| Model Number:MSAM-YM03 | Pilot: Klim Nick |
| Cost: 2000 Hp: 560 Transform: X Form Change: X | |
The Montero was a general-purpose prototype mobile suit featuring excellent mobility in the atmosphere. It was no slouch in combat either, and carried a wide assortment of ranged and melee armaments making it highly adaptable at varying combat situations. While most notably used by self-proclaimed genius pilot Klim Nick, there exists mass-production versions of the Montero fielded by the Ameria Army.
Ability Summary
| Ranged | Armament | Ammo | Damage | Notes |
| Main | Beam Rifle | 7 | 70 | |
| CSA | Beam Javelin [Throw] | – | 85 | Stuns on hit |
| Sub (4/6AB) | Beam Javelin [Shockwave] | 2 | 70 | Fires a shockwave with a wide hitbox. Attack does [95] damage if hit by the sweeping motion. |
| Charged Melee | Missiles | 1 | 34 – 93 | Fires three missiles at the target |
| Special Shooting | G-Self (Reflector Pack) Gerobi Assist | 1 | 12 ~ 129 | Performance changes with directional input. Free fall compatible.
5AC: gerobi |
| G-Self (Reflector Pack) Melee Assist | 106 | Performance changes with directional input. Free fall compatible.
2/8AC: Grapple into Beam rifle |
||
| G-Self (Reflector Pack) Beam Rifle Assist | 40 ~ 123 | Performance changes with directional input. Free fall compatible.
4/6AC: 2 Beam Rifle into Shield Tackle |
| Input | Melee | Damage | Notes |
| AB | AB | 5 | Captures the target |
| AB~A | 18~67 | Shocks the target in place | |
| AB~B | 72~127 | Launches the target | |
| AB~2B | 5 | Reels in the target | |
| AB~BC | 222~255 | High damage melee combo | |
| 8B | 8B | 90 | Nothing exemplary, common thrust melee attack. Beam rifle can be cancelled into this attack |
| 5B | 5BBB | 174 | |
| 5B(B)~8B | 121~167 | ||
| 5B(B)~2B | 152~191 | ||
| 8B | 8B | 80 | |
| 4/6B | 4/6BBB | 164 | Bounces target upon final hit |
| 4/6B(B)~8B | 116~158 | ||
| 4/6B(B)~2B | 147~182 | ||
| 2B | 2BB | 132 | |
| CC8B | CC8B | 181 | Bounces target |
| BC | BC | 82 | Has Shooting Guard |
| BC~BC | 94 | ||
| ABC | ABC | 297(F)/283(E)/294(S) |
Cancel Routes:
A: AB, BC, 8B
CSA: BC
CSB, BC: A
Any melee: AB
BC: Any melee except CC8B
Overview
The Montero is an all-rounded mobile suit with decent options for both close-range melee scrambles and long-range shootouts. While you don’t need to be a genius to use the Montero, it has plenty of cancel routes that add to its general mobility. It’s general self-defense is excellent, and it has plenty of tools that allow it to play a consistent keepaway game. However, key weaknesses include having almost all of its ranged weapons incur vernier, and its mediocre ranged damage output. To maximize the odds of victory (short of getting carried), players will also have to rely on winning melee exchanges, which undoubtedly carries an element of risk for a 2000-cost, all-purpose suit.
Ranged Weapons
Main: Beam Rifle
Average BR with a continuous reload time of 3 seconds per shot. This is the only ranged armament that does not cause vernier and is also used in a variety of cancel routes and movement techniques like freefall cancels. Thus, it’s important that you do not expend ammo haphazardly, so keep some ammo available for these purposes. Wherever possible, supplement your ranged attacks with CSA and CSB to conserve ammo.
Charged Main: Beam Javelin [Throw]
Montero automatically jumps rearwards before throwing the Beam Javelin. 2-second charge time. Unlike most thrown projectiles, the vertical tracking of the projectile is mediocre and the vector is more similar to railgun weapons. Its range is also fairly short. However, the projectile speed is faster than the average Beam Rifle shot, and it is a good option for catching landings or against incoming opponents.
The startup is also slightly delayed due to the jumping motion. Additionally, you can also control the direction of the jump to some degree with a directional input. While it’s possible to dodge a Beam Rifle shot with this motion, do take note that the increased elevation from the jump will also delay your landing, so be careful not to get exploited while using this.
Charged Melee: Missile Barrage
Fires a salvo of three missiles at the target. 2-second charge time.
