BATTLETECH Update 1.3 Stream Nov 1st

[Revan Katarn]

Thanks for the summaries everybody; very exciting. Can somebody explain exactly how the new revision to Bulwark works? Just reading the thread I'm confused by the "20/40/60" description.

If I understood correctly, if a pilot with bulwark ends the turn out in the open (no terrain cover) activating bulwark (so moving+bracing, not moving or moving and/or shooting+Vigilance), the 'Mech will receive a 20% damage reduction (instead of the 50% from the actual version). 40% damage reduction if the 'Mech is within a terrain that usually gives 25%, e.g. forest, I think that this is kind of passive. And the 60% if bracing within cover terrain (forest, windwhirls..). I'm sure that either in-game text and/or release notes will completely clarify it.

 

[Doctor Machete]

If I understood correctly, if a pilot with bulwark ends the turn out in the open (no terrain cover) activating bulwark (so moving+bracing, not moving or moving and/or shooting+Vigilance), the 'Mech will receive a 20% damage reduction (instead of the 50% from the actual version). 40% damage reduction if the 'Mech is within a terrain that usually gives 25%, e.g. forest, I think that this is kind of passive. And the 60% if bracing within cover terrain (forest, windwhirls..). I'm sure that either in-game text and/or release notes will completely clarify it.

Nope. If you stay in the open you receive nothing from BW, it only improves existing cover. Also, not sure but as I understand from the stream you now only get 20% from cover alone.

 

[Ben G]

The tool tip for the new Bulwark shown in the stream (with the numbers corrected to what they said are in the current build) says "BULWURK: PASSIVE: COVER and GUARDED states both provide 40% damage reduction instead of 20% damage reduction. COVER and GUARDED together provide 60% damage reduction."

From Kiva's dev diary #1: "We also made Guarded stack with Cover"

So, currently, being in cover gives a Mech a 25% damage reduction if not Guarded. Being Guarded, whether in cover or not (either by Bracing, getting it automatically from Bulwark, or from using Vigilance), gives you a 50% damage reduction.

My understanding of the new system is:

1. A non-Bulwark pilot in either cover OR Guarded (via bracing or Vigilance) will have a 20% damage reduction. A non-Bulwark pilot in cover AND Guarded will have a 40% damage reduction.

2. A Bulwark pilot in either cover OR Guarded (via bracing or Vigilance, Bulwark no longer gives you automatic Guarded) will have a 40% damage reduction. A Bulwark pilot in cover AND Guarded will have a 60% damage reduction.

 

[HBS_CaptKerberos]

Nope. If you stay in the open you receive nothing from BW, it only improves existing cover. Also, not sure but as I understand from the stream you now only get 20% from cover alone.

This is accurate.

Bulwark is a defensive amplifier. If you are in Cover, or Braced, it will amplify (stack 20% DR) on that buff. If you have no active or passive defensive buff, BW does not do anything.

So:

Open Ground + Bulwark: 0% DR
Open Ground + Brace: 20% DR
Open Ground + Brace + Bulwark: 40% DR

Forest/Ruins: 20% DR
Forest/Ruins + Brace: 40% DR
Forest/Ruins + BW: 40% DR
Forest/Ruins + Brace + BW: 60% DR

As Vigilance Braces you, it will behave with all other systems as if you had Braced, include stacking with BW.

 

[Sigil]

Forest/Ruins + Brace + DR: 60% DR

Should this read?

Forest/Ruins + Brace + BW: 60% DR

 

[HBS_CaptKerberos]

Should this read?

Forest/Ruins + Brace + BW: 60% DR

It certainly should. Edited. Haha thanks.

 

[scJazz]

This is accurate.

Bulwark is a defensive amplifier. If you are in Cover, or Braced, it will amplify (stack 20% DR) on that buff. If you have no active or passive defensive buff, BW does not do anything.

So:

Open Ground + Bulwark: 0% DR
Open Ground + Brace: 20% DR
Open Ground + Brace + Bulwark: 40% DR

Forest/Ruins: 20% DR
Forest/Ruins + Brace: 40% DR
Forest/Ruins + BW: 40% DR
Forest/Ruins + Brace + BW: 60% DR

As Vigilance Braces you, it will behave with all other systems as if you had Braced, include stacking with BW.

