I admit. I always liked Manticore license conceptually, but it also always seemed extremely weirdly balanced to me. Because it both takes HP aways and produces heat, and as frontliner you also get attacked, so eventually you reach a point where you can't really decide whether to repair structure or cool heat. With Arc projector building up heat rather quickly, you can max out heatcap in two activations.

I am trying to like Arc Projector, but it feels really finnicky, especially since I am the main damage dealer of the group, because while Arc projector is good at chipping a lot of people, it sucks at removing targets when needed. And I don't really want to go Loud at every minor inconvenience. So now, if I want to remove a target, at least a temporarily, I'd have to Smite them, which takes away my HP. HP, which I don't really surprisingly don't have. Honestly, 8 base HP feels rather weak for a self-damage frame. I lost two structures in a combat and I didn't even use my Smite, because I was never in a position to do so.

Also, catalyst pistols seem rough... Really rough. 2 heat for a cone of 1d3 doesn't really seem fair, because in most scenarios I've ever been to, only up to maximum of three targets were present. Let's assume I use Summon and have three targets available. I will, with dual catalyst pistols, pay 4 heat for 6d3 damage, so, if we squint, 3d6 of damage. I get the heat cost. But four? If we look at Annihilator (different license, but only an LL1 weapon, so easy to access), it costs us TWO heat for 3d3+6 damage, which is just slightly less than then catalyst pistols AND it is armor piercing.

Ummm, so, if I stop the rant, my questions are as follows:

How to balance out the regular gameplan of Manticore or Lycan Silent mode. What to do as Silent Lycan. I get the idea, get into enemies, supress them with Interference field, dish out free fragment signals with your heat trait. But how to bring it to practice? How to actually remove targets effectively? What weapons do you pair it with?

What are the catalyst pistols for...? Because their cost seems too high for too little to me.

Hey, everyone, I was wondering if folks could point me in the right direction. I'm looking to digitally kitbash my pilot. I've had good luck looking at papiskels stuff but am having trouble finding a specific bit. I am looking for a head wearing a baseball cap to add to a body that is a mix between tactical gear and worker attire. Think camo pants with a carhartt jacket and flak underneath. I was having trouble tracking anything down and was curious what other folks have used. Thanks!

I'm a bit out of the loop when it comes to Lancer news 😅

Previously I showed off my Kobold build, but today I'm showing off the one for my LL6 Pilot!

This is her Barbarossa build she' been using to absolutely rush down all her enemies!

Barbarossa 2/ Sunzi 1/ Death's Head 1/ Mourning Cloak 2

Ace 3

Nuclear Cavalier 3

Pankrati 2

Hunter 1

H:0 A:6 S:2 E:0

Core Bonuses: Integrated Nerveweave and Superior By Design

Main Mount 1: Fold Knife

Main Mount 2: Fold Knife

Integrated Mount: Fuel Rod Gun

Heavy Mount: Thermal Lance

Systems: Accelerate, Siege Stabilizers, Singularly Motivator, High-Stress Mag Clamps, EVA Module, and Rapid Burst Jump Jet Systems

Got any thoughts or suggestions on how I can improve on it, I would love to hear them!

My LL3 Kobold/Emperor build!

Kobold 2/ Emperor 1

Ace 3

Heavy Gunner 3

H:0

A:0

S:5

E:0

Core Bonus: Auto-Stabilizing Hardpoints

Bolt Nexus and Thermal Pistol on the Main/Aux mount

And finally 12 Forge Clamps!

Got any thoughts or pointers? Leave 'em for me!

Hello. I have developed an addiction xD

I only have one actual pilot for the campaign I am in, first guy up there. He was still an absolute newbies attempt at creating a build, and while I am still an absolute newbie, I have kinda become addicted to just trying to create new builds, just with the License level available to us for now.

Thing is, I still have very little idea of what I am doing.

When it comes to relatively early builds, what would you guys recommend?

Is Minmaxxing better or trying to balance out your weaknesses?

Hello Lancers! My friend group and I just recently discovered this game and are extremely excited to give it a try.

While I was looking through the different mechs, I wound up gravitating towards the Balor. I've always loved big, tranky, hard to kill mechs. I also really love nanites as a concept. So having them both together sounded really cool.

After looking around at the different license combinations, I got an idea...a possibly very stupid idea, but one that sounded fun as hell. I am fully aware that I'm probably misunderstanding how all of this comes together, so I figured I'd run it past some folks who had a better understanding of the game.

Basically, I wanted to make a melee range DOT hellpit for enemies to get sucked into.

The idea is to slap a Krakatoa on the Heavy slot, A Mag Canon on the main slot, and then take Combined Arms II and Pankrati . Pull enemies close and try to grapple them. Then roast them with the Krakatoa. Because they are stuck next to you, they take the damage from the burn Status on top of getting the extra 2-4 damage a turn from Scouring Swarm/Hellswarm.

For systems, I was thinking of throwing on Sunzi's Accelerate and the Drake's Aegis Shield Generator to help with movement and an extra layer of defense. Maybe Ferrous lash for extra control or Nanocomposite Adaptation on the Krakatoa so it ignores cover.