Muzzle correction and tracking on the missiles are poor, though the projectile(s) speed is average. Cancelable to Main, and will induce a freefall if you do so. However, there is a slight delay before the Montero actually drops. While the offensive capabilities of this move aren’t particularly impressive, the main usage of this tool is simply the ability to freefall from it.
Sub (4/6AB): Beam Javelin [Shockwave]
Montero does a sweeping motion before emitting a horizontal shockwave. Reloads on empty, and has a 7-second reload time. Take note that the sweeping motion actually has its own hit box and separate damage value (more details in the melee moveset below).
While visually similar to Deathscythe Hell(EW)’s Main, the Montero’s shockwave is in fact wider and has some tracking, thus making it difficult to avoid with Boost Dashing alone. Furthermore, this tool has good damage proration, and with no cancellation correction any follow-up attack will likely do good damage.
Despite primarily being used as a ranged weapon, you can actually rainbow step from this move. A common tactic is to immediately follow up the rainbow step with an assist to Main freefall. However, this move has limited effectiveness against targets that are fleeing from the Montero as the range is only up to Montero’s red lock range. It’s not too far-fetched to claim that the victory may well hinge on how often you can land a hit with this.
Despite its appearances, this weapon is actually a physical projectile. While it’s easily neutralized by any other projectile, it will bypass suits with anti-beam measures like ABC mantles. However, it’s also easier to accidentally (or intentionally) friendly fire and hit your partner due to the wide hitbox and physical property.
However, key weaknesses include the slow startup, and the relatively lengthy animation also results in more boost consumption. Furthermore, ammo is expended immediately upon input. If you cancel this move before the shockwave is emitted, the ammo counter will be expended regardless, so make sure to not whiff the timing and waste any ammo. Furthermore, this weapon has no muzzle correction. As the whip has a lengthy startup animation and has a short range, it’s not really suitable for close-range encounters.
Special Shooting: Missile Launcher
Summons the Gundam G-Self (Reflector Pack). 6-second reload time. A free-fall cancel route is possible by inputting Main right after. However, summoning this assist does not automatically reorient Montero towards the enemy so keep this in mind to avoid accidentally being stuck in Vernier when inputting Main. While the reload timing is decent, there’s only one ammo, so it’s not an assist you can use liberally.
The assist has three variations depending on directional input:
-5AC: G-Self fires a gerobi
Unlike the playable version of G-self, this does not cause an explosion at the point of impact. Useful for when you want to make a “fence” of sorts to catch an enemy. While the projectile velocity is good, the muzzle correction is weak, and often you might miss with this assist even when used as a follow-up to a BR shot. Thus, try not to use this option when pursuing a target.
-8/2AC: G-Self tackles, grabs and drags the target before firing the rifle at close range
Has a large hitbox, and the muzzle correction and tracking are rather good. the long grapple animation makes it good as a setup while in close range.
On the flip side, it doesn’t provide suppressive fire unlike 4/6AC. Use 4/6AC for control, and 2/8AC for sneak attacks.
This is the most used variation by players. A follow-up with a Beam Rifle shot is not enough to fully down a target, so make sure you take enough measures to do so.
–4/6AC: G-Self fires 2 shots from its Beam Rifle before charging in for a shield tackle
The shield tackle results with the target being hit into a cartwheeling down. Take note that if tracking is cut while G-self is firing, the subsequent shield tackle will not have any tracking either. The rush speed and tracking of the melee phase is good, although the shots fired have mediocre tracking and muzzle correction. However, due to the long assist animation and the suppressive fire, it also exerts pressure the longest and you can use this opportunity to force boost consumption and limit the target’s movement.
Melee Set
5AB: Beam Wire
Captures the target with the beam wire. Has a short range, although it has a large hitbox and fast startup. However, the muzzle correction is poor and it’s highly likely you will not hit a target moving on a horizontal axis. As it causes vernier, you shouldn’t use it too much, though it does serve useful against an incoming 5B/CC8B melee.
5AB~A: Beam Wire [Shock]
YOU WA SHOCK
Montero holds the target in place while simultaneously shocking it with the Beam Wire. While this move has no cut resistance, the cumulative damage dealt is good and it’s also an excellent tool for delaying and restraining a target for long periods of time. If you perform a rainbow step, you can follow this up with another 5AB to repeat the process. If you’re in Overheat, you cancel into the 2B derivative to reel the target in, following up with BC~B as fast as possible before cancelling into 5AB again. While this combo requires practice, is very lengthy and makes Montero practically motionless, you can deal up to 300 damage and above. While not a key combo to use often, it’s good to be aware of this high-damage option.