Thank you for explaining it so clearly.

 

[scJazz]

This is accurate.

Bulwark is a defensive amplifier. If you are in Cover, or Braced, it will amplify (stack 20% DR) on that buff. If you have no active or passive defensive buff, BW does not do anything.

So:

Open Ground + Bulwark: 0% DR
Open Ground + Brace: 20% DR
Open Ground + Brace + Bulwark: 40% DR

Forest/Ruins: 20% DR
Forest/Ruins + Brace: 40% DR
Forest/Ruins + BW: 40% DR
Forest/Ruins + Brace + BW: 60% DR

As Vigilance Braces you, it will behave with all other systems as if you had Braced, include stacking with BW.

Just for clarity sake... could you do the same with Sure Footing?

 

[ThatGuyMontag]

I will say I like the numbers I'm seeing: Bulwark is now the go-to generic "defences" skill and the fact that a Brawler specialisation is now my go-to brawler pilot adds a nice synergy, to say nothing of the story in piloting and guts making a defensive monster. In fact both trees now make a lot more sense from a story standpoint, which is really neat now that I think about it.

In the meantime I'm trying to theorycraft problems with the skills but it's proving difficult. One potential problem is that given that an evasion 'mech will aim for cover anyway, Bulwark will make more sense than Sure Footing right off the bat though it will stack really nicely with the SF benefit if you want to double down on defences.

The wrinkle is that Sure Footing adds defences when you're not using special conditions, for instance if you need to make an end-run across an empty stretch or during lunar missions, which actually smooths out the Bulwark benefits a little bit, especially bearing in mind you still have the option to stack guarded and cover. The two different defences look more and more like a straight-forward trade-off with minor situational benefits which is frankly good design.

Gah, it's so clever it's making me sick.

 

[Doctor Machete]

This is accurate.

Bulwark is a defensive amplifier. If you are in Cover, or Braced, it will amplify (stack 20% DR) on that buff. If you have no active or passive defensive buff, BW does not do anything.

So:

Open Ground + Bulwark: 0% DR
Open Ground + Brace: 20% DR
Open Ground + Brace + Bulwark: 40% DR

Forest/Ruins: 20% DR
Forest/Ruins + Brace: 40% DR
Forest/Ruins + BW: 40% DR
Forest/Ruins + Brace + BW: 60% DR

As Vigilance Braces you, it will behave with all other systems as if you had Braced, include stacking with BW.

Also maybe obvious but I think it must be clearly stated: now BW works if you move. It doesn't require to remain still, so you can get both evasive and BW bonuses in the same turn. Using JJs + BW + Sure Footing + Ace Pilot could be potentially very powerful, perhaps replacing Master Tactician as the lvl8 skill to go for non Breaching pilots.

 

[ThatGuyMontag]

Also maybe obvious but I think it must be clearly stated: now BW works if you move. It doesn't require to remain still, so you can get both evasive and BW bonuses in the same turn. Using JJs + BW + Sure Footing + Ace Pilot could be potentially very powerful, perhaps replacing Master Tactician as the lvl8 skill to go for non Breaching pilots.

Agreed, though I actually think Coolant Vent is a strong contender there. The usual strategy is for high defence brawlers to have big alphas: close in, alpha then punch to cool down. CV has a clear synergy with this strategy, especially with the prerequisites.

 

[scJazz]

I will say I like the numbers I'm seeing: Bulwark is now the go-to generic "defences" skill

Teasing: It was always that way despite your desperate attempts to disprove it

 

[HBS_CaptKerberos]

I'll try to follow up with Sure Footing. It is a bit simpler than Bulwark.

As for Bulwark YMMV (your mileage may vary) with the pilot respec, but the stated goal was to keep the important role of Damage Reduction in bulwark as that impacts larger balance in the game, but we wanted to nerf the ability intelligently

Bulwark was a must have, due to the flat 50 DR which we didn't honestly like but couldn't replace cleanly prior to 1.0 launch.

