T5T: Five Tips to Level Up Your Game in Titanfall

Titanfall is one of the most addicting shooters I have played since Gears of War 2. This game literally has me unable to put the controller down for very long without a crippling urge to go back and the games themselves having no end to tension, edge-of-your-seat moments, and spectacular action. However, the one thing this game has suffered from is the lack of quality teammates I seem to be getting during matchmaking.

What I have found from looking at various streams on Twitch TV and people running around during games is that they know how to play First Person Shooters, but they do not know how to play Titanfall. While I am not the best out there, I feel as though I am beyond the skill of an average player and want to share my knowledge with you.

Teammates Making Me RAGE!

As I have already stated, the reason I am writing this article is to try and improve those who are playing so that I will get paired with more quality teammates. The reason that quality teammates is important is because it is incredibly hard to win without at least a few decent players. Entirely too often I find that, without my wingman Riot Trigger, games can sometimes feel impossible to win. Heck, one time we were playing Attrition and I had 109 points, Riot had 106 points, and between our FOUR other team mates they scored a whopping 75 points, we narrowly won by 20 points (Final score was 300-280). This type of play can easily be rectified if people played Titanfall like Titanfall.

Without teammates challenging the opposition you get an increased number of Titans roaming the map making it difficult to effectively take them down and lockdown an area (game-type does not matter), making the game a lot more one-sided and harder to win in the process. Why does the difficulty increase? You will not be safe as a pilot because a single shot will kill you, you will not be safe as a Titan because the damage will rack up quickly, forcing you to eject, you still have a fighting chance but it is exponentially harder to get things accomplished..

Top 5 Tips

The main problem is that I feel like too many people are running around playing this game like Call of Duty, Battlefield, or even Halo with the addition of Double Jump, Wall-Running, and Giant Mechanized Robots. That type of thinking is wrong and is liable to get you killed, repeatedly. Everyone has to realize that while Titanfall incorporates lots of traditional FPS (First Person Shooter) elements, it is NOT a traditional FPS. The inclusion of all the above elements, not to mention Tactical Ability, Burn Cards, and Map Layout makes it where a unique approach is required. Hopefully by the time this article is over people begin to see the outlook they should have when playing Titanfall in order to perform better during games.

IMPORTANT – Something that should be common sense but is not seen most of the time is shooting and killing pilots that are rodeo’d onto friendly Titans. If you see a red blip (circle) on your radar on the back of a blue arrow directly on top of it, you know that a friendly Titan is being rodeo’d. If you are inside of a Titan, dash over and punch the Pilot, if you are on foot, just shoot them. By you being negligent you are forcing someone to jump outside of their Titan to deal with the problem and possibly get killed because of it or for them to stay inside and eject once their Titan is doomed and now you have lost a Titan that helps give your team map superiority. PAY ATTENTION!

Tip #5 – Camping and Sniping

Something that is loved and adored by a lot of those who care heavily about their Kill-to-Death Ratio (KDR) or gaining their Kill Streaks in First Person Shooter games is the art of “Camping”, or sitting in a hard-to-see spot and killing enemy passerbys, snipers are also included in this. Those who stick around in one spot for too long normally run a decreased risk of others getting the drop on them and being noticed by other players. Also, even if they are noticed, it is possible to lay claymores or have multiple people defend an area so that they cover every available entrance to make it very hard to reach them. In Titanfall, camping simply does not work very well, or not as well as in other games.

You will find that persistant camping in Titanfall is liable to get you killed very easily. Pilots (Players) who are running around are always looking for something to shoot, and spotting another player is very easy due to their name popping up over their head, as well as pilots looking different from grunts. Also, because this game has so many mobility options you will get killed very easily for staying in one spot too long, not to mention if you kill a player they will respawn and be at your location in less than 10 seconds, making it dangerous to stay positioned after a kill. ALSO, unlike other games where people are forced to enter certain rooms in only a few ways, someone may come in through the door, hole in the cieling, and even windows. Those who are used to sitting in one spot and sniping or moving around the map cautiously will find themselves dead more often than not.

In order to effectively use the DMR and Sniper weapons in Titanfall, you are going to have to have quick reflexes in finding an opponent to kill. Staying in one spot for an extended period of time is very dangerous as people are always moving about the map. You will need to shoot off a few shots and then move to a different position, as even if you are using a silencer someone could be looking in the direction of the flying bullets. I really only advise the DMR and Sniper weapons to those who have high manuverability as well as excellent aim, otherwise it can be a pain in the neck to land consistent kills due to the fact you are hard pressed to find anyone staying in one spot for too long (Not to mention this game moves faster than a lot of others).

I find many people do not meet the criteria to use these weapons while at the same time not being a hindrance to the team (By camping out and not mixing it up to allow more Titans to roam the map freely).

