I think if the Entangled Energy kit was integrated to the default loadout, and the actual kit made it regain energy on ANY titan hit, then the Splitter Rifle would integrate much better into Ion's playstyle. It goes from a disappointing source of damage into a way to regain energy by being more aggressive, which of course puts you in the line of fire - risk vs. reward.
The biggest issue IMO is that the shotgun shot requires aiming down sights. Thusly I propose twin options: “Plasma Rerouting - The Splitter rifle fires a weaker spread-shot from the hip, aiming down sights enables a semi-automatic firing mode with increased projectile speed, size and damage at an increased energy cost.” Replacing Entangled Energy. “Bootleg Lenses - Laser Shot is now held down to project a continuous beam. Laser Core overpenetrates targets and instantly resets energy to full.” Replacing Grand Cannon.
@@paperclip6377 well... yeah. he's talking about using entangled energy, not refraction. if you use refraction, you still have an energy issue, which is ion's biggest weakness. I actually agree with @qrangejuice's proposal, since it makes the most sense. although, they would probably have to nerf laser shot if the splitter rifle becomes viable.
Nah it should be on crit only still but i do agree if it was part of ions kit it would make entangled energy not a must pick and allow for other choices
The primary is acutely solid if you can gain consist hits, of corse it’s not the best, but it’s good for cover fire, running enemy’s, and enemy’s with large red spots. Remembers, Ion does most damage when hitting weak points.
This gameplay shows that with good gamesense, the Splitter Rifle is a very good and consistent source of over-time damage. The big problem with it is that it's only this good if you focus on it to the exclusion of Ion's potentially most powerful tool, the laser shot.
It also consumes A LOT of energy really quick and considering how you have to focus and lead up every shot to make the most out of it you will easily end up without any energy having to run away without any real means to defend yourself. I love Ion but the primary is just outclassed by her abilities, hell even tripwires are more effective in damage per energy basis.
As a G30 Ion, I usually run zero cost tripwire plus turbo dash. This loadout allows you to consistently apply pressure with the tripwire, because that thing does some enormous damage if played right. My take on the Splitter Rifle’s split shot is to only use it for burst damage, similar to the laser shot, but not solely relying on it. The Split shot is good for pilot kills, better than you think it would be
Hey there, I'm trying to learn Ion, how best can I apply the tripwire in combat situations? For example, I consistently find that pilots and titans steer clear of it and always shoot it from afar. Best luck ive had with it is making Ronin players forcefully use their phase dash.
While i know energy is the biggest issue of the kit when using the splitter rifle, i actually prefer using the trip wire kit for energy efficiency because it removes an entire sbility from the equation rather than making you rely on crits which you sometimes just can't control if you hit or not. It massively helps moderate your energy.
that's actually ion's meta kit, iirc. spam laser shot from long range and drop a free tripwire if someone gets close. it's been my favorite counter to pesky monarch players.
@@minighost244 you can actually get the tripwire for free without the kit. just shoot 1 laser and pull out another, it wont cost energy until you release it so while you're holding the second laser you can tripwire the remaining energy and then fire the laser with 0 energy
The weird part of ions kit is that the main gun does little damage which incentivizes using the split shot but since the split shot shoots in a spread the gun encourages you to play at closer ranges so you are actually landing all of your rounds. The problem is that ion doesn’t have a good defensive option if you use the split fire since in burns through your energy very quickly which leaves you unable to use the vortex shield. If you regained a small amount of energy on hits with the splitter rifle then you could play more aggressive and have more defensive options which would make ion feel less like a mid range duck and cover titan without the range to play at mid range or speed to duck back into cover. So they could either give small amounts of energy on hits or completely rework ion to be a strider class titan and increase the maximum amount of energy that ion has which would make ion a weird mesh between ronin and northstar in terms of play style
Well thing is if you wanna use the splitter rifle's split shot then you should have the Refraction Lense kit. Also once you dump a mag of split shot onto an enemy you can just hide until it recharges. That's what I do anyway.
Instead of the vortex shield, ion should have the energy siphon from monarch and vice versa. It´s literally in the name, what better titan to have it than the one that relies in energy, there it could actually be useful and replenish energy instead of giving an almost non-existent amount of shield.
@@joey_f4ke238 do yall seriously not know how to use ion? She does not need a buff! She is already a powerful titan. Her primary is supposed to just be some damage to the enemy. (If you don't split the shot) And if they decide to shoot at you then you use your vortex sheild. Ion unlike most titans doesn't just need you to use her primary, but instead all of her abilities must be utilized to win a fight
Yall suck at ion. Split shot is for finishing titans off and small targets. it's more efficient than the split shot but deals damage slower. It doesn't need a buff when it's used right
This video is awesome because it’s like a science experiment. A hypothesis, the testing, and the “huh, I was kinda wrong, but also kinda right! Neat!” It feels so.. genuine. It feels entertaining to watch because it is genuine. Nice vid :)
I've played with ion the most and truthfully still think the splitter rifle serves its purpose pretty well working alongside the lasershot, good at softening up targets and actually does better damage for the energy when hitting all the shots than the laser shot so close range it's a better option, its only true failing imo is its inability to hurt pilots (also yeah, refraction lens is really good for close quarters ion, it does increase energy use per shot but the damage to energy ratio is still dramatically improved 66%dmg increase for like 20% more energy i think summut like that, amazing on frontier defence especially cuz the aegis upgrades)
As a former Ion main, the best way to rack up damage with the splitter rifle is to use the 5 way split perk and unload. The damage output is INSANE, but at the cost of all other abilities. So you need to work around cover a lot.
Fun fact, everything that happens in executions exists in real time, I know this because I jumped directly into an enemy Ion Prime’s laser shot execution
As an ion main, I thank you for making this video. It shows how important lazer shot is to ion’s kit. But it also shows how powerful the splitter rifle is. I like to combine them in a strange style. I always open with lazar shot (unless they are super close) then I’ll begin firing with splitter rifle. I rarely use the lazar shot but when I do it’s usually on pilots or titans who are low on HP. Again, thank you for making this video.
