Thinking of replacing Pinata Gepard (need capper)

Rhino or galahad, you'll need a power runner in the higher tiers.

Galahad. Either plasma or DB.

I have one of each. The plasma does more overall damage but the DB can basically make a good attempt against anything.

Aawwwww crap

I was talking about the GARETH and not the Galahad. Is it preferred over the Stalker still?

ⓣⓡⓘⓒⓚⓨ48 is your man to talk to about the Gareth and I believe acethunder is also very good with one.

The Gareth is a great little thing. Just have to treat the shield with a little respect so you don't get it blown off too quickly.

My ears were burning, Vin...

I like the Gareth a lot. I know... shocking revelation.

I find that I like to think of it as the equivalent of a Special Ops bot... it can hang on its own, and used correctly, can sabotage the Red's lines with ease... slipping behind them and taking beacons and killing and/or distracting whatever you come across.

I deliberately stopped using it for a few matches to make myself NOT use it too much and rely on it... but as a Beacon Capper I will choose it over any other light. Yes it is a light robot so the HP pool (and consequently the shield) is weaker than that of its big brother... but it is still very useful. Like Ace said... treat the shield as something to conserve. But it IS still a shield. And it helps. A lot. If your Gareth has 60k HP, then your shield has 120k. In effect, assuming you use it well, and we are strictly talking non-splash dmg, that is 180kHP.

"Well Tricky, the meta is chock full of splash!"

Well, imaginary person, the splash you will see the most is 300m splash, and you (if you are running plasma) have a 350m range.

Also, for the Tridents and such... you are in a very fast bot. Use cover. Be careful and be sneaky.

Against Plasma and non-splash missiles and projectile weapons... use the shield to either advance into fire to a better position behind cover, or to retreat to cover. You can leave it to the side like an ECU and turn your body to the expected fire and still run full speed... I do that during the opening stages if I am trying to get beacons... to eat sniper and hydra fire. Just remember it is finite, and it is better to think of it as a safe way to get behind cover, rather than a reason to go 1v1 with a Plasma Griff/Rhino. It won't stand up to that unless you are a dancing fool (My Gareth has moves like Jagger... JS) and can make them miss... but keep in mind that the newest update may have made Plasma miss less... from what I read... so that may not be a good tactic now.

It is best thought of as an OH 「dookie」 tool that can help you get to safety. Of course, if you are ready to ditch and get to another bot the shield can make your last suicide run pretty darn effective and possibly surprise you with how well you do against some pretty heavily armed baddies before they take you out. Just... don't go toe to toe with a Thunder anything... If you must attack one, then kite them at the edge of your range and never stop moving.

Get to the position that you need to be in to cause havoc... then wreck faces and melt their will to go on. It is very useful against Griffs, Leos, Tashas, etc. And can really hurt/kill  shield bots that aren't facing you.  (I have taken out every kind of bot with a Gareth at one point or another... including a Lance... it can be done.) Dodge what you can... block what you can't, and be the little wasp that stings the sniper and makes him miss.

And as a bonus.. you can get beacons along the way

Stalker probably best against unorganized randoms. I have occasionally found myself as the only one chasing down a good stalker pilot who is taking all the uncovered beacons. You just can't stay still--ever. And you have to know where you're running, because one wrong turn and you are instantly dead. I also once blew up a pair who were harassing a blue Lancelot but didn't bother noticing my Death Button griff waiting for them to turn the corner and their stealth to drop.