TIP # 4 – Grunts, Spectres, and Turrets

“Bad players go after Grunts, good players go after Pilots”- ModernWarNegro.

This has got to be one of the STUPIDEST comments I have heard in regards to Titanfall and is one of the worst mentalities to have when you go into a match, PERIOD. Grunts, Spectres, and Turrets are absolutely vital in winning in any Titanfall match (At least, except for Pilot Hunter and Last Titan Standing modes where they are not as significant, well, turret might be in Last Titan Standing).

Killing Grunts and Spectres are vital in reducing build time on your Titan across all modes, as well as getting your Core ability while in your Titan across all modes (Not to mention if you are playing Attrition, which is the most widely played mode, killing Grunts and Spectres add to your team’s score). I do not know how many times someone would have 0 Pilot Kills, 0 Titan Kills, and have below double digit Grunt Kills during a match; even if you are having a bad game against other players you could always contribute to the team by killing bots. Also, activating turrets is very useful in causing real damage to enemy titans, which could effectively turn the tide of battle and be the difference between a damaged Titan and a “doomed” Titan.

Trust me when I say, a good player is going to help his team in anyway that they can. If the only way you can currently contribute to the match is by killing bots because you are unable to fight effectively against the current set of Pilots and their Titans, you better pick your loadout with a silencer and be the best damn bot killer you possible can, hell, strap on the Smart Pistol for good measure. In my honest opinion, everyone needs to try and aim for at least 20+ bots kills per match of Attrition.

TIP #3 – Pilots vs Titans

There are going to be times when the whole other team decides to drop down their Titans and here your whole team is without them. There will also be times when someone uses a Burn Card which allows them to start the match with the ability to instantly drop down their Titan, during these instances you are going to need to learn how to fight them without having a Titan of your own. You will reduce build time and show you are fearless in the face of opposing forces. Not to mention you can sometimes feel overwhelmed when enemies have map superiority due to the power of their Titans. I have single-handedly taken down three Titans simultaneously before without the use of a Titan of my own, so you are just as much of a threat outside a Titan as inside of one.

The main thing to remember when fighting Titans as a Pilot that others seem to forget about is BEING CAUTIOUS OF ENEMY PILOTS. Because of the manuverability of Pilots, it is very possible and very easy to get into a position that allows you to effectively use your Anti-Titan Weapon while simultaneously being hard to hit by enemy Titans. However, during this time you will be a red dot on the map and easily noticable by those on the enemy team who have not dropped their Titans, know that you still have to keep your manuverability high and stay wise to your surroundings to avoid being taken out while doing damage to enemy mechas. Keeping this tip in mind will allow you to take away the major opposition you will face while not presenting enemy Pilots with an easy target.

Also, never be afraid to jump on the back of a Titan in an attempt to deal major damage to an enemy. The most opportune time (Though also the most dangerous) is when the enemy Titan is locked in combat with a friendly Titan, they will be unable to exit their own Titan once you rodeo them for fear that they will die instantly from whom they are fighting and even if they manage to use electric smoke, you can jump off and now they are down one advantage. Also, you need to learn how to jump straight up and onto the Titan you have rodeod when you see the pilot exiting to get the quickest kill possible on the exititing pilot since you are at the advantage.

Also, make sure you remember ARC grenades. While an Arc mine is also good, Arc grenades present a significant threat to Titans since they both distort their vision inside of their mech as well as lower their shields, making them more susceptible to incoming Anti-Titan and Titan fire.

#2 – Pilot Mobility and Manuverability

Another big thing to take into mind is the manuverability of the Pilot, otherwise all of your mobility options that contribute to how you traverse the map. When you harness the power of your Double Jump, Wall Run, Wall Hanging, and advanced techniques like the “Bunny Hop”, then you will increase your chances of survival because it is hard to kill a fast moving target for a lot of people. Not only that, but knowing how to manuver better will help you escape certain death (Though, this is why I also like “Stim” as my pilot ability over “Cloak” and “Active Radar Pulse).

At the beginning of matches you will be surprised how it will effect the rest of the fight. Getting an advantage by vying for early map dominance pays dividends in morale and momentum, that of which could drastically propel a early lead even further. Not only that, but those who take it upon themselves to use all of the movement available will find that nothing is off access to them, you will not have to look for a certain way to scale buildings and walls, Wall Hang and stay out of sight of that person who was chasing you and shooting, easily get away from a pursuing Titan, the WHOLE world of this game changes when you know these options.

Honestly, there is not a whole lot I can effectively tell you about manuverability besides how important it is and stress that significance. Below I have included a video I recorded in Xbox Game DVR that shows me using my options at the beginning of a match to gain an early map advantage on my opponents, as well as a tutorial. I have made it my point to maintain this amount of mobility throughout matches because it makes you a harder target to hit and allows you to escape danger with greater chance of survival, less deaths means you get to do more to help your team win.