5AB~B: Wire Hook
Launches the target into the air.
5AB~2B: Beam Wire [Reel In]
Reels the target in, can be canceled to Main or most melee.
5AB~BC: Beam Wire Combo
The time has come to test the spin slash. Montero extends the wire from both ends of the Javelin and does a series of fancy spinning slashes. Very cool, as expected of a genius.
The range of this attack is very wide and damage dealt by this combo is good. Due to the wide range and hitbox, this combo provides good cut resistance against enemies closing in for a melee. The combo ends fairly fast and does damage fairly quickly. Since Montero cannot keep up in the damage race relying on just its ranged weapons alone, make sure to use this option if the situation allows for it. However, make sure you’re not at great risk of being interrupted before committing to this attack.
4/6AB: Beam Wire [Shockwave]
This section simply covers the melee aspect of Montero’s 4/6AB. As previously described, Montero does a sweeping motion with the Javelin that slaps away any hapless fool close enough to be hit by it. Unlike most other whip weapons, you cannot use this if there is no ammo nor can you control which direction the whip swings towards. If the whip hits at a low altitude, a subsequent follow-up is unlikely to hit as the target would have been Downed on the ground. At higher altitudes, you can follow up with a ranged attack or a melee attack. However, there is still a possibility of failure as it depends on the situation at the time of hit. Furthermore, as mentioned earlier, the long startup and short range makes this unsuitable foreclose-range interception or self defence.
5BBB: Slash > Slash > Thrust
Standard 3-stage melee combo. There’s nothing exemplary about this combo by itself, though it can be cancelled into 2B and 8B melee derivatives during the first and second stage. You can also cancel into AB at any point of this combo.
5B(B)~8B: Slash-through
Melee derivative where Montero does a quick slash-through. Use this when you foresee yourself getting interrupted mid-combo and want to end the combo quickly or when you want to launch the enemy mid-combo.
5B(B)~2B: Stab > Kick-off
Montero thrusts into the target with his javelin before pulling out(teehee) and kicking the target away. While it is easy to follow-up as it results in a dust down on the target, a somersault motion is done by Montero after the attack, so make sure to step-cancel as early as possible. If you cancel into CSA however, it will hit.
8B: Shoulder tackle
Montero does a shoulder tackle. Has limited use due to its short reach. While it’s not advisable to use this as a starter, it can be directly cancelled from Main, so you can use this as an option if you’re unable to follow-up with CSA or 4/6AB.
4/6BBB: Horizontal Slash
Ordinary 3-stage melee. General performance is average for a 2000 cost suit. It’s not a particularly exemplary move, but it’s not bad either. Does its job in most melee situations. It can also be cancelled into the same melee derivative as the 5B melee set.
4/6B(B)~8B: Slash-through
Same melee derivative as the 5B melee set.
4/6B(B)~2B: Stab > Kick-off
Same melee derivative as the 5B melee set.
2B: Slash > Slash
Bounces the target upon completion. The transition to the second stage of this melee takes some time.
CC8B: Slash-through > Beam Javelin Slash
The first stage of this melee stuns the target, and has decent reach on top of a fairly large hitbox. The last hit puts the enemy in an untechable down state, but is the kind of attack that deals multiple hits, so it’s preferable that you use other melee attacks for a combo ender to maximize your damage.
BC: Beam Wire [Rotary Rush]
The time has come to test the spin slash again. Montero flies forward while spinning its Beam Javelin. Has Shooting Guard, similar to G-Self’s 8B. However it does not protect Montero against melee assists or explosive weapons. While there is no tracking, the hitbox is large and in front of the Montero itself. It’s possible even hit targets on either of Montero’s slides.
It can be cancelled to any melee (except CC8B) regardless of whether it hits or not and it has a BC derivative. The priority on this attack is strong enough to clash directly with Destiny’s BC and it puts the enemy in a Dust Down state even on clash, so you can use this to intercept an incoming target or and when pursuing a target. You can also use this as a last resort if you’re cornered and have nowhere else to run.
BC~BC: Vaulting thrust
Montero vaults across a distance before striking the target. It has a good hit box and incurs Dust Down on the target upon hit, so it’s easy to follow-up (unless you’re in Overheat). If you use this in conjunction with CSA, you can create many opportunities to feint your target. While it’s possible to vault over Beam Rifle shots, do not actively rely on it. Cancellable to AB, allowing for follow-up.
