Hydra's Assassin Guide---2 Guides in 1.

This is my first guide, but I have played Monday Night Combat for a long time on XBOX-360. I have and will change this guide depending on what you say in the comments, so try to suggest not insult. <3 Hydra. I didn't write this to read it to myself.

Reason for the poll: This has actually made me laugh a little. It appears that the players looking up guides are the ones who already know how to play. Shows how much this guide has actually helped....not much. If your new and find this helpful please comment.

This guide will cover both play styles for the assassin class.

The first is the sack (your aloud to giggle), and the second will be the Push.
To help you get a better idea of what these two play styles entail we will do an interview with two different players who use these play styles.

Q1: What is your job on the court/field?

The Sack: Well, I rack up the kills of course. I play assassin and that's what assassins are for; killing people. I keep other players from doing their job by sending them back to spawn. I get a lot of kills.

The Push: Well, I'm in charge of my team's offense. I spend my time killing the other team's towers and bots. I rack up juice fast, and use that to destroy heavily fortified bases. I am an assassin, so naturally my job is to kill the other teams defense. I keep their bots off of my team while pushing my bots into a defenseless base. I win a lot of games.

Q2: A lot of people complain that smoke-bomb isn't a valuable skill. What do you use it for?

The Sack: WHAT!!!! NOT A VALUABLE SKILL!!!! The smoke-bomb is one of the most important. Drop a smoke-bomb and jump and I'm up in the air. I can escape, or reposition myself in fights. Without smoke-bomb I wouldn't be good. A lot of people don't know how to play.

The Push: WHAT!!!! NOT A VALUABLE SKILL!!!!! The smoke bomb is one of the most important. Drop a smoke-bomb and a tower can't touch me. I have killed hundreds of turrets before the first kill of a match. I sprint to the back of the enemy base. Wait for them to clear out, then boom smoke-bomb and start swinging. I can take out a rocket turret before the disable even wears off. A lot of people don't know how to play.

Q2: I see a lot of player's with excelling KD ratio's out there. What does yours look like.

The Sack: I have a great KD.

The Push:...no comment....

Q3: So with your number of kills, how does your score compare.

The Sack: Kills give me points, duh.

The Push: Well, despite my terrible number of kills recently, I always have the top score on my team. Killing bots and towers stacks up quick. I beat many people in score who are 25-2 while I am 2-7.

Interviewer: Well this has been eye opening for me, thank you for you time.

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Hopefully these interviews have given you a better idea of what each play style does in the game.

Now that that is cleared up. Let's start with the basics, before the game starts, you will need the proper custom class. This is essential. Do not play without the proper class setup.

The Sack's sponsors can vary, but here some things to note.
THE SACK!
Gold:

Armor
-Helps make the assassin a little tougher. No one likes being a squishy ball of glass.

Skill Recovery
-If you find yourself with your skills down all the time, this might work. Try it.

Speed
-Not recommended, "No need, you can pick up speed endorsements quite easily, especially as an assassin..." (Knave 2).

Rate of Fire
-Some people like it. It should be used for the push class though, and I will cover that in a second.

Juice
-Never pick juice. You could switch to a juice class during overtime, but other than that DO NOT USE juice.

Health Recovery
-If your using a gold on defense, go with armor.

Silver:
Armor
-Always use armor at silver or higher no matter what. Without gold or silver armor, you are rice paper.

Health Recovery
-In combination with gold armor this can actually work quite well. Try it out, see if you like it.

Skill Recovery
-Useful, but health recovery is probably a better choice if you have gold armor.

Rate of Fire
-Again, extremely useful, but when you play as a Sack, the need for rate of fire is not as high since you won't be spending much time on bots or towers. If want to mix it up a bit, this can be used.

Speed
-Not recommended, "No need, you can pick up speed endorsements quite easily, especially as an assassin..." (Knave 2).

Bronze:

Speed
-Not needed, but since you won't be killing bots much, you might like it.

Skill Recovery
-Again, useful if you find your skills down a lot.

Health Recovery
-This can be extremely useful. In combo with armor, it works well.

Juice
-NO....GOD NO!!!.....

Rate of Fire
-Not a big bonus with only bronze. This is probably not a good idea.

Clip Size
-Interesting choice, you can use this in combo with your stars to kill firebases. I haven't experimented with this much, but its a nice concept.

Now for the Push's sponsors. They are similar to the sack, but different.
THE PUSH!
Gold:
Rate of Fire
-Without gold or silver rate of fire, you will not kill towers or bots properly. If you don't use this on gold or silver, don't play the Push.