Wanted to give a quick shoutout to your music playlist. Great stuff! I’m enjoying your content and really liked seeing some live match reactions. Very grateful you explored the Splitter Rifle, too! I was experimenting with it the other day trying to see how best to utilize it, as I also found it underwhelming. So thanks! Anyway, can’t wait for the next!
I’d say splitter rifles with the lenses kit is more effective than laser shot at close ranges, but it’s best used on a titan low on health or in a situation where you can get away, otherwise you’ll take more damage than you need to.
TLDR; splitter rifle: effective DOT. splitter rifle problem: ineffective burst damage leading to prolonged, drawn out fights creating more openings for Ion to take unnecessary damage
When I use Ion, I tend to use the split shot instead of the laser. I think your energy does more damage per unit that way, but takes longer to do it. I think using the splitter lets you remain more flexible by not immediately deleting your energy and keeping enemies suppressed under fire.
@@al3dz739 Agreed. Once your energy is low, you don't want to wait for it to charge back up before applying more pressure to the enemy. The splitter rifle is easier to hit with. I think it technically has more range as well.
I personally use the splitter rifle when recharging energy, just as a baseline source of damage, or when I need to delete a singular enemy from existence (spread shot). It can be very useful, just not against anything that requires a moderate amount of aiming.
Honestly, the true power of Ion is the vortex shield. It directly counters Legion, Tone and Monarch, and isort of counters Northstar. The only titans you need to actually use your brain for are Ronin, Scorch and other Ions. I always get top damage on titanbrawl and use Vortex Amplifier.
It's really ironic since the Splitter Rifle should supposedly be an *annihilator* based on it's pretty detailed concept art description, able to break a target's atoms at the speed of light. That damn thing should be a damn invisible laser that disintegrates titan armor, let alone what it could do to pilots. My man was so powerful had to get downgraded 😔
As someone who used to main Ion and Scorch, Splitter rifle was my JAM, used to always come out with top damage and kills, mixing and weaving it in with Laser is just the chefs kiss.
I used to be like you when Iwas beggining. The thing is, unlike whatppl think, the SR actually is a decent source of dmg. However it is designed to be good only when you use the split mode. You can destroy a pilot in a second if you connect all of your shots btw. The thing is, in terms of energy cost/dmg, it is actually more viable to use the rifle over the laser shot. However, you should use your laser for long distance pilots AND to quickly doom any low hp titan which you follow by an execution. My protip is learn to manage your energy correctly. I personally favorise the amped vortex over quintuple shots to be prepared against any legion coming my way, but dealing 5x your rifle dmg, for no change in cost is actually more devastating than you think... trust me, I doomed some ronins in no time with that kit
so fair warning, i DID find your channel throufh the ttf2 vids, BUT i really love your take on this style of vid. really really enjoyed the heavily edited live commentary stuff with like, an analysis theme??? made the commentary SUPER engaging (tho i do like the guide/essay vids too. would be awesome to see both styles on here a lot more!)
If you think about it… Ion’s laser core is just a really big laser shot but for Titans. So did you really go through these games without using the laser shot? 🤔
*Great* Video. I haven't had Titanfall 2 for a long time, and just recently got it(I'd like to think my skills are improving pretty fast, I credit Apex) but I main Ion and.. From how I've played and the gamemodes I've done, I think Ion is a really good *support* class. The shoulder mounted laser is good damage, sure, but the shield and return fire the Ion provides is great for tight areas and facing off against Legions(especially with the 35% increase return damage). The Ion's made weapon as shown when charged can deal out consistent damage if done right, and if anything is a great way to provide covering fire and annoyance to the enemy. Really, the only thing that sucks it the weapon does *horrible* damage against Pilots, meaning combating them without the shoulder laser is difficult. Generally, Using the shield to help teammates while using the Laser Core to get enemies to doomed states, has won me most of my games
Ion’s splitter rifle is actually a great primary in my opinion as it will never be your main damage dealer, think of it like a ronin using there electric smoke for some extra damage while fighting another titan. Its used mainly as a tool for some chip damage while either engaging or disengaging
i actually nerf myself using ION with the refraction lens, and the things is, its not that the splinter rifle is bad, it just that it uses a lot of energy and energy recharges very slow, but man, the damage is awesome, it even mimics laser core dps, it shreds -ronins and northstars- stryders, the only titan you dont attack with the splinter rifle is legion, for obvious reasons.
the issue i have with the splitter rifle is its damage is basically nothing without splitshot, and splitshot drains ridiculous energy, leaving you defenseless and incapable of goosing ejecting pilots, so you basically /have/ to be running Entangled Energy and landing your crits to make the splitter useful... but this means you cant use Zero Point Tripwire which is pretty massively the best ion kit
Splitter rifle's biggest problem is that there is literally no room for it for good Ion play. If it just have the split with no energy and it's dps adjusted it would be so much better.
New sub here, nice content... Huzzah to the Janitor! I'm sure you know this, but for the benefit of those who dont... if you don't use the splitter mode on her gun, she will not use her energy stores. Her "main" weapons are her laser shot and her shield. If you do use her gun, don't run it in split mode to conserve energy. I'll be checking out your other Titanfall 2 clips!
I used to run Zero Point Tripwire till one day I decided to use Refraction lens and I haven't been using ZPT ever since. The burst damage is so much fun to play around in close up fights. Though I still use and love laser shots to snipe people, my new favourite pilot killer and titan melter is definitely refraction+secondary fire.
I wish I could understand your premise here because the splitter rifle is absolutely one of the best titan guns. It fucking MELTS at close range when split, the projectiles move quickly and are pinpoint accurate, and the vortex shield is straight up busted. Like...there's a reason Ion has a one-star difficulty rating, it is BY FAR the easiest titan to be good with.
