SPARK builds?

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babyface_killah
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Joined: Fri Feb 09, 2018 4:41 am

SPARK builds?

Post by babyface_killah »

Never really bothered with SPARKs in LW2. They seem to come too late in the game for me since I don't usually prioritize Proving Grounds and their aim isn't that good. OW spec doesn't seem that good based on their Aim and I turn most of my rangers and specialists into overwatch spec, so what do you use them for? What sort of squad comps do you run with them? Special synergies with other skills / classes?

I might finally give them a try on my current campaign since I'm kind of snowballing the tech and strategic game but I still have a lot of GP missions to finish before I actually win.
gimrah
Long War 2 Crew
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Re: SPARK builds?

Post by gimrah »

They are kind of fun. Very good on certain mission types, notably all retal types including invasion and avenger defence. They are ok on GOps.

I reckon aim is too poor for the OW tree. And strike is dreadful, possibly the most underpowered thing in the game. I find wrecking ball too finicky to use reliably.

So I go for tanking perks, culminating in sacrifice, which is great. The only non tanking perks I go for are Bombard, which offers complete over destruction at squadsight, and rainmaker. I like rainmaker because it makes the Spark more effective on that one crucial turn, which is what the Spark is mostly about.
Psieye
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Re: SPARK builds?

Post by Psieye »

I want to like them, they have some unique LoS fuckery because they don't peek around corners and they jet-jump up buildings. But I don't play with the DLC story mission and I don't want to invest 2 cores to build them when they'd matter. So all they'd be for me are mobile high cover that can't be blown up when paired with a Bastion Psi. Well, that and a heavy weapon on the one turn that matters.
My three 8-man GOp squad Commander campaigns:
1st
2nd
3rd
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SonnyWiFiHr
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Re: SPARK builds?

Post by SonnyWiFiHr »

https://steamcommunity.com/workshop/fil ... =720053228

You will love them. They became what they should be. Humans are not better than machine. Not in war.
Just lower default bonuses if you want harder play.

https://steamcommunity.com/workshop/fil ... =924664152

Now they rock and rocket.

You will have 12 of this and they make late game more fun (you already won the game so it is not big deal) for more research
The Preacher
Dwarfling
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Re: SPARK builds?

Post by Dwarfling »

I build them tank (+rainmaker +bombard) and go up close for the proximity bonuses. If the SPARK activates another pod it's usually ok because of armor and ablative. I consider them close to OP during T1 because they can one shot almost anything while taking ridiculous amount of punishment before being at risk. It stays that way until T3, when their damage output falls off because they can't multi-shoot every turn like Assaults do.
Redshirt4life
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Re: SPARK builds?

Post by Redshirt4life »

You don't need to mod them. They are pretty strong as-is. SPARKS are tanks and high cover with strong utility tools. They level up very fast with their upgraded shredder gun pretty much wiping out some early pods on its own. The final skill, sacrifice, is insane. It forces the enemy to shoot at the sparks, who gets additional defense and armor. Your soldiers can just stand in the open and watch the frendly MEC tank everything the enemy has without even flinching.

You get them a little late but they don't need many ranks to be useful and do its job. Really good on defense missions and untimed missions. And they have very little downtime.
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SonnyWiFiHr
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Re: SPARK builds?

Post by SonnyWiFiHr »

You need to mod them - they are garbage compared to human. M3 is end of them.
You actually don't need any . Turn off Shen Last gift an pick better reward.
Best Spark is high defense formidable gunner + Med Specialst or two. This is the earliest formidable in game so this is first Spark + usable POI
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Dwarfling
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Re: SPARK builds?

Post by Dwarfling »

I'm just guessing you're never used a Rainmaker'd Plasma Blaster. Yeah, they're not going to single-handledly kill a 20hp target (without Overload), but neither can the Grenadiers, Technicals and Specialists. Sometimes not even the Gunners can pull it off because they have to full hit all their shots thru the innate defense and rapid fire malus. Even on the long missions they're more useful when out of consumables than Technicals or Grenadiers because their gun still hits hard, overdrive refreshes and they can heal themselves twice.
Redshirt4life
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Re: SPARK builds?

