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Destiny |OT20| HoW Comes, No Raid?
- Thread starter DrDrizzay101
- Start date
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Welcome!
EJRobinson90
Member
We did this last week and we banned rockets until Ir Yut. I blocked the thrall spawn door with a blinding bubble and someone was on watch duty. I think some were standing on top of the door just outside the crystal room.
Orthogonal
Member
I probably will too. Destiny is in a wierd space for me right now. I played it almost exclusively for over 6 months with a level of dedication that felt like nothing could keep me from playing. Bloodborne was a diversion to snap that streak and now that I have barely put few hours into the game over the last couple weeks, the spell has worn off and I don't feel compelled to come back. House of Wolves announcement has so far underwhelmed and done nothing to win me over. My post rate has also collapsed in this thread.
Exclusive content on PS has already been an exercise in frustration, not just for the Xbox community, but for thr PS community as well giving lower tier exclusive strikes and lowering the opportunities at getting exclusive weapons without Xur.
That being said, I don't want to give up completely. My wife will be out of town next weekend so that means unrestricted playtime when kids are in bed. Bloodborne will take thr lion's share of that time, but I would love to run a Hard VoG for old times sake. Haven't stepped foot in there for probably 2 months or more.
Agent_Tiro
Member
Ah. We just deconflicted. Guys at the front rocket. Guys behind jump and rocket. The rear guys take out adds. Had 2 groups of 3. With proximity you just have to fire shots carefully.
blazeuk
Member
Like some others on here we had a rule not to use rocket launchers inside the Crystal Room although that didn't really go to plan in the end since a few of us used them when we knew nothing was around us, many a runs will fail on that part though, it's probably the most dangerous part of a flawless run because you have thrall randomly running in front of you and you can hit hooks if you jump and fire.
Agent_Tiro
Member
Haha. With my group it was more the gatekeeper on the bridge messing us up. We never had any issues with ir Yut. But then again people admitted afterwards that they were being massively cautious.
deafmedal
Member
Yes.
Sorry 'bout the failed flawless guys, I refuse to use Ghally when I do run it... I blow myself up with it too much as it is heh.
Yeah, I remember managing to blow myself up during our flawless run trying to take out the Shrieker... Didn't notice the Acolyte hiding just behind the door frame, shoot rocket at seemingly clear target and blow up a second later! Changed my heavy weapon from a rocket launcher to a heavy machine gun after that.
blazeuk
Member
I'm up for a full run if we can find enough people to get it started soon (within the next half hour or so).
Ideally I would hope we can find 3 others here on GAF. I haven't found much luck with LFG especially for HM CE
iRAWRasaurus
Banned
Still need it?
Yeah, still need both.
Mass Appeal
Member
Best perks for TLW ?
Aggressive Ballistics gives me slightly higher range and imapct but it reduces the stability quite a bit. With Smart Drift control and Perfect Balance I can get about 90% stability, on top of that I have The Last Word perk for even more stability. (I guess with TLW perk and Perfect Balance, I don't really need Smart Drift as it will be useless then)
Aggressive Ballistics gives me slightly higher range and imapct but it reduces the stability quite a bit. With Smart Drift control and Perfect Balance I can get about 90% stability, on top of that I have The Last Word perk for even more stability. (I guess with TLW perk and Perfect Balance, I don't really need Smart Drift as it will be useless then)
Kalamari
Member
Welcome! Join us in the Light! But beware, the Darkness is strong in this thread.
Twilight Gap
Member
DISCLAIMER: I AM A SCRUB AND YOU SHOULD NOT TAKE ANY OF THIS INFORMATION AS LAW. I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR SALTY OPPONENTS, FREQUENT MANIACAL LAUGHTER, TEABAGGED CORPSES OR THE SUDDEN URGE TO DISMANTLE YOUR LAST WORD
There is no be all, end all guide for mastering The Last Word in 21 days, but I can at least share what I know. This will be a bit basic and I should note that I learned most of this from better players than myself.
I want to emphasize that last bit because The Last Word is currently "a competitive weapon" favored by skilled players along with the Thorn and Hawkmoon. Familiarizing yourself with any of these weapons will put you on top of the food chain, but they're not pre-patch Mythoclast levels of OP and - contrary to what some players may tell you - have slight learning curves. The Last Word is arguably the best of the 3, but using this gun isn't going to suddenly make you amazing unless you learn how to play with it - and play smarter in general.
If you'll recall, The Last Word was one of weapons most affected by the hand cannon nerf in Patch 1.1.1., so this gun behaves slightly different than it used to.
What Nodes do I fill?