Armor
-Again without a gold or silver armor, you will be squishy. This is another viable choice. You will spend a lot of time in the middle of the madness, so having a hard shell to keep you alive is very nice.

Silver:
Armor
-If you didn't pick gold armor, here you go.

Rate of Fire
-If you didn't pick gold rate of fire, this is for you.

Bronze:
Skill Recovery
-Can be nice for those crunch moments when you need smoke-bomb, or another skill.

Speed
-You will pick up speed boots killing bots, so this is a no.

Health Recovery
-A good pick for obvious reasons.

Juice
-NO....GOD NO!!!.....

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OK SO FAR SO GOOD!
Now onto buying! This will be your skill order!

CHANGE**

2 Options Here

The First
When you spawn put $150 toward your sword and save the rest to finish that, then continue onto dash and cloak.
"...in competitive play, you should always make sure to have $250 waiting for the annihilator at all times..." (Knave 2).

The Second
When you spawn, buy Level 2 Dash and Sprint. We all know the importance of a sword (nod yes), but if you are playing as the sack, the need for it is dropped just a little, meaning for $300 it can wait. ---SUBJECT TO PERSONAL OPINION---

Now you work on your bottom skill to get that sword. Level Your Bottom Skill to 3.

Well done, now I told you smoke bomb was important right, so you're probably thinking why not upgrade that first? This is because the Level 1 Smoke-Bomb has everything you will need until late game. Sure level 3 is nice, but it must wait.

With both options, after you have your sword, you will buy Level 3 Dash and Cloak.
The Push = Dash First
The Sack = Cloak First
These can be interchangeable to personal liking. They both work.

Now that all your skills are maxed buy Level 3 Smoke-Bomb.

NOW WHAT!
Now you have all your skills! What do you do now!

The Sack: You should be buying juice, or towers if you team desperately needs them.
When buying towers as sack buy rocket towers.

The Push: If a tower stands, juice will knock it down. If not, then upgrade/buy home towers. That done? Well then save money for overtime.
When buying towers as push buy rocket towers.

Important Note: If you have other players who know what they are doing, let them use the juice machine, you can farm juice fairly quickly.

As far as gremlins go, I personally like them, but a large part of the community says they are like delivering juice boxes to the enemy team. Due to the argument over this issue, I will not cover buying gremlins.

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How To Play

THE SACK
The sack has a simpler play-style, but that does not mean it is easy to play.
You need to kill people.
The sack will look for enemies to kill. Then do it. This is their job.

You should be sprinting around the map, when an enemy is in range, you cloak. That covers cloaking and dash. To truly know what times to cloak and dash, you will have to get a feel for it.

Now the most important part of the sack is combat. How to fight.
Do I sneak up on people? Do I rush in? Do I use the stars? I have your answers.

Step 1: Pick An Enemy and Kill Them
You have to know who to fight. This is determined by a players location and class, however if a player has killed you many times, try to stay away from him.

Step 2: Profit

Tanks
First thing's first. Don't go near tanks unless juiced. They are slow you are fast, they shouldn't be a problem if your paying attention.

Snipers
Snipers are a great person to kill, but the assassin's second worst enemy is the ice trap. If you step on one, you will die. Look for them around snipers before attacking. Also be sure not to get in front of him, or you will be grappled and killed. Snipers are an easy target if your careful. Use RB to close a gap, then right after it connects grapple, this will get you a kill most of the time even from the front, if the grapple doesn't kill jump back to avoid being grappled. Go back in or switch to your stars to finish him.

Gunner
A bad gunner is the butter on your bread, the cake to your fat kid, the sugar to your coffee, blah blah. A good gunner knows how to not be killed by assassins. If a gunner kills you more than a few times in a row, don't go near him. This is a guess and check kind of method, that can result in death, but it is necessary.
To engage a gunner try to get behind them, this can be easy if they aren't paying attention. If one sees you, smoke bomb out or jump to avoid his slam. I don't recommend taking one on head on, although this is possible. Use your RB move to get close, then grapple right after it connects for good damage, jump back instantly. Depending on their health you can continue with another RB and slashing or run for it.
It is important to note you can't grapple a jumping player, which is tough while fighting a gunner with the mini jetpack.

Support
If a support is near his firebase do not try to kill him, it will often end in trading kills or just a death. If he is alone, you can sneak up on him and hit him in the back. Do not engage a support from the front, the shotgun will one shot you.

Other Assassin
May the best man win. You need to grapple as soon as possible. A good strategy is to RB in and as soon as you connect grapple, this will kill mostly every time and is extremely satisfying. If the assassin is right next to you, just grapple then jump back to dodge theirs. RB to finish them. If they grapple you first, grapple back, then jump back and run, if they had armor like they should, you will not win that fight if they didn't the grapple killed them. Good Job.

