes a good argument for the Sirius. Worth considering as a high RoF weapon for all classes, if you don't feel like spending for the specific class ones (H-V45, Serpent). Those are better IMHO. Still, SMGs have an advantage over carbines: with the exception of the faction-agnostic NS-11C, all carbines have a movement multiplier of x0.5, while all SMGs have a movement multiplier of x0.75. Carbines and SMGs though are weapons that you should learn to hipfire with while in CQC. By the way, scout rifles are also getting a buff in the upcoming update, so wait to see how the Artemis will compare to the SMGs, if you're getting it just for the Infiltrator.
• Shotgun (for all classes but Infiltrators): Pandora: Yes, you'll run out of ammo, but who cares or even lives long enough in most cases? Just aim and keep the mouse button pressed until they die (ok, do 4-5 shots burst, otherwise the recoil will have pellets flying all over the place). Still, a great option especially for Heavy Assaults clearing towers and rooms, and Engineers that know they have to get into a CQC situation to repair a generator. A pump action is great for Light Assaults, but you have to plan each encounter. I have the Phobos and like it, but perhaps the Deimos's higher spread may be a blessing in disguise: If you don't kill them within two shots with a pump action shotgun, you are dead. With the Deimos you may have a wider margin of error.

PS: Weapons spreadsheet: Here is a link. Nevertheless, it doesn't tell the whole story. Bullet velocity, first shot multiplier and movement multiplier are important stats that are often overlooked. Also, all the spreadsheet stats and damage over distance graphs will be included in the game UI after GU7.

PPS: DIRt: Damage as a function of Input, Range and time: This guy has made an amazing tool in Matlab, where he does all the in-game calculations to determine TTK and bullet spread. He also takes into consideration distance, stance, firing mode (auto, various types of burst), etc. Not released yet, but keep an eye on that thread, as he plans to publish the tool as a web application. When that happens, that will be the definitive source for determining weapon effectiveness and purchases. For the moment, check out his examples to see if he has posted anything about weapons you're interested in.

[Wardancer]

Also worth pointing out the Medic is _NOT_ a pure support class. Far from it, like BF3 it is actually the standard trooper. Assault Rifle, Grenades and a medic pack. So it really is a brilliant starting choice for people as it is very well rounded.

[MrEclectic]

Also worth pointing out the Medic is _NOT_ a pure support class. Far from it, like BF3 it is actually the standard trooper. Assault Rifle, Grenades and a medic pack. So it really is a brilliant starting choice for people as it is very well rounded.

Yes, you are right. Amending the first post

[MrEclectic]

Also worth pointing out the Medic is _NOT_ a pure support class. Far from it, like BF3 it is actually the standard trooper. Assault Rifle, Grenades and a medic pack. So it really is a brilliant starting choice for people as it is very well rounded.

See, this is why I shouldn't be doing this. I haven't played BF or any other modern FPS. I found out all these things the hard way in this game.

[qaz]

Engineer/LA: I've been loving the Pulsar C recently. Its firerate is a bit on the slow side, but it's one of the most accurate guns for mid-range fights thanks to its advanced foregrip. As Eclectic mentioned, the VX6-7/Serpent are the weapons of choice for cqc.

Re shotguns:
The nova is the best shotgun if you like slug-sniping or need a really big magazine (generally, the extended mags are the best choice on shotguns).
The Pandora seems quite excellent due to its crazy ROF. It's a good roomcleaner.
The Phobos packs a lot more punch though--it'll kill most enemies in a single shot up close, and it might be the preferred choice for some. The instagib potential is being paid for with slower refire and longer reload times.

AV-Mana turret: I'd caution against buying this at the moment, as it's too bloody great. It's bound to be nerfed sooner rather than later. So, if you want a long range AV option, get the lancer first and wait what they're going to do with the turret.

[pepper]

Depending on your play style I would recommend the Light Assault as a starter, it allows you to attack the enemy from above and behind thus giving you a bigger chance to get the first shot in, it also allows you to observe the results of your shot better.

Although it really depends on how you play, as a Light Assault its very productive to think more in the vertical axis, especially in build up area's.

[MrEclectic]

Depending on your play style I would recommend the Light Assault as a starter, it allows you to attack the enemy from above and behind thus giving you a bigger chance to get the first shot in, it also allows you to observe the results of your shot better.