When you first start using The Last Word, it's going to be wild and inaccurate. This thing is alive and it wont be tamed until you've leveled it up. Once the reigns are on properly, I'm going to recommend you use Aggressive Ballistics with Perfect Balance. The majority of competitive players will use Aggressive Ballistics because it has the fastest time to kill, or TTK. With headshots, this will net you 84 headshot crit, which is often followed by an 111 crit for a total of 194 hit points. (The 111 crit is a glitch where the bonus precision damage from hip fire is applied during ADS, and is therefore not guaranteed.) Soft Ballistics is more stable and has a bit more range, but it takes an additional shot to kill. Aggressive Ballistics will have more [predictable] recoil than Soft Ballistics, but that's the tradeoff for the extra impact. I haven't messed around with Smart Drift because of the range penalty, however there are some players who prefer it for the added stability, which makes the gun almost completely stable with Perfect Balance. Smart Drift and Soft Ballistics will have a kill time around 0.67 seconds; Aggressive Ballistics however will give you a kill time of 0.50 seconds, which will out-DPS nearly everything else in the game within its effective range except Thunderlord. I personally preferred Soft Ballistics before the hand cannon patch because of its consistency, but it'll feel more powerful with Aggressive Ballistics.
How do I manage the recoil?
The "P" word - PRACTICE! You need to understand how it recoils before you learn to control it. The Last Word kicks to the upper right and then (since the hand cannon patch) takes a little bit to settle back into its neutral resting position. If you fire it at its max rate of fire - or fan fire - the gun will continue climbing. (It returns to its original position after ~3 seconds.) When you're starting out, it's best to fire the weapon with a slight delay in between each shot. While doing this, you should be aiming for the player's chest initially so that the kick lines up the headshot. If you're aiming for their head, you will need to flick the gun down slightly with each trigger pull to keep it on target. Aim Assist will do the rest (The Last Word and Hawkmoon both have the same aim assist at 50%, whereas Thorn has 60%).
A good way to understand how the recoil works is to find a concrete wall and shoot at it. You'll be able to observe where the bullets go and how they behave, so experiment with different rates of fire until you have a handle on it.
So when do I fan fire? What about ADS and hip fire?
The Last Word is unique in that it's the only automatic hand cannon. This is known as fan firing, and the rate of fire while the trigger is held is insane. Fan fire is difficult to control and should be reserved for those moments where an opponent is right up in your face. Again, you'll want to slightly tilt the right thumbstick down while doing this to keep it steady.
Although The Last Word is fitted for hip firing, most encounters will actually favor aiming down the sights, or ADS. Your headshots will be more consistent if you have managed the recoil, and this allows you to engage players at nearly all distances seamlessly. Since the hand cannon patch, you will need to pace your shots at range to keep your accuracy. The Last Word can still kill at these ranges because its damage dropoff doesn't occur until 45m, and it doesn't significantly alter its TTK until 60m. However, despite its apparent versatility, you risk being outgunned by longer ranged weapons outside of its effective range, such as Thorn, Hawkmoon and others like Red Death.
There are some players who swear by hip fire most of the time. Like the Last Word perk says, hip fire will do slightly more damage compared to ADS (with Aggressive Ballistics, body shots in ADS will do 56 damage, whereas hip fire hits for 68). I personally think hip fire is not very consistent and should be reserved for specitic situations. For instance, hip fire is going to allow you to move at your full movement speed, which helps when you're backpedaling or strafing away from another player. Where things get interesting though is when you're airborne. In my experience, The Last Word is the most accurate gun while you're in the air, whether it's ADS or hip fire. I'm one of the few players I've seen who fancies hip firing while I'm jumping above an opponent. This gives me increased peripheral vision and means I'm more likely to hit headshots; however, if you're not above them in some capacity, this wont be as effective. ADS is more effective for "jump shotting" when you're not necessarily above your opponent.
How do I fight against another Last Word?
STRAFE! Don't run in a straight line or you'll be easy to pick off. Strafing is more than just back and forth or side to side movements. It's about moving unpredictably and adapting to how your opponent is behaving. While it's not tremendously effective in Destiny (compared to Halo), it will still be one of the deciding factors when you encounter another player with this gun. Regardless of what weapon you're using, you need to be moving erratically to dodge your opponent and throw off their aim. I've even had players [impressively] crouch duck under headshots.
One thing to watch out for is "over challenging". This means you push out of cover too much or are too far from your teammates for them to cover you. It also means you give up control of your character, like when you jump above them. The last one in particular gets me killed very often. The Last Word will destroy an airborne player and they'll probably give your corpse extra attention once you land. The way you challenge in general will have to change. You want to be above your opponent or near cover - whether it's a crate, a pillar or a hill - and try to get the first shot off. If not, ducking back behind cover and poking out unexpectedly in a different direction is one way to turn the tide in your favor. This applies to most weapons (and shooters in general), but is especially relevant with The Last Word. Because of its quick, somewhat inconsistent kill time (and Destiny's laggy netcode of course), 1v1 fights with The Last Word don't amount to much. It's how you outsmart the opponent by using the environment to get that fast kill that will make the difference.
To help with this, you want to spec into your Armor and Agility. That 111 and 84 shot from Aggressive Ballistics will take off 194 hit points, which is the default HP for Hunter's I believe (it's also the max damage of trip mines). If you have low Armor, you'll almost always be two-shotted by The Last Word. Bump your Armor up and you'll walk away from more fights. Titans with higher Armor take three rounds every time, but if they aren't spec'd into Agility, they wont be able to dodge anything. Agility will increase your movement speed and the height of your first jump. You absolutely need height with that first jump to be able to land on top of chest-high crates and platforms quickly, especially if you're using Blink. These subtle differences in height will give you more power over other players and make your movements unpredictable. So be sure to check out your Armor and Agility!
