Normal levels and enemy encounters leading up to a boss or enemy AC are always easy

[Skull of a Crowned Athlete]

The only 2 enemies in the game that are challenging are "autonomous grinder wheels" AKA wheel skeletons 2.0 and the fast as ♥♥♥♥ C weapon tetrapods. Coincidentally enough these enemies appear together in the same NG++ mission unexpectedly.

It appears the levels were designed to be beaten without repair kits and then you're supposed to use all 3 repair kits on a boss or AC gank if you're having trouble with them. I'm not sure if previous Armored Core games were like this. I've heard it was important to perform well in the level, otherwise you would be facing the boss with reduced AP and ammo. I should probably go back and play the previous games, especially For Answer because it looks fast paced and radical.

[魔装機神 Psybuster]

You didn't have repairs at all in previous ACs as far as I'm aware, so it was entirely about using your ammo wisely and progressing carefully, especially since you'd run up your bills fast and possibly even go into debt.

[ImHelping]

Welcome to armored core! Most enemies exist to bleed you dry or remind you "Hey that weapon you called overpowered is going to run out of ammo if you use it on everything." before an important target.

See also: everyone whining and crying handguns are bad because their super robot magnum more powerful than a railgun rifle ran out of ammo in a kill em all stage.

[He Who Is Vile]

Those are a bit tricky, yes. Missiles, however, completely invalidate the wheels since one volley from verticals can knock them down. Other methods include shooting them with something big to stagger them when they are coming right for you in hopes that your bullets are faster than the wheel.

Tetrapods follow usual tetrapod logic, except they move at a higher speed and the main two things to dodge are the rocket and the jumping kick which makes them pretty vulnerable. A really good FCS for the range you try engaging them at makes them more manegable.

[HypetheKomodo]

In most missions in older AC games, one of your greater concerns was running out of ammo. Most of the MTs you ran into weren't much of a threat. If you died it was usually due to just being nickle and dime'd to death or getting hit by something you shouldn't like a turret, environmental hazard or falling off the map.

The regular enemies were rarely an issue.

You're right though, I don't think most missions mean for you to chug all your repair estus, especially if you're trying to S rank. They're there just if you need them. The early game artillery mission can shred newer players in a hurry.

[ImHelping]

Originally posted by He Who Is Vile:

Those are a bit tricky, yes. Missiles, however, completely invalidate the wheels since one volley from verticals can knock them down. Other methods include shooting them with something big to stagger them when they are coming right for you in hopes that your bullets are faster than the wheel.

Tetrapods follow usual tetrapod logic, except they move at a higher speed and the main two things to dodge are the rocket and the jumping kick which makes them pretty vulnerable. A really good FCS for the range you try engaging them at makes them more manegable.

I mean, even twin vertical missiles is a coinflip if they will hit the wheels or not. They love zooming around like ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ way too much. To the point even the infamous needle gun can deflect when you pull the trigger when they were only 100m away,

Man I hate high health/damage enemies that are still programmed like a terrified glass cannon build afraid to be in the same zipcode as you. Only burrowing or otherwise "haha I am out of bounds can't touch me!" enemies are a more boring enemy type

[Skull of a Crowned Athlete]

Originally posted by ImHelping:

Welcome to armored core! Enemies exist to bleed you dry or remind you "Hey that weapon you called overpowered is going to run out of ammo if you use it on everything."

See also: everyone whining and crying handguns are bad because their super robot magnum more powerful than a railgun rifle ran out of ammo in a kill em all stage.

All of your supplies get refilled every checkpoint though so I've never found myself being bled dry of resources if I'm having trouble and wasting ammo.

[ImHelping]

Originally posted by QuackHead:

Originally posted by ImHelping:

Welcome to armored core! Enemies exist to bleed you dry or remind you "Hey that weapon you called overpowered is going to run out of ammo if you use it on everything."

See also: everyone whining and crying handguns are bad because their super robot magnum more powerful than a railgun rifle ran out of ammo in a kill em all stage.

All of your supplies get refilled every checkpoint though so I've never found myself being bled dry of resources if I'm having trouble and wasting ammo.

Keep this thought in mind, and I honestly hope you one try the only mission forcing people to suddenly scream "Why am I running out of ammo?!" constantly over.

[HypetheKomodo]

Originally posted by QuackHead:

Originally posted by ImHelping:

Welcome to armored core! Enemies exist to bleed you dry or remind you "Hey that weapon you called overpowered is going to run out of ammo if you use it on everything."

See also: everyone whining and crying handguns are bad because their super robot magnum more powerful than a railgun rifle ran out of ammo in a kill em all stage.

All of your supplies get refilled every checkpoint though so I've never found myself being bled dry of resources if I'm having trouble and wasting ammo.

That's a new thing for AC6. And even then you can punch, which is also new.

The older games had neither. Once you were out of ammo you were out. And you are sometimes forced to quit out of missions because of this if you had no laser blade.

The checkpoints does make the game a lot easier (or at least a lot more tolerable, given some of the bosses) but I think it's better than the old design of savescumming and taking the time to reload your data if you happen to fail a mission.

[Skull of a Crowned Athlete]

Originally posted by He Who Is Vile:

Other methods include shooting them with something big to stagger them when they are coming right for you in hopes that your bullets are faster than the wheel.

Yeah I equipped pulse armor and met their charge head-on with double songbirds to 1shot them. Felt good.

[Sabaithal]

Repair kits exist because not everyone who starts off in this game knows how to move or what to use, or is apt at evading attacks right out of the gate. Most missions that are pisseasy to AC/Souls vets will be a decent (not great, not terrible) challenge to most newcomers.

[BKo]

You guys can't even kill a basic enemy helicopter, but you want to make MTs stronger? Imagine the salt if checkpoints were removed.

[魔装機神 Psybuster]

Originally posted by QuackHead:

All of your supplies get refilled every checkpoint though so I've never found myself being bled dry of resources if I'm having trouble and wasting ammo.

Most missions don't have supply points, and most that do just have one before a boss fight.

[Timmy Tissue]

That NG++ mission is the only difficult non boss encounter in the whole game lol

[Sabaithal]

Originally posted by BKo:

You guys can't even kill a basic enemy helicopter, but you want to make MTs stronger?

The point is to close the gap between the enemies (who are trivial) and the bosses (who are too high of a challenge for many). So yeah. make MTs have more health, make bosses (the helicopter included) just have a bit less health.

[Skull of a Crowned Athlete]

Originally posted by Sabaithal:

Originally posted by BKo:

You guys can't even kill a basic enemy helicopter, but you want to make MTs stronger?

The point is to close the gap between the enemies (who are trivial) and the bosses (who are too high of a challenge for many). So yeah. make MTs have more health, make bosses (the helicopter included) just have a bit less health.

And put just a few more tetrapod MTs in the game. I loved those guys since they seem just the right amount of health and damage for a tankier type of enemy. Just enough health to take out with a combo ending with charged pile bunker.