Assault
Like the gunner this depends on the players skill level. They can be an easy kill, RB from front and grapple, or just grapple from back, but their dash move will kill you and if they are smart enough to jetpack, you won't kill them. You cannot grapple a jumping player. It is best to kill them quickly before they even see you, giving them no time to react.

Other notes
You can stealth part-way through your RB dash and grapple. <May be patched.>
If you are getting shot from a distance, run.
If two enemies are in the same spot don't be afraid to assassinate one and run.
Use smoke-bombs for escapes
Taunt if safe after kills, this can be found in "How to Play:Controls" if you don't know how to. This gives you a whopping amount of extra coins.
Practice, it takes time to get used to, no one starts off good.
Have Fun

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THE PUSH

This is my favorite of the two play-styles. Despite not getting many kills, you will get a high score and most likely win.

You will need to focus on killing towers. When the game starts, buy your bottom skill, then sprint to the other teams base. Be careful not to be spotted by enemies. If the coast is clear, run in, smoke bomb the nearest rocket turret, and start swinging. If you are using the GOLD OR SILVER RATE OF FIRE SPONSOR you will kill the turret. Great start.

Now hide while your smoke-bomb recharges, and repeat on the other tower.

To assume that this would work every game is a stretch, most games you will get 1 or 0 towers at the beginning. Your plans can be foiled by supports or players who watch the base. However do not let a 0-1 no turret kills start get you down. It happens a lot.

Whether you killed the turrets or not, you will need to check the bots, if they are pushing out of the enemies base, go kill them. This will give you cash and juice. The Push can quickly farm juice with his rate of fire, so watch your bar, and play safe if it gets almost full.

Any time the other teams bots push past the turrets you need to kill them, this will result in you getting juice, or death from players who are with the bots. Death is meant to happen, don't think your bad if you are 2-14, you can still win and have the highest score. Keep killing those bots, be aware if you are being killed a bunch, don't think that 2-14 is always O.K. Only in certain circumstances. It should rarely happen.

Once the bots are nice and pushed back, stealth into the other teams base. If they have no one there, smoke bomb the weakest tower and swing away, once you have your sword this process will go much quicker. Kill bots, back to towers, kill bots, back to towers. If players are there, you can still smoke a weak tower, level 1 rocket turret or other, and kill it, especially with your sword. Use the tower as cover. A lot of players won't notice you, or won't be able to kill you in time. This is very satisfying.

NOW WHAT IF THE TEAM HAS AN IMPENETRABLE LINE OF TOWERS AND PLAYERS!?!

There is no such thing with juice. You need to go farm bots. Do not attack a base full of players and high level towers. That is suicide. Stay back, wait for their bots, and kill them. Your juice meter will skyrocket. Then you can juice, run in, kill the nearest tower, the RB to the next tower while recloaking, this will negate some damage, then swing at that one. Keep dashing to towers until they are all dead then move onto players. Most of the time you will get half of the towers before being stopped by a good player. If the impenetrable defense is broken by this, smoke bomb the remaining towers, kill bots, push win, blah blah. If not, wait for more bots, repeat the process.

It is fundamental that you kill the other teams bots first. This allows you to go full offense without worrying about your own moneyball. This is the best strategy to win games without a team.

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LOTS OF CHANGES!!!

Well that's it. If you have questions or want to see this in action add Hydra GG on XBL
I probably forgot some things, so I will add onto this periodically.
Most importantly have fun!

No comment....

1. Allowed* to giggle.

2. Somebomb - I agree.

3. "People marvel at my greatness." - ...Edited...

4. "Skill Recovery
-A great choice for the sack. Most of your kills will be with grapples and it is extremely important to have your skills up at all times. Grab this and things will be looking good." - As far as I understand it, skill recovery does absolutely nothing for your grapple.

5. "Armor
-NEVER USE GOLD ARMOR!" - Please don't tell people this.

6. "THE PUSH!
...
Bronze:...
...
Health Recovery
-Probably not...." - See 5.

7. Cant wait to read the rest when it's done.

8. See 3.

9. Add me. PM incoming.

Double post. WTF is with the poll?

Voted: Long *** time.

This smells like a troll guide.

I stopped reading as soon as you started bragging about your KD in public matches.

Actually, no I didn't.

The one gold endorsement you MUST(this is not an option, sorry) run as an assassin you told people to never run. That's when I stopped reading.

Let's Play and see what you think after. Just because my build is different, don't mock it 'til you see someone who knows how to use it <3

I wasn't the player being interviewed, it is meant to mock the average player, I actually play the push, will edit thnx

I told people to never run? Must have been a typo because I write later you should be sprinting all around the map. My bad I will find it. Man these people judge quick for a first day guide.