#1 – Fighting Inside Titans

Learning how to fight inside of your Titan is probably the single most important thing in the game in my opinion. The reason I say that is because while Pilots vs Titans can be mostly even, it is more of “Pilot has to shoot a Titan a lot to stop it, Titan hits Pilot one time and they are dead”. It is infinitely easier to kill while inside of a Titan than as a Pilot, and you can stand head to head with an enemy Titan without resorting to hit-and-run tactics.

The most important thing while fighting inside of a Titan is knowing your defensive options. Good defense chan make the difference between staying in your Titan 2 minutes or 5 seconds. Also, knowing where and when to drop your Titan is vital. Too many times have I seen someone trying to drop their Titan on an enemy Titan, only to have their Titan surrounded as soon as it comes out of its Domeshield and destroyed within 10 seconds.

I often times see people using Electric Smoke instead of say, Vortex Shield or Particle Wall, but they have no idea how to use it correctly. The vast majority of players should be using Vortex Shield (This is a necessity for those who use Ogre), followed by those who use weapons like the Railgun and Arc Cannon with the Particle Wall (To protect them during charge times), lastly by Stryders who use Electric Smoke (Mostly because they have the best evasion and a core ability centered around evasion, so they can afford not to have a form of protection). People often vouch for Electric Smoke (From what I have been seeing) because of the options it gives during offensive combat and to nullify the threat of pressure from a rodeo’d pilot, but people are often destroyed easily because they do not realize the importance of protecting yourself while inside of your robot from incoming enemy Titan fire. Oh! People also tend to use Electric Smoke on a Titan stilll in its Domeshield, a failed practice because it does NO DAMAGE until the Titan is outside of the shield, and if they dash immediatley the damage is minuscle.

Also, while it is the most annoying combination, a near solid way to keep yourself from getting killed by enemy Titans via their special melee kill when your robot is in its “Doomed” state, is the mixture of “Auto Eject” and “Nuclear Ejection”. However, I feel you should go with perks that compliment your play style. I personally like “Warpfall Transmitter” and “Fast Autoloader”. Find out what works for you, but I feel like these are up to the player, I vouch for offensive measures while others vouch for staying alive (The first option), you really cannot go wrong in either regard. It should also be noted that if you get into a sticky situation (Such as getting trapped when an opponent’s Titan is Nuclear Ejecting), hitting “Up” on your D-Pad will display the X button, mash it 4 times and you will manually eject from your Titan even when not in a Doomed state.

Something I would recommend is picking a weapon that you comfortable with and pick a Titan depending on your play preference. If you are extremely defensive and like ranged combat, and more-or-less prefer one-on-ones while also having good runaway options, then go with the Strider. If you plan on going into a battle and do not ever plan on running, want to be able to stand against multiple Titans without dying too fast, and value the strength of your melee, then go with the Ogre. If you do not want to sacrifice armor for speed or vice versa, want the most damaging core against other Titans, and just a mix of both worlds, go with the Atlas.

About Burn Cards

Burn Cards have the ability to give you a massive edge in the game, but I feel like not everyone really knows how to use them properly. I feel like most people are running around the with Amped Weapons or Infinite Grenade ones, when they should really be using some of the other ones to better allow them to take advantage of the battlefield, allow me to explain.

At the beginning of the match, cards like “Thin the Ranks”, “Conscription”, and “Most Wanted” are very good because they give you an advantage in combat, allowing you to drastically reduce your build time to be the first person to drop their Titan and gives you a good headstart. During a match, you might consider cards like “Titan Salvage”, “Super Charger”, and “Out Source” are amazing if you are fighting inside of your Titan and want to drastically reduce time to your core ability…or start with your ability already active. Burn Cards such as “Echo Vision”, “Aural Implant”, and “Packet Sniffer” can help drastically when dealing with extremely defensive teams who snipe and wait around corners.

Burn Cards add another layer of depth to Titanfall by giving you an insurmountable opportunity to excel when used properly. Even with a team that was not very good against a team who, more-or-less, knew they way around the map, we won because I was able to drop a Titan to take them on constantly with the Out Source card (It awards reduce Build Time and Core Charge time for any combat at all), so it worked perfectly with my aggressive behavior.

In Conclusion

This article was written to help some of you, hopefully it does. I want people to really enjoy this game but feel like it is getting lower than usual praise on the basis that the really good players are dominating while those stuck in a “Typical FPS Mentality” will find it not so fun and not so different from other First Person Shooters. The experience Titanfall attempts to sell you will take some getting use to at first, but you will enjoy it to no end once you have made some changes and begin to play the game as it was meant to be played.

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Titanfall, Top 5 Tuesdays, Xbox One

T5T: Five Tips to Level Up Your Game in Titanfall

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