People confuse me when they just use Ion’s laser shot which I disagree is not her true primary. I really just think people play her wrong and lack the aggression she truly can pull off. Maybe I just think it differently since I mainly use her Vortex Shield for bulk of my damage output since its kit is amazing. The mere chance at negating damage to yourself and giving the enemy back their damage with a bonus is pretty damn useful. Let a Monarch empty their mag or a Legion into that Vortex and shove it in their face, if it doesn’t doom them then it’ll hella weaken them. Should be enough to get you smoke to either charge into them and finish them off with termination or laser shot their critical spot and pull off a nasty sting of a finish if their doomed. Otherwise I’d back out with the smoke, I use turbo engine, extra dash is great, and pepper them with the splitter rifle to let my energy come back. I almost never use the splitter rifle’s secondary fire since it just burns energy faster with not so satisfactory results. I will admit though it’s not bad a thing to just stack back and pick at the enemy from afar with the laser shot to draw them in and if you’re good at managing your energy levels I’d set a laser trip wire for then and let them charge in with previously discussed tactics. Now you would think I think the Vortex is her primary but no, I still think it’s the Splitter Rifle but not every gun is made explode things and not every gun serves the same purpose. If she didn’t have her splitter rifle Ion would be defenseless since EVERY ability she uses draws from her energy meter and the whole purpose of your primary is to use it. It’s not like just because Tone’s guided rockets do more damage then her individual 40mm tracking rounds that the rockets are primary. No it just means it’s used for the bulk of her damage.
I think splitter rifle wouldn't be nearly as bad of a weapon if had had better ammo economy. 40 shots that do almost no damage unless you burn energy to make them stronger. And then you're locked into one of the longest reload animations in the entire game.
I have been using refraction lens as my primary kit lately, originally because of frontier defense, but now because it is so unexpected and actually really good. I'm pretty sure if you land all 5 shots it actually does more damage than laser core. I haven't tested that scientifically, but it seems that way from shooting at dropships. Laser shot is your best option at range, but split shot is still better up close. The key is to rarely use both together, and do pay extra close attention to your energy when using split shot, because it uses it about as fast as laser shot, but requires more continuous attention so it's easier to over spend with.
The refraction lens splitter rifle has more DPS than laser core if you hit all crits, so you know the damage is big. Laser core is still better because the damage is only a little lower, you don't need to hit crits, you can do it at range and you recharge energy during it
No bro lemme tell you about splitter rifle you put on the kit that splits it into 5 shots on alt-fire, the equip dash boost, and nuclear eject and you just rush them down and using it like a full auto shotgun the masstiffe i believe.
Ive noticed that laser shot is best for burst damage and for long ranges behind cover but splitter rifle has better overall dps in close range or against a target out in the open, then its just a case of managing energy between the two and for your shield (this post was made by zero point tripwire gang)
splitter has its place when an enemy is in your face. Laser shot is great for sniping, but the splitter is the answer when you are pressured as its dapage per energy spent is better than the laser shot Where it really sucks is against pilots, being maybe THE single worst titan weapon to deal with them, as not only is it the lowest per hit damage titan primary, needing 5/4 hits to kill, but it also suffers from being a projectile weapon (the other titan projectile weapons all kill in a single hit)
You won't really notice how much decent damage the splitter rifle does at close range on crits unless you fight Monarch or legion that are usually in your face and easy to hit. Vortex + splitter rifle can some out go on even with dps against monarch / Legion
You could argue the same with monarch if it weren’t for the fact that the XO 16 shreds titan hp but when it comes to pilots it’s just not the right weapon
I tend to think about the different part of Ion's kit not as "main damage" and "this is shit." More of tools. I think a big part of Ion is knowing what to spend energy on and when and if you need to at all in that moment. That goes for the split shot and basic fire too. The basic fire can hurt a surprising amount it you take sustained fire from it and it takes no energy to use. The split shot is good for a sudden spike in DPS at short range as well as finishing a titan that refuses to get close
Yeah but now they added the war crime Ark cannon from part one which should of been the orginal gun for it with getting energy back using it but then again it’s op
I'm actually one of few people who casually enjoys playing Ion through the Splitter Rifle. There's something inherently satisfying about using that thing, like killing pilots with flawless leading shots or just harassing titans by casually spraying that thing everywhere because there's basically no punishment for doing so. Reminds me of playing a boomer shooter with projectile based weapons, like Quake or something... Just without the speed. The x5 split though is my personal perk of choice. The critical recovery is nice and all, but my aim is not that great... And it also means you're screwed if you meet Argon Plated Scorch, since he basically disables that ability. The x5 split is the ACTUAL way to play Splitter Rifle Ion. What it does is basically turns Ion into a discount Ronin, as it effectively turns your S-Rifle into a weird full-auto shotgun. Assuming the split actually works as advertised an no hidden game mechanics take place (which is a possibility, knowing this game) - it increases your split mode damage output by 66% allowing you to flush your energy meter on unsuspecting targets. Unfortunately it also increases energy usage by 66% too, for obvious reasons... It consumes energy so fast - i think you go to 0% after like 10 shots. On a gun that has 40 ammo. Weird. So how do you actually play this? Well... As i said: discount Ronin. Flank, ambush, flush your energy load, retreat to recover, rinse and repeat.. It actually deals some decent damage too - in my experience anyway. Just gotta get used to the Hit'n'Run tactics on a medium-weight titan. Another 2 unfortunate downsides are: - Killing pilots (and grunts, for that matter) with S-Rifle becomes *more* problematic, since x5 split is an overkill for both of them. It does leave them less room to scatter around though, but in my experience you rarely need that anyway... - The goddamn thing absolutely MELTS my PC whenever i successfully unload it on someone. The FPS goes from semi-stable 60, to like 25 and stays there until i run out of energy. A fascinating feature, to say the least. Damn particle effects...
I prefer to use Ion in Frontier Defense as a close range fighter, dumping split shot critical hits into an enemy titan, which generates a lot of energy and just melts health bars. I don't play PVP though, so it might simply be bias based on limited information.