Although it really depends on how you play, as a Light Assault its very productive to think more in the vertical axis, especially in build up area's.

That's the thing though. It literally introduces another dimension in an already overwhelming game. I enjoy playing as a Light Assault, and can be effective, but only recently. I wrote this from the perspective of and for the totally clueless, as I was (first MMO, first FPS, etc). Light Assault and Infiltrators (beyond sniping) are harder to use properly classes. They can be force multipliers if used properly. Not that one should not try. And not that the above approach is the only one for someone to pace themselves into the game. But it is a rather smooth one.

That is why I feel that Combat Medic is the best class for someone to learn the game. You get to watch. As you watch, people die. Were they properly covered? Do they die more if they attack from the left than from the right? So you witness the proper and improper use of cover and support, and the flow of battle. You keep healing them and reviving them, sustaining their effort. So you get introduced into the concept of force multipliers. And that battles are won and lost on spawns and distance from them. A Combat Medic shortens that distance. And your contribution is not limited only in enemies you kill. So a fresh player, especially one whose FPS skills are still developing in this game, you are still making a contribution, and don't feel as not achieving anything.

[Boris]

The cheap bastard's (me) guide to certing weapons:

Infiltrator: XM98 bolt action sniper (100 certs). A scope, I like 10x but any is fine (30 certs).
Light Assault: Default gun.
Medic: H-V45 assault rifle (250 certs). HS/NV, soft point ammo and foregrip or laser (another 330 if you go laser, 230 if you go grip). Test them out in VR to see what you like.
Engineer: Default gun.
Heavy Assault: Default gun or the Pulsar LSW (100 certs). Foregrip and a scope for another 130.
Lightning: Python L100 HEAT (250 certs). Level 1 zoom optics (1 cert).
Magrider: Default gun. Maybe get a Halberd for the secondary (250 certs).
Sunderer: Default guns.

If you're like me (a poor student), these are the best price-performance buys in the game. By the time you have these, you also have enough experience in the game that you don't need help picking guns you like. If you're willing to spend cash or grind a huge amount, there are usually better options. With the exception of the H-V45, that's the best gun in slot.

The best overall gun in the game in my opinion is the Sirius SX12 smg. Expensive at 1430 certs (1000 weapon, 200 laser, 100 suppressor, 100 softpoint ammo, 30 scope), but worth it and usable by all classes. Only the H-V45 beats it, but that's only for medics.

[MrEclectic]

Excellent post, Boris!

Only one little caveat regarding the SMG: the Serpent is also a better option, but also costs 1430 Certs (same purchase and upgrade costs). But instead of going for two class-specific weapons, it is a more cost-effective option to go for the Sirius.

The main problem with the Sirius is that it tickles them past 30m, due to its low damage per round. If one can and is willing to spend the SC and Cert Points, the class-specific high Rate of Fire (RoF) weapons (Hydra H-V45, Serpent VE92) remain better options, as they have higher projectile velocity and damage, and are more effective up to medium range.

[Kyndylan]

Does anyone have a link to a spreadsheet with all the weapon stats? It may be a little much for newbies, but it would be nice to have as a reference.

If it appears, could MrEclectic stick it in the OP somewhere?

[MrEclectic]

Does anyone have a link to a spreadsheet with all the weapon stats? It may be a little much for newbies, but it would be nice to have as a reference.

If it appears, could MrEclectic stick it in the OP somewhere?

Great suggestion, done.

[Boris]

Excellent post, Boris!

Only one little caveat regarding the SMG: the Serpent is also a better option, but also costs 1430 Certs (same purchase and upgrade costs). But instead of going for two class-specific weapons, it is a more cost-effective option to go for the Sirius.

The main problem with the Sirius is that it tickles them past 30m, due to its low damage per round. If one can and is willing to spend the SC and Cert Points, the class-specific high Rate of Fire (RoF) weapons (Hydra H-V45, Serpent VE92) remain better options, as they have higher projectile velocity and damage, and are more effective up to medium range.