How do I play with The Last Word?
The best way I've seen it described is to be "aggressive-passive". Since you need to be relatively close to your opponents to use this weapon, you'll want to put pressure on them, but without exposing yourself. Being aggressive is about backing your opponent into a corner and forcing them to attack or flee, lest they be overwhelmed. This is easier to accomplish with a team because you can coordinate your pushes and flanks. On your own however you will want to pick engagements more carefully, baiting the enemy to a disadvantageous chokepoint or to your teammates. While they're trying to maneuver around these obstacles towards you, they wont expect you to be lining up your shot.
You will not win every encounter, nor should you challenge all of them, so it's okay to retreat at times. Keep your back against a wall so you aren't flanked (note that your teammates are not reliable "walls") and secure an escape route should things get too hot. And again, being above your opponent in some capacity gives you a natural advantage. The Last Word is a champion in 1v1 battles, but if three opponents pop out of a room, you'll probably only be able to take out one of them with the weapon alone.
What maps should I use The Last Word on?
The Last Word is effective on the majority of the maps because they tend to either be small or funnel the players into tight chokepoints. You'll still want to pick your battles and stay close to cover, but it's not necessary to switch weapons if you're used to playing aggressively. Once you get used to your ability to fight while airborne, it's especially difficult to switch between the maps. The only map I would change primaries on was Skyshock, where I preferred Thorn or [pre-patch] Hawkmoon. Instead of changing primaries, you may opt to switch your secondary depending on the map.
What's the best class to use with The Last Word?
You don't need to change your class to use The Last Word, but your class setup will need to compliment the way you play with it. The class with abilities that best compliment this gun are Hunters, followed by Titans and Warlocks.
Why should I use The Last Word?
If you want an exotic weapon that not only looks and sounds awesome, but bites as much as it barks, then look no further than The Last Word. It's incredibly satisfying to kill with and rewarding to the player who invests the time to master it. I dismissed it at first because of how weak it felt...while fighting Cabal; the moment I took it into PvP, I was laughing manically after every kill. This is a Crucible gun and it drops mofos. Using it wont make you a god at the game, but if you give it some TLC, you may start enjoying Destiny's PvP again.
It's not for everyone though. The Last Word has a high firing cadence and requires a bit more of an aggressive playstyle. If hand cannons are your thing and this one isn't clicking, you may opt for Thorn, Hawkmoon or a good Legendary instead. Those are more mid-longe range and keep you slightly further away from the action.
What should my hand look like while holding the controller?
This is the question nobody ever asks. Perhaps it's because everyone holds the controller different? Whatever the case, I can share what I've been doing.
I started to use my middle finger to hold down the left trigger for ADS. This is because I've found that I ease pressure off of the trigger and may even accidentally clench the left stick to sprint, which has often knocked me out of ADS after the first shot with The Last Word. Because of how fast this weapon is fired, it's more noticeable. That aside, your left hand will be primarily using the thumbstick to strafe with The Last Word. Again, this may not be as effective if you have low Agility.
My right hand behaves a bit more curiously and is why I wanted to add this section. I don't do anything special during fan fire or ADS other than pull the right thumbstick down slightly to compensate for the recoil. However, during hip fire I've found myself holding the controller as if it was actually the gun. I ease up my grip of the controller and use more deliberate thumb flicks in sync with the hammer movements on The Last Word. It looks silly and I've dropped the controller a few times, so it's probably unnecessary. Nevertheless, I'll continue believing it works!
_______________________________________
That's all I can think of for now. If you want some miscellaneous information:
Pick up some gauntlets with increased hand cannon reload speed. They're essential when you're using hand cannons in the Crucible and it speeds up The Last Word's reload significantly.
I play on Jumper, which moves the jump to the left bumper. This allows me to move and aim quickly and opens up opportunities for aerial combat.
My sensitivity is at 4. This will largely depend on your reaction time, what ranges you play in and the tension of your thumbsticks. Keep in mind though that most players who play competitively hover around 3-5.
There's a sticker on my TV denoting the location of the reticle at rest. I ignore it most of the time, but it helps me line up shots when battles or too hectic or the reticle blends into the background. All you'd need to do for this is put a bit of clear tape at the center line and draw the outline of the circle with a thin Sharpie.
Reddit has conditioned me to provide "credibility", so for those interested in stats, my highest K/D according to Destinytracker was 3.30 (#130 on Playstation). My stats aren't really up there anymore, but here's what I can still see:
Lastly, here's some gameplay:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wN2ugK0Ddnw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsbDPs0djSA
There is no be all, end all guide for mastering The Last Word in 21 days, but I can at least share what I know. This will be a bit basic and I should note that I learned most of this from better players than myself.
I want to emphasize that last bit because The Last Word is currently "a competitive weapon" favored by skilled players along with the Thorn and Hawkmoon. Familiarizing yourself with any of these weapons will put you on top of the food chain, but they're not pre-patch Mythoclast levels of OP and - contrary to what some players may tell you - have slight learning curves. The Last Word is arguably the best of the 3, but using this gun isn't going to suddenly make you amazing unless you learn how to play with it - and play smarter in general.