Titanfall Content Great as Always Thanks for Music Credits Good Titanfall Popularity Recently Ofcourse Ion’s Rifle Isn’t That Bad Probably just Haven’t Gotten into Her Thought You Were Joking with Ronin Main As in You’d Main whatever Titan of The Month You’d Feel like Thanks
despite all the disadvantages of Ion, I still consider her the best titan in the game because of the good balance in it. And if you are an experienced player on the ion oh.. These people will be scarier than Papa Scorch and Ronin. Glory to Mama Ion💕
I've always found it funny how Ion can go from one of the single most oppressive titans in the game at full energy to "I have a peashooter and my entire kit is nonfunctional" at no energy. Makes me wonder why she's considered the "beginner titan" by the game considering energy management is a mechanic unique to her and might give a poor first impression of how other titans play
solid ion play, and your right, it would be more efficient to play ion with only poking with lazer shot and backing off but generally northstars are better at doing that and doesn't help your team. plus ion has vortex which lets ion play more aggressively in closer range. thats good for ion because A) ion's split shot has a higher dps and takes less energy to match lazer shot's damage, which means your doing more damage then if you played like a northstar. and B) generally if the enemy is shooting you when you have vortex, then there not shooting your teammates who can shoot more freely now. which this is more of a playstyle change then anything but, that is the big difference compared to using lazershot and split shot, if you have enought time to use splitshot it is worth it, but theres plenty of times to use lazer shot even when your in split range. even more so when your not using zero point and can perform zpl. hope this helps.
I'd just like to say as someone who mains ion a lot its jjst lot most things in the gsme you just need to use her right shes not a main battle titan thats what legion and scorch are for, shes like the good at everything but not great at anything option and if people just paid attention to the energy which i mean is the only gimick with ion shes pretty easy to master and use in any situation.
Splitter rifle should have a totally separate energy reserve with over heating issues for extended firing like the L-Star (which it is basically a larger version of). I mean it is an energy weapon thus heat issues would make more sense, and it does have a reload animation IN SPITE of using the same energy source as the titan's integrated weapons, so why reload unless it is loading a battery which by the very nature of batteries would be separate from the titan's reactor energy fueling the other weapons?
If titanfall 2 had the titanfall 1 system where you can swap primaries out then ion would be god tier but the splitter rifle holds him back and he’s kinda stuck at B tier
this is just weird to me because ive always liked the splitter rifle way more than the laser shot. if anything i rarely use the laser shot because whenever i use it i feel like i would have been better off shooting a spitball at the titan im trying to kill rather than wasting my energy. that being said i dont play ion that much, i mostly play tone ive just been using ion recently because ive been getting bored of tone so im not very experienced with it. ill start using it again if it can actually deal good titan damage but if all it does is kill pilots then i cant really be bothered learning how to use an entirely new gun. some people find learning new weapons satisfying but for me its kind of a chore until you can actually use it properly
Which is a shame because, visually, I love the splitter rifle. It sounds awesome, looks like a big hefty gun, and has a satisfying reload animation... If only it was actually viable
All the Ion mains are talking about how this video demonstrates why they play like they do, and I'm just like "This is why I don't play Ion." It's just super awkward to find the proper niche in playstyle when every option you have trades off all your others without a cohesive backup to lean onto. Then again, I play Scorch, who is the epitome of super awkward and lacking in backup options, so maybe it's just an issue of flavor more than anything.
skill issue ngl jokes aside great vid. i think the split of the rifle is mostly meant to fend off close range attackers, although that doesn't really work as ronin and scorch outdamage it 70 times over
Splitter rifle is bad by necessity, splitter rifle is the ONLY thing in ions kit that is net positive for energy, aka you can dump primary fire and still regain energy If the splitter rifle was actually effective youd have an even more busted titan than you already do
Honestly i thought the splitter rifle was supposed to be kinda bad. Like its supposed to be a tradeoff for ions insanely good tacticals so she doesnt completely dominate the game. Like how the medic from tf2s syringe gun is a hard to aim piece of junk so medic isnt too hard to kill.
Primary fire is MEANT to be bad😂 respawn designed her to not be able to do much damage without using energy, cause why would you use energy if you didn't have to for considerable damage?
I think if the Entangled Energy kit was integrated to the default loadout, and the actual kit made it regain energy on ANY titan hit, then the Splitter Rifle would integrate much better into Ion's playstyle. It goes from a disappointing source of damage into a way to regain energy by being more aggressive, which of course puts you in the line of fire - risk vs. reward.
The biggest issue IMO is that the shotgun shot requires aiming down sights. Thusly I propose twin options:
“Plasma Rerouting - The Splitter rifle fires a weaker spread-shot from the hip, aiming down sights enables a semi-automatic firing mode with increased projectile speed, size and damage at an increased energy cost.” Replacing Entangled Energy.
“Bootleg Lenses - Laser Shot is now held down to project a continuous beam. Laser Core overpenetrates targets and instantly resets energy to full.” Replacing Grand Cannon.
Disappointing source of damage?!?! I tried the Refraction lense kit today (splitter rifle splits 5 ways) and it does INSANE DAMAGE.
@@paperclip6377 well... yeah. he's talking about using entangled energy, not refraction. if you use refraction, you still have an energy issue, which is ion's biggest weakness. I actually agree with @qrangejuice's proposal, since it makes the most sense. although, they would probably have to nerf laser shot if the splitter rifle becomes viable.
Nah it should be on crit only still but i do agree if it was part of ions kit it would make entangled energy not a must pick and allow for other choices
@@minighost244 oh. Anyway why would you agree with his proposal? Ion is a really powerful titan. And you want to make her even more powerful?
was that a LASER SHOT I saw on that execution? was it?
*gasps in horror*
Lol
The primary is acutely solid if you can gain consist hits, of corse it’s not the best, but it’s good for cover fire, running enemy’s, and enemy’s with large red spots. Remembers, Ion does most damage when hitting weak points.
Reporting for misleading content smh
was that a MASSIVE LASER SHOT when Ion's core is used? 🤔🤔
This gameplay shows that with good gamesense, the Splitter Rifle is a very good and consistent source of over-time damage. The big problem with it is that it's only this good if you focus on it to the exclusion of Ion's potentially most powerful tool, the laser shot.
