Tips and Tricks (Titanfall 1)

This page is a repository for for Titanfall. If you have any tips you don't see listed below, don't be afraid to add them!

How to Survive in Titanfall
Titanfall is a game where you can easily and quickly rack up a number of deaths. Here are some helpful ways to stay alive:


 * Watch the Minimap! - that map in the corner isn't just eyecandy, it's your best tool to survive! Keep an eye on the lighter colored orange and red dots for Grunts, Spectres, and Marvins, and watch for bigger red dots and red triangles for Pilots and Titans!

Note that both Pilots and Titans have direction indicators on the minimap, telling you which way their facing. Use that to your advantage, but keep your eyes up.


 * You can always Eject! - Don't just listen to that Titan OS telling you to eject when you're doomed (but you definitely should), you can always eject! In the heat of battle, if you're being rodeoed, you can simply eject! The rodeoer will be shot up in the air with you surprised, and for the ultimate move, you could even jump kick or shoot him mid air!

Note that if you Eject, your Titan *will* be destroyed by the act. Dismounting keeps your Titan alive and in the fight. Ejecting early is only recommended if surrounded, or if you want to set off a Nuclear Ejection at a specific point. To manually Eject on console, hit Up on the D-Pad, then mash X.


 * Dismounting! – Your titan will continue engaging and you can scan the area for all threats when you Dismount from your Titan. Auto-Titans are not as accurate as Piloted Titans, but this applies primarily when fighting Pilots. Other Titans are rather hard to miss. In addition, Auto-Titans rarely, if ever, make use of Titan Ordnance.

Note that you can switch your Titan between Follow mode (Default) and Guard mode by hitting Down on the D-Pad (Console). In Guard mode an Auto-Titan will not move, but will attack anything in line of sight. Your Auto-Titan will face the same direction you face when you toggle Guard mode on.


 * Keep Moving! - don't stop! Stopping is death, and if you pause for even a second, that can get you put right in the sights of an enemy Titan, something you definitely don't want. Always be moving, and don't be afraid to hop and jump as you traverse a flat landscape - that might make the sight of a sniper go awry just that little bit needed to survive!

Note that if you jump immediately after landing you get a slight and temporary speed boost. Not as much as a Wall Run, but it's something. This move can also be used coming out of a Wall Run.


 * Time Your Titanfall! - your Titan can change the momentum of a battle, and the energy shield it surrounds itself in can save you from that final shot. Hold on to your Titan, and wait for the right time to call it, keeping in mind you'll have to survive for the few seconds it takes to drop.

Note that if you time it perfectly, you can destroy anything your Titan lands on via Titanfall. Anything hostile in that green ring when the timer hits zero is dead, be it a Grunt or an Ogre.


 * Check this video out for 15 tips & tricks that will help you to stay alive and become a better killing machine: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NRgu4r1dy4

Dismounting From a Titan
When dismounting from your titan, if you are hopping out instead of shooting up (to deal with an enemy who is rodeo'ing you), this will allow you to engage the enemy Pilot while forcing the enemy Pilot to divide his attention between the moving Titan and your own firepower.

How to Defeat Titans
Titans are only worth fighting if you can do it from a safe location. Buildings should be a second choice for engagements, as you can easily be caught surrounded by Titans if your position is revealed. The top of buildings are much better choices, as you can quickly sprint and jump to another building if surrounded. The big key though is movement - if you are engaging a Titan, standing still is literally suicide. Constantly move and jump, and if seen by a Titan, move to the closest cover immediately. Here are a few more tips for dealing with the lumbering juggernauts:


 * Team Up! - teaming up with other Pilots wielding anti-titan weaponry may be a pretty surefire way of dealing with Titans, but an even better method is teaming up with other Titans! Get a group of three, or even as low as two, players to circle around the enemy Titan, and let loose! The Vortex Shield can block most incoming shots on the enemy Titan, but only from one direction, leaving them opening to pincer moves.