If you'll recall, The Last Word was one of weapons most affected by the hand cannon nerf in Patch 1.1.1., so this gun behaves slightly different than it used to.
What Nodes do I fill?
When you first start using The Last Word, it's going to be wild and inaccurate. This thing is alive and it wont be tamed until you've leveled it up. Once the reigns are on properly, I'm going to recommend you use Aggressive Ballistics with Perfect Balance. The majority of competitive players will use Aggressive Ballistics because it has the fastest time to kill, or TTK. With headshots, this will net you 84 headshot crit, which is often followed by an 111 crit for a total of 194 hit points. (The 111 crit is a glitch where the bonus precision damage from hip fire is applied during ADS, and is therefore not guaranteed.) Soft Ballistics is more stable and has a bit more range, but it takes an additional shot to kill. Aggressive Ballistics will have more [predictable] recoil than Soft Ballistics, but that's the tradeoff for the extra impact. I haven't messed around with Smart Drift because of the range penalty, however there are some players who prefer it for the added stability, which makes the gun almost completely stable with Perfect Balance. Smart Drift and Soft Ballistics will have a kill time around 0.67 seconds; Aggressive Ballistics however will give you a kill time of 0.50 seconds, which will out-DPS nearly everything else in the game within its effective range except Thunderlord. I personally preferred Soft Ballistics before the hand cannon patch because of its consistency, but it'll feel more powerful with Aggressive Ballistics.
How do I manage the recoil?
The "P" word - PRACTICE! You need to understand how it recoils before you learn to control it. The Last Word kicks to the upper right and then (since the hand cannon patch) takes a little bit to settle back into its neutral resting position. If you fire it at its max rate of fire - or fan fire - the gun will continue climbing. (It returns to its original position after ~3 seconds.) When you're starting out, it's best to fire the weapon with a slight delay in between each shot. While doing this, you should be aiming for the player's chest initially so that the kick lines up the headshot. If you're aiming for their head, you will need to flick the gun down slightly with each trigger pull to keep it on target. Aim Assist will do the rest (The Last Word and Hawkmoon both have the same aim assist at 50%, whereas Thorn has 60%).
A good way to understand how the recoil works is to find a concrete wall and shoot at it. You'll be able to observe where the bullets go and how they behave, so experiment with different rates of fire until you have a handle on it.
So when do I fan fire? What about ADS and hip fire?
The Last Word is unique in that it's the only automatic hand cannon. This is known as fan firing, and the rate of fire while the trigger is held is insane. Fan fire is difficult to control and should be reserved for those moments where an opponent is right up in your face. Again, you'll want to slightly tilt the right thumbstick down while doing this to keep it steady.
Although The Last Word is fitted for hip firing, most encounters will actually favor aiming down the sights, or ADS. Your headshots will be more consistent if you have managed the recoil, and this allows you to engage players at nearly all distances seamlessly. Since the hand cannon patch, you will need to pace your shots at range to keep your accuracy. The Last Word can still kill at these ranges because its damage dropoff doesn't occur until 45m, and it doesn't significantly alter its TTK until 60m. However, despite its apparent versatility, you risk being outgunned by longer ranged weapons outside of its effective range, such as Thorn, Hawkmoon and others like Red Death.
There are some players who swear by hip fire most of the time. Like the Last Word perk says, hip fire will do slightly more damage compared to ADS (with Aggressive Ballistics, body shots in ADS will do 56 damage, whereas hip fire hits for 68). I personally think hip fire is not very consistent and should be reserved for specitic situations. For instance, hip fire is going to allow you to move at your full movement speed, which helps when you're backpedaling or strafing away from another player. Where things get interesting though is when you're airborne. In my experience, The Last Word is the most accurate gun while you're in the air, whether it's ADS or hip fire. I'm one of the few players I've seen who fancies hip firing while I'm jumping above an opponent. This gives me increased peripheral vision and means I'm more likely to hit headshots; however, if you're not above them in some capacity, this wont be as effective. ADS is more effective for "jump shotting" when you're not necessarily above your opponent.
How do I fight against another Last Word?
STRAFE! Don't run in a straight line or you'll be easy to pick off. Strafing is more than just back and forth or side to side movements. It's about moving unpredictably and adapting to how your opponent is behaving. While it's not tremendously effective in Destiny (compared to Halo), it will still be one of the deciding factors when you encounter another player with this gun. Regardless of what weapon you're using, you need to be moving erratically to dodge your opponent and throw off their aim. I've even had players [impressively] crouch duck under headshots.
One thing to watch out for is "over challenging". This means you push out of cover too much or are too far from your teammates for them to cover you. It also means you give up control of your character, like when you jump above them. The last one in particular gets me killed very often. The Last Word will destroy an airborne player and they'll probably give your corpse extra attention once you land. The way you challenge in general will have to change. You want to be above your opponent or near cover - whether it's a crate, a pillar or a hill - and try to get the first shot off. If not, ducking back behind cover and poking out unexpectedly in a different direction is one way to turn the tide in your favor. This applies to most weapons (and shooters in general), but is especially relevant with The Last Word. Because of its quick, somewhat inconsistent kill time (and Destiny's laggy netcode of course), 1v1 fights with The Last Word don't amount to much. It's how you outsmart the opponent by using the environment to get that fast kill that will make the difference.