It's severely degraded at 30 meters and further, but still able to do damage and kill (burst fire). I also find that most infantry firefights happen within this distance anyway. While the Serpent and Hydra may be better, they also don't cover all the classes which the SMG does. If you're only playing medic, get the Hydra. If you like to hop around classes to play what's needed, the SMG is the best upgrade you can buy since you're basically getting a weapon for all classes. That's why I consider it the best overall weapon, even though most classes have something available that's slightly better.

I also really like its big mag size. The Hydra is great, but I find I run out of ammo really quickly with it. While the Sirius needs an extra bullet to kill (8 bullets vs 7), you get 20 more in a mag so you can go on longer.

[MrEclectic]

By the way, need recommendations for Scythes, Liberators and Galaxies. I have most weapons for these, but I'm not using them that much to make them justice.

Scythe Pilots: are AA missiles worth it? Turbo Laser or stick to the main?

Liberator Pilots and Gunners: If you could choose only one, Dalton or Zepher? Walker for the tail?

Galaxies: I feel that upgrading all weapon slots is worth it, but how much, especially for a newer player, who probably is still figuring out whether he would like to spend so much SC on this game. Input?

[Wardancer]

Scythes: Turbolaser for everything, AA, A2G etc. A2A Missiles are so so, can help if you are at the outskirts of a dogfight but once you are in it they are not very useful so you are often better off with default afterburners to get you out of problems. So either afterburners or the A2G rocket-pods (which are also very useful in taking down Liberators and Galaxies).

Auto-repair is a very nice defensive slot as well as it is often very possible to get out of danger for a while in a scythe and get some free repairs. If you do not like it get stealth.

For utility get flares, helps a lot especially against TR who will always have a bucketload of Strikers around even if Striker missiles are fairly easy to avoid since they will try to predict where you are going to be, meaning if you dive they will hit the ground in most cases.

Air-frames are tricky though... I have the Hoverframe which can be used to gain extra speed and it lets you air-brake fast to make an enemy overshoot you. Not convinced it is all that good however, thinking of going speedframe to get out of trouble faster.


Liberators: If you can only choose one get Zephyr a lot more versatility and easier to use on the move. The Dalton needs a more stable flight which makes you a big fat target for everything. But really do not underestimate the default gun. It is very effective against infantry and enemy air and is also fairly easy to use on the move. Get NV scopes for the ground weapon.

Tail-gun sort of depends, to maximize your firepower vs ground you can get a Bulldog back there which is somewhat decent against enemy aircraft that gets on your tail. Otherwise the walker is a great addition but I have found it is easier to actually get a dedicated gunner for the bulldog because they too want to shoot stuff on the ground.

Auto-repair + Fire extinguisher is very useful for Liberators as they have a fair bit of health so they will save your bacon.

Galaxies: Those bulldogs on the sides are actually very useful fire support weapons for smaller skirmishes especially as you can land on a tower pad or on a building and get a great view over the base that a sundie cant. If the battle is of platoon+ size the usefulness of the Galaxy gunship is drastically reduced because of it being a huge target for just about everyone.

Auto-repair and fire-extinguisher is probably worth it here too.



Edit: Air weapons are however expensive in most cases so usually require investing SC.

[qaz]

By the way, need recommendations for Scythes, Liberators and Galaxies. I have most weapons for these, but I'm not using them that much to make them justice.

Scythe Pilots: are AA missiles worth it? Turbo Laser or stick to the main?

Liberator Pilots and Gunners: If you could choose only one, Dalton or Zepher? Walker for the tail?

Galaxies: I feel that upgrading all weapon slots is worth it, but how much, especially for a newer player, who probably is still figuring out whether he would like to spend so much SC on this game. Input?

Upgrading the Gal isn't worth it for anyone but those who enjoy the job of piloting one. It's cert heavy, and costs a lot. I'd go as far as saying that our equipment guide should discourage anyone but experienced players on spending anything on their gal.

As for the Scythe: I have the A2As but never use them, as the rocketpods are just a lot more versatile. The Hailstorm is less accurate, but it can down an ESF in one mag after you upgrade it ... definitely worth it.

Lib: Probably the Zephyr. It still works well against armor with the added benefit of massive AI utility. The Dalton is still ok, but it's only needed when there's an armor column that needs taking out from 800m or so.

If we make recommendations re vehicles, we should probably figure out what chassis/other slot options we'd suggest?