Introduction (Outdated)[]
So you've started a B-Gear and you don't know anything, or know very little about it. This is a guide on the basics of a B-Gear. To Start off, I've played B-Gear since SCO back in 2004-05. I've continued to play B-Gear on AR and continue to play on Suba's ACE Online. I am Currently level 94 on Vatallus.
Getting Started[]
Weapons[]
The first and most important thing about grinding and playing B-Gear is using the right weapons. The game starts off slow and all gears will have a limited availability in weapon choice. A good way to start off is to use the weapons that they give you from the item box's. They are incredibly powerful and better than anything you will find until around level 30~. Until you reach level 20, you won't see much difference between the B-Gear and the I-Gear. This all changes once you unlock your first and most important skill, Ground Bombing Mode (GBM).
Once you get GBM you can start using the level 20 weapon, Bawoo. Because of the way B-Gears play, weapons that provde a high number of volleys fired rather than a high number of missiles in the volley. Bawoos have a 2 x 1 firing pattern. This will allow you to fire a total of 6 missiles in GBM. Another good weapon for B-Gears to use is the 4 x 1 firing pattern hawky. We'll get to hawkies later.
Skills[]
As a B-Gear you have several unique skills. The two most important are Ground Bombing Mode(GBM) and Air Bombing Mode(ABM). These are the 2 core skills for B-Gears. These are the two damaging skills that will aid you in leveling and in PvP. As a whole, you should buy all the skills that you can. Unlike other MMO's there are no limits on the amount of skills you can have.
Stat Points[]
As B-Gears are the "balanced" gear, they receive 3 stats per stat point used in every attribute. B-Gears require Attack, Defense and Evasion for their engines. Fuel and Spirit are also required for a B-Gear. No more than 30 Fuel should ever be needed before level 86 and no more than 65 Spirit should ever be required unless you are creating an all out grind build. Shield points are never required and are generally seen as a waste of a stat point. Do not worry if you have accidentally added shield, you will receive a free re-stat card upon completing the level 53 Sidestory mission. You only get one though so use it wisely!
Typically a beginner build will be 27 Evasion, 27 Defense, 27 Fuel, 63-65 Spirit and the rest of the points into attack. You should not re-stat until at least level 82. Each Stat is capped at 300 until level 101 where the stat cap is increased to 340.
Ever since the Episode 3.5 patch the probability bonus received from being attack build has increased significantly. At 300 Attack prior to 3.5 you received 4.71% bonus prob. The bonus prob for being 300 attack is now 11.59%.
Rundown of individual stats
- Attack - Increases natural damage, Pierce and Probability. (Required for Engine)
- Defense - Increases natural defense. (Require for Engine)
- Evasion - Increases natural evasion. (Required for Engine)
- Fuel - Increases total fuel carried, increases loadage capacity.
- Spirit - Increases total spirit points. At 500, 1000, 1500, 2000 and 2500 (Requires level 101+) Spirit the regen/second is increased.
- Shield - Increases total shield points.
CPU's[]
As a B-Gear deciding which CPU is easy. Since you only receive 3 points per stat you choose the CPU that gives you the most total stats you can use! Basically, any CPU that does not give shield is good. Numbers that are divisible by 3 are a plus, but again not necessary. Any build that you decide to go should be revolved around your CPU.
Engines[]
As a B-Gear there are very little engines you have to worry about. You realistically only need 1 Engine, the level 27 Eurostar. This engine is better than every other engine until level 85, by which time you'll have restated to use this, and eventually the 86 Engine. The only other engine that all B-Gears should own is the B-X. This is a unique engine that allows the B-Gear to 0 Speed. It is the only engine that allows the B-Gear to do this.
Armors[]
As a B-Gear you have an abundance of options. You can choose to use a Reiz Armor carded for health, a Reiz Armor carded for defense, a Defense armor carded for defense or basically any other combonation you can think of.
Most, if not all B-Gears have multiple armors. Personally, I have 3. Every B-Gear should have a Reiz Armor Carded for energy. This is known as your "Big Boom" Armor. This should either be one of 3 armors.
- A Legend Garuda Veil
- A WP Slot Armor (R-Type)
- A Slot Armor (R-Type)
These 3 armors allow for the most amount of energy, which will be the source of your damage for Big Boom.
The 2nd armor that I use is an all defense carded D-Type Slot armor. Because of being Engine build, your natural defense is pretty high so having an armor like this will help increase your survivability against low pierce gears.
The 3rd armor that I use is an all evasion carded E-Type Slot armor. Because of being Engine build, your natural evasion is also fairly decent, so having an armor like this will help increase your survivabilty against low prob gears, usually A-Gears.
Radars[]
As a B-Gear a radar really isn't a critical part of your build. There are basically 4 options. You can try to purchase a Purity Sensor for Charge Shot Spam. If not you can use a Greas Radar. Personally, I prefer to use a Derrick/Barrier radar because ABM is limited by your Radar. If you use a Greas Radar your ABM will explode 150m earlier then if you were using a Derrick/Barrier.
The last option would be to use a Fury Radar. It's an expensive WP radar, but you can get the best of both worlds if you're truly in love with Charge Shot.
Grinding[]
Grind is an essential part of the game. I will provide you with a good set of map locations to make this part of the game as near to painless as I can.
From level 1-11 every gear will basically be doing the same thing. You're going to kill things in Stones Ruins and then Tylent Jungle. Just follow the missions and keep going. Once you hit level 11 the maps that you can grind in branch off depending on which nation you choose.
BCU[]
For BCU you're going to gain access to Bach Mountain Chain . For this map you're just going to keep using missiles that lock and keep chasing air mobs. Once you hit level 20 you gain access to Blackburn Site and you are able to purchase level 1 GBM. In here you can start using GBM to grind on the sandmalls with Bawoos or keep using missiles that lock. You can choose to go into Zaylope Beach around level 30~ , but I prefer to skip this map and go straight to Starlite Valley and grind on the turrets and A-Gear Early types there. Once you unlock Sunken City in your sidestory missions this is the best map to grind in until level 50 when you unlock Castor.
ANI[]
For ANI you're going to be sent to an entire new area. The first map is now Reynard Beach. This map is pretty good to grind in. Just follow your missions and kill all sorts of mobs until you can get into Edmont Valley. Once you hit level 22 you unlock Desert of Ardor. Ardor is an awesome map for grinding. You can practice your newly aquired GBM and Bawoos on the Aralions. Avoid Crystal Cave all together unless it's part of your mission. Plains of Doleful Melody would be next, you can probably do this around level 30~. After that you get Herremeze Relic Site. This maps great for B-Gears. As soon as you can kill everything in one hit with GBM you can start grinding here. This will be where you grind in until you hit level 50 and unlock Denebola.
Level 58-72[]
Once you're level 58 you can finally enter maelstrom desert. This map is amazing for grinding. The mobs in here give an enormous amount of exp.