Making A Stronger Rhino?

[magusat999]

Recently (yesterday) I was playing an alert where you had to assassinate an apparently pumped up Hek, the prize being a Banshee Helmet (which is the one part I need, btw). I was forced to play solo because the wireless hotspot I use at work doesn't allow UDP connections - therefore no communication with other people and impossible to get a squad. I figured what the hack, try it anyway and see what happens. The session went well enough until the boss fight, I had a Snipetron Vandal whci cut her down to 1/3 life - but then I ran out of bullets and ammo conversion kept making handgun bullets instead of sniper (I had both mods on).

 

I had Dual Broncos which did nothing, despite 20% armor piercing and Barrel Diffusion mods installed. Having to resort to Dual Broncs also meant I had to get closer, and getting closer caused it's own set of difficulties - first my sentinel "Deth Machine" which has a pretty pumped up Death Rifle was not cutting through Hek's armor (I knew I was in rouble when I saw that). Second, Hek was able to take out my sentinel very quickly. Third, because I had to get in shotgun blast range to shoot her with the Broncos, Hek was wiping through my Iron Skin and my shields like they didn't exist. There was no orbs around so once my Iron skin was gone it was over. My other option, melee with Hate was also doing nothing, normal or charge strikes still didn't take off any life, even though charge strikes with Hate is supposed to armor ignore.

 

All this made me realize how weak my Frame is, perhaps I could get some guidance of where I am going wrong? I know the Broncos were a bad choice for this fight, and maybe I should have brought another melee weapon (I have Hate, Orthos and Fragor - working on Reaper Prime) but I just jumped in without thinking this time (duhhh), thinking it wouldn't be all that difficult.

 

Here's my setup (note that I do not have a Focus mod yet):

 

Rhino - forma'd once and potatoed:

Iron Skin Max

Rhino Charge Max

Rhino Stomp Max

Roar Max

Vitality 8 (D spot = 4)

Redirection 10 (D spot = 5)

Rush Max (forma'd spot)

Streamline 9

Stretch 8

Flow 7

Aura Spot = Steel Charge 10 (I know this was a dumb choice - should have put on Energy Siphon or Corrosive Projection...)

 

DeathCube (not forma'd or potatoed):

Vaporize 4

Guardian 2

Swift Deth 2

Regen 2

Steel Fiber 8

Fast Deflection 6

Vitality 5

Redirection 5

 

Deth Machine Rifle (potatoed):

Serration 9

Split Chamber 13

Piercing Hit 8

Speed Trigger 8

Metal Auger 10

Cryo Rounds 5

Thunderclap 7

 

Snipetron Vandal (potatoed):

Serration 10

Vital Sense 7

Ammo Drum 7

Srombringer 7

Piercing Hit 8

Wildfire 9

Point Strike 8

Sniper Ammo Conversion 5

(I really have no complaints about the Snipertron Vandal, except that the Ammo Conversion mod seemed to be trumped by the one on the Broncos)

 

Hate:

Pressure Point 7 (D spot, polarized)

Focus Energy 6

Shocking Touch 6

Killing Blow 6

Fury 5

(Haven't had a chance to upgrade this yet - but I did recently acquire a potato. trying to decide to use it now or wait until I build the Reaper Prime)

 

I didn't include the Dual Broncos because they have disappointed me severely, not just this fight but overall, and I am looking to replace them with something more useful.

 

So if you see some problems here, most notably with Rhino - who is extremely weak without Iron Skin enabled, I'd appreciate your input. Thanks!

Edited August 2, 2013 by magusat999

[Hybridon]

Focus... your ulti does more damage and Iron skin is pumped up in 30%.

[magusat999]

Focus... your ulti does more damage and Iron skin is pumped up in 30%.

Unfortunately in almost 4 months of trying the Focus mod hasn't dropped for me - and I know exactly all the places and ways it's supposed to drop like the back of my hand!

[Zeritol]

The ammo conversion mods only work if the gun is out.  So if you are out of sniper ammo you need to run around with the empty sniper out to get it to turn ammo into sniper ammo. Your rhino build looks pretty good.  I would swap out steel charge for rifle amp (has the same polarity and is very useful especially if your suing a sniper) and if you want him to live longer consider putting a steel fiber mod on him.  He has high base armor so he gets a bunch of bonus out of the mod. And sorry to hear you have not gotten a focus yet that can be really annoying.

 

EDIT: forgot to mention if you have ammo conversion on a sniper you cannot convert pistol ammo drops until you are full on pistol ammo.  Even if you have the sniper out it will become pistol ammo if you have room left for pistol ammo.  All of the conversion mods work this way you cant take ammo for your other gun unless it is full.

Edited August 2, 2013 by Zeritol

[Hybridon]

Unfortunately in almost 4 months of trying the Focus mod hasn't dropped for me - and I know exactly all the places and ways it's supposed to drop like the back of my hand!

 

Oh, sorry to hear that.

 

It will come soon, and then will fit in as a glove for your Rhino.

 

You are doing it right, continue leveling and when you realize it you least imagine you will receive that Focus mod :)

Edited August 2, 2013 by Hybridon

[Wriith]

Slightly off topic, but I figured I'd mention it since you brought this up at the very start of your post: the Banshee helmet BP from that alert was an alternate helmet, not the helmet you need to make Banshee.  Actual frame components never come from alerts except for the Vauban pieces.

 

Most of your mods look fairly solid.  Focus, as others have said can be useful, but if you don't have it there's no helping that.  As for the weapons, I find that sniper rifles in general are a very poor choice for boss fights.  They allow too much shield regen between shots unless they're seriously stacked.  Personally I'd ditch the ammo drum too.  I don't find that mod to be worth the point cost.

 

Also, make sure to carry some ammo boxes.  They help immensely when you're soloing and having trouble with high HP content.

[honeybadger]

I would suggest an AP/AI weapon for your sidearm due to the Pistol AP mod being complete crap.

Kunai are a go-to for ease of access, but Acrid and Despair also shred heavily armored targets.

[Llokii]

Fast Deflection works wonders too.  It's good to have high shields, better to have high shields that recharge quicker.

[Brimir]

Hek is a very silly fight, too.

 

Either go high rate of fire automatic weapons (Gorgon is ideal for him and many other bosses) or go home because of how his shield works.

 

Your Dual Broncos was bound to have a hard time with him.

[Zeke01234]

Get one of the throwing sidearms kunai despair Hikou for bosses...will help immensely.

[magusat999]

I wanted to thank all of you for your help way earlier, but I was on mobile and my phone froze up (cheap phone)... anywho, I'm taking note of these suggestions and making adjustments. I have a despair blueprint, so I'll get that going, and try steel fiber. I'd probably like to do something about the Deth Machine Rifle's problem not firing "through" armor, if that's possible.