Not potentially, it is Ion's most powerful too
@David.77 Perhaps I misspoke, but I meant "potentially" in the sense of "if you don't dump all your resources into the Splitter Rifle"
It also consumes A LOT of energy really quick and considering how you have to focus and lead up every shot to make the most out of it you will easily end up without any energy having to run away without any real means to defend yourself.
I love Ion but the primary is just outclassed by her abilities, hell even tripwires are more effective in damage per energy basis.
The splitter rifle is a great filler and really strong against sassy ronins who try to get all up in your face.
I use entangled energy and single shot splitter rifle in close range combat to quickly charge laser shot for a high damage cycle
As a G30 Ion, I usually run zero cost tripwire plus turbo dash. This loadout allows you to consistently apply pressure with the tripwire, because that thing does some enormous damage if played right.
My take on the Splitter Rifle’s split shot is to only use it for burst damage, similar to the laser shot, but not solely relying on it. The Split shot is good for pilot kills, better than you think it would be
Hey there, I'm trying to learn Ion, how best can I apply the tripwire in combat situations? For example, I consistently find that pilots and titans steer clear of it and always shoot it from afar. Best luck ive had with it is making Ronin players forcefully use their phase dash.
hey OP the guy above me wants an answer
pls hurry i would like one too
While i know energy is the biggest issue of the kit when using the splitter rifle, i actually prefer using the trip wire kit for energy efficiency because it removes an entire sbility from the equation rather than making you rely on crits which you sometimes just can't control if you hit or not. It massively helps moderate your energy.
that's actually ion's meta kit, iirc. spam laser shot from long range and drop a free tripwire if someone gets close. it's been my favorite counter to pesky monarch players.
@@minighost244 you can actually get the tripwire for free without the kit. just shoot 1 laser and pull out another, it wont cost energy until you release it so while you're holding the second laser you can tripwire the remaining energy and then fire the laser with 0 energy
The weird part of ions kit is that the main gun does little damage which incentivizes using the split shot but since the split shot shoots in a spread the gun encourages you to play at closer ranges so you are actually landing all of your rounds. The problem is that ion doesn’t have a good defensive option if you use the split fire since in burns through your energy very quickly which leaves you unable to use the vortex shield. If you regained a small amount of energy on hits with the splitter rifle then you could play more aggressive and have more defensive options which would make ion feel less like a mid range duck and cover titan without the range to play at mid range or speed to duck back into cover. So they could either give small amounts of energy on hits or completely rework ion to be a strider class titan and increase the maximum amount of energy that ion has which would make ion a weird mesh between ronin and northstar in terms of play style
Well thing is if you wanna use the splitter rifle's split shot then you should have the Refraction Lense kit. Also once you dump a mag of split shot onto an enemy you can just hide until it recharges. That's what I do anyway.
Instead of the vortex shield, ion should have the energy siphon from monarch and vice versa. It´s literally in the name, what better titan to have it than the one that relies in energy, there it could actually be useful and replenish energy instead of giving an almost non-existent amount of shield.
@@joey_f4ke238 do yall seriously not know how to use ion? She does not need a buff! She is already a powerful titan. Her primary is supposed to just be some damage to the enemy. (If you don't split the shot) And if they decide to shoot at you then you use your vortex sheild. Ion unlike most titans doesn't just need you to use her primary, but instead all of her abilities must be utilized to win a fight
Yall suck at ion. Split shot is for finishing titans off and small targets. it's more efficient than the split shot but deals damage slower. It doesn't need a buff when it's used right
This video is awesome because it’s like a science experiment. A hypothesis, the testing, and the “huh, I was kinda wrong, but also kinda right! Neat!”
It feels so.. genuine. It feels entertaining to watch because it is genuine. Nice vid :)
I've played with ion the most and truthfully still think the splitter rifle serves its purpose pretty well working alongside the lasershot, good at softening up targets and actually does better damage for the energy when hitting all the shots than the laser shot so close range it's a better option, its only true failing imo is its inability to hurt pilots
(also yeah, refraction lens is really good for close quarters ion, it does increase energy use per shot but the damage to energy ratio is still dramatically improved 66%dmg increase for like 20% more energy i think summut like that, amazing on frontier defence especially cuz the aegis upgrades)
Refraction lens actually reduces each shots damage so it isnt a 66% boost, I think its more 33 or 50%
6:51 this made me laugh really hard lol
As a former Ion main, the best way to rack up damage with the splitter rifle is to use the 5 way split perk and unload. The damage output is INSANE, but at the cost of all other abilities. So you need to work around cover a lot.
Fun fact, everything that happens in executions exists in real time, I know this because I jumped directly into an enemy Ion Prime’s laser shot execution
As an ion main, I thank you for making this video. It shows how important lazer shot is to ion’s kit. But it also shows how powerful the splitter rifle is. I like to combine them in a strange style. I always open with lazar shot (unless they are super close) then I’ll begin firing with splitter rifle. I rarely use the lazar shot but when I do it’s usually on pilots or titans who are low on HP. Again, thank you for making this video.
That... sounds like a normal ion player...
Please make more content like this! So glad this game is experiencing something of a revival. Subbed.
Wanted to give a quick shoutout to your music playlist. Great stuff! I’m enjoying your content and really liked seeing some live match reactions. Very grateful you explored the Splitter Rifle, too! I was experimenting with it the other day trying to see how best to utilize it, as I also found it underwhelming. So thanks!
Anyway, can’t wait for the next!
I’d say splitter rifles with the lenses kit is more effective than laser shot at close ranges, but it’s best used on a titan low on health or in a situation where you can get away, otherwise you’ll take more damage than you need to.
It’s a surprisingly good counter to other ions
Yeah, agreed
The splitter upgrade is great when your close to a titan and shooting the crits at the same time
TLDR; splitter rifle: effective DOT.
splitter rifle problem: ineffective burst damage leading to prolonged, drawn out fights creating more openings for Ion to take unnecessary damage
When I use Ion, I tend to use the split shot instead of the laser. I think your energy does more damage per unit that way, but takes longer to do it. I think using the splitter lets you remain more flexible by not immediately deleting your energy and keeping enemies suppressed under fire.