To help with this, you want to spec into your Armor and Agility. That 111 and 84 shot from Aggressive Ballistics will take off 194 hit points, which is the default HP for Hunter's I believe (it's also the max damage of trip mines). If you have low Armor, you'll almost always be two-shotted by The Last Word. Bump your Armor up and you'll walk away from more fights. Titans with higher Armor take three rounds every time, but if they aren't spec'd into Agility, they wont be able to dodge anything. Agility will increase your movement speed and the height of your first jump. You absolutely need height with that first jump to be able to land on top of chest-high crates and platforms quickly, especially if you're using Blink. These subtle differences in height will give you more power over other players and make your movements unpredictable. So be sure to check out your Armor and Agility!
How do I play with The Last Word?
The best way I've seen it described is to be "aggressive-passive". Since you need to be relatively close to your opponents to use this weapon, you'll want to put pressure on them, but without exposing yourself. Being aggressive is about backing your opponent into a corner and forcing them to attack or flee, lest they be overwhelmed. This is easier to accomplish with a team because you can coordinate your pushes and flanks. On your own however you will want to pick engagements more carefully, baiting the enemy to a disadvantageous chokepoint or to your teammates. While they're trying to maneuver around these obstacles towards you, they wont expect you to be lining up your shot.
You will not win every encounter, nor should you challenge all of them, so it's okay to retreat at times. Keep your back against a wall so you aren't flanked (note that your teammates are not reliable "walls") and secure an escape route should things get too hot. And again, being above your opponent in some capacity gives you a natural advantage. The Last Word is a champion in 1v1 battles, but if three opponents pop out of a room, you'll probably only be able to take out one of them with the weapon alone.
What maps should I use The Last Word on?
The Last Word is effective on the majority of the maps because they tend to either be small or funnel the players into tight chokepoints. You'll still want to pick your battles and stay close to cover, but it's not necessary to switch weapons if you're used to playing aggressively. Once you get used to your ability to fight while airborne, it's especially difficult to switch between the maps. The only map I would change primaries on was Skyshock, where I preferred Thorn or [pre-patch] Hawkmoon. Instead of changing primaries, you may opt to switch your secondary depending on the map.
What's the best class to use with The Last Word?
You don't need to change your class to use The Last Word, but your class setup will need to compliment the way you play with it. The class with abilities that best compliment this gun are Hunters, followed by Titans and Warlocks.
- Gunslingers have the snappiest jump in the game. This will let you fight in the air more effectively. Gunslingers also have throwing knives, which will kill enemies with a headshot after one shot with a high-impact hand cannon. I favor these for cutting encounters in half. If you aren't partial to throwing knives, you can use Chain of Woe and Gunslinger's Trance to make the weapon handle better. Also, the Golden Gun asset appears to be the same as The Last Word!
- Bladedancers will almost always want to use Blink with their super, so they aren't as fitted for aerial combat. However, the Quickdraw perk will negate the spin on The Last Word and you'll be ready for combat sooner. You can also throw an arcbolt grenade before an encounter to weaken your opponents.
- It doesn't matter what Titan class you run, but pay attention to your Agility. The Titan's jumps have a lot of forward momentum which make you a deadly hip fire machine in tight spaces. The Titan's advantage will be also be "prenading", using grenades that blind or suppress your opponents to disable them.
- Warlocks spec into Recovery by default - which is non essential to using The Last Word - and they also don't have a really snappy jump to use it with. This means you're going to be on the ground more than the other classes. Like the Titan, you may want to use Firebolt or Axion grenades before encounters to soften your opponents up. It's also a good idea to run a shotgun/defensive melee build where you can catch your enemies off guard if they come too close to you.
Why should I use The Last Word?
If you want an exotic weapon that not only looks and sounds awesome, but bites as much as it barks, then look no further than The Last Word. It's incredibly satisfying to kill with and rewarding to the player who invests the time to master it. I dismissed it at first because of how weak it felt...while fighting Cabal; the moment I took it into PvP, I was laughing manically after every kill. This is a Crucible gun and it drops mofos. Using it wont make you a god at the game, but if you give it some TLC, you may start enjoying Destiny's PvP again.
It's not for everyone though. The Last Word has a high firing cadence and requires a bit more of an aggressive playstyle. If hand cannons are your thing and this one isn't clicking, you may opt for Thorn, Hawkmoon or a good Legendary instead. Those are more mid-longe range and keep you slightly further away from the action.
What should my hand look like while holding the controller?
This is the question nobody ever asks. Perhaps it's because everyone holds the controller different? Whatever the case, I can share what I've been doing.