It’s possible to input BC~BC quickly and do the vaulting thrust at the shortest moment possible, but if the input is delayed even a little, you might end up with a Boost Dash up instead.
Burst Attack
Beam Javelin Combo
Montero throws the Beam Javelin at the target and stuns it before rushing in to perform a series of slashes. Since it starts with a ranged attack, this attack is easy enough to pull off even at medium range. Superarmor is only granted on the first stage of the attack when Montero throws the Beam Javelin.
If you input to the melee button during the throw, the Montero will immediately perform the melee stage of the Burst. However, this melee move does not have any Superarmor and you can be interrupted at this point. In addition the window for the input is fairly short, and is wonky at times. If you want to guarantee registration of the input, make sure to mash the melee button.
The actual melee Burst attack finishes quickly and is rather cut-resistant and Montero moves around alot in its animation. However, Montero itself will be stationary prior to the last stage of the melee, and is vulnerable during this period. While the overall damage is fairly modest for a Burst Attack, the bulk of the damage is done in the second stage of the melee so even if you get interrupted midway, the loss in potential damage isn’t so severe. While it’s a Burst attack with multiple good properties, it’s not a must-use, so don’t put yourself in awkward situations just to use this Burst Attack.
Strategies
- Wherever possible, try to team up with a front with high damage potential. Montero has mediocre damage output, so compensating for this deficit with a strong partner is recommended. Some good options include suits like Gundam Bael and Epyon.
- While E burst is a decent pick, it doesn’t boost Montero’s damage output in any meaningful way. It’s not a bad pick, but take note that you also run the risk of getting ignored entirely. Furthermore, while the added insurance is good, Montero already has excellent self-defence and isn’t really all that reliant on E Burst.
- S Burst brings limited benefits to Montero. While it does hasten the reload timings of the shockwave and assist, the Montero gains little in terms of cancel routes. The shockwave counts as a melee move so you can’t actually cancel to Main from it and free fall either.
- At this juncture, F Burst seems to be the pick that addresses Montero’s weaknesses. It further boosts Montero’s melee and overall damage output and the buffs in speed and mobility allows Montero to better close in for a melee.
- Play close to your partner, this allows the Montero to close in for a melee whenever necessary and Montero’s excellent self-defense lets it operate at close-medium range at a lesser risk compared to most other rear guard suits.
- 4/6AB is your bread and butter. While it has no muzzle correction, make sure you practice catching targets with it to consistently punish your enemy.
- Montero does have plenty of ranged options despite the low damage output. If closing in for a melee is too risky, diversify your ranged game with consistent barrages from your Main, assist, Sub, and charged attacks.
Recommended Combos
(SW) indicates that only the projectile portion of 4/6AB hits.
| Ranged Weapons | ||
| Input | DMG | Notes |
| A>>A>>A | 147 | Zunda |
| A>>A~4/6AB (SW) | 147 | |
| A~8B~5AB~B | 161-183 | After the 5AB you can mash A to add more hits for more damage |
| CSA>>A>>A | 148 | |
| 4/6AB(SW)>>A>>A | 161 | |
| 4/6AB>5BBB | 200 | |
| CSB~A | 142 | Freefall. |
| Melee | ||
| 5AB~BC(2nd stage)>5AB~BC | 288 | No cut resistance, high damage. |
| 5BB>5BBB | 220 | |
| 5B~2B>5AB~A~BC(2nd stage)>5AB~A~B | 277 | |
| 8B~5AB~A(5hits)~BC(~CSA) | 234 (245) | Does not end with a hard knockdown. |
| 2B~5AB~A(5hits)~BC(2nd stage)>A | 265 | |
| CC8BBB~CSA | 227 | End with A instead of CSA for 219. |
| CC8BBB~5AB~A(5hits)~2B~6B~2B | 255 | |
| 4/6BB>5BBB | 211 | |
| 4/6B~5AB~A(5hits)~BC | 234-245 | No hard knockdown |
| BC~5BB~8B | 171-188 | Melee intercept combo. Damage depends on how many hits of BC you land. |
| BC(whiff)~BC~5AB~A~BC>5AB~A(5hits)~8B | 297-300 | Step forward to connect. The less hits of the BC~BC you land, the more damage you deal. |
| A>>ABC | 246(F) 238(E) 254 (S) |
Burst Attack combo. |
| CC8B~5AB~A(5hits)>ABC | 353 | F Burst only. |