This. If you wait for charge up of laser shot and miss, it horrible.
@@al3dz739 Agreed. Once your energy is low, you don't want to wait for it to charge back up before applying more pressure to the enemy. The splitter rifle is easier to hit with. I think it technically has more range as well.
@@al3dz739ok but if you dont miss, it's great. And it's even better if you hit a critical spot.
I PLAYED WITH YOU TODAY I REMEMBER
5:59 that monarch must have been STARVING to run through a laser core like that
I personally use the splitter rifle when recharging energy, just as a baseline source of damage, or when I need to delete a singular enemy from existence (spread shot). It can be very useful, just not against anything that requires a moderate amount of aiming.
Reject monarch, embrace the one true titan, scorch.
Honestly, the true power of Ion is the vortex shield.
It directly counters Legion, Tone and Monarch, and isort of counters Northstar. The only titans you need to actually use your brain for are Ronin, Scorch and other Ions. I always get top damage on titanbrawl and use Vortex Amplifier.
It's really ironic since the Splitter Rifle should supposedly be an *annihilator* based on it's pretty detailed concept art description, able to break a target's atoms at the speed of light. That damn thing should be a damn invisible laser that disintegrates titan armor, let alone what it could do to pilots.
My man was so powerful had to get downgraded 😔
This dude feels like the great blue of Titanfall and I love it
I love the unadulterated tradh talking.
Another banger, I expected no less. You’re one of the best titan fall UA-camrs ever.
As someone who used to main Ion and Scorch, Splitter rifle was my JAM, used to always come out with top damage and kills, mixing and weaving it in with Laser is just the chefs kiss.
"A titans primary should be its main source of damage"
Scorch, Ronin, and Legion: 🤨
I used to be like you when Iwas beggining.
The thing is, unlike whatppl think, the SR actually is a decent source of dmg. However it is designed to be good only when you use the split mode. You can destroy a pilot in a second if you connect all of your shots btw. The thing is, in terms of energy cost/dmg, it is actually more viable to use the rifle over the laser shot. However, you should use your laser for long distance pilots AND to quickly doom any low hp titan which you follow by an execution.
My protip is learn to manage your energy correctly. I personally favorise the amped vortex over quintuple shots to be prepared against any legion coming my way, but dealing 5x your rifle dmg, for no change in cost is actually more devastating than you think... trust me, I doomed some ronins in no time with that kit
Tip for legion mains vs ion. Just lay into her shield. The lower energy you put her at before you have to reload the better. Its worthwhile.
so fair warning, i DID find your channel throufh the ttf2 vids, BUT i really love your take on this style of vid. really really enjoyed the heavily edited live commentary stuff with like, an analysis theme??? made the commentary SUPER engaging (tho i do like the guide/essay vids too. would be awesome to see both styles on here a lot more!)
I mean, Ion's laser is literally its soul...I feel like you committed a warcrime here xD
If you think about it… Ion’s laser core is just a really big laser shot but for Titans. So did you really go through these games without using the laser shot? 🤔
*Great* Video. I haven't had Titanfall 2 for a long time, and just recently got it(I'd like to think my skills are improving pretty fast, I credit Apex) but I main Ion and.. From how I've played and the gamemodes I've done, I think Ion is a really good *support* class. The shoulder mounted laser is good damage, sure, but the shield and return fire the Ion provides is great for tight areas and facing off against Legions(especially with the 35% increase return damage). The Ion's made weapon as shown when charged can deal out consistent damage if done right, and if anything is a great way to provide covering fire and annoyance to the enemy. Really, the only thing that sucks it the weapon does *horrible* damage against Pilots, meaning combating them without the shoulder laser is difficult. Generally, Using the shield to help teammates while using the Laser Core to get enemies to doomed states, has won me most of my games
19h on Scorch? My brother, Papa demands more SPICE
Ion’s splitter rifle is actually a great primary in my opinion as it will never be your main damage dealer, think of it like a ronin using there electric smoke for some extra damage while fighting another titan. Its used mainly as a tool for some chip damage while either engaging or disengaging
Dang I look away for a day and you already have a video up? Good stuff none the less
I love the calming music with titan v titan gameplay
Laser shot in ingrained in your brain like melee is ingrained into ronins mains
i actually nerf myself using ION with the refraction lens, and the things is, its not that the splinter rifle is bad, it just that it uses a lot of energy and energy recharges very slow, but man, the damage is awesome, it even mimics laser core dps, it shreds -ronins and northstars- stryders, the only titan you dont attack with the splinter rifle is legion, for obvious reasons.
Entangled energy goes a long way if you hate yourself enough to play ion
There's a secret way to make splitter rifle melt titans like laser core.
IYKYK
10:21 the perfect phrase for the perfect moment
the issue i have with the splitter rifle is its damage is basically nothing without splitshot, and splitshot drains ridiculous energy, leaving you defenseless and incapable of goosing ejecting pilots, so you basically /have/ to be running Entangled Energy and landing your crits to make the splitter useful... but this means you cant use Zero Point Tripwire which is pretty massively the best ion kit
Splitter rifle's biggest problem is that there is literally no room for it for good Ion play. If it just have the split with no energy and it's dps adjusted it would be so much better.
Using ion for just the auto rifle gives off monarch level 1 energy.
Ion is so fun dude. She’s so versatile, you have an answer for most situations as long as you manage your energy.
A secondary primary school s the best way of describing it
New sub here, nice content... Huzzah to the Janitor! I'm sure you know this, but for the benefit of those who dont... if you don't use the splitter mode on her gun, she will not use her energy stores. Her "main" weapons are her laser shot and her shield. If you do use her gun, don't run it in split mode to conserve energy. I'll be checking out your other Titanfall 2 clips!
I used to run Zero Point Tripwire till one day I decided to use Refraction lens and I haven't been using ZPT ever since.
The burst damage is so much fun to play around in close up fights. Though I still use and love laser shots to snipe people, my new favourite pilot killer and titan melter is definitely refraction+secondary fire.
