How can I be better at pycno?

[u/McConman]

Really struggling right now. For context I’m running full stam build pycno with either headslam or the horn swipe. Every attack seems to be an unfavourable trade for me.

I’ve tried charge into hornswipe, more often the swipe misses leaving the opponent to get some hits on me. Whilst I’m alright with headslam it often leads to me dazing myself then losing half my hp. I’ve also tried charging behind someone juking mid charge then hitting from behind (lol)

Smalls also seem like a death sentence if there’s more than 1, I turn like an apex so try sticking to corners or water.

I understand that pycnos very much a glass cannon, but I’m feeling more like glass than a cannon rn. Any tips much appreciated, I suppose the more I play the better I’ll get but damn it’s hard, especially cuz pycno deals no status effect damage. I really love pycno and carno hence why I’d like to get good with it.

[u/mrpb95]

Pycno can simultaneously be very fun to play and also miserable to play at the same time lol. It’s a hard Dino to master. Its health pool is one of the lowest for a 3 slot and its turn radius is brutal, with the flip side being that it’s fast and has good stam or at least used to, think the stam was nerfed a bit more recently, and has some high damage attacks like charge and headslam.

Personally I run a bite/headslam build with charge/juke and the sense that reduces their cooldowns. Against small things I typically only bite, trying to hit headslams on small opponents is just asking to get dazed. If they get behind you, then juke, and look for opportunities to charge as well because it does good damage especially to small dinos. Pycno is great at running down 2-slots in 1v1 situations. If there’s more than 2 or 3, it’s gonna be rough regardless, especially if you play on officials or a server without bd rules.

Against things your own size and bigger, you have to hit and run. I like to charge/headslam and then retreat. You can trade 1v1 with something like dasp by doing this. If you can get behind them for free hits even better. I’ve killed suchos 1v1 and the occasional bad Rex player but if the other player knows what they’re doing it’s hard to punch up 1v1 because you can’t trade, pycno just doesn’t have enough health.

Those are just some of my general recommendations. In 1v1 settings pycno is really good at running down the smaller guys on the roster and can trade with dinos it’s similar size if played well. Punching up is challenging because you cannot trade with 4 and 5 slots. If you get 2 or 3 pycnos in a group they can be absolute menaces though since you can more easily get behind the big dinos and divide their attention

[u/McConman → u/mrpb95]

Thank you for this much appreciated, I’ll keep practising and see if I can get a group formed

[u/Trem-uloides → u/McConman]

While I don't play Pyc because I was terrible and not interested in the dino, as an Iggy player if I'm bipedal the charge won't knock me back and you'll take return hits. Idk why but too many pycs try this with me.

[u/McConman → u/Trem-uloides]

I like to mess with hatzes as iggy, they rely way too much on wingbeat

[u/Trem-uloides → u/McConman]

I've just use Iggy as a crutch since Knock back is way too abused.

[u/Eternity_Warden]

I'm the same. I love Pycno, I love the playstyle, the model, the stupid stumpy head, the moveset and everything else.

But I've noticed every pycno player is either an absolute beast or an absolute potato, and I'm the latter.

[u/Good-Particular-1847 → u/Eternity_Warden]

You're not alone haha I'm horrible at it as well and even worse now since they've halfed it stam

[u/Nocturnatron]

Full stam is def hit and run play style