 * Dismount! - jumping out while fighting a Titan might seem like suicide, but it may be what pushes you into victory! Titans have pretty good AI in follow and guard modes, so hopping out and combining your anti-titan weapons with your Titan's firepower can easily turn the tide of battle.


 * Call in a Titanfall! - ordering your Titan to drop on an enemy Titan could cause enough damage to kill it, but even if it doesn't, it will clear the immediate area of Pilots who may be eyeing you in their targets, making your life a lot easier!

Advanced Titan Ejection
When it seems the fight is 1v1 with two Titans, stay inside your titan. If you are encountering a couple Titans, it's probably best to get out and assist with the killing of the Titans. Your Titan is going to

A. Do it's own damage

B. Distract the enemy Titans and players

C. Allow you to flank enemies who eare focused on your titan

Spectres
Try to hack these, as they are useful aggro and can aid with rockets on Titans.

Wall Grappling
While wallrunning, you can jab your knife into the wall for a custom point of attack. Hit the left trigger on controllers or the right-click for keyboard and mouse to stop mid-run. This only allows hipfire, and will be even less accurate than normal as you're firing the gun one handed.

Dealing with Titanfall Players and Bots
Don't think that killing non-player characters is a waste - kill everything you possibly can, as they provide decent XP and sometimes decrease the build time until your next Titan. When dealing with players, think about all the things that would cause you trouble and do that to them. Misdirection, suppressive fire, and more can do wonders to rattle an enemy Pilot. Don't be afraid to use your anti-titan weapons against non-Titans, as this will thoroughly disrupt the movement of enemy troops.

How to Rodeo in Titanfall
Instead of rocketing Titans, rodeo them, as that is a much more effective way to engage Titans. Simply jump on top of an enemy Titan, and watch as your character rips off the protective plating and goes to town!

When rodeoing the opponent unload all of your guns before reloading. Switching between primary/secondary is faster than reloading and using one gun.

How to Destroy Grenades in Midair
After lobbing grenades, use your Smart Pistol Mk5 to lock on and shoot them midair or as soon as they hit the ground, allowing you to clear a room immediately or stop pilots in midair. Also, the mag launcher is a good alternative, it will lock on to titans, spectres and grenades. Be careful though, it can work against you.

Battlefield Awareness
Keep the battlefield in mind when engaging enemies. Keep your Titans alive, as they'll be key to control of certain map areas. Most importantly, as a Titan, make sure you keep an eye on your shields and disengage when you need to recharge them.