On top of that, it made combat more static than we wanted, Speed is Security, in combat and in BT. Bulwark sort of flew in the face of that. Sure it helped Sniper builds, but there are plenty of way to bolster them.

So we wanted to make Bulwark require you take some sort of action to trigger (park in trees, Brace, use vigilance) and then it would amplify the defensive action you have taken. It's the idea that you are no just preternaturally good at face tanking damage, but simply that you are better at the defensive techniques that all Pilots use, so you can better face tank damage.

 

[HBS_CaptKerberos]

Also! Shout out to all our brave testers in the Pilot Revisions beta!

And a similar shout out to the small contingent who helped behind the scenes on our re-Revision build we put out soon after.

 

[Doctor Machete]

Agreed, though I actually think Coolant Vent is a strong contender there. The usual strategy is for high defence brawlers to have big alphas: close in, alpha then punch to cool down. CV has a clear synergy with this strategy, especially with the prerequisites.

I disagree. With a four turn cooldown I don't see it for most cases. For regular use, a skill you're going to use maybe three-four times a mission, and instead of Master Tactician or Ace Pilot (or Breaching if you go multi route)?.

In my main walkthrough I have a scout/brawler/bodyguard with very high alpha high heat (31, not counting JJs) which I try to keep outside LoS until I attack, maybe three or four times (almost never five or more) per mission, also never at melee range but medium-short range when coming from outside LoS. Only do that when I can finish a mech almost for sure and only (if I can) when I expect no fire returned. So at first it seems a perfect candidate for such skill, jump+alpha and then move & sensor lock for a while.

It would help with the 31 + JJs heat I usually generate when attacking in hot maps but I still don't like it over Ace Pilot or Master Tactician. I don't think is really bad but imo it's just not good enough for a lvl 8 skill compared to the others. Both Ace Pilot (somewhat) and Master Tactician give you some kind of initiative flexibility, which probably is the reason the devs mentioned they'd like to do more skill changes around initiative but couldn't do within the time frame constrains for this patch (if I remember well). Also who knows, now I'm focused in theorycrafting my main (full assault) lance but perhaps (for example) can be useful for alpha with light mechs, for which MT is not so useful (although Ace Pilot still is).

 

[Cyttorak001]

Also maybe obvious but I think it must be clearly stated: now BW works if you move. It doesn't require to remain still, so you can get both evasive and BW bonuses in the same turn. Using JJs + BW + Sure Footing + Ace Pilot could be potentially very powerful, perhaps replacing Master Tactician as the lvl8 skill to go for non Breaching pilots.

I don't think Sure Footing works with JJs, just with walking.

 

[Doctor Machete]

I don't think Sure Footing works with JJs, just with walking.

The stability reduction doesn't but the extra eva chevron does, and can go over the maximum.

 

[Amechwarrior]

I don't think Sure Footing works with JJs, just with walking.

I had to pause the video and reread the description a few times but I think the extra Pip does apply to all movement and only the Entrenched bonus to walking.

 

[Prussian Havoc]

So many great MechWarrior Ability Combinations are about to be released on 27NOV with Update 1.3 : )

Personally I am even more in favor of Multi-shot as a secondary Ability to wear away at those Chevrons this Turn...

...thereby encouraging my opponent to move earlier in the next turn.

#TurnOrderDOMINATION


That and now the payoff that is there for the taking as Bulwark MechWarriors get caught in open ground / Killing Fields while they move from one source of Cover to another source of Cover.

#KNOWyourENEMY

 

[ThatGuyMontag]

I don't think Sure Footing works with JJs, just with walking.

As @Amechwarrior says, SF now applies to all movement, but it also applies over and above your max evasive pips, which means we now don't need to wait for piloting 6 to get 5pips. I don't really spend enough time with the faster mechs, 4/6/4 is something of a sweet spot in the game as is, but this should conceivably make higher pip values more common as well: SF and piloting 6 means you can get 6 pips of evasion on the 55 tonners, which would couple with 40% DR from cover and Bulwark (60% with vigilance) to make a frankly obscene defence profile.

The right skills can make a 'mech obscenely tanky in this proposed revision.