#115

I REALLY didn’t want Ernest to squawk. I’m fine with his voice.

My own hope, and let me lay this out as to how I got here, was that he would have a silky-smooth Baritone crooner voice and inflection, a la Sinatra, Dean Martin, or Bing Crosby.

When we first saw the bright colored plumage, some assumed he was a she. Then it was pointed out that in songbird species, males are brightly colored and females are drab colored. So I followed that Ernest’s avian species could be descended from songbirds, like Benedict from hawks or Toby from penguins.

So for a male songbird, I thought it would be cool to have that crooner sound. I’d even have loved it if his patter/dialogue involved little musical phrases or Rat Pack-esque banter: “Ring-a-ding-ding, I just blew you up, baby!”

As the details of his Drill Sergeant background came more to the forefront, I considered this interpretation to be less likely.

2 Likes
#116

He seams well balanced, he maybe deals a bit too much damage.

Something bad about him is that he can cheese the first sentry on Echelon. You can hit the sentry with a grenade bounce in the stairs. Your team just have to stay in defense upstairs and you take the sentry without any problem. And the defend team can’t do anything if yout attackers doesn’ aven engage and wait for the sentry to die. But it’s a problem about Echelon.

1 Like
#117

I love Ernest… A lot. He is slightly OP, only his grenade damage though. Other than that, he is fine.
I’ll show you just how much I love Playing Ernest:
http://m.imgur.com/PqfI5AU

#118

Some of the kool peeps in the forum and I have been wrecking the Spotlight HC maps today with Ernest.
He is so awesome, so much fun.

2 Likes
#119

I put it in really weird places, where it’s not exposed but the aoe gets ya.

1 Like
#120

I switch back and forth. Typically I’ll chuck it in the back of team fights or for a 1v1 and use it to Dash around them while I shoot them. I’ve pretty much mastered his mines (wave clear, last hitting for kills on unsuspecting prey from a cross the map), but I’ve yet to truly master defense mode. I use the reload speed so the slow doesn’t benefit me.

#121

You can use him as a burst assassin. Smith to attack mode, quick melee, mine, ult behind them, use defense mode to slow, then switch back and as they run shoot mines.

#122

I’ve been using every mine buff and attack speed buff to abuse it, I hit 150 per full length match, still with good kd and assists and minions. It’s very strong. I think Rotten Egg and the cooldown reduction on that needs a small nerf. Otherwise he may be fine. He may have a lot of health and deal a lot of damage, but caught out of place and he’s essentially done.

#123

It’s a fantastic idea for him.

#124

Idk, is anyone taking a one second Wound at Rank 5 over 2 seconds off Explosive Charge?

#125

Actually, a number of people seem to like the mutation at 5, but that surprises me. The 5R helix is about 4x stronger than it should be.

#126

It would only be useful against 2 or more healers and only if you are good at getting direct hits. It’s really situational.

#127

God that might be the shittiest helix choice in game… my god “HEY… stuff… and… and THINGS”

#128

Alani’s level two choices are arguably the worst.

1 Like
#129

I went against a guy that mastered the use of ernest defense (both in mines and egg) and God was he deadly

#130

Yeah, if you land every direct hit, the mutation still only nets you, what, a 7.5% increase in damage on his primary?

5R is probably in line for a nerf eventually.

Honestly, Gearbox seems to REALLY be overrating Wound. They also put it on Phoebe on the same rung as Contingency Plan - because somewhere, someone needs Wound on Blade Rush more than double Phasegate usage.

1 Like
#131

(Xbox1) How do you switch between power egg modes?

Figured it out. Look at egg, left trigger.

#132

as a non pvp player going off observation, i’m curious on one thing: how is it for melee characters getting in on teams buffed by power eggs? Say…Shayne going up against a buffed Isic? Today on saboteur, we managed to kill the end boss in record time thanks to power egg buffing my Attikus so much.

#133

Oh lord, buffed Attikus is a terrifying thought.

#134

THIS MORNING…

Enter Ernest… walking up the corridor to Benedict’s quarters. He knocks.

ERNEST:
Benedict… listen up. I may have been a little harsh yesterday when I completely shut you down after you suggested I get drunk with you and use my grenades to try to blow a boomerang out of the sky. Although that was a profoundly irresponsible and stupid idea. As I made clear, grenades are not a toy. They are a tool. A weapon. And MUST be treated with respect. But that said… after talking with Captain Ghalt this morning… I realize it was your way of trying to connect with me, and as your new superior officer—Captain Ghalt promoted me last night by the way—I should try to build a relationship with those under my command. So… while I will not under any circumstances get drunk and treat my explosives with disrespect, I would like to get to know you better. So I thought… maybe… you’d… um… um… crap I dunno… um… OH!!! Maybe you’d like to come to the gym with me to do some push-ups?

Benedict’s door immediately opens and Ernest is met at eye level by Montana’s glistening abs. He slowly looks up and sees the biggest, most frightening grin he has ever experienced in his life. A chill runs down his spine.

MONTANA:
Did you say push-ups? I LOVE PUSH-UPS!!! OH YOU’VE GOTTA SEE ME BENCH PRESS!!! YOU’VE GOTTA SEE ME BENCH PRESS!!!

Montana immediately grabs Ernest, slings him over his back, and begins a merry dash down to the gym. Ernest cries out as they disappear around the corner.

ERNEST:
Montana! I… I was trying to speak with Benedict… This isn’t what I meant… BENEDICT!!! HELP!!!

Benedict and El Dragón stand in the doorway.

EL DRAGÓN:
Well… I guess he’s not gonna make us flapjacks now.

BENEDICT:
(With a broad smile)
Hey, we can still have fun. You ever try snake stir fry?

EL DRAGÓN:
No.

BENEDICT:
Oh man… I make a wicked nasty snake stir fry… you gotta try it.

EL DRAGÓN:
(Thinks)
Well since we’re trying new things… have you ever seen “Invierno en el jardín de la pasión?”

BENEDICT:
What is that, some Mexican soap opera?

EL DRAGÓN:
(Passionately)
“Invierno en el jardín de la pasión” is NOT JUST SOME MEXICAN SOAP OPERA!!! IT IS EMOTION!!! IT IS BEAUTY!!! IT IS PASSION!!! IT IS DRAMA!!!

BENEDICT:
Does it have subtitles?

EL DRAGÓN:
Well… it should really be watched in its original language to be truly appreciated, but yes I can turn on the subtitles for you.

BENEDICT:
Sweet. Well… looks like our afternoon’s set.

Door closes. The Montana theme song can be heard beginning faintly from the gym. Followed several seconds later by Montana’s distant voice screaming “HELL YEAH!!!”

3 Likes
Benny's Battleborn Tales