I started to use my middle finger to hold down the left trigger for ADS. This is because I've found that I ease pressure off of the trigger and may even accidentally clench the left stick to sprint, which has often knocked me out of ADS after the first shot with The Last Word. Because of how fast this weapon is fired, it's more noticeable. That aside, your left hand will be primarily using the thumbstick to strafe with The Last Word. Again, this may not be as effective if you have low Agility.
My right hand behaves a bit more curiously and is why I wanted to add this section. I don't do anything special during fan fire or ADS other than pull the right thumbstick down slightly to compensate for the recoil. However, during hip fire I've found myself holding the controller as if it was actually the gun. I ease up my grip of the controller and use more deliberate thumb flicks in sync with the hammer movements on The Last Word. It looks silly and I've dropped the controller a few times, so it's probably unnecessary. Nevertheless, I'll continue believing it works!
_______________________________________
That's all I can think of for now. If you want some miscellaneous information:
Pick up some gauntlets with increased hand cannon reload speed. They're essential when you're using hand cannons in the Crucible and it speeds up The Last Word's reload significantly.
I play on Jumper, which moves the jump to the left bumper. This allows me to move and aim quickly and opens up opportunities for aerial combat.
My sensitivity is at 4. This will largely depend on your reaction time, what ranges you play in and the tension of your thumbsticks. Keep in mind though that most players who play competitively hover around 3-5.
There's a sticker on my TV denoting the location of the reticle at rest. I ignore it most of the time, but it helps me line up shots when battles or too hectic or the reticle blends into the background. All you'd need to do for this is put a bit of clear tape at the center line and draw the outline of the circle with a thin Sharpie.
Reddit has conditioned me to provide "credibility", so for those interested in stats, my highest K/D according to Destinytracker was 3.30 (#130 on Playstation). My stats aren't really up there anymore, but here's what I can still see:
Lastly, here's some gameplay:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wN2ugK0Ddnw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsbDPs0djSA
So that's your secret!
I may have to cancel Sword School tonight as I might be called over to help take care of my nephew (he's a little sick), but for now I'm gonna keep the sign-ups open for 9PM tonight if there is interest: Sign Up Here
Assuming I'm home at 9 it will go on as scheduled, if not I will try to post at the time explaining.
Assuming I'm home at 9 it will go on as scheduled, if not I will try to post at the time explaining.
Twilight Gap
Member
it helps when the game gets hectic and i'm trying to figure out where the gun is aiming. also, blue reticles on blue backgrounds is still a problem bungie hasn't solved.
iRAWRasaurus
Banned
Thus TLW god has spoken.
sweetvar26
Member
I just got the exotic bounties for "Thorn" and "Invective". I play equal amounts of PvE and PvP.
Help me pick one GAF!
Help me pick one GAF!
Thorn is way better but the bounty is way harder. By far the hardest and most time consuming in the game.
If you are OK at PvP then the invective bounty is easier. If you suck at PvP then the Thorn bounty is much easier. The Thorn bounty has the hardest final mission of all the bounties. It's slightly harder than a NF. But it's a lot of fun!
Do you want a HC or a Shotgun?
K
kittens
Unconfirmed Member
Any Xboners wanna play in a little bit? I'm down for anything, but Nightfall or Crucible sounds best.
Say what? If you suck at PvP, the Thorn bounty is much, much harder.
Flying Toaster
Member
Friend request sent! sorry for the invite I clicked the wrong button.
brianjones
Member
zoba = Shin Malphur
NP buddy thanks for the add
black stig
Neo Member
I have it too, along with the other 4 exotic bounties across 2 characters. Waiting to complete until HoW drops for 365 versions.
Going through the PVP phase with my voidwalker, Word of Crota, Y-09 Longbow (void) and Truth is tough. Makes me wonder how I ever did it with a bladedancer and a lowly void sniper.
Flying Toaster
Member
IF you need three I have 3
Phaethon0017
Member
Anyone want to do a HM Crota kill?
1). JGW (Sword)
2). Me - PSN Phaethon
3).
4)
5)
6)
I don't care if you're level 31, just don't rush into the Boomer tower for ammo and die.
EDIT: Good run fellas.
1). JGW (Sword)
2). Me - PSN Phaethon
3).
4)
5)
6)
I don't care if you're level 31, just don't rush into the Boomer tower for ammo and die.
EDIT: Good run fellas.
Yup let's do it!
Flying Toaster
Member
Sent a friend request.
I never play PvP and I found the 500 pts void kills to be much easier than the 25 k/d ratio.
lionelhutz
Member
Do you still need people?
Flying Toaster
Member
We are getting flawless raider. I can feel it in my bones...
Well actually I just know we are because minus our love of explosives we did pretty well.
darkistheway
Member
I was the opposite. Picked up the Invective bounty during the Thorn grind and had it within 3 or 4 matches. Having assists count is what made Invective go fast.
Odious Tea
Member
I don't know if anyone still has to do the Weekly Nightfall or either of the raids, but I have two newly level 29 guardians that I need to run these with.
PSN - rolyreyes
PSN - rolyreyes
everyday math
Banned
Zoba is god.DISCLAIMER: I AM A SCRUB AND YOU SHOULD NOT TAKE ANY OF THIS AS LAW. I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR SALTY OPPONENTS, PROFANITY LACED MESSAGES, TEABAGGED CORPSES OR THE SUDDEN URGE TO DISMANTLE YOUR LAST WORD
There's no be all, end all guide for mastering The Last Word in 21 days or something, but I can at least share what I know. (I learned most of this from better players.)
