If you're new to SMNC, come here...

[Sinister Mr.C.]

I'm no pro, so this is not an exhaustive list. I am mildly competent at the game and this is what I now know. Please take a read and, for anyone used to the game, please add your own items to the list - I will happily edit this post to include additional items.

For those new to the game, here is some terminology clarification from NuclearKangaroo:

pros come in 5 different categories

enforcers: high health, high close range damage, low mobility (tank, gunner, cheston, veteran)

strikers: med range, med health, good mobility (assault, megabeth, karl)

defenders: lane holders, med health, can health, can provide armor to allies, have a turret, low mobility (leo, support, CG)

sharpshooters: low health, high long range damage, good for area denial, low mobility (sniper, gunslinger)

commandos: low health, high close range damage, extremely high mobility, great ambushers and finishers (assasin, captain spark, wascot)

And now, the list:

1) Money does not buy upgrades, levelling does, so buy bots, open jump pads and spend the cash - it helps no one in your pocket;


2) If you are about to die, for the love of God, retreat! If you die repeatedly you help the other team level (feeding). As you level, this can cause issues as your spawn time increases. Thank you to Goshnya for the following correction:

I believe spawn time is relative to your level, not how many times you died


3) When the annihilator is almost ready, move as a ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ team and claim it. If someone is pressing the button, grapple them or charge them or kill them - just stop your opponent pressing that switch;


4) You may be a good player, but you are not invincible. Please push with your team and don't overstretch;


5) Watch the lane guide at the top of the screen. It's clear, concise, and it's informative. When the enemy's bar is larger than yours, their bots are closer to your moneyball;


6) A pro kill is not worth dying for. If you have to die to get a kill, you've achieved nothing;


7) Try filling a useful slot on your team - if you have no strikers, you'll need one. No enforcers? Fill that slot. Unless you're rolling with a team you know, balance stands a chance;


8) Earn money - sounds stupid, but if you're hunting for pros you're not earning cash. Bot clearing may be dull, but it earns money and levels and their pros will have to come to you or they will lose the lane;


9) You cannot destroy turrets without bots; you cannot bring down the moneyball without bots; you are in the game to push bots - if you are not helping the push, what are you doing?


10) NO PRO SHOULD FIGHT A GROUP OF ENEMY PROS SOLO IN CLOSE COMBAT! Assassin, I'm looking at you! Every pro has at least one grapple move, some have several grapples. Fight a group up close and they will destroy you - this is the key reason for item 3. When the annihilator fight gets going, the fight will be messy and full of grapples and only a team fighting together stands a chance.


That's enough for now. Any others?

[PhellAsleep]

What's a striker? What's an enforcer?

[NuclearKangaroo]

What's a striker? What's an enforcer?

pros come in 5 different categories

enforcers: high health, high close range damage, low mobility (tank, gunner, cheston, veteran)

strikers: med range, med health, good mobility (assault, megabeth, karl)

defenders: lane holders, med health, can health, can provide armor to allies, have a turret, low mobility (leo, support, CG)

rangers: low health, high long range damage, good for area denial, low mobility (sniper, gunslinger)

commandos: low health, high close range damage, extremely high mobility, great ambushers and finishers (assasin, captain spark, wascot)

[AraxisHT]

pros come in 5 different categories

enforcers: high health, high close range damage, low mobility (tank, gunner, cheston, veteran)

strikers: med range, med health, good mobility (assault, megabeth, karl)

defenders: lane holders, med health, can health, can provide armor to allies, have a turret, low mobility (leo, support, CG)

rangers: low health, high long range damage, good for area denial, low mobility (sniper, gunslinger)

commandos: low health, high close range damage, extremely high mobility, great ambushers and finishers (assasin, captain spark, wascot)
It think rangers are actually called sharpshooters.

[FriedGerry]

enforcers: high health, high close range damage, low mobility (tank, gunner, cheston, veteran)
Although Cheston and Veteran have pretty good mobility due to their leaps, freight train, roar and rampage jump

[Goshnya]

your spawn time increases with every death

I believe spawn time is relative to your level, not how many times you died -- not 100% sure, though.

[shogunmaster]

If you're new to SMNC FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT IS NICE don't pick a commando (Assasin, Spark, and Wascot I guess but I don't really know if he works the same.) unless you are damn sure you know how to play them. I sure as hell don't but I know feeding is definitely not how.