Honestly, I'm going to assume we have already played. If you won, that's fantastic. I'm just making a few points.

1. Skill recovery doesn't affect your grapple recovery.

2. Gold Armor is almost a must when you are pushing lanes against anyone who is pushing back.

3. Same with health recovery.

4. Reserved for when read past your upgrade order section.


FYI, I believe Knave was talking about running Gold Armor.

I put silver as an essential, now that the guide is finished, you could probably see why I didn't use it as gold. The play style of this guide doesn't use Gold because it isn't necisarry on the sack, and it isn't the most important on the push <3 Hydra

Okay, well since you were nice about it and sent me a pm to tone back the harsh criticisms, I'll do so.

My initial thought was to say "Telling an assassin not to wear gold armor in a guide is like making a guide to the gunner that has speed on ANY endorsement."

No, grapple recovery speed isnt affected by skill recovery. Your skills should be up pretty much constantly without the need of any skill recovery endorsement.

No need, you can pick up speed endorsements quite easily, especially as an assassin since you're in the lanes killing bots and that's where they drop most of the time.

Would be okay except for the fact that the assassin is extremely fragile. Makes the most sense so far.

Agreed 100%.

I will embellish further on the gold armor being a necessity comment. I really did think this was a troll guide. Any time spent with the assassin at all should leave you coming away with the idea that she is paper thin. She operates on a razor's edge a lot of the time and needs any extra bit of health she can get. The benefit of gold RoF vs silver RoF is much smaller than that of gold armor vs silver armor. Assassins need gold armor more than any other class to be viable against anyone of moderate skill level or higher.

Face grapples from an opposing assassin are really the least of your worries most of the time. You may run into them pushing bots(as mentioned below) but if they kill you via face grapple it is usually going to be because you took some damage before they got to you and the grapple was enough to finish you off not because you were running less than silver armor.

Silver RoF should be used. Deadpool prefers silver health recovery and seems to do fine with it too, so apparently that's viable if you want to start health regen sooner.

Again, not needed, see above comments on speed endorsement.

This would be okay if you found yourself without a skill up when you needed it but the only one I personally ever have on cooldown rarely and need it is smoke bomb and you could just throw an extra level in that(long after your katana) and have the same effect.

This one does, in fact, float my boat. I like bronze clip size too for firebase removal and occasional offensive pushes.

Agreed.

If you're looking to stay with bots long enough to really push, you need the gold armor. You will kill towers the majority of the time while under the effects of juice and can kill them just fine with silver RoF. I didn't mention it earlier but the more often you die, the more often you're not juiced and the more often you're not juiced the more of a disadvantage your team is at. You gain juice faster than anyone else, stay alive, get that juice and use it copiously.

Feel like I'm repeating myself so i won't. I prefer Silver RoF.

Sure, if you want. It'd be a distant third for me. Health recovery or clip size.

A little speed goes a long way towards not having another endorsement you can't pick up on the field of play.

Probably so. I think you'll find the majority of assassins run health recovery at bronze. Except Demon Seed.

...because demon seed runs this instead. He's quite good.(this is sarcasm)

When you spawn, spend $150 for passive 2 and leave it at that. The katana makes almost everything you do way way more effecient. On top of that, if this is viable competitive play, you should always make sure to have $250 waiting for the annihilator at all times and this ensures you have it in case you start the match off poorly with some deaths that keep you from bringing in early money before the first anni.

There's really no need to buy juice. Even in overtime you can get juice as a sin very quickly. Leave the juice machines for your gunner.

Please don't ever buy a lazor blazer. Ever. There is no appropriate place for them. Even hacked at level 3 they are a joke.

Do buy gremlins, once you've got passive 3 (and whatever level cloak/dash you find comfortable - 2 for me personally). Whenever you die, send a wave from each spawn and then get back in there.


I figure this is a good start.

this forum sucks! no jkjkjk im his mentor he knows what he's talking about. he's my pupil and buddy

I think you meant the PU5H

He must be the sack.

Yah Zinc. Teaching me what not to do by example is very helpful .

this guide is terrible.

almost everything in this guide is directly the opposite of what you should actually be doing as an assassin.

the assassin is one of the simplest classes in terms of strategy/builds, etc. she really doesnt even require a guide beyond "remember your shurikens," but your guide WILL handicap anyone who follows it, including yourself.

what level are you in-game?

He's slick ns.

I stopped reading after I read "Gold RoF and Silver Armor".

Why? That's a legit set-up. Ask Phily.

file-E-chess-teak