Post by Redshirt4life »

Just the fact that the SPARKs gives high cover wherever you need it (with an early perk) is so strong, espesially vs. AOE attacks. I run my Psi unit behind the SPARKs pretty much always. The SPARKs gives the psi a mobile high cover and the SPARKS gets immunity to acid and explosives. But really, any unit with formidable can park behind the SPARKs and enemies will lob AOE all day to a minimal effect. Indestructible high cover is hard to find.
gimrah
Long War 2 Crew
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Re: SPARK builds?

Post by gimrah »

Redshirt what difficulty are you playing and do you play with the Shen missions enabled?

I've been finding both Sparks and psi to be an unaffordable luxury on Legend, whereas I did find room on Commander.

I just tanked another Legend campaign. This time in October, which really hurt. Long period where I just didn't seem to get any missions and couldn't level up past TSGT. Got through avenger defence and then my A-Team got crushed on an invasion where the beacon was i) distant, ii) behind a wall, iii) on the ground floor, iv) sheltered by roof overhang.
Redshirt4life
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Re: SPARK builds?

Post by Redshirt4life »

I'm playing commander. Its totally not affordable on legendary. There are stupid things I like to do. Enough that I don't play Legendary. But, come on. Putting a Bastion Psi behind a SPARKS is just too fun not to do. :mrgreen:
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SonnyWiFiHr
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Re: SPARK builds?

Post by SonnyWiFiHr »

gimrah wrote:Redshirt what difficulty are you playing and do you play with the Shen missions enabled?

I've been finding both Sparks and psi to be an unaffordable luxury on Legend, whereas I did find room on Commander.

I just tanked another Legend campaign. This time in October, which really hurt. Long period where I just didn't seem to get any missions and couldn't level up past TSGT. Got through avenger defence and then my A-Team got crushed on an invasion where the beacon was i) distant, ii) behind a wall, iii) on the ground floor, iv) sheltered by roof overhang.
i) :) ii) :D :D iii) :D :D :D iv) :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
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chaosxxxxx
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Re: SPARK builds?

Post by chaosxxxxx »

Sparks suck balls if not modified,its true. Thats why u need the metal over flesh mod, its kind of mandatory; plus it also gives you more utility from proving ground. On my first couple of campaigns, i even did the ini edits, which allows them to use weapon mods,but in the end they simply became too op(think about it,a soldier with massive health,12 AH,85 aim,15 mobility,immunity to injury; is using elite scope to reach 100 aim). Now,i refrain from doing the ini edit,and they are still my go to soldiers for difficult missions. Levelling them up can be a pain. Fortunately u dont get them till May,and by then you should have a trial by fire officer. If you manage to get two cavaliers by august, The game at least to me becomes a cakewalk.
However, there is a catch. Some of the Spark skills are downright garbage, and some can actually work against you. I use a build something like this,and though all my campaigns,all my sparks have maintained a 3.00+ kill/mission ratio.

1.Body Shield(Lifesaver;plus you will almost never use your overdrive to shoot 3 times(usually you will move,shredstorm and shoot),so adaptive aim is less useful, and combat awareness is garbage)
2.Formidable(again,i use all my sparks as pure tanks. If you think you will get lucky, both shredder and rainmaker are extremely good. Also to be noted,with rainmaker, you can shredstorm halfway across the map. I once hit 3 pods for a total of 80+ damage,including crits )
3. Holotargeting (Amazing for targets that have a crap ton of defenses like archon,gatekeeper etc. Avoid bullwork at all costs,because if you flank an enemy by hugging it,it will get high cover against you. Dumb, I know. Strike is also pretty bad, because of low aim; and it does not get aim bonus from melee weapons)
4.Repair,Mandatory(Intimidate is arguably the worst perk in the game,guardian also,cause no hair trigger)
5.Bombard(guaranteed cover destruction,invaluable in lw2+squadsight. And since this is a game where you want to avoide getting shot at at all costs,channeling field is garbage)
6.Damage control(Great for desperation moves. Never could utilize wrecking ball properly,cause it is only active while you are on overdrive. Nova damage is not that great,and has small range)
7.Sacrifice( The ultimate skill to protect your squad. Great for hairy missions like hq assault,heavy troop coloumns or water world. Even better with formidable,cause less explosive damage)

P.S. If you want the best spark experience, equip your spark with the liberty prime voice mod. Nothing beats a giant mech shooting enemies in the face while announcing racist yet badass propaganda...
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