Also, because you picked a tank (enforcer) ur not invincible. The most feeders I see in my small time playing are either Sparks or Tanks.

[NuclearKangaroo]

Although Cheston and Veteran have pretty good mobility due to their leaps, freight train, roar and rampage jump

still they are not at commando or striker level


for instance, all strikers and commandos can access the jungle in bullet gorge and locomoco early game (all commandos and karl have an ability that allows them to do so, beth can rocket jump and assault can bomb jump and fly)

plus those descriptions are general guidelines nothing is written in stone, for example leo has some damn good mobility for being a defender

[Sinister Mr.C.]

OK. Some changes and corrections I will make to my OP:

1) Add the following from Nuclear Kangaroo with the correction in bold:

pros come in 5 different categories

enforcers: high health, high close range damage, low mobility (tank, gunner, cheston, veteran)

strikers: med range, med health, good mobility (assault, megabeth, karl)

defenders: lane holders, med health, can health, can provide armor to allies, have a turret, low mobility (leo, support, CG)

sharpshooters: low health, high long range damage, good for area denial, low mobility (sniper, gunslinger)

commandos: low health, high close range damage, extremely high mobility, great ambushers and finishers (assasin, captain spark, wascot)


2) Correct the statement about spawn time being linked to number of deaths. After some pitiful low-level feeding due to a dodgy connection and being forced to use Captain Spark with no experience (he's very efficient at leaving the map the hard way), I can confirm the number of deaths does not increase your respawn time. Unless corrected, I will use Goshnya's statement (minus the doubt, lol):

I believe spawn time is relative to your level, not how many times you died -- not 100% sure, though.

[Sinister Mr.C.]

If you're new to SMNC FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT IS NICE don't pick a commando (Assasin, Spark, and Wascot I guess but I don't really know if he works the same.) unless you are damn sure you know how to play them. I sure as hell don't but I know feeding is definitely not how.

Also, because you picked a tank (enforcer) ur not invincible. The most feeders I see in my small time playing are either Sparks or Tanks.

Spark is amazingly easy to feed with for someone with no experience. I did it recently thanks to the game hanging, forcing me to rejoin once I'd restarted - I'd been made Spark in my absence. I'd played him in training and that's it...you can give tons of assists as you try to flee and his high mobility sends you sailing out of the arena...

[Noirjoe]

What about experience? Do u gain more from killing enemy pros or simply killing bots and collecting coins?

[sirensix]

I play Negabeth quite often and I have trouble when pushing for the annihilator. Fights are close range, and I just try to jump and shoot downwards with rockets. How do grapples work exactly? I mean I heard jumping/performing melee means you can't be grappled, but I still get grappled, and when I use the whirling dervish I get thrown out of it.

Also I'm not what's the best way to rocket jump. Do I jump and shoot like in TF2 or should I shoot then jump? To access the jungle I would rocket jump and then use Shoot the moon.

[Sicminded]

Obligatory link to the SMNC User Guide. (http://www.uberent.com/forums/viewforum.php?f=43&sid=c00c272e3fa85e139f9ca15dc4d23cf3)

There's also a help page in game if you click that question mark in the top right corner! :)

I play Negabeth quite often and I have trouble when pushing for the annihilator. Fights are close range, and I just try to jump and shoot downwards with rockets. How do grapples work exactly? I mean I heard jumping/performing melee means you can't be grappled, but I still get grappled, and when I use the whirling dervish I get thrown out of it.

Also I'm not what's the best way to rocket jump. Do I jump and shoot like in TF2 or should I shoot then jump? To access the jungle I would rocket jump and then use Shoot the moon.

During the anni fight, it's best to flank the team. Your normal impulse is to head straight to the button from your base -- DON'T DO THAT. Seasoned players will watch that direction. Stay ranged & only go to the button if you have the income & the area is secured.

Sometimes, all of the enemy is fighting for the anni. That's an excellent time to push bots while your team fights in the jungle. Megabeth is weak in close combat. Use this time to take down 2-3 turrets while everyone else is playing Hunger Games.