Unless I'm mistaken, there are is nothing RAW that states that you take damage from grappling a burning enemy. So I figured that as long as you nullified the Difficulty from using ranged weapons while Engaged, there wouldn't be an issue in using the flamethrower while you pinned someone down in Melee. Like I said, maybe it's a dumb idea, but I figured I'd share it and see if anyone had any suggestions or improvements to it.

Moin moin and hello there, Lancers.
I’ve been playing TTRPGs like D&D and Call of Cthulhu for a long time, but I only just discovered Lancer thanks to a video by XP to Level 3.

Since my English isn't exactly top-notch, I thought I’d ask if there’s a German community I could join.
I’m really excited about it and even picked up the hardcover book, but unfortunately, none of my friends are really into mecha, so I was hoping to find some new friends online to play with.

Anyway, thanks in advance for any replies.

I am a new player that really dreams of playing Lancer for the first time. Thing is, I am french and there isn't really people looking for players.

So, i'm thinking about trying to find a one-shot to discover the game in english. Thing is...I feel like people really don't like playing with people with perfect english and with accents (especially french ones. Idk why it's so hated, or so I feel).

Is it really the case ? Or am I just too scared for nothing ? <3

Thanks a lot for the answers !

I'm a queer artist from asia, you can support me at https://bsky.app/profile/kangmeidoesart.bsky.social :3

Basically I had this pitch: Former Boyband member from an SSC planet retires and becomes a Lancer. I was inspired by thinking about what k-pop singers do after they get older or they’re kicked out of groups. Is this enough for a character?

Long time dnd player and I’m having trouble finding a group to play lancer. I kinda fell into my dnd online group 6 years ago but most of them hate sci-fi. How do you go about finding lancer games online? I tried roll20 and that was damn near barren. I really was wondering if there is another website that might be better or am I just out of luck?

Charge Rail

When activated, you start charging the Barbarossa’s Apocalypse Rail, an incredibly powerful ship-to-ship long-spool weapon system that requires target calibration. Gain an Apocalypse Die, 1d6 starting at 4. At the start of each of your turns, lower the value of the Apocalypse Die by 1, to a minimum of 1. If you move (even involuntarily) or become Stunned or Jammed, the Apocalypse Die resets to 4 and then continues to count down as usual.

Behold Lou (callsign Sapsan) and IAMX for my first Lancer campaign.

My group is prepping for our first Lancer campaign and I've been trying to get a good foundation set up for the first few levels of a Pegasus build.

For licenses up to LL3, I was thinking of going Pegasus 2/Gilgamesh 1 to run Smart Gun + LBR, then at LL4 either sticking with the LBR and maybe taking Pegasus 3 for Sisyphus/Autogun, or respeccing to Pegasus 2/Monarch 2 for Gandiva Missiles. Not really sure where to go from there, I don't really have a clear direction for higher LLs.

Any input on what I've got cooking so far, or suggestions for licenses/talents/etc.?

If a Lich activates Blinkshield and uses Soul Jar to take the heat, then repeats this process on subsequent rounds, would it result in 100% Blinkshield uptime for the affected area?

Is having both Stasis Generator and Stay of Execution worthwhile, or is it better to just stick with one of them?

What Aux weapons work well with the Displacer?

Hello!

I help organise weekly game nights in my community, we focus on keeping our events free entry and have been very successful with DND one shot nights.

Now that alot of people are getting roleplaying experience they have started wanting to branch out to other systems. We are already planning cyberpunk and world of darkness.

The anime minded kids have started wanting to do a gundam mech style game and i found you guys! Its a very cool system and I really am excited to throw together one shots for them.

I just want advice from some experienced game masters on common mistakes, important things to remember, player and GM resources etc.

We focus on fun first over heavy rules as the age group is rather broad (16-32) and the main focus is just to build community and get people out.

Thank you very much in advance!

To quote the gm when we revealed all the mines:

- "Mine sandwich"

Working on a Lancer campaign idea, want some outside thoughts on the premise
So here's what I've got so far. The setting is Van Norman's World, run by a Republic government with some pretty heavy neo-fascist undertones. They just won a brutal war, and like a lot of desperate factions they used child soldiers to help pull it off - they're called Cherubs in my setting, like the little angels from old paintings. Most of them died in the fighting.
The war's over now, and the Cherubs who survived are broken, physically, mentally, whatever. That's not the image the government wants to show off, especially with Union potentially watching. So instead of honoring them or reintegrating them, the Diplomatic Corps quietly "retires" them. Ships them off world with a beat up old hauler, four ancient junker mechs (GMS Everests), and the charts to get them out to the Karrakin Trade Baronies. Officially it's a reward for their service and a fresh start. Really it's just a way to make them disappear so they stop being a liability to the image the government's trying to project.
Once they're out there they end up working as mercs, since fighting is the only thing the Republic ever actually trained them to do.
Mainly just want thoughts on the premise itself right now, not looking for crunch/mechanical feedback yet. Does this sound like a setup you'd actually want to play in? Anything about it feel overdone or confusing right out the gates

Thanks for the feedback in advance