Loading Screen Tips

 * Get refreshed. Every time you enter your Titan, your Pilot ammo is automatically refilled.
 * Zap it. The Arc Cannon can destroy rockets in flight.
 * The Smart Pistol will lock onto live grenades. Be careful not to blow yourself up!
 * Careful! Your jump jets are still visible when they fire, even while you are cloaked.
 * Don't rest on your laurels - a doomed Titan is still a threat.
 * Finish them! You can rip an enemy out of a doomed Titan with a well-timed melee attack.
 * Your Pilot is always equipped with a primary weapon, a side arm, and an Anti-Titan weapon.
 * The Arc Cannon drains energy from an enemy Vortex Shield.
 * Go for the rodeo! You can kill a Titan by jumping on its back and firing into its internal systems.
 * Heavy Turrets can be turned to your side by using your Data Knife on their control panels.
 * The Pilot's cloaking device was built to fool Titan optics, and is less effective against the naked eye.
 * Heads up! Titans falling into the battle will kill any enemy combatants they land on.
 * Hang from the walls! You can come to a stop and hang onto a wall by holding %zoom% while wall running.
 * Each time you inflict damage on an enemy, you reduce the time it takes to get your next Titan.
 * Get under their skin. When you 'rodeo' an enemy Titan and shoot its internal systems, your attack bypasses the shields.
 * Arc Grenades disorient and reveal cloaked Pilots.
 * Switch to your Anti-Titan weapon to do the most damage to Titans when you're on foot as a Pilot.
 * Some weapons do extra damage against unshielded Titans - shoot at any highlighted weakpoints you see.
 * Electric Smoke is a great option for getting rid of enemy Pilots that are on your Titan.
 * Getting outnumbered in a Titan fight is very dangerous - your Titan will tell you if you are in danger.
 * Always check your teammates' Titans - there may be enemy Pilots on their backs.
 * Get there faster. You get a big speed boost while you are wallrunning.
 * Check your minimap for enemies and friendlies on foot - large dots are Pilots, small dots are Grunts.
 * Titans appear as large triangles on the minimap.
 * Don't hesitate! You can board your Titan from any direction - even from mid-air!
 * Be patient. The basic Smart Pistol takes three lock-ons to kill a Pilot with one trigger pull.
 * Be prepared to do it yourself. The Smart Pistol's auto-targeting shuts off when you aim manually.
 * Your Titan is programmed to follow you around unless you manually switch it to Guard Mode by pressing %ability 1%.
 * When you switch your Titan to Guard Mode, it will face in the direction you were looking at the time.
 * When you hitch a ride on a friendly player's Titan, its shields will protect you too.
 * As a Pilot, you can ride on ziplines in both directions, thanks to your jump kit.
 * Using cloak before ziplining can help avoid enemy fire.
 * The Arc Grenade is highly effective against a Titan's shields, and temporarily distorts a Titan's vision.
 * When a Titan is doomed, its health bar will change to a striped pattern.
 * If your Titan is not doomed, your shields will begin recharging if you avoid getting hit for a short time.
 * A Titan's built-in shields are not impenetrable - the armor underneath just takes a lot less damage.
 * If you are equipped with the Cloak ability, it will slow down enemy lock-ons when active, while you are a Pilot.
 * Get the drop. You can detach from walls at any time by pressing %toggle_duck%.
 * Stand on the shoulders of giants - you can get to higher locations by double jumping off of other Titans.
 * Remotely detonate satchels by double tapping %use%.
 * Jump! Pilots can jump above explosions created from Triple Threat Grenades.
 * Be quick on the draw. Switching to your sidearm is faster than reloading.
 * Leverage your momentum. When landing while in motion, jump as you touch the ground to go even faster.
 * Keep 'em guessing. Press %toggle_duck% to suddenly drop from ziplines without carrying speed.
 * Swoop into the action! Press %jump% to detach from ziplines without losing speed.
 * Watch for weak points. Taking down a Titan's bodyshield will expose bright red weak points to certain weapons." " TIP_047" "Live to fight another day! When your Titan's bodyshield is low or depleted, take cover from enemy fire to recharge it.
 * Get punchy. Prevent enemy Pilots from jumping on your Titan by punching them with %melee% at close range.
 * Create a personal army. Get close to a Spectre to hack it. This will also automatically hack other nearby Spectres.
 * Bad Tip Please Bug Tip #50
 * A doomed Titan gets a striped health bar and will soon self-destruct. The Pilot who dooms an enemy Titan scores the kill.
 * Scratch your back! As a Titan, you can use the explosions from your Cluster Missile to hurt a Pilot on your back.
 * Give it some time. Fired continuously, the Spitfire LMG kicks heavily on the first few shots, but stabilizes soon afterward.
 * Bad Tip Please Bug Tip 54
 * Stay alive! A Burn Card lasts until you die or the match ends.
 * Respawn with a vengeance! Remember to select and activate a Burn Card after you die - it will take effect when you respawn.
 * Get a head start. Select and activate a Burn Card before the start of every match - it will take effect when you spawn.
 * Burn Cards give you special abilities that last until you die or the match ends. Try them out!
 * Out of Burn Cards? Challenge yourself - many Challenges have Burn Card rewards.
 * Burn Card effects carry over during round-based game modes, such as Last Titan Standing, if you manage to stay alive.
 * Make some space. If your Burn Card collection is full, discard or use your existing Burn Cards so that you may earn more.