You grapple using mouse2 with your 2nd weapon drawn. They can't grapple you if you're jumping, but they can once you land! Opponents can still hug you while whirling. (Whirling Derbish is mainly a wall juggle, less a deterrent.)

To rocket jump: W+look down, then jump+shoot same time. You should reach the jungle without shooting the moon.

[Sicminded]

If you're new to SMNC FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT IS NICE don't pick a commando (Assasin, Spark, and Wascot I guess but I don't really know if he works the same.) unless you are damn sure you know how to play them. I sure as hell don't but I know feeding is definitely not how.

Also, because you picked a tank (enforcer) ur not invincible. The most feeders I see in my small time playing are either Sparks or Tanks.

This is where I disagree with common logic. If you're starting out, it's the perfect time to learn commandos. Matchmaking will pit you (lvl 0) with other new(b) people who are just getting their feet wet.

The worst thing to do is learning a difficult pro when you're mid-level. Once you hit 20, everyone knows basic gameplay, class roles & common engagements.

I say: learn a commando/sharpshooter -- in addition to any other class -- while you're in the single digits.
(Even better: mess around on a smurf account. ;))

[Demoman 2101]

I have the rule: Focus on bots, not the pros. Prioritize pushing your bots to destroy a turret, rather than chasing various pros down just to kill them. You may win, you may fail.

Defend your base if the enemy bots are pushing through. Heck, the bots are stupid, but some of them have way more health than you, and they can tank lots of damage as they push.

I play Negabeth quite often and I have trouble when pushing for the annihilator. Fights are close range, and I just try to jump and shoot downwards with rockets. How do grapples work exactly? I mean I heard jumping/performing melee means you can't be grappled, but I still get grappled, and when I use the whirling dervish I get thrown out of it.

Also I'm not what's the best way to rocket jump. Do I jump and shoot like in TF2 or should I shoot then jump? To access the jungle I would rocket jump and then use Shoot the moon.

You can test everything in the Training Camp.


Also an extra note: Whenever you start to mess around with a new pro, then please enter the Training Camp first to test out all of your skills on everything. Figure out where you are strong, what skills you like, what you should be aware of, and how your pro in general works. After a couple of minutes in the Training Camp you will be warmed up for battle and will probably know more about your pro, than what a new player would, giving you a certain advantage.

[Sinister Mr.C.]

This is where I disagree with common logic. If you're starting out, it's the perfect time to learn commandos. Matchmaking will pit you (lvl 0) with other new(b) people who are just getting their feet wet.

The worst thing to do is learning a difficult pro when you're mid-level. Once you hit 20, everyone knows basic gameplay, class roles & common engagements.

I say: learn a commando/sharpshooter -- in addition to any other class -- while you're in the single digits.
(Even better: mess around on a smurf account. ;))

I don't fully disagree. I think, however, that you should have to spend a minimum amount of time in training/practice matches or achieve a minimum level before you can play a commando.
There is always one free commando, so being made to spend some time playing practice/training games as ANY commando before playing in-game would allow for most players to get a bit of experience without hurting the community.

[Sinister Mr.C.]

I have the rule: Focus on bots, not the pros. Prioritize pushing your bots to destroy a turret, rather than chasing various pros down just to kill them. You may win, you may fail.

Defend your base if the enemy bots are pushing through. Heck, the bots are stupid, but some of them have way more health than you, and they can tank lots of damage as they push.



You can test everything in the Training Camp.


Also an extra note: Whenever you start to mess around with a new pro, then please enter the Training Camp first to test out all of your skills on everything. Figure out where you are strong, what skills you like, what you should be aware of, and how your pro in general works. After a couple of minutes in the Training Camp you will be warmed up for battle and will probably know more about your pro, than what a new player would, giving you a certain advantage.


Good advice on training.

One addition, as it's not immediately obvious: You can level up your pro for no cost on the starting platform - check the consoles around the outside before you move off. Try your skills, level them all up by one, and try again. Each skill changes as you level it, so it's good to see how it works at each level rather than racing to level 4.

A good example is the support turret. For MNC players moving over to SMNC, it now only heals at level 4. If you skipped straight to level 4 in training, you might assume it heals at all levels.
Being a newb is fine, being a noob is not. Knowing the basics of your chosen pro is the way to keep your teamates sweet.

[Sinister Mr.C.]

No one wants to help out the newbs?