I want to emphasize that last bit because The Last Word is currently "a competitive weapon" favored by skilled players along with the Thorn. Familiarizing yourself with it will put you on top of the food chain, but it's not pre-patch Mythoclast levels of OP and - contrary to what some players may tell you - does have a slight learning curve. Using this gun isn't going to suddenly make you amazing unless you learn how to play with it.
Also remember that The Last Word was one of weapons most affected by the hand cannon nerf in patch 1.1.1.
What bubbles do I fill?
The majority of competitive players will use Aggressive Ballistics because it has the fastest time to kill, or TTK. With headshots, this will net you 84 headshot crit, which is often followed by an 111 crit. (The 111 crit is a glitch where the bonus precision damage from hip fire is applied during ADS, and is therefore not guaranteed.) Keep in mind that Aggressive Ballistics will have more [predictable] recoil than Soft Ballistics, but that's the tradeoff for the extra impact. I haven't messed around with Smart Drift because of the range penalty, but some players prefer it for the added stability, which makes the gun almost completely stable with Perfect Balance. This puts its kill time at around 0.67 seconds; Aggressive Ballistics however will give you a kill time of 0.50 seconds, which will out-DPS nearly everything else in the game except Thunderlord. I personally preferred Soft Ballistics before the hand cannon patch because it felt very comfortable and consistent.
How do I manage the recoil?
The "P" word. You need to understand how it recoils and learn how to control it. The Last Word kicks to the upper right and then (since the hand cannon patch) takes a little bit to settle back into its resting position. If you fire it at max rate of fire - or fan fire - the gun will continue climbing. When you're starting out, it's best to fire the weapon with a slight delay in between each shot. While doing this, you should be aiming for the player's chest initially so that the kick lines up the headshot. If you're aiming for their head, you will need to flick the gun down slightly to keep it on target. Aim Assist will do the rest (The Last Word and Hawkmoon both have the same aim assist at 50%, whereas Thorn has 60%).
A good way to understand how the recoil works is to find a concrete wall and shoot at it. You'll be able to observe where the bullets go and how they behave.
So when do I fan fire? What about ADS and hip fire?
The Last Word is unique in that it's the only automatic hand cannon to my knowledge. This is known as fan firing, and the rate of fire while doing this is insane. But again, it's difficult to control and should be reserved for those moments where an opponent is right up in your face. You'll want to slightly tilt the right thumbstick down while doing this to keep it steady.
Although The Last Word is fitted for hip firing, most encounters will actually favor ADS. Your headshots will be more consistent if you have managed the recoil, and this allows you to engage players at nearly all distances seamlessly. Since the hand cannon patch, you will need to pace your shots at range to keep your accuracy. The Last Word can still kill at these ranges because its range dropoff doesn't occur until 45m, and it doesn't significantly alter its TTK until 60m.
There are some players who swear by hip fire most of the time and they'll only ADS for longer ranges. Personally, i think hip firing is more difficult and is not very consistent; however, there's certainly a place for it. Hip fire is going to allow you to move at your full movement speed. This is perfect when you're backpedaling or strafing away from another player. I'm also one of the few players I've seen who fancies hip firing while I'm jumping above an opponent. This gives me increased peripheral vision and means I'm more likely to hit headshots; however, if you're not above them in some capacity, this wont be as effective.
How do I fight against another Last Word?
STRAFE! Don't run in a straight line or you'll be easy to pick off. Strafing is also more than just back and forth or side to side movements. It's about being unpredictable and adapting to how your opponent is behaving. While it's not tremendously effective in Destiny (compared to Halo), it will still be one of the deciding factors when you encounter another player with this gun.
One thing that gets me killed often is challenging another player who is on the ground while I'm airborne. Yea... don't do this unless they're unaware of you. The Last Word will destroy an airborne player and they'll probably give your corpse extra attention once you land. The way you challenge in general will have to change. You want to stay near cover - whether it's a crate, a pillar or a hill - and try to get the first shot off. If not, ducking back behind the crate and poking out unexpectedly in a different direction is one way to turn the tide in your favor. Because of its quick, inconsistent kill time (and Destiny's laggy netcode), 1v1 fights with The Last Word don't amount to much. It's how you outsmart the opponent to get that fast kill that will make the difference.
To help with this, you want to spec into your Armor. That 111 and 84 shot will put you at 194 health, which is the default HP for Hunter's I believe (it's also the max damage of trip mines). Bump your armor up and you'll walk away from more fights. Titans with higher Armor take three rounds every time, but if they aren't spec'd into Agility, they wont be able to dodge anything.
So you need Armor and Agility to effectively use The Last Word.
How do I play with The Last Word?
The best way I've seen it described is to be "aggressive-passive". You want to put pressure on your opponents, but you don't want to expose yourself. Being aggressive is about backing your opponent into a corner and forcing them to attack or flee, lest they be overwhelmed. This is easier to accomplish with a team because you can coordinate your pushes and flanks. On your own however you will want to pick engagements more carefully, baiting the enemy to your teammates and lining up your shot so that they don't expect you.