I wish I could understand your premise here because the splitter rifle is absolutely one of the best titan guns. It fucking MELTS at close range when split, the projectiles move quickly and are pinpoint accurate, and the vortex shield is straight up busted. Like...there's a reason Ion has a one-star difficulty rating, it is BY FAR the easiest titan to be good with.
To be fair she's like the best Titan arguably
People confuse me when they just use Ion’s laser shot which I disagree is not her true primary. I really just think people play her wrong and lack the aggression she truly can pull off. Maybe I just think it differently since I mainly use her Vortex Shield for bulk of my damage output since its kit is amazing. The mere chance at negating damage to yourself and giving the enemy back their damage with a bonus is pretty damn useful. Let a Monarch empty their mag or a Legion into that Vortex and shove it in their face, if it doesn’t doom them then it’ll hella weaken them. Should be enough to get you smoke to either charge into them and finish them off with termination or laser shot their critical spot and pull off a nasty sting of a finish if their doomed. Otherwise I’d back out with the smoke, I use turbo engine, extra dash is great, and pepper them with the splitter rifle to let my energy come back. I almost never use the splitter rifle’s secondary fire since it just burns energy faster with not so satisfactory results. I will admit though it’s not bad a thing to just stack back and pick at the enemy from afar with the laser shot to draw them in and if you’re good at managing your energy levels I’d set a laser trip wire for then and let them charge in with previously discussed tactics. Now you would think I think the Vortex is her primary but no, I still think it’s the Splitter Rifle but not every gun is made explode things and not every gun serves the same purpose. If she didn’t have her splitter rifle Ion would be defenseless since EVERY ability she uses draws from her energy meter and the whole purpose of your primary is to use it. It’s not like just because Tone’s guided rockets do more damage then her individual 40mm tracking rounds that the rockets are primary. No it just means it’s used for the bulk of her damage.
I think splitter rifle wouldn't be nearly as bad of a weapon if had had better ammo economy. 40 shots that do almost no damage unless you burn energy to make them stronger. And then you're locked into one of the longest reload animations in the entire game.
I have been using refraction lens as my primary kit lately, originally because of frontier defense, but now because it is so unexpected and actually really good. I'm pretty sure if you land all 5 shots it actually does more damage than laser core. I haven't tested that scientifically, but it seems that way from shooting at dropships.
Laser shot is your best option at range, but split shot is still better up close. The key is to rarely use both together, and do pay extra close attention to your energy when using split shot, because it uses it about as fast as laser shot, but requires more continuous attention so it's easier to over spend with.
"Ion gun bad" - no, you are.
This guy is unhinged i love it
Ion gameplay is when you dealt the most damage but made no kills.
Ion is the ultimate support, change my mind.
Finally got back to the game on pc played it on Xbox and had like G14 so glad to play ion again she’s always been my favorite to play
The refraction lens splitter rifle has more DPS than laser core if you hit all crits, so you know the damage is big. Laser core is still better because the damage is only a little lower, you don't need to hit crits, you can do it at range and you recharge energy during it
No bro lemme tell you about splitter rifle you put on the kit that splits it into 5 shots on alt-fire, the equip dash boost, and nuclear eject and you just rush them down and using it like a full auto shotgun the masstiffe i believe.
Ive noticed that laser shot is best for burst damage and for long ranges behind cover but splitter rifle has better overall dps in close range or against a target out in the open, then its just a case of managing energy between the two and for your shield (this post was made by zero point tripwire gang)
splitter has its place when an enemy is in your face. Laser shot is great for sniping, but the splitter is the answer when you are pressured as its dapage per energy spent is better than the laser shot
Where it really sucks is against pilots, being maybe THE single worst titan weapon to deal with them, as not only is it the lowest per hit damage titan primary, needing 5/4 hits to kill, but it also suffers from being a projectile weapon (the other titan projectile weapons all kill in a single hit)
You won't really notice how much decent damage the splitter rifle does at close range on crits unless you fight Monarch or legion that are usually in your face and easy to hit. Vortex + splitter rifle can some out go on even with dps against monarch / Legion
You could argue the same with monarch if it weren’t for the fact that the XO 16 shreds titan hp but when it comes to pilots it’s just not the right weapon
I tend to think about the different part of Ion's kit not as "main damage" and "this is shit." More of tools. I think a big part of Ion is knowing what to spend energy on and when and if you need to at all in that moment. That goes for the split shot and basic fire too. The basic fire can hurt a surprising amount it you take sustained fire from it and it takes no energy to use. The split shot is good for a sudden spike in DPS at short range as well as finishing a titan that refuses to get close
Yeah but now they added the war crime Ark cannon from part one which should of been the orginal gun for it with getting energy back using it but then again it’s op
I'm actually one of few people who casually enjoys playing Ion through the Splitter Rifle. There's something inherently satisfying about using that thing, like killing pilots with flawless leading shots or just harassing titans by casually spraying that thing everywhere because there's basically no punishment for doing so. Reminds me of playing a boomer shooter with projectile based weapons, like Quake or something... Just without the speed.
The x5 split though is my personal perk of choice. The critical recovery is nice and all, but my aim is not that great... And it also means you're screwed if you meet Argon Plated Scorch, since he basically disables that ability.
The x5 split is the ACTUAL way to play Splitter Rifle Ion.
What it does is basically turns Ion into a discount Ronin, as it effectively turns your S-Rifle into a weird full-auto shotgun. Assuming the split actually works as advertised an no hidden game mechanics take place (which is a possibility, knowing this game) - it increases your split mode damage output by 66% allowing you to flush your energy meter on unsuspecting targets.
Unfortunately it also increases energy usage by 66% too, for obvious reasons... It consumes energy so fast - i think you go to 0% after like 10 shots. On a gun that has 40 ammo. Weird.
So how do you actually play this? Well... As i said: discount Ronin. Flank, ambush, flush your energy load, retreat to recover, rinse and repeat.. It actually deals some decent damage too - in my experience anyway. Just gotta get used to the Hit'n'Run tactics on a medium-weight titan.
