Clan Nova Builds?

[Hersaint]

Getting back into MWO. I'm going to try the clan mechs. Just bought the Nova Breaker Hero Mech. Any advice on builds? Best one for CBs and XP? Best one for just plain hilarity?

[Korenthil]

My favorite is 12 cspl. Hit overdrive and you can core about any other mech in the game out (before coring youself of course). I have went head to head with a Direwolf and out gunned him with this build.
My other favorites are 12 cspl and 4 mgs and 6 cspl and 5 mgs.

[Hersaint]

Thanks for the advice. What chassis is that nova build? Nova Prime with all energy hardpoints?

[TaintedLuck]

Nova is a omni mech so as long as you switch in the omni pods you want you can make just about any build limited to available hardpoints and tonnage

[Der Dutchman]

There's basically two builds. One is 12 SPLs and as many heatsinks as you can, make sure you stagger fire (6 left arm, 6 right arm) and never do an actual "alpha" strike (its still fast enough to feel like an alpha). A targeting computer will also help a great deal (level 1 only).

The second is use 12 Small Lasers and 4 MGs (1 ton of ammo) and as many heatsinks as you can fit + a level 1 TC. This will do significantly less damage and have the same heat, but will run cooler due to having more heatsinks and has a slightly longer range, allowing you to brawl at a solid 230+ meters (TC+weapon range module) instead of 180.

There's really no other builds for Novas, which is fine, either of these will wreck face.

The Stormcrow can basically do the same thing (SPLs) and moves WAY faster, but is a taller target and has no jump jets.

In short (pun intended), use the Nova in areas where your ability to jump into or out of a conflict will be valuable, otherwise you shoulda gone Stormcrow ;)

Generally speaking you get 4 shots of your weapons off before hitting heat issues, so that is somewhere in the realm of 110-140 dmg, depending on which build you are bringing.

[Hersaint]

Thanks everyone.

[Der Dutchman]

Also as a side note for MG, its never worth it to stare at someoen with your MGs instead of loking away briefly and spreading out dmg. Most common mistake I se with backup MGs is the pilot decides to "stare" at you with them, allowing easy shots to wherever you want to hit. Always be moving like Ray Charles!

[Dakota]

12 SPL - super high damage per second, fire in 2 groups of 6
12 ERSL -high damage per second, but longer laser durations, generates less heat because of quirks and can have more heatsinks though, fire in 2 groups of 6
8 ERML - high alpha, high heat, fire in 2 groups of 4 or a group of 6 and another of 2
6 ERML - all alphas all the time and with more cooling than the 8 ERML build but less burst damage.
6 MPL - stronger alphas and low duration but very hot with not as much cooling
6 ERML, 6 ERSL - get your high alpha and also have an extra strong close range punch but extremely high heat

Those are the common Nova builds that work well. Nova Prime is the best variant for the most part, as it comes with the 12 hardpoints stock and has some bonus quirks. Since you have the breaker just be sure to also get the Nova Prime's side torso omnipods since they come with a heat generation quirk that'll keep you running cooler.

[Nephandus]

There are two other options:

Arms of the Nova A, Side Torsos of the Nova Prime, 2 ER PPC and a Targetting Computer IV. Nasty Jump Sniper with less heat problems.

Nova S with Nova A Side Torsos and Nova Prime Arms: 12 ER Small Lasers and 3 AMS.... way to go to annoy LRM Boat players.... especially LRM 5 and 10 have hard times getting through.

[Dakota]

Originally posted by Nephandus:

There are two other options:

Arms of the Nova A, Side Torsos of the Nova Prime, 2 ER PPC and a Targetting Computer IV. Nasty Jump Sniper with less heat problems.

Nova S with Nova A Side Torsos and Nova Prime Arms: 12 ER Small Lasers and 3 AMS.... way to go to annoy LRM Boat players.... especially LRM 5 and 10 have hard times getting through.

Dang, forgot those two even though I'm running them on two of my three Novas.

[Hersaint]

wow thanks for the reply and builds. New to the clan side. Will try the Nova A omnipods with that Targ. COmputer 4.