You will not win every encounter, nor should you challenge all of them, so it's okay to retreat at times. Keep your back against a wall so you aren't flanked (note that your teammates are not reliable "walls") and secure an escape route should things get too hot. The Last Word is a champion in 1v1 battles, but if three opponents pop out of a room, you'll probably only be able to take out one of them with the weapon alone.
What maps should I use The Last Word on?
The Last Word is effective on the majority of the maps because they tend to either be small or funnel the players into tight chokepoints. You'll still want to pick your battles and stay close to cover, but it's not necessary to switch weapons if you're used to playing aggressively. The only map I would change primaries on was Skyshock, where I preferred Thorn or [pre-patch] Hawkmoon. Instead, you may opt to switch your secondary between a Sniper or Shotgun.
What's the best class to use with The Last Word?
Hunters, followed by Titans and Warlocks.
- Gunslingers have throwing knives, which will kill enemies with a headshot after one shot with a high-impact hand cannon. I favor these for cutting encounters in half. Gunslingers also have a really snappy jump, which lets you fight in the air more effectively. If you don't favor knives, you can use Chain of Woe and Gunslinger's Trance to make the weapon handle better.
- Bladedancers will almost always want to use Blink for their super, so they aren't as fitted for aerial combat. However, the Quickdraw perk will negate the spin on The Last Word and you'll be ready for combat sooner. You can also throw an arcbolt grenade before an encounter to weaken your opponents.
- It doesn't matter what Titan class you run, but pay attention to your Agility. The Titan's jumps have a lot of forward momentum and this can make you tough to deal with in tight spaces. The Titan's advantage will be also be "prenading" their opponents, using grenades that blind or suppress them to give them an advantage.
- Warlocks spec into Recovery, which is non essential to using The Last Word, and they also don't have a really good jump to use it with. This means you're going to be on the ground more than the other classes. Like the Titan, you may want to use Firebolt or Axion grenades before encounters to soften your opponents up. It's also a good idea to spec into a shotgun/defensive melee build where you can catch your enemies off guard if they come too close to you.
You don't need to change your class to use the weapon, but your class setup will need to compliment the way you play with it.
Why should I use The Last Word?
If you want an exotic weapon that not only looks and sounds awesome, but bites as much as it barks, then look no further than The Last Word. It's incredibly satisfying to kill with and rewarding to the player who invests the time to master it. I dismissed it at first because of how weak it felt...while fighting Cabal; the moment I took it into PvP, I was laughing manically after every kill. This is a Crucible gun and itdrops mofos, but using it wont make you a God like the Mythoclast used to. Give it some TLC and you may start enjoying Destiny's PvP again.
It's not for everyone though. The Last Word has a high firing cadence and requires a bit more of an aggressive playstyle. If hand cannons are your thing and this one isn't clicking, you may opt for Thorn, Hawkmoon or a good Legendary instead. Those are more mid-longe range and keep you slightly further away from the action.
What should my hand look like while holding the controller?
This is the question nobody ever asks. Perhaps it's because everyone holds the controller different? Whatever the case, I can share what I've been doing.
I started to use my middle finger to hold down the left trigger for ADS. This is because I've found that I ease pressure off of the trigger and may even accidentally clench the left stick to sprint, which has often knocked me out of ADS after the first shot with The Last Word. Because of how fast this weapon is fired, it's more noticeable. That aside, your left hand will be primarily using the thumbstick to strafe with The Last Word. Again, this may not be as effective if you have low Agility.
My right hand behaves a bit more curiously and is why I wanted to add this section. I don't do anything special during fan fire or ADS other than pull the right thumbstick down slightly to compensate for the recoil. However, during hip fire I've found myself holding the controller as if it was actually the gun. I ease up my grip of the controller and use more deliberate thumb flicks in sync with the hammer movements on The Last Word. It looks silly and I've dropped the controller a few times, so it's probably unnecessary. I'll continue believing it works though!
_______________________________________
That's all I can think of for now. If you want some miscellaneous information:
Pick up some gauntlets with increased hand cannon reload speed. They're essential when you're using hand cannons in the Crucible and it speeds up The Last Word's reload significantly.
I play on Jumper, which moves the jump to the left bumper. This allows me to move and aim quickly and opens up opportunities for aerial combat.
My sensitivity is at 4. This will largely depend on your reaction time, what ranges you play in and the tension of your thumbsticks. Keep in mind though that most players who play competitively hover around 3-5.
There's a sticker on my TV denoting the location of the reticle at rest. I ignore it most of the time, but it helps me line up shots when the reticle blends into the background. All you'd need to do for this is put a bit of clear tape at the center line and draw the outline of the circle with a thin Sharpie.
For those interested in stats, my highest K/D according to Destinytracker was 3.30 (#130 on Playstation). My stats aren't really up there anymore, but here's what I can still see:
Lastly, here's some gameplay:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wN2ugK0Ddnw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsbDPs0djSA
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