Another 2 unfortunate downsides are:
- Killing pilots (and grunts, for that matter) with S-Rifle becomes *more* problematic, since x5 split is an overkill for both of them. It does leave them less room to scatter around though, but in my experience you rarely need that anyway...
- The goddamn thing absolutely MELTS my PC whenever i successfully unload it on someone. The FPS goes from semi-stable 60, to like 25 and stays there until i run out of energy. A fascinating feature, to say the least. Damn particle effects...
you know who else was looking forward to a new
R3eech video?
MY MOM!!! (and me :D)
I prefer to use Ion in Frontier Defense as a close range fighter, dumping split shot critical hits into an enemy titan, which generates a lot of energy and just melts health bars.
I don't play PVP though, so it might simply be bias based on limited information.
Titanfall Content Great as Always
Thanks for Music Credits
Good Titanfall Popularity Recently
Ofcourse Ion’s Rifle Isn’t That Bad
Probably just Haven’t Gotten into Her
Thought You Were Joking with Ronin Main
As in You’d Main whatever Titan of The Month You’d Feel like
Thanks
Splitter rifle is good in frontier defense since you can delete groups of people with it.
despite all the disadvantages of Ion, I still consider her the best titan in the game because of the good balance in it. And if you are an experienced player on the ion oh.. These people will be scarier than Papa Scorch and Ronin. Glory to Mama Ion💕
and yes, it turned out to be a cool video, keep making the same good content bro)
Ion my beloved (vortex amplifier)
What did I learn today?
Ion counters every Titan 😮
I've always found it funny how Ion can go from one of the single most oppressive titans in the game at full energy to "I have a peashooter and my entire kit is nonfunctional" at no energy. Makes me wonder why she's considered the "beginner titan" by the game considering energy management is a mechanic unique to her and might give a poor first impression of how other titans play
Zero point tripwire is the only choice
Monarch guide when lol
solid ion play, and your right, it would be more efficient to play ion with only poking with lazer shot and backing off but generally northstars are better at doing that and doesn't help your team. plus ion has vortex which lets ion play more aggressively in closer range. thats good for ion because A) ion's split shot has a higher dps and takes less energy to match lazer shot's damage, which means your doing more damage then if you played like a northstar. and B) generally if the enemy is shooting you when you have vortex, then there not shooting your teammates who can shoot more freely now. which this is more of a playstyle change then anything but, that is the big difference compared to using lazershot and split shot, if you have enought time to use splitshot it is worth it, but theres plenty of times to use lazer shot even when your in split range. even more so when your not using zero point and can perform zpl. hope this helps.
I'd just like to say as someone who mains ion a lot its jjst lot most things in the gsme you just need to use her right shes not a main battle titan thats what legion and scorch are for, shes like the good at everything but not great at anything option and if people just paid attention to the energy which i mean is the only gimick with ion shes pretty easy to master and use in any situation.
Splitter rifle should have a totally separate energy reserve with over heating issues for extended firing like the L-Star (which it is basically a larger version of).
I mean it is an energy weapon thus heat issues would make more sense, and it does have a reload animation IN SPITE of using the same energy source as the titan's integrated weapons, so why reload unless it is loading a battery which by the very nature of batteries would be separate from the titan's reactor energy fueling the other weapons?
Splitter rifle does have a separate energy reserve
It only use ion main energy reserve when you ads which increases the titan damage significantly
If titanfall 2 had the titanfall 1 system where you can swap primaries out then ion would be god tier but the splitter rifle holds him back and he’s kinda stuck at B tier
The real primary weapon of ion is vortex shield/dumb legions
this is just weird to me because ive always liked the splitter rifle way more than the laser shot. if anything i rarely use the laser shot because whenever i use it i feel like i would have been better off shooting a spitball at the titan im trying to kill rather than wasting my energy. that being said i dont play ion that much, i mostly play tone ive just been using ion recently because ive been getting bored of tone so im not very experienced with it. ill start using it again if it can actually deal good titan damage but if all it does is kill pilots then i cant really be bothered learning how to use an entirely new gun. some people find learning new weapons satisfying but for me its kind of a chore until you can actually use it properly
Which is a shame because, visually, I love the splitter rifle. It sounds awesome, looks like a big hefty gun, and has a satisfying reload animation... If only it was actually viable
I like to use zero point trip wire so i can be more aggressive with the splitter rifle
All the Ion mains are talking about how this video demonstrates why they play like they do, and I'm just like "This is why I don't play Ion." It's just super awkward to find the proper niche in playstyle when every option you have trades off all your others without a cohesive backup to lean onto. Then again, I play Scorch, who is the epitome of super awkward and lacking in backup options, so maybe it's just an issue of flavor more than anything.
skill issue ngl
jokes aside great vid. i think the split of the rifle is mostly meant to fend off close range attackers, although that doesn't really work as ronin and scorch outdamage it 70 times over
Splitter rifle is bad by necessity, splitter rifle is the ONLY thing in ions kit that is net positive for energy, aka you can dump primary fire and still regain energy
If the splitter rifle was actually effective youd have an even more busted titan than you already do
Babe wake up R3eech just posted
It's be really cool if she had a shorter laser core like in the recent apex teaser and the ult could still stay as just a looong version
You really remind of a Team Fortress 2 UA-camr called elmaxo
I still think you should've gone 5 way splitter you can take 3 titans down in one ion playing aggressive
The rifle shouldn't drain energy. And having spread, PLUS having to lead shots? Hell nah
I swear I get my killed taket everytime I play Titan brawl even though I did all the damage and they swooped in and executed
Honestly i thought the splitter rifle was supposed to be kinda bad. Like its supposed to be a tradeoff for ions insanely good tacticals so she doesnt completely dominate the game.
Like how the medic from tf2s syringe gun is a hard to aim piece of junk so medic isnt too hard to kill.
I main ion but I rarely use split shot it rarely is worth the energy when for most titans I can defend myself and return the damage with vortex sheld.
3:46 you used laser shot there
Primary fire is MEANT to be bad😂 respawn designed her to not be able to do much damage without using energy, cause why would you use energy if you didn't have to for considerable damage?